SCENE REPORT
By MikhailWoo hoo! My first column
in punk globe. Took me long enough. First, a bit about me - I'm
Mikhail and I live in Oakland, California. Best place on earth.
Seriously. So what I wanted to accomplish with this is to have a few
reviews, maybe an interview, some local "scene" news and finish it off
with a little bit of self promotion (ponk111.com). Yep.
So anyway, on with the show. I've been doing reviews on and off for
the last 8 or 10 years or so. Never professionally (zines) but you can
go to *MY WEBSITE* (plug) ponk111.com to read those if you're bored. I
havent done any new reviews in the last year or so, for various
reasons, so I'm hoping I still got something original to say about
bands. So yeah, the only new CD I received in the mail, for review
purposes, was the HELLBILLYS "BLOOD TRILOGY VOL. 2" on SPLIT SEVEN
RECORDS. Now, I reviewed (and liked) the first one. While, I'm not a
big enough fan of the band to figure out any lineup changes that have
occured since the band was first conceived, I do know that their
singer was in Christ On Parade at one point. 14 songs. Yer standard
rockabilly / psychobilly type of stuff. Lots of songs about hell and
some dude named Stan. Satan? One cover (on the last CD theY did a
bunch more including Code Blue which I liked). Pushead cover and not
much in the way of liner notes. Like I said, this kind of music isnt
my cup of tea, but you should buy this CD if you're into that sort of
stuff. www.hellbillys.com.
Have you heard about BOBfest? No? Well, it's a punk rock festival that
happens every two years in Bremen, Germany then Oakland, California,
then Bath, UK. This year it's happening in Oakland and I'm helping
with the preparations. The festival is happening July 26th through the
31st at various warehouses around Oakland (5 shows, one night of drunk
karaoke). These bands are playing: America's Dirty Thirtys, Blown to
Bits, Creepy, Cruevo, Death by Excess, Deathtoll, Ding Dang,
Everything Must Go, Fleas & Lice (Holland), Fracas, Gunpowder, I Will
Kill You Fucker, I Madman, Instant Asshole, Jesus Fucking Christ,
Jewdriver, Malnourished, Motorama (Italy), Neoni Eagal, Nigel
Peppercock, One In The Chamber, Retching Red, Schifosi (Australia),
Seven Crowns (UK), Shining Path, Star Strangled Bastards, Strung Up,
Strychnine and Verbal Abuse. We're not saying which band is playing
when and where (there are shows on the 27th through the 31st) with one
exception. The Gilman show (happening Saturday, July 30th) is Fleas &
Lice, Star Strangled Bastards, Motorama, 7 Crowns, America's Dirty
Thirtys. So you should buy tickets. Contact me for more info or go to
ponk111.com/bob
Speaking of BOBfest bands, America's Dirty Thirtys (killer new
Discharge influenced band outta Fresno) are taking 7 Crowns (who,
until recently, were called Tiny Elvis) on a West Coast tour.
America's Dirty Thirtys have a 6 song demo out. The thing rips. Creepy
is a relatively new SF band with Dave Chavez (Sick Pleasure, Code Of
Honor, Verbal Abuse, Hell's Kitchen, Ding Dang and even a few shows
with Tales Of Terror) on bass. Could I name drop even more? Yep, Dave
was also in Hot Rod Shopping Cart. Deathtoll is another Fresno band
that I cant get enough of lately. They've been around for a while
(ex-Capitol Punishment!!) and have several releases out. Ding Dang is
getting back together for this festival. Almost all original members.
Fleas & Lice have two new CDs out on Rodent Popsicle Records (Bill
from Toxic Narcotic's label). One is a new recording, the other is a
collection of old LPs and EPs. Jesus Fucking Christ (Oakland) is a new
band with Larry (Rickets), Dave (Neurosis) and Jamie (Pitch Black) who
play killer oldschool inspired hardcore (think DOA or Poison Idea).
Motorama (from Italy) are doing a US or a west coast tour (I dont have
all the info. Ask Scott Alcoholocaust). Check The List for California
shows. Nigel Peppercock should have a new record out on Life Is Abuse
sometime soon. Star Strangled Bastards (new CD - which sounds great -
on Rodent Popsicle) are taking Fleas & Lice on a full US tour. Yay!
Strychnine have a new LP out "Born In A Bar" (CD out on TKO) and it's
so good. Way better than their last effort (there's also a "Live in
Germany" CD available). And Verbal Abuse is sorta back together. Nicki
Sicki started a version of Verbal Abuse in Texas (with ex-Humungous
guys) and is moving the band to Oakland sometime soon. Cant wait.
This is it for now. Oh yeah, buy the new HARD SKIN CD (also TKO
Records). Brilliant! And go see BAD NEWS. Best movie ever made.
Mikhail
ponk111.com
ponk111@gmail.com
PO Box 11588, Oakland, CA 94611
