Zen Lunacy: No Sense Makes Sense

Manchester, CT's Zen Lunacy have their own sound, that much is clear. They pull this sound from a vast multitude of locations in time and space and condensed them down into an LP bursting with goodness!

1974 at Zen Bar June 9th; New EP: "The Return"

The opening of 1974's new EP, "The Return," reminded me of what I've been uncovering while delving further into the seemingly endless discographies of King Crimson, Yes, and other older bands. This was in line with what I'd read about 1974, and thus precisely what I expected from them. But halfway through the first short track, the band started to pull in numerous other genre influences, and to push out a more eclectic and unplaceable sound.

Downtown Thursdays in Bridgeport ALL SUMMER

Bridgeport is offering a whole series of FREE concerts on Thursdays all summer. It's called "Downtown Thursdays"! The showtime will be 5:30pm to 7:30pm each time so get there early for free music!

Skeletonbreath and Atrina at Cafe 9

Thursday, Nov 18th at Cafe 9, Safety Meeting Records is bringing us a face-melting night with two intense bands.

Skeletonbreath is coming back to New Haven, bringing their unique Eastern European influenced instrumentals with them. Chances are you've probably seen them before and if you have there's no reason you wouldn't be back. For those of you who haven't experienced Skeletonbreath firsthand, you're missing out big time! It's kind of an unparalleled experience.

Long-time site favorites Atrina are the opener. One of the first things ever written for our site was actually an interview with Atrina's Kelly L'Hereux! In case you missed it, catch up right here: CLICK. Their songs are heavy and jazzy, with almost a classic rock vibe, but the songs are always beautiful. They're a long-time staple of the local CT scene and features members of a lot of different local bands. Be sure to catch them live.

Cafe 9
Thurs, Nov. 18th
9pm, $5 cover

All The Trimmings Benefit @ Heirloom Arts Theatre, November 27th

'Tis the season for good times and giving, and there will be a whole lot of both going on Saturday, November 27th at Danbury's Heirloom Arts Theatre with the 'All The Trimmings' Benefit concert featuring The Stepkids (CT), Mother Brother (CT), Black Churches (MA), Diztrict Allstarz (CT), Ovlov (CT) and Vinyette (NY).

Organized by Matthew Vitti (of Mother Brother) and Amanda Bloom (of The Mercurial), the event had its beginnings this past July when Vitti and Bloom met following a house show and promptly merged minds in setting up "a monumental rock show." According to Vitti, "Amanda and I had similar ideas about the concept and nature of the event, so we worked fairly quickly and cooperatively finding the bands, finding the venue and forming the skeletal structure that would hold this party high and mighty above all else." The main 'nature' of the event that Vitti alludes to is the food and clothing drive that will be taking place along with the show. Benefiting will be the Dorothy Day Hospitality House which, since 1982, has fed and sheltered Danbury's homeless. In addition there will be a booth set up by the China Care Foundation, a Westport, CT. based non-profit dedicated to saving the lives of medically fragile orphaned children in China.



To spice up the good will, Vitti and Bloom have also put together a whole assortment of other activities and treats including a giant Twister competition, $1 plates of pizza and salad provided by Nico’s Pizza, an old-fashioned photo booth courtesy of Tin Sparrows (y'know, for documenting all those big smiles created by giving), and between-band sets by DJ Symetrex who will apparently be spinning faces off at the upstairs bar.



And how about those bands?? In addition to Vitti's own Mother Brother (often engaging, always shape-shifting synth/noise/jam quartet from Bridgeport), a whole stable of great bands will be performing including Black Churches (odd-timed guitar rock from MA. (with keyboards!)), Diztrict Allstarz (hip-hop with guitars from Danbury), Ovlov (solid alt-rock from Newtown) and Vinyette (alternately dream-rock/hard rock with elements of electronica and post-punk from NY.). Headlining will be CT's the Stepkids whose brand of synth-psych-soul (and recent signing to Stones Throw Records) has created a significant buzz around the band. If the potential acts of good will don't draw you to Heirloom Arts Theatre on Nov. 27th, the music should.

Truly living up to its name, All The Trimmings' equal parts of good cause, good fun and good music look to fit the spirit of the season quite well.

If When You Go:

Saturday, November 27th

The Mercurial and Mother Brother present
'All the Trimmings' Benefit
THE STEPKIDS (CT)
MOTHER BROTHER (CT)
BLACK CHURCHES (MA)
DIZTRICT ALLSTARZ (CT)
OVLOV (CT)
VINYETTE (NY)

@ Heirloom Arts Theatre
8pm / All-Ages
$10 ($1 off w/food donation!)

Uz Jsme Doma, Kimono Draggin', Shawn Persinger is Prester John @ Daniel Street, Sept. 23rd

On Thursday, September 23rd Milford's Daniel Street will play host to a trio of highly creative bands: Uz Jsme Doma, Kimono Draggin' and Shawn Persinger is Prester John.

Formed in 1985 in what is now the Czech Republic, Uz Jsme Doma is named after a Czech expression that loosely translates into "now we're at home" (meaning "now I get it"). Stamped "antisocial" by the Communist government of the time, the group spent its first years playing illegal concerts, going through numerous changes in their lineup, and writing an impressive repertoire of avant-punk songs influenced by Pere Ubu, the Residents, the Sex Pistols, and the Rock-in-Opposition movement. After the Velvet Revolution of 1989, Uz Jsme Doma was one of the first groups to establish an alternative rock sound for the new republic. Along with Plastic People of the Universe, Uz Jsme Doma frequently toured the U.S., establishing a dedicated cult following along the way. Uz Jsme Doma are punk in spirit, activists at heart, and strongly avant-garde in their dissonances, complex songs, and humor.



Opening for Uz Jsme Doma are locals Kimono Draggin' and Shawn Persinger is Prester John, two bands who share the headliner's notoriety for complex arrangements and punk-inspired energy. Kimono Draggin' in particular aligns itself well with Uz Jsme Doma both for the seemingly endless twist and turns of their arrangements and for their tenacious live energy. Shawn Persinger is Prester John also shares a kindred musical spirit to the headliner although usually on a more stripped down level instrumentation wise. Overall this billing brings together three different artists whose musical creativity and pure love of form is evident in their music through and through.

For anyone interested in great guitar work, interesting arrangements and near punk energy, do not miss this show!




If When You Go:

Manic Productions presents

Uz Jsme Doma
Kimono Draggin'
Shawn Persinger is Prester John

@ Daniel Street
21 Daniel Street
Milford, CT. 06460

8pm / 21+ / $8 adv./$10 door
--> Buy Tickers Here <-- or pick them up at Redscroll Records or DETRITUS

Show Review: Titus Andronicus, Hallelujah The Hills, and Bomb The Music Industry! at Lilly's Pad 7.10.10

The experience of going to a sold out show isn't one that I've had too often in the indie rock world. It's usually me and a handful of other dudes, quietly sipping $14 Jack & Cokes in the back of some 300 person venue while the guy on stage twiddles with knobs and shoves contact mics in his ears. It's a valuable experience, but it's nevertheless underwhelming on some level. On Saturday night, Lilly's Pad was packed. Actually, it was beyond packed. It was so thoroughly filled with enthusiastic fans that any small motion in the sea of bodies created a ripple effect that produced a de facto mosh pit in the center of the room. Despite the venue's strict policies against crowd surfing, a couple dudes (and one brave young lady) couldn't help but catch some waves. And all this within the first minute of the opening band.

I was a huge fan of Titus Andronicus going into the show, and had premiered a digital 7-inch with Hallelujah the Hills on The Ampeater Review, but Bomb The Music Industry! was a complete (and completely thrilling) surprise. I don't spend much time on the punk/ska scene, so my basis for comparisons is severely limited. That said, I like what these guys do and I like how they do it. Setting aside the band's overt message of "fuck the man, man" for just a second, it's immediately apparent how much these guys enjoy themselves, and it rubs off on their fans. It took them a good fifteen minutes of futzing on stage to get going with a downbeat, during which time I would normally have solidified my opinion of the band ("Who are these wankers?") and zoned out to daydreams of Titus Andronicus, but for some reason I couldn't take my eyes or ears off these goofy-ass dudes. Between snippits of Franz Ferdinand and Stevie Wonder, they playfully argued about football chants, and reminded one another with rolled eyes, "Guys, be professional". When they did finally start playing, the crowd immediately began to sing along, and the band's infectious energy created a closed circuit with the audience that pretty much electrified the entire room. Members of the band flung themselves at random into the crowd, taking mics and mic stands with them, while hoards of teenagers pushed together for the chance to shout a string of lyrics over the PA. Remarkably, every band on the bill brought a horn section, which is a damn powerful tool in the right hands. BTMI! killed it with their full band setup of two trombones, two guitars, bass, and drums. The bone lines were solid and unclichéd while remaining true to form. Their sound constantly wavers between punk and ska, and the trick is in the balance. Rhythmic horn lines tag team with half-spoken half-screaming vocals to lend each song a consistent but unpredictable structure.

A good percentage of the crowd came exclusively to see BTMI!, and the demographic changed a bit after their set. The indie set that arrived for Hallelujah the Hills was a bit older, but just as ready to rock their asses off. Both BTMI! and Hallelujah The Hills reach that same pinnacle of sonic frenzy that makes a concert truly worthwhile, but each arrives at it differently. While BTMI! starts each song at 100%, drops to about 60% two thirds of the way through and cranks it up to 110% 'till the end, Hallelujah The Hills takes their time. Each composition has a unique shape to it, building over multiple verses to that perfect moment, in which the sun could explode into a billion pieces and you'd hardly think to notice. Almost as an exhibition of this musical philosophy, their set began with a patient crescendo, starting with bass and drums and slowly adding guitars and vocals. Hallelujah The Hills are masters of suspense, and their lush brand of indie rock is almost orchestral in its arrangement and execution. There's an epic quality to everything they do, and the set at large benefited from the same careful arc that's found on a smaller scale within each song. If there's one thing that I'm a sucker for, and I mean a real sucker for, it's unison singing. When a band lets it rip, and everyone just belts out some simple and confident chorus, I start writing things like "ZOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG" in my little orange notebook. Seriously. But not all unison choruses are created equal, and some bands rush the effect and squelch it. Not Hallelujah The Hills. These guys relish the moment and luxuriate in its grandeur. A boy couldn't ask for more. Homeless in New Haven, the band ended up crashing at my place after the show. Musical topics ranged from Beach House and Public Enemy to Anthony Braxton and Plastic People of the Universe. Hallelujah The Hills are a remarkably diverse group of musicians, and it shows in their music. Influences stretch from classic rock to serialism, and it all contributes to their stellar songwriting, expressive musicianship, and phenomenal live show.

Hallelujah The Hills and Titus Andronicus could be two sides of the same musical coin, like brothers separated at birth if HTH went to college and to study composition and Titus sold drugs to teenagers under the bridge. Titus went into this show as my favorite band, and emerged as my favorite band times a million times infinity + 2. The assault of two keyboards, two guitars, bass, drums, vocals, trombone, trumpet, cello, and electric violin is almost overwhelming by itself, but add in a crowd of several hundred people singing along to every single word, and you've got yourself a rock and roll concert. This is the show I always imagined seeing when contemplating moving to New York City years ago. New Haven 1, New York 0. If Hallelujah The Hills writes "epic" songs, then Titus Andronicus writes "anthemic" songs, and if sports teams had any balls, they'd cut "We Will Rock You" and replace it with "Fear and Loathing in Mahwah, NJ". Any song that gives an entire room an excuse to shout "FUCK YOU" in unison (remember how I feel about unison vocals) deserves a fucking medal. Patrick Stickles is one of the legendary front men of rock and roll. He has the messianic persona of a Jim Morrison without the severe detriment of actually having to be Val Kilmer, I mean, Jim Morrison. There's an intellectualism to Titus Andronicus, but not the kind that results in pretension and apathy--on the contrary, every note of every song is infused with so much passion and ardor that I'm amazed he has any energy to stand let alone speak after a show. I can't imagine ever having that much in me to give, and Stickles does it night after night. Amazing. At a break in the fray he turned to the audience and asked, "Did you guys like how it started kinda quiet and then got louder? Did you guys like that? Good, because for the remainder of the evening every song's gonna be like that." Like Hallelujah The Hills, Titus Andronicus believes in the slow build, but theirs is a steady one. While HTH is prone to play tricks with that beautiful moment of clarity, Titus projects its location as clearly as possible. Somehow, knowing that a song's gonna get awesome and knowing when it's gonna get awesome but nevertheless having to wait is even more tantalizing than leaving it a surprise. This is the unarticulated schema of rock & roll that when actually brought to bear on the music tends only to strip it of some essential dignity, so for that I guess I'm sorry--I just can't help myself. I'm sure Titus Andronicus doesn't write songs by analyzing the effect of dynamic structure on test subjects in a controlled environment, but hey, they know what sounds good, they do it, and it works.

Their set began with "A More Perfect Union," and a more perfect opening song I cannot imagine. The track list wound through The Monitor and The Airing of Grievances and then hit upon a special moment with an extended version of "To Old Friends and New" featuring Ryan Walsh from Hallelujah The Hills on vocals. When bands with so much energy take a second to slow things down, it becomes immediately apparent whether they have complete control over the crowd, or whether people just came to jump around, and the band only happens to be providing accompaniment. Saturday's Titus fans were as happy to sway as they were to mosh, and I think the band somehow saw this and correctly recognized it as a tribute to their music and message. It's one of the few ways that a room full of people can show their respect to a band they love, and the crowd at Lilly's Pad came through. The set wound to a close with a megajam rendition of "Titus Andronicus Forever," as trumpet, keyboard, and drums ripped through solos of 12 bar blues Johnny B. Goode style. At moments it seemed as though they might reluctantly slip into Wipeout (as they've been known to do live on occasion), but the band held it together through the drum solo without so much as a quote. I have to say, if the greatest disappointment of the evening was that Titus Andronicus didn't play "Wipeout," (which is tantamount to asking The Ramones to play "Freebird"), this show will go down in memory as one of the best live concert experiences I've ever had. Period. Titus Andronicus is just one of those bands, one of the great ones. I only hope that whatever Bacchic muse is driving their tour bus brings them back from the Pitchfork Music Festival in one piece, 'cause I gotta go see 'em again. And again. And again.

By Ben Heller, Ampeater Music

View the full set of photos at Mandee P. Photography
Shitty cell phone pics by Manic Mark

Age of Reason and The Peacock Flounders at Cafe 9

May 22nd at Cafe 9, you can catch three long-running local bands that have been doing there thing since before most of you were born. It's going to be a night of solid old-school rock; a total blast from the past.

The show is a CD release party for Age of Reason, which features Ed Leonard, who's been running Beatnik 2000, a local open mic at Cafe 9 for many years every Monday night. Also in the band is Dave Davino, who runs the local Studio 23. They'll be releasing their newest CD "Vox Humana" which I just heard a sample of on Rob DeRosa's Homegrown radio show yesterday (which I hope everyone else was listening to...)

The Peacock Flounders will also be playing, which features Ron Sutfin and Kerry Miller, both of them long-time rockers from back in the days of New Haven club Ron's Place in the late 70s. Their album "Hello Beautiful" was released on Independisc a couple of years ago to great reviews and a lot of acclaim. Sutfin is probably the busiest musician in CT, in addition to playing or having played in a ton of bands, he also runs the eponymous Sutfin Studios. Just check out the website and you'll see the long list of things he's been involved in.

Also on the bill are Shrinking Violets, who feature members of The Who Whos, Peacock Flounders, and Rope.

Cafe 9
New Haven, CT
10:00 PM, $5

Elm City Popfest

Elm City Popfest returns this weekend for three days and 17 bands of indie-pop revelry. Following the success of the first Elm City Popfest this past November, festival organizer and Tweefort/February Records founder Danny Goodwin had to dig deeper this time around in order to top the original. Effectively doubling in size, this installment of Elm City Popfest offers a range of local, regional, national and even international talent. Also, in addition to Artspace (the original home of ECPF), there will be shows held at New Haven's Cafe Nine. And as with the last ECPF, a portion of the proceeds generated by the festival will go to the aforementioned Artspace, a non-profit downtown gallery, venue and exhibition space. So what's all the fuss about you ask? Well, here's the breakdown...





Day One, Friday, May 14th @ Cafe Nine
Kicking off the festival will be a free, four band blowout at New Haven's Cafe Nine featuring locals The Wee Bees and Steven Deal augmented by the UK's Veronica Falls and NYC's Boy Genius.

New Haven's own The Wee Bees, featuring former members of Manchester By The Sea, The Caligulists and The Inclined Plane, start the evening with their brand of ’80s- and ’90s-inspired shoegaze-meets-jangle pop sound. Although its only been two months since their live debut at March's Artspace Underground, The Wee Bees have quickly established themselves as one of the better 'new' bands in New Haven.

Following the Wee Bees will be one of New Haven's more established singer/songwriters, Steven Deal. Having toured the country fronting bands like Bleached Black, Chopper, The Absolute Zeros and The Naomi Star, Deal recently returned from a 10+ year songwriting hiatus to deliver his debut solo album 'Radio Twelve' this past January. Backed by a band featuring members of The Vultures, Goose Lane, The Naomi Star and Requiem In White, among others, you can bet Deal & co. are going to rip it up well.

Next up on the billing is UK's Veronica Falls. Making their stateside debut at this show, Veronica Falls has received a relatively heavy amount of press for their recent Captured Tracks 7" 'Found Love In A Graveyard.' Described as 'a bit of goth, ..some surf..and a heavy dose of shoegaze with pop vocal harmonies,' Veronica Falls should fit in quite well with the evening's lineup. Be sure to check these guys (and gals) out.

Last but not least will be NYC's Boy Genius. Now a veteran of several Tweefort/February Records shows, Boy Genius have shown that they can write a good tune and play it well. Joining Boy Genius will be none other than Mr. Ray Neal, best known for his work with seminal Elm City jangle-pop band Miracle Legion. Ray most recently joined the band for a song at their April performance at Rudy's. For this show, Mr. Neal will be performing with Boy Genius for their entire set, surely something that does not happen everyday.

For fans of jangle-pop, shoegaze or just plain good music, Elm City Popfest's first night should do the trick, starting off the festival well on a fittingly upbeat and memorable note.





Day Two, 'DAY', Friday, May 15th @ Artspace
Day Two sees the festival moving up Crown Street to Artspace, a great downtown gallery/space that has been at its current location since 2002. Here the Popfest truly begins to 'pop,' as nine bands perform throughout the day. Separated into distinct 'Day' and 'Night' billings, both offer up some great bands no matter how you cut it.

Starting off the 'Day' portion of the festivities will New London's Roadside Attractions. One of several New London supergroups now prowling Connecticut clubs, Roadside Attractions combine a unique blend of jazz, americana, pop and even folk into a sound that must be heard. Currently promoting the release of their new EP 'Whispers' on New London's Cosmodemonic Telegraph label, Roadside Attractions start off the day strong.

Next up on the schedule is New Haven's The Fictional West. Riding the release of their 'Giant Clouds' single earlier this year on Tweefort Records, the Fictional West count as influences artists like U2, The Smiths and The Magnetic Fields. With a mix of serious and satirical lyrical themes, the quartet has, however unwittingly, done well in re-creating late 80's indie-pop. As the Sugar Sours blog accurately pointed out, 'No lie, the Giant Clouds single sounds like it could have been sent in to NME and gotten lost in the post for 20 years.'

Following locals Roadside Attractions and the Fictional West, Elm City Popfest goes all windy city on us with the arrival of Chicago's Midstates and Panda Riot. Currently on tour together, Midstates and Panda Riot collectively bring a psychedelic edge to the proceedings. Midstates (also known as Midstates & The Choir of Ghosts), approach their music with a more 'space-pop' bent whereas Panda Riot have seemingly perfected 'swirl-pop' a.k.a. shoegazer inspired indie-pop that at times is almost danceable. In either case, the tandem should feel right on home at ECPF.

Following the Chicago invasion, Elm City Popfest returns to its roots with an always anticipated hometown performance by EULA. Quite possibly the hardest working indie-rock band in New Haven, EULA has continually sharpened its lacerating brand of indie-pop/shoegaze/punk into an ever finer point over the past few years. Each show by the band seems to top the last, not an easy feat by a band that plays as many shows as they do. Still coming off their opening slot supporting post-punk legend Mission Of Burma last Fall, one would be ill-advised to miss this performance by EULA, and that means you.

Finishing off the 'Day' half Day Two's festivities is Danbury, CT's The Field Recordings. Garnering a substantial amount of press since their debut last year, The Field Recordings are a indie rock/pop trio that, from all accounts, seem to vary their live sound depending on the context of the billing. On record, the Field Recordings sound a bit more edgy than one would expect. Regardless, they've been creating some of the most interesting indie rock coming out of Connecticut lately and are well worth the price of admission alone.

Overall, the 'Day' portion of ECPF, Day Two covers the indie-pop bases well. Despite the fact that it starts at 2:30 in the afternoon, you'd be hard pressed to find a better lineup anywhere in the state, no matter what the start time.





Day Two, 'NIGHT,' Saturday, May 15th
After about an hour interlude following the conclusion of the 'Day' billing, part two (a.k.a. the 'Night' billing) of Elm City PopFest, Day Two kicks off featuring Procedure Club, The Secret History and The Butterflies of Love.

New Haven's own Procedure Club starts off the evening's festivities with their noisy brand of too rough to be cutesy, too cutesy to be rough, drum machine indie pop. Procedure Club have created a significant buzz lately, especially following their performance at the last Shaki Presents @ BAR show this past December. Having recently signed to Slumberland Records, you can expect their debut album to be released this June. In the meantime, check them out at ECPF before they become huge.

Next up on the ECPF evening showcase is NYC's The Secret History. Featuring former members of My Favorite and Mick Ronson's daughter, the Secret History have made a name for themselves writing some mighty catchy pop songs 'about ghosts and monsters and sometimes Italy' (at least according to the band's MySpace page). The band's debut album was recently released this past March on Le Grand Magistery so be sure to check it out.

Closing out Day Two of the ECPF will be New Haven's own The Butterflies of Love. Although relatively inactive in recent years, the Butterflies reformed for the Mark Mulcahy 'Ciao My Shining Star' tribute shows. The quintet liked the shows so much that they decided to play more, including this headlining slot at PopFest. A favorite of the late John Peel, The Butterflies of Love have released several records on the Fortuna POP! label in the UK to much acclaim over the years. Having had the opportunity to see them during their original run some years back, I'd have to say it would be well worth the wait to check them out.

In the end, Day Two of Elm City PopFest creates one the best original pop/indie rock billings seen in New Haven in quite some time. With the mix of great local, regional, national and even international artists contributing, there's plenty here for everyone.





Day Three, Wednesday, May 26th @ Cafe Nine
Although 11 days separate Day Two and Three, this 'follow-up' show (as its being advertised) certainly does not diminish the quality and/or energy of the festival. Performing will be the UK's Allo Darlin' and Horowitz, as well as Brooklyn/New Haven's The Tyler Trudeau Attempt and Women's Basketball.

Kicking off the evening will be the UK's Allo Darlin' and Horowitz. A late addition to the PopFest lineup, Allo Darlin' 'can turn a room in a famous punk venue into a joyous, jumping, sweaty, pop-mosh pit. Or bring a room of 500 to hushed silence with the few strums of a ukulele and a love song about cooking.' Such all-encompassing command of the audience is hard to come by and, in addition tho their rock solid pop songs, a major reason to check this band out. Following Allo Darlin' are fellow Brits Horowitz. Bringing a more fuzzy, danceable bent to the typical indie-pop model, Horowitz have received some pretty glowing press praising the band's flare for super-sweet vocals and melodies, a sure sign that they do indeed belong on this billing.

Closing out the night (and the festival), will be the two projects of singer/songwriter Tyler Trudeau. First up will be the Tyler Trudeau Attempt, an amalgam of New Haven scene veterans (including myself). Although I am not at liberty to really comment on the Attempt (y'know, since I play drums in this band), the New Haven Advocate is and has said of the band: 'TTA looks back to the roots of punk and finds something immensely energetic, often hilarious and always political. On top of that, it's catchy as hell.'

Trudeau's newer project, Women's Basketball, will be making its much anticipated live debut at ECPF. What initially started out as a one-off, purely-for-fun project has quickly gained a lot of press attention. The band's debut album 'An Octopus, But Like, An Octopus With Massive Wings and Junk', released earlier this year on Tweefort Records, has in particular gained a lot of positive reviews and its easy to see why. With an omnipresent drum machine beat and often tongue n' cheek lyrics, Trudeau breaks free from his own songwriting conventions to create a fun, catchy and often more engaging (and revealing) record than his main band's previous EP (which I didn't play on). It should be interesting to see how this all plays out live but, knowing Trudeau, it will probably come off well.

So that's it folks! Surely one of the better festivals in recent memory. But enough of me telling you what to do, its time for you to check it out for yourself on Friday May 14th, Saturday May 15th and Wednesday, May 26th. Don't miss this one!


Elm City PopFest Lineup:

Day One - Friday, May 14th
9:30 The Wee Bees (New Haven)
10:30 Steven Deal (Milford, CT)
11:30 Veronica Falls (UK)
12:30 Boy Genius (NYC) feat. Mr. Ray Neal (of Miracle Legion)
@ Cafe Nine
doors 9pm / FREE / 21+

Day Two (DAY) - Saturday, May 15th
2:30 Roadside Attractions (New London, CT)
3:15 The Fictional West (New Haven)
4:00 Midstates (Chicago)
4:45 Panda Riot (Chicago)
5:30 EULA (New Haven)
6:15 The Field Recordings (Danbury, CT)
@ Artspace
doors 2pm / $5 / ALL-AGES

Day Two (NIGHT) - Saturday, May 15th
8:30 Procedure Club (New Haven)
9:15 The Secret History (NYC)
10:00 The Butterflies of Love (New Haven)
@ Artspace
doors 8pm / $5 / ALL-AGES

Day Three - Wednesday, May 26th
9:00 Allo Darlin' (UK)
9:45 Horowitz (UK)
10:30 The Tyler Trudeau Attempt (Brooklyn/New Haven)
11:15 Women's Basketball (Brooklyn/New Haven)
@ Cafe Nine
doors 8:30pm / FREE / 21+

For more information on Elm City PopFest, check out the official festival blog at http://elmcitypopfest.wordpress.com.

The Pist (Reunion), The Black Noise Scam, Feet First, The Havnotz, M13 @ Heirloom Arts Theatre - May 14th

This Friday, May 14th at Danbury's Heirloom Arts Theatre marks the most recent return of one of Connecticut's most beloved punk bands ever, The Pist. Although only active for a little more than three years in the mid-'90s, the Pist made a name for themselves far and wide for their direct but effective songwriting and for their almost unrivaled pure punk rock fury. Following their breakup in 1996, the Pist reunited for a handful of shows in 2001 and 2007. This reunion features the core unit of Al 'Pist' Quimet, Bill Chamberlain and Brian Marshall, along with Gerry Stopper (of Broken) filling in for bassist Rick Abbott. Further shows have already been scheduled through the summer, taking them from CT to LA and back. For those not familiar with the Pist, check out some of their recordings online, or better yet, go to this show!

Opening for the the Pist will be New Haven's newest punk champions, The Black Noise Scam, who follow the Pist with their simple, in your face approach to the punk rock canon. Also performing will be New Haven's M13, which features several members of old school punksters Brutally Familiar (as well as Al Pist himself on bass), NYC's Feet First, who will be joining the Pist at future tour dates, and CT's Havnotz, who will be bringing the punk fury, mohawks and all.

Fans of old school CT punk, or just about anyone worth their weight in punk rock, would be well advised to check this show out.

The Pist Reunion Tour Dates:
May 14th - Heirloom Arts Theatre - Danbury, CT.
May 15th - Club Hell - Providence, RI.
May 29th - Chaos In Tejas Fest - Austin, TX.
June 5th - Club Europa - Brooklyn, NY.
June 25th - Sub/Mission - San Franciso, CA.
June 26th - TBA - Los Angeles, CA.
June 27th - TBA - Los Angeles, CA.
July 30th - TBA - Chicago, IL.
July 31st - TBA - Minneapolis, MN.

If When You Go:

The Pist (Meriden, CT.)
The Black Noise Scam (New Haven)
Feet First (NYC)
The Havnotz (members of Copyright Chaos) (CT)
M13 (ex-Brutally Familiar) (New Haven)

@ Heirloom Arts Theatre
ALL AGES / 7pm / $8/$10

Kimono Draggin', Straight To VHS @ Cafe Nine - May 13th

The carnage continues at Cafe Nine next Thursday, May 13th with another killer billing featuring local rockers Kimono Draggin' (New Haven) and Straight To VHS (New London).



Kimono Draggin' have long been producing some of the most original music on the local scene. Zappa/Beefheart fans to the bone, Kimono Draggin's brand of intricate avante-art-rock builds upon their influences and then some. On their latest discs 'We Are The Dudes' and 'Space Orphans,' the trio careens from song to song in a blur of bouncy melodies, off-the-wall musicianship, complete band freakouts and tongue and cheek arrangements. Each song is an adventure of sound and insanity, the listener never quite sure where they'll end up once the band takes hold. Live the band translates surprisingly well given the complexity of their material, often surpassing their studio recordings with sheer energy and unpredictability. If you've yet to catch Kimono Draggin', its high time you did.



Although not quite as acutely weird as Kimono Draggin', New London's Straight To VHS should fill out the billing well. The band's reckless garage-rock (and really what other kind of garage-rock is there?) contains an inherent energy that is hard to describe but easy to experience. Released earlier this year, Straight To VHS's self-titled EP is definitely worth a listen, especially lead-off tracks 'Hey' and 'Self-Titled' which rank up their with the Estrogen Highs as some of the best pure garage rock Connecticut has seen in a while. For fans of rock n' roll at its most primal, Straight To VHS most definitely brings it home.

Overall this show should be a flippin' mess, and you should will kick yourself if you're not there.

Consider this a warning.

If When You Go:
Thursday, May 13th
Kimono Draggin'
Straight To VHS
@
Cafe Nine
21+ / 9:30pm / FREE

Closely Watched Trains, You Scream I Scream, Kaboom @ Cafe Nine - May 7th

This Friday, May 7th, Cafe Nine welcomes the 1-2-3 punch of New Haven's Closely Watched Trains, Brooklyn/Providence's You Scream I Scream and New Haven's Kaboom.



Closely Watched Trains has been riding a wave of critical acclaim since the release of their self-titled debut on Twin Lakes Records last year. The New Haven Register singled out the album as the best local record of 2009, describing it as "an amazing blend of ebullient folk and rock. The band shows no fear of experimenting with different genres, all the while keeping things entirely cohesive. It is, simply put, from beginning to end, a killer disc that features many songs perfect for a Wes Anderson film." Without a doubt the band likes to keep things fresh, breathing new life into folk and roots rock with a wide range of instrumentation and arrangements.

If your looking for something a bit weirder but no less interesting, Brooklyn/Providence based You Scream I Scream should fit the bill. Featuring a range of fuzzed out guitars, synths, keyboards (did I mention toy piano??) and percussion, You Scream I Scream shares C.W.S.'s love of unique instrumentation, arrangements and catchy-as-hell songs. Where You Scream I Scream departs though is in their knack for locking into some pretty funky, almost danceable grooves on some songs. Although they might not scream as much as their name suggests, You Scream I Scream will definitely suck you in.

Opening the night will be New Haven's guitar and drum duo Kaboom. Self-described as "low class music for high class people," Kaboom can best be described as a mix of garage-rock, stoner-rock and overt-'70s style raunch (Spinal Tap anyone?), all in duo format. Needless to say, it should be interesting how they translate live.

If When You Go:
Friday, May 7th

Closely Watched Trains
You Scream I Scream
Kaboom
@
Cafe Nine
21+ / 10pm / $6 cover

Kicking Spit, Estrogen Highs, Big Eyes

April 2nd will be the day that garage rock takes over CT. At The FDZ (or The Fucking Discovery Zone) Estrogen Highs, Kicking Spit and Big Eyes will be playing what arguably the best show of the season. If you haven't heard of even one of these bands I'd recommend you sitting down and listening to all their respective tunes on myspace.




April 2 - The FDZ
Big Eyes
Kicking Spit
Estrogen Highs
Time: 7:00pm
Cost: N/A

Pearl Jam, Band of Horses

For those who aren't aware, Pearl Jam announced that they will play eleven Midwest and East Coast tour dates in May of 2010 including the XL Center on May 15th. Opening for them will be the illustrious Band of Horses. Not typically our bag to talk about this kind of thing, but whatever.

Tickets go on sale tomorrow at 10AM so click over as soon as you can.



Pearl Jam
Band Of Horses

XL Center
Hartford, CT
May 15, 2010
7:30pm, $69

RX Bandits, Zechs Marquise,The Builders and the Butchers

RX Bandits have been in the music game for years, mixing reverb laced guitars with trippy lyrics before it was cool. They have been on tour with Zech's Marquise and The Builders and the Butchers for the past month and will be hitting CT on the 29th.



Toad's Place - March 29th
RX BANDITS
The Builders and the Butchers
Zechs Marquise

Time: 8:00pm
Cost: $13 adv. / $15 day of show

The Protomen at Heirloom

The Protomen make their return to Heirloom arts on March 25th. For those of you unfamiliar, all their songwriting is all based on Mega Man. Get there early for a pre-show video game party where you can challenge these guys to your favorite 8bit or 16bit video game on a giant 9 foot screen.



The Protomen
March 25th, 8pm
Heirloom Arts
$11 - tickets

Fatal Film at Two Boots

For those of you who aren't aware, every Thursday there are free shows at Two Boots of Bridgeport. This is part of an ongoing series of Thursday night shows called "Indie Thursdays" run by the famous Bobby D. Tonight, New London's Fatal Film will be playing. These guys rock hard, but hardly ever play west of the river, so don't miss your chance to get out and see them. The show is free, and it starts at 9:00. Check out their latest release "Remember When You Were Fun" right here:

Low-Beam - Charge of the Light Brigade

Low-Beam released Charge of the Light Brigade this year, after 5 years in the making! Originally started in 2004, the band features Jaimee Weatherbee, Rich Freitas, Rich Martin, and Charles Stankewich. The album itself was produced by none other than Michael Deming, who produced some big name stuff (Silver Jews, Lilys, Pernice Brothers) and was released earlier this year on Cosmodemonic Telegraph.

So it all sounds great on paper, but how does the band sound? They sound fantastic, really reminiscent of late-80s shoegaze bands, but with a bit harder edge to them. There's wildly distorted sweeping guitars, early-60s keyboards, and fantastic boy-girl vocals. The whole album sounds like it's been worked on and tweaked and perfected for a very long time, and the end result are immaculate pop songs that are deeply rooted in their influences but still sound fresh and unique. I've been spinning this one since I got my hands on it, and it still sounds great.

You can stream the album below, and find out more by checking out their bandcamp site, or heading over to either Cosmodemonic Telegraph or the Mystic Music Archive.

Eula + Old Man Lady Luck + Kimono Draggin + Electric Bucket @ Daniel st - Jan 14th

Seem's like for the lead up to Dino Jr on the 15th, the people at Daniel St called the most notable bands in Connecticut. Eula , Old Man Lady Luck , Electric Bucket and Kimono Draggin' sounds less like a card for a show and more like the lineup to some local fest. Should be a great show with a grab bag of great bands.

Daniel st - January 14th

Eula

Old Man Lady Luck

Kimono Draggin

Electric Bucket

Cost: $5

Time: 9:00pm

Ovlov + Yes Please @ Larry’s - Jan 8th

After a show at Daniel St, Yes Please will be playing a show this Friday at Larry's with Ovlov for only 5 bucks. Two great bands for the price of two pbrs.

Larry's - January 8th
1 Elm St , Danbury
Yes Please
Ovlov
Time: 9:00pm
Cost: $5