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daggerzine · 3 years

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Celebrity Mixtape Party #2 With Bob Fay! (presented by Matthew Kenneth)

The second installment of Celebrity Mixtape Party brings you none other than rock and roll gentleman from Sebadoh, Bob Fay! Bob waxes intellectual about a variety of pop tunes I recorded onto magnetic tape for him. I envision Bob working long into the evening writing this. Stroking a beard, smoking a meerschaum, brandy glass in hand. Peruse these words, dear reader, and delve into one of the great minds of 90s indie music.

Track 1. Comsat Angels (Missing in Action), a band I should have dug more at the time considering when their records started to show up at my local record shop and when I was at peak Anglo-worship mode. But they never left me wanting to hear more and then I went back to my Echo and The Bunnymen and Ruts LPs.. This track is hitting kind of nice right now, truth be told.

Track 2. The title isn't showing up but this sounds like TFLU 282. Now the singing has started and so my first guess seems wrong. Very clanged out guitar sound that hides the tunefulness. Miserable singer vibes too. Wonder if I already own this record? Oh it's Gordons! I have this on CD! Good for me! (Gordons-Spic n' Span)

Track 3. Hard to put across in mere words just how great the Soft Boys were at their zenith. And four part harmonies too? And while I think most rock lyrics are unfettered dreck, Robyn Hitchcock really had a gift of the lyrical gab (Soft Boys-Wey Wey Hep Uh Hole)

Track 4. I had some Bauhaus records when they first made their way to Boston but there was so much fashion baggage that went along with membership to the goth club. As their star kept ascending I was taking a hard left away from UK dance music. I came to realize later just how great some of those Bauhaus records were/are. (Terror Couple Kill Colonel)

Track 5. (Kleenex-Ain't You). Want to buy a Bridge might be the most influential record I've ever bought. This track remains a highlight amongst the flawless track listing. And talk about dope lyrics. And you just reminded me about the perfect gang vox!

Track 6. Flipper was another complete game changer for me. It doesn't sound nearly as slow as I probably thought it did in 1982 but the songs still reign supreme. One band all three members of Sebadoh could agree on. (Talk is Cheap)

Track 7. Basement 5 Who won me over at the time do a Christmas song? And it is fantastic? Did not see that coming...(The Last White Christmas)

Track 8. Kevin Ayers made one of my top five debut LPs of all time! Like easily. I scooped up the Odds and Ends LP back in the day and lo and behold; (Soon Soon Soon). Incredible guitar solo.

Track 9. The first band I flat out don't know. Late '70s early '80s new wavy angularity. Farfisa dance rock for the slump shoulder set circa 1981 (Happy Refugees-Hamburger Boy)

Track 10. Boston was a real TFLU282 stronghold for a while back then. I was lucky enough to co-interview them for Leslie Godfrey's pop watch fanzine. Such sweet folks. (Thinking Fellers Union Local 242-Hornet's Heart)

Track 11. Richard Davies what a character! This is one of his greatest songs right here. Assuming you've seen the incredible version with flaming lips from 1995? Do it, f****** pronto. No way I can start jotting down thoughts on the man that is RD. (Moles-What's the New Mary Jane?)

Track 12. Early MBV? Weird 50s style song structure with some fuzz for good measure. The vocals and lyrics are very trad for an MBV number. (My Bloody Valentine-Moonlight)

Track 13. another unknown to me band. A little like a less oblique Giant Sand when they were verging on grunge. That was a good period for that band. Sorry... I would probably dig this in some sweaty club. Well anywhere, really. Would seek out other music by (Hornet Leg-Gold Fire)

Track 14. I love Mirrors. That whole Cleveland 70s thing is the most unheralded thing In rock and roll history. Got to see Mirrors when that homestead CD came out in 1990(?) and they still had the goods. (Mirrors-Shirley)

Track 15. Never really followed Marc Riley's career after his Fall days were through. This is great so I might have to do some digging. Real jittery track...(Marc Riley-Judas Sheep)

Track 16. Another band that I just never got around to in my youth. I like how rickety it sounds but still keeps the song chugging forward. I found their music on Spotify (gasp) after reading an article on them in Ugly Things magazine. Applied knowledge! (Radiators from Space-Prison Bars)

Track 17. Alex Chilton (Hook or Crook) was such a big deal for me in the 1980s along with dozens of others like them. The man could do anything and out of morbid curiosity I had to hear it saw a few sets in the 80s that sure did piss off the Big Star heads!

Track 18. (Rock*a*Teens Down with People)! My sentiments exactly! Great muddy sound and a real desperation to the vox that is just swell. The band lives up to their rocking moniker.

Track 19. Wow this name rings no bell whatsoever. Mid-80s Scottish pop? Post-Pavement Belgium band circa 1993? Flying Nun band that's only on a comp that was never reissued? The world will never know...(Rote Kapelle-Jellystone Park)

Track 20. Really dug the Pink Section reissue on Superior Viaduct a few years back. Solid new wave that sends me right back to 1980 in a heartbeat. A total Gang of Four rip on the guitar solo. (Pink Section-Wine World)

Track 21. My wife turned me on to this era of Bowie. This tune in particular hitting that sweet spot like the Move have a tendency to do. And how in the hell did I not hear the complete hunky dory until 1997? Totally missed out...(David Bowie-Black Country Rock)

Track 22. Lucky to have seen La Peste a number of times opening for whatever UK band I was seeing. Real kings of the scene for a spell and they knew that if you only wrote great songs before breaking up early on yr legacy is sealed. (La Peste-Black)

Track 23. Just got this 45 again recently when a local DJ dumped his 45 collection at a store I frequent. This s*** sounds better to me now than it did back then. It kind of reminds me of a Boston version of the Boomtown Rats. (Pastiche-Boston Lullaby)

Track 24. Talk about a band that screwed the pooch on that first full-length. all of the demo rehearsal tapes have way more than the pro garbage. Never saw DMZ but by that time the Lyres started gigging around town I was all in! (DMZ-Go to School)

Track 25. Never heard the Del Byzanteens but ho! This has some real quality happening on the track. Good lyrics working off the twangy guitar and drums and percussion. Learn something everyday! (Del-Byzanteens-Welcome Machines)

Track 26. Maybe the most willfully cheery Monks number. When I start my stoned ramblings on first punk band The Monks are always in the mix. it's one of the great American stories in rock and roll history and f*** the singing on the end of this song is stellar! (The Monks-He Went Down to the Sea)

Track 27. Opal (and Clay Allison before that) made it plain to see that I was more of a Kendra Smith fan than a Steve Wynn head. Her voice is one of those that are only equaled by a choice view of a heavyweight vocalists like Sandy Denny and oh, you know, Bridget St. John etc. (Opal-Sailing Boats)

Track 28. Stephen, the Clean off-shoot band? Wish I hadn't sold that EP on Flying Nun back in the pre-911 days of eBay. In 20 years I sold about 16,000 things online and still have too much s***. But I digress. Will certainly relisten to Stephen. That David Kilgour just has the Midas Touch is all. (Stephen-Crystal)

Track 29. (The Chills-Dream by Dream) Don't know this one but I have not really heard anything post Soft Bomb so that's my bad. At first The Chills were my favorite Flying Nun band. The mix of morose and pop joy proved to be too much for me to resist in 1985. Wherever this track is from it's got that chills x factor.

Track 30. (3Ds-Sunken Head) More New Zealand shenanigans. I was getting their 45s and such as they made the track to the states back then. I have nothing but fond memories hanging with these folks on my one and only trip to New Zealand with Sebadoh. Be aware bands that own their own pub!

https://www.mixcloud.com/matthewkenneth9/bob-fay-mix/?fbclid=IwAR1ggSwYavA15ln1JHsUmqqR1z4IAeRxi4dh--AAMNw0YdlkcCfDojy3Qxk

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redsoapbox · 6 years

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MY TOP TEN ALBUMS LIST OF 1983

As someone who has always been an obsessive list-maker, I can’t quite comprehend how I’ve resisted the temptation, in the three years of redsoapbox, to blog to the world my thoughts on favourite films, books, records, etc. However, during some much-needed spring cleaning over the weekend, I stumbled upon a list of my favourite albums from 1983 and my defences collapsed on the spot. So I ’m putting it out there, regardless of the risk to my reputation (ha, ha).

1.Swordfishtrombones - Tom Waits

The album, of course, that marked Waits’ change from jazzy, bohemian barfly to surrealist junkyard poet. I hadn’t had much to do with Waits up until this point but subsequently bought up his back catalogue on the strength of this masterpiece. Waits described the transition in style this way - “I hatched out of the egg I was living in. I'd nailed one foot to the floor and kept going in circles, making the same record”. “In the Neighbourhood”, the alt.torch song “Frank’s Wild Years” and the little love poem “Johnsburg, Illinois” were the obvious standouts. Swordfishtrombones still remains on heavy rotation in the McGrath household today.

Selected track - “In the Neighbourhood”

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2. Life’s a Riot with Spy Vs. Spy - Billy Bragg

Sometime in 83/84, I showed up at the local Polytechnic to watch The Icicle Works and fell head over heels in love with unbilled support act, Billy Bragg. As a fully paid-up member of the Labour Party, I bought into Billy’s ‘socialism of the heart’ in a big way. I stood there open-mouthed as the ‘Bard of Barking’ cranked out “Milkman of Human Kindness”, “New England” and “To Have And Have Not”. The gig ended on an unbelievable high, with Billy joining Ian McNabb and co. on stage for an encore which included a medley of “Jailhouse Rock”, “L.A. Woman” and “Love Will Tear Us Apart”. I’ve seen Billy ‘one-man Clash’ Bragg play a dozen times since, and this fifteen-minute masterpiece remains high in my all-time top twenty albums list.

Selected track - “To Have And Have Not”

youtube

3. Hysterics - The Nightingales

In the sixties, you got to define yourself musically/culturally by choosing between The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, for post-punks like me, though, it was a straight choice between The Fall and The Nightingales (of course, you could secretly worship both and I did!). I was always, deep down, a Robert Lloyd man - I once fired off an angry letter to *Mojo taking Morrissey to task for lumping the ‘gales in with The June Brides and The Jasmine Minks - and still regard the frontman as one of the best lyricists in pop music history. It was a real joy to witness The Nightingales come back from a 20-year hiatus (during which Lloyd worked as a Postman) with 2006′s Out Of True, an album which gives Hysterics a real run for its money. One of my top 5 all-time favourite gigs was The Nightingales/Happy Monday’s/Ted Chippington corker in the Poly of Wales in 1984/85.

Selected track - “This”

The Nightingales have not been too well-served by the internet and there is next to nothing in terms of live footage before their reformation. They did, however, record 8 Sessions for John Peel, including the one below from the 5th of December 1983 which kicks off with “This”, the only song from Hysterics that I could track down for the purposes of this piece.

* The letter was published in issue no 151.

youtube

4. Murmur - R.E.M.

Having disastrously passed up the chance to catch ‘some new American band’, who in fact turned out to be none other than R.E.M., at Rumney’s run-down New Ocean Club in November 1984, I had to wait a further five years to see the band play (in Newport and Birmingham) as part of their Green tour. By then, of course, the whole world had fallen in love with the college rockers turned conquering heroes. Albums such as Document and Green may have propelled Athens’ finest into the big leagues, but the Byrdsian mumble-fest that is Murmur remains their masterpiece. A belated thumbs-up to Big Al for turning me onto the band in the first place.

Selected track - “Talk About The Passion”.

youtube

5. Power Corruption and Lies - New Order

You can’t begin to discuss the strange and surreal story of New Order’s rise to world domination without first engaging with the personal tragedy of Ian Curtis and the dramatic fall of Joy Division. How the remaining members of Manchester miserabilists Joy Division - Peter Hook, Bernard Sumner and Stephen Morris - recovered from the suicide of their friend and frontman Curtis in May 1980 to remodel themselves as the unexpected pioneers of Indie dance (Blue Monday is the biggest selling 12 inch record of all time) is surely one of the tallest tales in the annals of popular music.

Full disclosure here - there was a time in the mid-eighties, stretching to somewhere between 12 and 18 months, where I barely listened to anything other than Joy Division/New Order. Curtis had already died when I bumped into two old school friends, Tosh and Dai, huddled in the doorway of The Criterion pub at closing time one stormy Friday night in Pontypridd in the winter of 1983. In what was undoubtedly a drunken conversation, I heard the name Joy Division for the very first time. The next morning, with praise for JD still ringing in my head (unless that was the hangover), I headed straight for Hurleys Toy Shop (there was a record store in the back, staffed that morning by another friend from school, Huw, a mod who was clad in his usual Parka). I asked him to put on the first Joy Division record that I had caught sight of, which, try and stifle the laughter here folks, happened to be odds & sods compilation Still. The thrumming, glacial intro to “Exercise One” slowly unfurled and then, at 1.43 precisely, Curtis’ doomy, dislocated voice kicked in and my life would never be quite the same again. And I hadn’t even heard a track from Unknown Pleasures or Closer, let alone the classic singles “Love Will Tear Us Apart”, “Transmission” or “Atmosphere”.

New Order tried and failed to recapture that sound with their debut album Movement, but they were saved by the unlikeliest of transitions - the doom merchants became dance doyens, a shift signaled by the singles “Everything’s Gone Green” and “Temptation”.The members of New Order underwent personality transplants overnight and cemented their place in the pop pantheon.

Selected track - “Age of Consent”. The video below is the notorious live BBC concert, where everything in the lead-up to the gig has gone wrong. Bernard, visibly bursting at the seams with anger, isn’t best pleased, to begin with, and things are about to get worse!. I must have watched that twenty-minute broadcast a million times!

youtube

6. The Icicle Works - The Icicle Works

It’s been many a long year since I played this album and off the top of my head I can only name a couple of the tracks - “Birds Fly (Whisper To A Scream)” and the top twenty hit “Love Is A Wonderful Colour”. I was, though, a hardcore fan at the time, buying every album and a fair few of the Ian McNabb solo efforts that followed, including his majestic Head Like A Rock (1994), featuring members of Crazy Horse. Around the time of that album, he played a gig in Newport in front of a very paltry crowd. He took to the stage, looked around him and murmured ‘so this is Newport’. He never uttered another word during the set and looked well fed-up with life. He did, though, play the storming “Fire Inside My Soul”, which more than made up for his couldn’t care less attitude.

Selected track - “Love Is A Wonderful Colour”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFUGLNz1YfY

7. Punch the Clock - Elvis Costello and the Attractions

Another album that needs a good dusting down! Aside from King of America (1986), I usually confine myself to the Greatest Hits compilations when I’m in the mood for a slice of EC these days. Funnily enough, this month’s issue of Uncut has a feature on the album's producers Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley in which they recall that ‘the premise of the record was Elvis needs a hit, and a hit in America. Keep that in mind”. Langer recalls Costello freaking out on the last night of recording, claiming the album sounded crap. There are great tracks here - “Shipbuilding”, “Everyday I Write the Book” and “Pills and Soap” but there won’t be too many Costello aficionados claiming it as his best work.

Selected track - “Let Them All Talk”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vjr9zAknhbI

8. Soul Mining - The The

Although we weren’t to know it at the time it was Matt Johnson’s follow-up to this fine record, 1986′s crusading, state of the nation classic Infected, that would truly stand the test of time. Soulmining shouldn’t be neglected, however, with fine tunes like “This is the Day” and “Uncertain Smile” to its credit.

Selected track - “This is the Day”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAue9jqLB74

9. Perverted by Language - The Fall

Probably The Fall record I played the most down the years (along with Live at the Witch Trials), mainly because I was obsessed with “Eat Y’ Self Fitter”. Any track beginning

I’m in the furniture trade / Got a new job today / But stick the cretin / On the number-three lathe’, deserves our absolute devotion.

As with most Mark E. Smith compositions, I haven’t got a scooby’s as to what the substance of the song is actually about, but it doesn’t really matter, does it? when you can belt out ‘Where’s the cursor? Where’s the eraser? until you’re fit to drop.

Selected track - “ Eat Y’Self Fitter” of course!

.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFCOt6wbm80

10. Inarticulate Speech of the Heart - Van Morrison

The Belfast Cowboy’s streak of legendary albums, from 1968′s Astral Weeks through to 1974′s Veedon Fleece (discounting workmanlike efforts such as His Band and Street Choir in 1970 and 1973′s Hard Nose the Highway), was well and truly over and his mid-eighties slump entirely predictable by the time of this average undertaking. Still, anything that bears Morrison’s stamp upon it is bound to include a magical track here or there. In this case, it was the momentously odd “Rave On, John Donne” and the Morrison masterclass that is “The Street Only Knew Your Name”.

Selected track - “The Street Only Knew Your Name”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa8sdU6bxlA

Clearly, there are some glaring omissions here, but I was a 21-year-old slip of a lad at the time, and all in all, it’s a pretty fair list, I think. The top 4 are all still to be found in my top 30 albums list and I wouldn’t disown any of the others 35 years on. Those were great gig-going years - many thanks to Duncan, Huw and Stephen who accompanied me to some of the concerts mentioned above, and plenty of others besides in my indie heyday. I guess I still owe you petrol money, guys?

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213hiphopworldnews · 5 years

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Skip The Stadium Tour And Visit America’s Coolest Small Music Venues

Unsplash / Uproxx

Switching Scenes is brought to you by Boost, a brand that knows the best experiences come when you change things up.

Attending a huge stadium or arena tour can be magical. Elaborate lights and stage design elevate a good show into a theatrical, once-in-a-lifetime event. Something about assembling of 18,000+ fans in one room turns the air electric. The floor thrums with so many feet dancing and the walls shake from the chorus of voices singing along. Music is an expression of emotion that’s best experienced live, in the company of others.

But as cool as giant stadium shows are, they can also be a massive headache and even bigger money suck. When a nosebleed seat to Taylor Swift costs $125 and you spend an hour and a half trying to get out of the parking lot after the encore, you might question the time, money, and energy commitment of seeing your favorite artists in concert.

Thankfully, you don’t have to go to a stadium or arena to see world-class music. Some of the country’s best music venues only have room for a few hundred (or few dozen) attendees. Every artist gets their start somewhere, and most of the folks who play arenas these days got their start playing small gigs at run-down local spots. Check out some of America’s coolest underground music venues and discover your next favorite artist in the process.

1. Stubb’s Indoor — Austin, Texas

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Today is the last day of our holiday ticket deals! Don't miss your chance to get your hands on deals to see great bands like @nightcapatx. Valid until 11:59pm tonight, link in bio. Photo by @alexparkermedia via @nightcapatx

A post shared by Stubbs Bar-B-Q (@stubbsaustin) on Nov 26, 2018 at 3:13pm PST

Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater is a famed 2000-odd capacity venue in the heart of downtown Austin, with recent visits from The National, Kacey Musgraves, and Lizzo. But I’m also partial to the venue’s indoor space, which holds about 150 standing room. The folks who book shows at Stubb’s do an incredible job finding artists just on the cusp of breaking big — in the last year alone, I’ve seen Soccer Mommy, Half Waif, and Charly Bliss play the Stubb’s Indoor stage.

Also, Stubb’s sells BBQ upstairs until showtime, so get there early and pregame with some brisket and mac and cheese.

2. Bluebird Cafe — Nashville, Tennessee

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Our open mic crowd was in for a surprise tonight. Jonathan Singleton & @rascalflatts stopped by to play their new single "Yours If You Want It" and of course there was an encore. #bluebirdcafe #nashville #newsingle #rascalflatts #songwriters #yoursifyouwantit

A post shared by Bluebird Cafe (@bluebirdcafetn) on Apr 24, 2017 at 6:24pm PDT

Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe is teeny tiny, but its reputation precedes it. Since it opened in 1982, the Bluebird has featured low-key acoustic sets from some of country and folk’s biggest stars, and features performances every day from Nashville’s local talent on the rise. Bluebird’s open mic nights are a great place for discovery, whether you’re a songwriter or industry professional looking for the next big thing or just an enthusiast ready to hear some great country.

Kacey Musgraves first met her husband Ruston Kelly at Bluebird Cafe in 2016, and I can’t think of a more magical place for a meet-cute.

3. Berlin — Chicago, Illinois

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GUESS WHAT?? The special guest for the Stardust 10 Year Anniversary and Funeral was just announced — @kimpetras PERFORMING LIVE TONIGHT 10/18 Get your Halloween jush in full motion with an unforgettable night with @amandalepore @slayrizz @trexinchicago @tyislucystoole @jeezloueez @bon_abhijeet @jforpaydotcom @fabulous_freddie_ninja @scottiecramer @sheiseverywoman @imp_kid and more!!! don’t miss out! #kimpetras #amandalepore #slayrizz #krizz #trex #trannikarex #lucystoole #stardust #nightlife #party #lgbtq #queer #gay #trans #thursday #boystown #chicago #dance #music #dj

A post shared by Berlin Nightclub (@berlinnightclub) on Oct 18, 2018 at 5:32pm PDT

Berlin isn’t a music venue in the same way most of the other spots on this list are. A nightclub on the edge of Boystown, its stage is known for some of the city’s best DJ sets and drag performances. But every so often, some thrilling performers visit there. A friend saw Kim Petras and Charli XCX play there, and stood close enough to the stage to see Petras’ pores.

Berlin is one of the most famous gay bars in Chicago, a vibrant part of the city’s nightlife and open haven for all who frequent it. Go for a drink and dancing, and if Charli XCX shows up, it’s just the icing on the cake.

4. The Blind Pig — Ann Arbor, Michigan

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@jidsv 2/14/2019 : @tslcproductions • • • • • #crowdshot #jid #dreamville #sonya7ii #photography #concertphotography #tourphotography #blindpig #annarbor #uofm #uofmichigan #michigan #venue #club #nightlife

A post shared by The Blind Pig A2 (@blindpig_annarbor) on Feb 19, 2019 at 3:09pm PST

I went to school in Ann Arbor, so I’m probably biased here, but The Blind Pig might be my favorite small venue. The place has been open since 1971, and has brought some of rock’s most legendary acts to Ann Arbor. Lucky Michigan students in the ’90s could catch sets by Soundgarden and Nirvana, and current Tree Town residents can go to performances by icons on the rise like Girlpool and Mitski. The Blind Pig holds 400 standing room, but the homey vibe of the place makes it feel even smaller. You can also catch some great local musicians there. Before they were selling out Red Rocks, I saw hometown heroes Vulfpeck bring the house down at the Blind Pig.

5. Lestat’s — San Diego, California

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Come check out #Lestats West #openmic night! It all starts tonight at 6:30 p.m. YOW! There are always cool shows to attend!! #musicians #musiclovers #musictherapy #lestats #coffeeculture #coffeelover #coffeebreak #coffeetime #coffeelove #coffeesesh #coffeeshop #instacoffee #photographer #visualsoflife #ourplanetdaily #sandiegoliving #today #neverstopexploring

A post shared by Lestat's Coffee House (@lestatscoffee) on Jul 25, 2016 at 11:41am PDT

Lestat’s is a coffee shop that takes its name from Anne Rice’s Interview With The Vampire, but the place is also a legendary hub for San Diego folk music and comedy. Local talent like Jason Mraz, Anya Marina, Greg Laswell, and others got their start performing at open mic nights, and the venue is still full of the thrilling promise that anyone can take its stage, and anyone can make it big.

I’m sure the arenas in SD get some exciting acts too, but I doubt their concession stand makes as good an almond milk latte as Lestat’s.

6. The New Parish — Oakland, California

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This is what happens when @g_eazy does a special show in The Town! Everyone shows up & shows out. Epic to say the least. #geazy #hiphop #oakland #thenewparish

A post shared by The New Parish (@thenewparish) on Jan 28, 2019 at 12:50pm PST

If you’re a fan of hip-hop, dancehall, and everything in between, The New Parish is a great place to check out local and touring talent. Although it’s only been open since 2010, The New Parish has hosted established acts like Mos Def and Dave Chappelle, and almost every night the venue has a killer comedy or music show booked. You can catch some theatrical punk (Iceage) or teen pop (Olivia O’Brien), or plan to go to one of their bimonthly reggae/dancehall nights.

7. The Echo — Los Angeles, California

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The Echo at the end of the rainbow

A post shared by The Echo + Echoplex (@theechola) on Mar 22, 2019 at 1:45pm PDT

The little sister of the Echoplex, the 350-capacity Echo is one of the best spots to check out hip-hop, pop, and pretty much everything in Los Angeles. The Echoplex, at more than twice the Echo’s size, gets bigger shows, but the Echo is ideal for seeing an intimate show with local and rising talent.

In Los Angeles, it’s hard to even find a place that sells a cocktail for $12, but you can catch some cool indie acts like Sasami and Dilly Dally at The Echo for less than the price of a rice bowl at Sqirl.

8. The Bowery Ballroom — New York, New York

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@smino & friends brought the funk to a #soldout crowd last night! : @anniebkane #smino #bowerypresents

A post shared by Bowery Ballroom (@boweryballroom) on May 3, 2017 at 8:18am PDT

In a city as big as New York, where every subway car seems 500 people over capacity, finding an intimate venue can be difficult. The Bowery Ballroom is small for the Big Apple — 575 capacity, But the venue has hosted some killer acts. Lorde performed Melodrama in full on the day of its release, and I am still so jealous of the friends of mine who were lucky enough to be in that pit. The Bowery has also hosted acts like Car Seat Headrest and Lana Del Rey, and you can go there and try and find the exact corners of the venue that appeared in the 2000 cinematic classic Coyote Ugly.

9. 40 Watt Club — Athens, Georgia

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Johnny Marr – Sold Out !

A post shared by The 40 Watt Club (@40wattathens) on Oct 13, 2018 at 8:02pm PDT

The 40 Watt Club is home base for many of Athens, GA’s hometown heroes. R.E.M., Of Montreal, and Neutral Milk Hotel all got their start in Athens. If you’re lucky, you can catch one of them playing a low-key set, but 40 Watt also gets plenty of rising local stars and touring talent. The venue has moved and renovated a few times, but since 40 Watt first opened in 1978, it’s been an instrumental part of local history. Some of rock’s biggest legends got their start playing tiny shows there, and there’s sure to be many more who grace its stage.

10. World Cafe Live — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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So cool to see artists we have recently hosted like @spaceykacey (Album of the Year winner) @brandicarlile (Americana Album of the Year winner) and @pjmorton (Traditional R&B Performance of the Year) recognized at the 2019 #Grammys last night. Congrats to all! Photo by @senialopez.photography from Kacey’s #FreeAtNoon a few months ago

A post shared by World Cafe Live (@worldcafelive) on Feb 11, 2019 at 7:52am PST

World Cafe Live is one of Philadelphia’s most unique venues. Housed in a former art deco factory, there are actually two stages. The upstairs room can hold about 220 guests and features floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the historic city. The downstairs, which can accommodate 650 guests, is a little bigger, but no less beautiful. There’s no bad place to stand in this venue, whether you’re right at the stage or with a sweeping view from the balcony.

If you’re catching a show downstairs, the upstairs is open for dining with a full menu. You can pay $20 for a hot dog and nachos at a stadium, or you can get a salmon dinner at the venue before you catch Kacey Musgraves at World Cafe. With the diverse array of exciting acts in pop, hip-hop, and indie that pass through World Cafe Live (and all of these other venues), consider skipping the arenas and checking out the local talent and culture in your city.

source https://uproxx.com/life/best-small-underground-music-venues/

#hiphop #hip hop legend #hip hop history #hip hop #music #trending #hip hop news #ballin #hip hop scen

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soundsofthestreet-blog1 · 7 years

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Interview

Arch Rivals

Arch Rivals have been making waves in the scene since their formation in 2014 and in my opinion are one of the best street punk bands around at the moment. They released their debut album ‘One More Round’ last year through Randale Records and quickly followed that up earlier this year with the ‘Outlaws’ single. We caught up with vocalist Mike Brands to tell us more about the band.

Sounds Of The Street. Thanks for agreeing to do this interview. Can you just start by introducing yourselves and how the band got together?

Mike Brands. We are a 5 piece street punk/Oi! band based in Plymouth in the UK.

We are Mike - vocals - originally from Inverness, moved to England in 1999 when he joined the army.

Murphy - lead guitar - does all the band art and prints our t-shirts, also plays for Hostile Minds.

Kev - bass - originally from the mid-lands, also bass player for Vincent and the Onepotts and Hostile Minds.

Tom - rhythm guitar - used to play in ska and punk bands, self taught trombone, the brains behind new Oi! band "Hostile Minds" and bovver rockers “Hard Wax”

Alex - drums - our Bulgarian beat master, he grew up amongst their local punk and hardcore scene, playing drums for various bands since he was 16 and hi is former drummer of Plymouth hardcore band "Upsurge" which he played in with Tom and Murphy, also plays for Hard Wax.

I moved to mid Wales for my job, I was living in the middle of nowhere on my own and was getting bored.

I posted on Facebook about wanting to form a punk band and Tom (drums) messaged me about forming an Oi! band.

Even though they were based miles away in Plymouth, Tom recruited Murphy and Kev and we wrote a few songs over email which we decided to record together.

I travelled down to Plymouth, we jammed the songs out for twenty minutes, then went in the studio in the morning and recorded 3 songs, and we released them over the next week or so on YouTube and straight away got loads of positive feedback.

This lead to us releasing a ltd edition 7” on Shout Proud Records, which in turn lead us to Randale Records with whom we released our debut album “One More Round”

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SOTS. The street punk/Oi scene in the UK has always had the image of being a bunch of racists, do you think the current crop of UK bands including yourselves are helping to change the image of the UK scene?

MB. I think that’s a misconceived image, although there is definitely that side of the scene most of us are just working folk looking to vent and enjoy ourselves through music.

There are many different factions within the scene and we tend to distance ourselves from any extremes, we’re not interested in all that bollocks, there are bands who claim “we don’t do politics” but we do politics… we do working class politics… we do food on the table politics… we do down the pub with mates politics… what we don’t do is tell people what to think… everyone in the band has their own set of political ideas and we all differ, I was brought up to keep personal politics personal!

I think the best way to change the preconceived image that a lot of people have about us is by getting out and putting on our shows, meeting people and showing them who we are and what we are about…

We’re not looking to become political poster boys or social superheroes, just a voice for the average Joe…

SOTS. The band’s songs are very melodic with excellent singalong choruses, was this a conscious decision and who are the bands main influences?

MB. We all bring something different to the table as far as influences go, Tom and myself have spent many years around the skinhead scene and bring Oi! and punk influences mainly, Murphy and Alex are both more Hardcore orientated and Kev is Mr Rock N Roll.

The melodic sound was something that just sort of happened, we’d jam stuff out and just use whatever we liked, I found it a real challenge as I’d never had to write vocals you could actually sing before, but we try to mix things up a bit, for every “Always and Forever” there’s an “On Our Own” just to keep things interesting…

I think some people write us off because of the melodic stuff, as if you can’t be a real Oi! band if you can sing, but I think the subject matter of our songs makes us as relevant as harder sounding bands.

As a band I guess our major influences include The Business, Argy Bargy, Cock Sparrer, Rancid, The Clash and Agnostic Front!

SOTS. You released your debut album last year through Randale Records and quickly followed that with the ‘Outlaws’ Single earlier this year, is there plans for more releases this year? Is there plans for a second album?

MB. Yes.

We are actually doing demos for the second album as we speak, we have written about 15 songs so far and recorded half a dozen, we will be in and out of the studio over the next month or so until the demos are all done, then we’ll sit on them for a month or so, decide what we like, what we don’t like and then choose our favourite tracks for the album.

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SOTS. The band aren’t overly political but ‘Politicians’ off your debut album takes a pop at the liberties that MP’s take while the rest of us struggle. With the mess that the country is currently in, can we expect similar songs in the future?

MB. Absolutely, there’s one song called “The Struggle” which although is very different sound wise to “Politicians” subject wise is almost a sister song.

Although we don’t claim any political ties, we will speak out about the injustice the working classes endure due to self-serving politicians or big business.

We have another song which laments the life of the forgotten soldier who, once he has passed his usefulness, is discarded by the country he fought to defend, a subject matter which is very close to my heart as an ex-soldier and someone who still raises money for homeless military charities.

The government promised a military covenant to protect our armed forces once they no longer serve and local councils are ignoring it, leaving record numbers of our former personnel on the streets.

Another track talks about the helplessness of those people who society has forgotten or reject, it’s not a bleeding-heart song, but it doesn’t pull any punches on how brutal life can be.

Then we have a song about being an unlucky twat (semi autobiographical), so it’s not all doom and gloom… Ha ha!

SOTS. You have been playing gigs throughout Europe this year but you’re playing at this year’s Rebellion Festival and have got a hometown gig with some brilliant bands including Grade 2, The Crash Landings and Hard Wax. Are you looking forward to these shows? For people who have not seen you live what can they expect from an Arch Rivals show?

MB. We try to give a high energy show with sing along anthems to get people moving, our gigs are more about having a good time whilst staying true to who we are.

We like our gigs to be short sharp shocks, with a bit of me gobbing off in between songs.

I think it’s fair to say we win over new fans at pretty much every show we play and the quality of the shows we get offered these days represents that (Rebellion, Cock Sparrer, Cockney Rejects, etc.)

SOTS. We are massive fans of the band at Sounds of the Street and can’t wait for some new music. All the best for the rest of the year.

MB. Thank you very much, and thank you for your support, it’s massively appreciated,

Hope to see you at a show soon…

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