Show Review: Millencolin/Success

Screen Shot 2016-06-03 at 1.10.38 AM — True Brew Tour 2016

Millencolin has finally done a legit U.S. tour after all these years. As a fan that has been waiting for a tour on this side of the Atlantic, this one was not to be missed. I saw them on a random date last year in Dallas but that left me wanting more from Millencolin. It was awesome that they came back to Texas and gave Austin a shot this time.

For myself, seeing a band like Millencolin was a right of passage. There are certain bands we listened to in our punk journey that we dream about seeing live. Basically, any band that was on a Fat Wreck compilation or Punk-O-Rama is on that list. Throughout May and June, they are joined by Success and MXPX, which are great additions to this tour. They are also doing tour stops during the Punk Rock Bowling Festival (Las Vegas and Denver dates).

Let’s begin with their opening band Success on this particular tour date. I wasn’t a hundred percent sure what I was about to hear. I just knew they are a band from Seattle. I have read a bunch about them over the past two years since they have been on several festival lineups and have been touring frequently. I was really surprised by their sound because I was built up to believe they were more pop punk than they actually were. When I think of pop punk as a genre, it sometimes can lean on the sugary sweet side. You can tell who their influences are in the punk genre but what was truly fascinating was the overall musical influences they have. They are music nerds and not afraid to show it. They fused their set by playing their songs that would somehow end up playing “Carry on Wayward Son” by Kansas. These poor guys played their hearts out in the hot Texas humidity and didn’t fail to impress.

Millencolin’s set was everything I expect from them. They played a few songs from their latest release True Brew, thus why the tour is named as such. What I really enjoyed about their set is that I didn’t feel like I saw the same set twice. It consisted of their hits such as “Penguins and Polar Bears”, “Twenty Two”, and “Mr.Clean”. Also my personal favorite “Black Eye”. I know I have seen these songs at the show last year but it honestly felt refreshing rather than repetitive. Especially since this band only does so many releases over the years, it is crucial to stay fresh and innovative for your fans. I definitely feel they keep this idea in mind on their tours and their music. I hope their absence from Texas won’t be the many years it has been and we will get more great music from this band in the future.

Punk Rock Festivals 2016: Lineups, Reunions, and Hang Overs

052613_mainstage_crowd4_by_tyson_heder_web — Photo by Tyson Heder

This time of year, in my opinion, is the beginning of the punk festival season. I think between Punk Rock Bowling and Fest is the prime picking for festivals in the United States. With these amazing lineups and the Misfits reunion, we can all see the money flying out of our bank accounts. Just remember there is no price on memories even if we might black out and forget….

Here is the break down for every major punk lineup in the U.S. and a few international mentions:

Punk Rock Bowling: Las Vegas, NV( May 26-30), Denver, CO (June 2-4), and Ashbury, NJ (June 10-12)

I am VERY biased when I say this is my favorite festival. I have been several times now and it is the quintessential punk rock festival. All the punk kids having fun against the glitzy Las Vegas lights is a sight to be seen. This festival also brings cool and unique club after shows. Did I mention there is a bowling tournament too? With the gambling, pool parties, and karaoke, the fun never stops in this 24-hour festival. This year they are attempting to branch out by having dates in Ashbury and Denver. Here are the lineups for each date:

Riot Fest: Chicago, IL (Sept. 16-18) and Denver, CO (Sept. 2-4)

Riot Fest REALLY brought the surprise of the year by only announcing the Misfits reunion in their initial band. They didn’t mention any of their other stellar artists and let us just freak out for a moment because hell froze over for a second. Of course, in our heart of hearts, we could see this happening but no one was holding their breath. But it’s happening! I will be there this September to give all the details of this reunion for you guys. This might be my favorite lineup of all the festivals this year. It has such punk gems as Bad Religion, Lagwagon, NOFX, The Aquabats, Against Me!, and Leftover Crack to name just a few. Both lineups are very similar but it depends on how much you want to see certain headliners and old school favorites. They are still announcing more to each lineup so stay tuned:

Fest 15: Gainesville, FL (Oct. 28-30)

Fest is on my bucket list of punk festivals to go to before I die. I think it should be on yours as well. Anyone that I have discussed Fest with says that it is a place where new punk bands are made and found. This year is very special since it is an anniversary of the festival. They have a heavy lineup of alumni playing, which makes it harder to decide who you want to see. This is a great problem to have. So cancel all your Halloween plans now and make it out to Fest 15 this year, check out the official lineup below:

Remember the Punks Fest: San Antonio, TX (October 1, 2016)

A super surprise for the state of Texas. As a punker growing up in Texas, we tend to miss out on bands from the other coasts that can’t afford to tour here often. So when this festival popped up, the internet lit up! I feel the lineup is equal parts street punk, pop punk, and ska. It will be amazing to see Bigwig, Slapshot, The Exploited again since it has been a hot minute. I think this festival will do well since the venues will cater to every kind of punk. I will also be covering this festival since it is in my backyard, which in Texas means a 2-hour drive.

Fun Fun Fun Fest: Austin, TX (Nov 6-8)

This has been my favorite local festival for many years now. This 10-year festival is uniquely Austin. These festival people love bands such as the Descendents, GWAR, and Fat Wreck bands, and reunions. And don’t forget tacos. I hope this is not the end of the road for this festival since the company has changed owners this past month. It is a great festival that is equal parts electronic, hip-hop, comedy, punk, metal, hardcore, and indie rock. Every year they do a recap video and I think it gives a good depiction of what good times to expect. Fingers crossed for another great year and lineup to come!

Other Honorable Mentions:

Since some of these festivals are overseas or have already happened, here is a quick list of festivals to hit up outside the U.S. Get those passports ready!

Punk Rock Holiday Tolmin, Slovenia (Aug.9-13th 2016)
Amnesia Rock Fest Montebello, Canada (June 23-26, 2016)
Rebellion Festival Blackpool, UK (Aug 4-7, 2016)
Groezrock Meerhout, Belgium (April 29-30 2016)
POUZZAFEST Montreal, Canada (May 20-22, 2016)

Get FESTING in 2016 and feel free to share local festivals within the comments. See you out there!

Podcasting and Punk: Top Recomendations

I am a podcast addict. There are endless possibilities when it comes to podcasts. It can be artsy and deep or straight out crass. It keeps me sane in Austin traffic and on long flights. I feel like I have learned a little more about the world just listening to a 30 minute-hour long episode. I have done a ton of searching online and on the iTunes app. Here are my top recommendations on punk podcasts in no particular order or rank. Share the love:

Turned out a Punk: Damian Abraham is the beast at everything he does. I love his band Fucked Up and the energy of his live performances. Who knew he brought that kind of ambition to podcasting? Well, he does. He has a vast knowledge of vinyl and music that is very impressive. He puts up episodes weekly, sometimes even sooner with the footnotes podcasts he adds too. He has interesting guests from musicians to industry people. He also gives an interesting take on the Canadian punk scene.

MMR Radio: I have been reading this zine forever. I am glad they have never changed because they do what they do so well. It is a mix of garage rock, punk, hardcore and indie. It seems to work really well together. They upload episodes weekly from bands that submit to their podcast and/or zine. Mostly just a music playlist and some talk. I have definitely found some gems within these playlists.

copy-MRR_Radio_banner_1260x240_4 — MMR Radio

Rebel Songs Radio: This is my personal favorite out there. I had spent months looking for another female that discusses and plays punk music. It varies from hardcore, rockabilly, thrash, metal, oi, and punk. Which pretty much lists all my favorite genres. Support this awesome podcast!

Punk News: I am obviously a fan of Punk News. What is so great about this podcast is that if you don’t have the time to sit down and read your newsfeed, then this will catch you up immediately. They have awesome interviews with bands and talk current punk news. They also play tracks from new releases. They also have sub-podcast called The Wizard’s Beard and Space Punks. These podcasts are exactly what you think they are.

podcast-1344611750 — PunkNews.org Podcast

Rocket Fuel: I REALLY enjoy Jeff’s podcast. The spectrum of genres is punk, ska, and indie. Even though this podcast is not 100% punk all the time, all the songs that he plays are music we still love as music fans. Also, his guests are spot on. This podcast has truly interesting conversations from bands such as Face to Face, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, to Fest coverage. I think the reason I like this podcast the most is that you can tell it is very influenced by the 120 minutes era. Which I am totally that person too. I HIGHLY recommend this podcast to any music lover.

rocketfuellogosmall — Rocket Fuel Podcast

Honorable Mentions

WTF with Marc Maron: Marc Maron’s podcast is one of the best out there. Yes, not all of them are punk. BUT occasionally there will be gems on there such as Iggy Pop, Flea, Mike Watt and many more. So it’s worth checking out even for those specific interviews.

Mostly Harmless with Dammit Damian: I really dig this podcast out the Denver area. I also love the fact that Damian comes from the zine scene. His interviews consist of bands, comics, and nerd pop culture. He also has some awesome live footages and old interviews to dive into. Definitely worth a tune in.

All Songs Considered: I get that NPR is a super adult station. It can be hard to sit through and listen. But this podcast is pure music nerd haven. Obviously not the most punk podcast out there but very surprising. In the past couple of months, they have played great bands such as Greys, The Dirty Nil, and PUP. If you like a roulette of music that includes punk and all genres, then this is a great podcast choice.

My favorite punk podcast of this past year has to go to Rupual’s What’s the Tee with Michelle Visage. I only mention this episode because it was with Henry Rollins. It is a superb episode. Little did you know that Rupaul and Henry Rollins collaborated musically? Exactly. Amazing episode. I personally listened to this episode twice!

**I am also excepting any recommendations for other punk podcasts not listed. I know there are probably more out there. Feel free to comment or leave a link below.**

Against Me! Going to Perform in North Carolina

Through the past month, artists from all genres have been publicly speaking out against House Bill 2. Some artist like Bruce Springsteen has decided to cancel their dates in North Carolina. Which makes sense to a degree, since why would you want to pay tax money in a state passing this type of legislation. But on the other hand, people might need a place to vent their anger and frustration. I believe this is why Against Me! is still keeping their tour dates there.

The band plans to have local LGBT organizations to table their show and give people much-needed information. Also, they are planning to use gender-neutral bathrooms as a sign of protest. I also believe there will be a heartfelt statement at the show. To me this a true punk band in the traditional sense. In the days of going against the opposition, it is most effective at the moment. Punk music is a place to vent your frustrations and have a community voice. I can’t wait to see the footage of this show and I hope it gives people the voice they need.

Modern Baseball: New Songs,Documentary and Album

A lot is going on in the Modern Baseball camp. They have a new album coming out on Run for Cover Records titled Holy Ghost. It’s due out on May 13, 2016, which will be followed by their tour. They have been releasing bits about the album for months. They also are filming a documentary called Tripping in the Dark. It will follow the band from early beginnings to their release of the upcoming album. Here’s the trailer for the documentary:

On a side note, they also did a cover from one of my favorite recent bands Violent Soho. I am glad they are a fan of a band I really admire and I can’t blame them for wanting to do a cover by this band. Here is them doing Dope Calypso. Can’t wait for the new album:

An Evening with Iggy Pop and Josh Homme

I feel like Post Pop Depression is this year’s most anticipated album. All the tastemakers are discussing it on air and in the streets. It’s like we don’t want to miss a moment before the album dropped so we can say we heard the magic first. It was released on March 18, 2016, after their tour stops in Austin during the South by Southwest Music Conference and Festival. My fellow Austinites and I got the privilege of hosting and seeing this unique tour. I use my word choices her very precisely due to the fact that I believe Iggy Pop is a star. He is a punk legend and what I think of when I say the words “front man”. He is also a bit of a renaissance man. You think you might know who Iggy Pop is one minute but he will do something completely out of his range and nail it with grace.

I think that describes the approach to this album and tour. Post Pop Depression isn’t glam rock, indie, or punk outright. It has so many layers to it that you have to take it at face value. It is gritty, dancey, and profound. The first couple listens I would get little bits stuck in my head and it would remind me of the first times I fell in love with Iggy Pop/The Stooges, Queens of the Stone Age, and even 80s David Bowie. In an overly produced pop world, it refreshing to go back to certain eras of music that are about reinvention and attempting something new.

The SXSW showcase was at the Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater. The day before Iggy and Josh did their official taping for the Austin City Limits television show. What was great about the showcase the day after was that they just got to play music without anything technical in the way. The set started with “Lust For Life” which I thought would be a closer. It was exactly the excitement I needed in my life. Then the band went right into the album with songs such as ” American Valhalla”, “Sunday”, and “Break Your Heart”. They also did a cover of David Bowie’s “China Girl” which fits very much into the style of this album. The band covered some Iggy Pop classics such as “Nightclubbing” and “Passenger” which fit well within in the set and is very classic Iggy.

While Iggy Pop danced and thrashed upon the stage, while Josh Homme soothed with his guitar. The music spoke for itself. Some might have thought this collaboration would be odd but they both offset each other organically to make this transformative dance pop. I love that this album doesn’t take itself so seriously but is still a serious piece of music. I can also say that this was one of the best shows I have ever witnessed. So when I die and my life flashes before my eye, its comforting to know Iggy Pop will be there dancing with me till the end.

Tiger Army is Back! (Finally)

Tiger Army’s mantra is “Never Die” and for a while, I thought they might actually die off. In 2013, the band acted like they were disbanding. After the departing of Geoff Kresge in February 2014, there seems to be a radio silence of what was to come next. Also the fact that Tiger Army hadn’t been to Texas since 2008, it seemed pretty damn bleak. As always though, founding and constant member, Nick 13 said the band would continue.

After all the drama this band has seen over the decades, I was still pretty excited when I heard they would be touring with the great Dropkick Murphys. I was expecting they would play it safe and play old hits. The set was actually a little bit of everything. They stuck to their roots and also debuted some of their new material. They had been gone so long I forgot how much I truly love Nick 13’s voice. I rarely can hear the crispness of a vocalist, especially at a big venue like Stubbs. I am not gonna sugar coat it but I do miss Geoff Kresge as the bassist because I loved his style of playing but Djordje Stijepovic is definitely up to par. They also have another drummer Mike Fasano, who has played on a previous album. Nick 13 has definitely planned this revamp carefully. By getting top musicians such as Dave Roe and Mitch Marine, that have worked with other artists such as Dwight Yokham and Johnny Cash, the new record will have a rich vintage sound. Also the fact that it was recorded by Grammy winner Ted Hutt, who also records Dropkick Murphys, Old Crow Medicine Show, and The Gaslight Anthem. Check out the new song “Prisoner of the Night” which they are debuting on this current tour:

This new and improved Tiger Army will also be returning to Texas again for Houston’s Free Press Summer Fest on June 4-5 this summer. An obvious statement here is that: Tiger Army Never Dies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0FugoPAanU

Editor’s Note: The original post was modified to name the correct musicians in the current touring band and on the album. Apologizes for the mix-up and the correction was made. Thanks for reading and the kind words.