Shellshag at Music Hall of Williamsburg

I think Shellshag are trying to invent a new sport which involves jumping off stools. They certainly gave us a nice demonstration. They also showed off their musical dalek which doubles as a small table (for beer and such). All oddness aside, they have a great high-energy sound with more attitude than some other guitar-and-drum teams you may have heard of. Gotta love that, although there is something a little weird about shouting "Fuck Sobriety!" at an 18+ show where noone was drinking.

Posted: 6/15/2011 at 7:47pm     Tags: dalek  jumping  Music Hall of Williamsburg  Shellshag 

Ume at The Rock Shop

I'm sure that I have heard "indie" bands which sound something like Ume. Breathy female lead vocals over a growling rhythm are nothing new. But Ume does bring something a little different to the table, namely metal-like thrashing. On most songs lead singer Lauren Larson bangs her head and tears into her guitar like it's 1982. And to think, before the show I was wondering why she had four guitars prepped (she used all four).

Posted: 6/12/2011 at 2:15pm     Tags: The Rock Shop  Ume  

Bad Manners at The Studio at Webster Hall

There is a certain anxiety one feels when waiting for a band as, shall we say, "classic" as Bad Manners to come on stage. Are the few remaining original members just trying to cash in on nostalgia or name recognition? Are they just going to sleepwalk through the show? And how the hell is Buster still alive anyway? The answer to that last one may be that he gets a good workout every night putting on these shows. He's wilder than the kids playing the brass!

Posted: 6/6/2011 at 9:22pm     Tags: Bad Manners  ska  The Studio at Webster Hall 

The Scofflaws at The Studio at Webster Hall

The last time I saw The Scofflaws was 1997 so I was not surprised to find that some things had changed. And by "things" I mean "band members". But they were always known as a live band and fortunately that great live energy is still there. In particular lead singer Richard Brooks is still a dynamo.

Posted: 6/5/2011 at 6:12pm     Tags: ska  The Scofflaws  The Studio at Webster Hall 

Big Sandy and his Fly-Rite Boys at The Bell House

There are four musicians in Big Sandy and his Fly-Right Boys and I think they might have broken one of those unwritten laws when they brought out more guest musicians than there are members of the band. Anyway, here are some photos of the band, their special guests, and their mundane guests (not really, but that would be funny). Also featured is the mohawk of the roller derby jammer who was standing directly in front of me for most of the show, dammit.

Posted: 6/4/2011 at 5:00pm     Tags: Big Sandy and his Fly-Rite Boys  The Bell House