San Fran store

In stores are now a staple part of a record stores events. These special and sometimes personal intimate performances are easy ways to find new music, or see your most loved bands. Normally you see performances from the shows on YouTube recorded off of a little camera phone, but some websites will actually setup soundboards and record the performances for their websites.

Amoeba Music in California USA is one of the biggest independent record stores in the world with three fuck-off huge stores in Hollywood, San Francisco and Berkeley. Over at their Live Shows page you can see full performances from the likes of The Shins, Dinosaur Jr, Beirut and Abe Vigoda. They also have a YouTube page with interviews and some other little features on there. Definitely work checking out.

1974 – punk has begun and a new mentality in the minds of young people has been changed forever. Ever since influential zine Sniffin’ Glue printed three chords in their magazine with the words “this is a chord, this is another chord, this is a third – NOW FORM A BAND” people have picked up their axes and started their own bands.

With the influence punk has had, genre after genre, trend after trend has been created. Out of the ashes of simple punk flies out a phoenix with blacked rimmed Ray-Bans and a baggy white t-shirt with a beach printed on the front and you have surf-punk.

Merging punk, 60’s doo-wop and British garage rock – the ‘nu’ surf-punk (don’t mind the cliché) of the late noughties has won the hearts of the youth and giving a little nod to its peers.  Being bought up on The Beach Boys and The Shangri-La’s – and then buying numerous hardcore punk records and 60’s garage compilations has created a cluster of artists here in the UK, in it’s home of the west-coats of the States and even main-land Europe. Out with the cheesy Hawaiian shirts and sweptback Ken doll hair and in with ripped tight stone washed 501’s, baggy tees and a Fender guitar.  LA’s Best Coast, London’s Sex Beet, Frances’ The Last Rapes of Mr Teach and New Jersey’s Real Estate have emerged all playing an incarnation of surf-punk. A layered reverbed sound, simple vocal and a simple distorted chord progression mingle and craft sun drenched – sometimes veracious, sometimes laid-back guitar based rock.

This year and last saw a rise in Lo-Fi – groups such as LA’s No Age, Mika Miko and Abe Vigoda all attacked our ears and venue’s here in the UK like a 60’s British Invasion. This is where the rise in Surf acts has caught the ears of keen MySpace hunters delving into the database to find the newest thing to come out of (normally) the States. The laid back life-style of these DIY bands really hit a chord with us post-teens here in gray old Britain. Constantly seeing images of Californians hanging out down the local beach or partying with their ‘buddies’ and ‘dudes’ have made us realize that even though we may not have the pink g-string roller skating hotties and the beautifully contrasted palm tree’s (these people obviously haven’t heard of a little place called Torquay) us foreigners still know how to fuck up someone’s house and have just as good time as those Bay Watch mother fuckers do.

Luckily the years of looking to East London and New York only has slowly fucked off and opened the eyes of the world (even though we all know these places are still churning out fucking epicly good bands) has latched onto this DIY ethic. With the creation of website’s own television channels, the media has sunk their teeth into this juicy 8oz piece of beef. Pitchfork.com/tv have in the past year created their own ‘fuck you’ to MTV and slowly formed various programmes with the mentality running wild in the brains of the creators. Shows such as A.D.D. – which is filmed in a ‘lo-fi’ esq VHS/mono view, has seen Vivian Girls and experimental pioneers Sonic Youth both feature live on the programme. Don’t Look Down – a live performance show filmed on the top of various high buildings across the States has also had various big cheeses in the lo-fi genre perform for the Pitchfork cameras.

Punk will never fuck off – even though we may be bored out of our minds with the word – it won’t, and it’s various other in-carnations will always be relevant. This newfound love of surf-punk is tugging at our hearts once more and making more and more do what others have done before them. So it can’t be a bad thing right?

VERDICT:
10/10 Bloody Cannolis

Might just the greatest movie ever made and still holds up as the best in the trilogy.

The Godfather is about clean-cut war hero Michael Corleone – of the Corleone mafia family – who returns home only to find himself getting his hands dirty after an attempt is made on his father’s life by a rival family.

Couldn’t really think of a fitting Thanksgiving movie to write about considering I haven’t seen Planes, Trains and Automobiles in ages, but since I feel like AMC is inevitably going to have a Godfather marathon going today, this’ll do.

This is one of those situations where I probably won’t have much to say because there’s only so much you can write about something that’s near-perfect. With that being said, here it goes.

For starters, the acting’s phenomenal. Marlon Brando – who had already established himself as one of the greatest actors of all-time – in what might be the greatest role of his career as Don Vito Corleone. Won the Oscar for it, no one was surprised. Al Pacino in his break-out role as Michael Corleone – one of the few times where he rocks it without going “HOO-WAAH!” all over everyone’s ass. A nice change of pace for Al.

Robert Duvall, James Caan, Talia Shire, Abe Vigoda, and a slew of other side characters that are all great and just as memorable as the next. I could go on, but for fear of dragging on like a bastard, just trust me, everyone here is out of sight.

But the reason I like this movie far more than its sequels (not counting Part III, no one counts Part III) is because Coppola makes this movie about family that happens to be in the mafia, rather than the other way around. Yeah, a lot of people get whacked here – which isn’t all too family-like – but you also really get the sense that these Corleones legitimately care for each other. Sonny protecting his sister from getting her ass whupped, Michael moving his father’s hospital bed, Vito trying to keep Michael out of the family’s affairs, Michael’s entire character arc – every time the Corleone’s make a move, they’re doing it for the good of their family, and that’s something you don’t really get in Part II, at least not in Michael’s story. There’s such great development here for every single character that it doesn’t take long for you to get connected and feel like a part of the family yourself – another thing you don’t really get in Part II, at least not in Michael’s story.

Another thing worth noting is that all the violence and the shock factor this movie had going for it back in ‘72 still holds up impressively well today. The horse’s head, Michael’s shootout in the restaurant, Sonny at the toll booth, the legendary baptism montage – there’s a lot of ‘em (and they all kick ass). I feel like a lot of movies that made people gasp in the ’70s don’t really have the same effect today as they did back then, but somehow The Godfather managed to change all that and will probably still have people going “Good lord!” for years to come while still feeling totally authentic. Well done.

Look, if you haven’t seen The Godfather, you really don’t know what you’re missing. The script is practically perfect on every front. The dialogue is quotable beyond belief and the plot line is only complemented by the flawless pace-setting that Coppola moves it along. The acting – timeless. The directing – incredible. And, man, just such a great, complex, and entertaining story that makes three hours go by in a flash.

Not sure that it’s my favorite movie of all-time, but its easily in the top 3 and it might just be the closest thing to a perfect movie you’re going to find.

Philip over at Oms-B Records in Chicago reached out recently about us carrying their records and of course we said yes! Definitely a good mix of genres here, with the Abe Vigoda / Child Pornography split gaining the most of my attention. We have that both on black and blue vinyl!

Abe Vigoda, Child Pornography – Split
Inca Ore, Tunnels, Argumentix, Ghost to Falco – Dracula Safari Post-Alarmist

If I were going to write a book about Mikaela’s Fiend, the first chapter would be exclusively dedicated to fuzz-busting bass/guitar scuzz. It would be about 43 pages long.

The always awesome label PPM have done it again. Not only have they given us records with amazing artists like Mika Miko, Wavves, Soft Circle, Abe Vigoda just to mention a few!  Their latest release with White Shit is no exception.

Scuplted Beef is White Shit’s debut lp. 9 songs of well played hardcore featuring members of Big Business, Melvins, Karp, Monorchid, Wrangler Brutes etc. Definitely worth checking out!

/ David

So, The Smell is a pretty legendary venue out here in Downtown LA. The bands, the art, the people – everything about it was perfect for the live show scene of LA. All it needed was its own documentary and man, did they get one. They screened it last week at the beautiful Downtown Independent.

L.A. Record: Live at the Smell @ The Downtown Independent

Some volume issues during a performance on screen render the crowd restless. Murmurs ripple through, speculating and questioning.

“Can’t hear a fucking thing!” cuts through the darkness, crass and unconstructive.

“Well, you should’ve been there!” retorts another faceless voice, more lighthearted. By the end of the film, he couldn’t have been more right.

The Smell first opened its doors in 1998 and to this day is the only Los Angeles venue heavily DIY in nearly every aspect. Dedicated to the purveyors and connoisseurs of music and art, the Smell is run by the artists whose work decorates the walls, by bands who schedule their own shows and volunteers who love art. It’s a community spot welcoming creative minds.

Michael Fierstein, of Static Aktion, has been working with club owner Jim Smith for over five years now, setting up shows and loving every minute. He’s brought some great acts to the Smell, a magic he used to make their documentary film about the legendary venue, Live at The Smell.

“I love The Smell, it’s my home,” said Fierstein, who produced the film. “I have nothing but the utmost respect for Jim Smith and it really was an honor that he would trust me to oversee a movie about the Smell, using The Smell’s name.”

Working with friend and filmmaker Bob Bellerue, the documentary became the sort of thing only the marriage of like-minds could make happen. Bellerue brought his technical prowess to plate and Fierstein picked bands and booked shows for filming.
“I thought it was important for us to document some of the bands that were around and also document our space and what a show is like at the Smell,” said Fierstein.

From the in-your-face shots of sweaty kids in sonic ecstasy hovering over the Foot Village drum circle to Captain Ahab’s enthusiastic, Speedo (only) clad side show mouthing lyrics and bouncing off every surface he can get to, the shots capture The Smell in true form.

The camera stock, editing, and overall cinematography were very DIY, an appropriate aesthetic for the feature. Reminiscent of Urgh! A Music War, the film showcased live acts in uninterrupted succession. Segments of performances by The Mae Shi, Foot Village, Ponytail, Abe Vigoda, High Places, Gowns, BARR, No Age, HEALTH and Captain Ahab were shown with crisp, flawless audio.

“It’s DIY cinema vérité,” explains Bellerue, “a fancy way of saying we were just working with the equipment available to us. Amongst the core crew and our friends we had a couple of miniDV cameras, Hi-8, and mini-DVDr. With good audio any video can work.”

Mirroring the values of the Smell in content and quality, Live at The Smell immortalizes the venue on film. In the press release, Bellerue says, “Venues come and go, but Jim Smith and the Smell are going nowhere fast and taking us all along,” This film spearheads the ride and from the looks of things, it’s going to be the time of our lives.

A couple of these noisy, lo-fi, LA post post-punk bands are doing some really exciting things with the over-saturated genre—these tracks by Abe Vigoda (top) and Wavves (above) respectively are great examples that I’m really enjoying.

ABE VIGODA “DON’T LIE”

WAVVES “COOL JUMPER”

feel like people are ignoring me

just want to spend money on clothes

just want clothes

i ate some soup , it had 400 calories

feel like i have to run off the calories later

people with chin goatees are creepy

i read a whole john grisham novel today

he is so cheesy, but i felt like reading it

does anybody care about andy warhol

i care about warhol

i want to go to his museums in pennsylvania and slovakia

i am tired all the time

i have to increase my calories

sometimes my brain hurts and i forget names

and how to spell easy words

i went outside for a run

i fell down on the running path near my house

i layed there for three hours

i caught a bug and named it sam

i played with the bug for those three hours

i killed it  and went back inside

i am getting smarter with each poem i post

but popularity and  quality of the poems go down

We thought about independently confirming that Abe Vigoda was still alive, grabbing a star map, shopping on Rodeo, and seeing the Hollywood sign. None of this is as appealing as finding the Giant Drive-Thru Donut in La Puente, CA. Whoo-hoo! We plan to push through LA today an hopefully end up in Ventura, CA.

We’re in Winchester, CA. It’s 9:05am.

As part of the Whitney Museum of American Art’s summer exhibit “Dan Graham: Beyond”, the museum hosted for Friday night performances by indie bands like Vivian Girls and Abe Vigoda. Graham’s exhibition questioned the boundaries of spectator and subject and explored audience/performer intrigues in rock ‘n roll. Included in the exhibit were large multi-mirrored spaces and multimedia pieces about rock ‘n roll idols like Patti Smith, Henry Rollins, and Jim Morrison. The exhibit will be on display until October 11. Below is a video of Los Angeles band Abe Vigoda playing in the Whitney gift shop:

So its definitely been like a week since I posted last. Which might seem like a long time in the blogging word but for me personally its kind of a miracle I’ve kept this blog going for as long as I have. So now to get you all up to date. 

I went to Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago last weekend and it was good, not great.For me,  it just didn’t live up to last year. There weren’t as many up and coming bands, it was way more crowded and the the vibe just seemed less…genuine I guess. I’m not sure if that the best word and I’m sure I sounds like a snob. But I just find it ridiculous that there was a “What to Wear at Pitchfork” in Time Out Chicago, so that you can fit in with all the “indie hipsters” for a day. Supposedly to really play the part you need to wear a romper. I think that says a lot though, that people look at it like some sort of Halloween event, where they can dress up and play the part for a day. Yes, for some its simply about seeing people and being seen, but its ultimately Pitchfork is suppose to be about the music and having fun.

That got a little more rant-y then I was expecting, so back to the important thing…the music of course! Final Fantasy was my surprise favorite show of the weekend. I hadn’t given much attention to the adorable Canadian for quite and while, so i was completely blown away by his live set. Being a one person act is rough enough. Being up there alone while playing a violin, keyboard and singing and being able to pull it off takes true talent.

Yeasayer was one of the shows I was most looking forward to and I’m sure if I had been closer they would not have disappointed.  It was still incredibly fun, I’m pretty positive they would be in any situation. I was slightly surprised to see it was a five….or maybe even six man ordeal (I can’t exactly remember). They’ve added some members and tweaked their sound. It was less authentically tribal and more, as my friend Caroline put it, 90’s tribal, like something out a Phil Collins song. That may sound like an insult but I assure its not. it was still awesome and still heavily percussive (2 drummers now = goodness).

I really wish I was back in Chicago this weekend so I could go to the Newberry Library Book Fair. God help me I LOVE used book fairs. For one there is the smell, gotta love that musty library smell….ok you don’t, but I do. My absolute favorite part (besides the cheap ass prices) is the randomness of your finds. I never go looking for a certain type of book, i just browse until I find something that strikes my interest and who knows what it will be about. I may find a book on Sea Horses or Ivan the Horrible or Botany or Astrology!

Hmm…other than that not to much to report on. Been working like crazy this week. Which is great, gotta make that $.  Could have gone to see either Octopus Project or Incubus last night…but I slept through both. Whenever I try to take a party nap (definition: twenty to thrity minute nap you take before going out to party) I always end up sleeping through things. I wake up at like 11 o’clock with 3 voice mails and 4 text messages from people wondering where I am and if I’m alive.  But I wont do that tonight because tonight is Abe Vigoda at the Luminary. I’ve never been there (although I should have been there last night) and I guess its a small center for the arts and its also Christian oriented. They usually only have one show a month but they broke that rule this July. They occasionally get really cool bands, like Abe Vigoda, but they’re haven’t been a big part of the St. Louis venue scene. But I’ve never really given them too much thought UNTIL NOW. Until they stole The Books away from the Billiken Club, those jerks with their money. Oh well, there are more fish in the sea and plenty more bands for us to book.

Big news! The podcast is now available in  iTunes Stores so search for “stramash” to find it & subscribe. Let your friends know. Let your enemies know twice. More if you really hate them.

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=324332489

Or play from here – I don’t mind!

Ships With Holes Will Sink (We Were Promised Jetpacks); Crystalised (The XX); Big Bird In A Small Cage (Patrick Watson); Don’t Lie (Abe Vigoda); Hit It And Quit It (Funkadelic); Magic Trick (M. Ward); Good Charlotte – Dance Floor Anthem (The Found Sound Orchestra); Papa Wants A Cookie (Leroy Carr); We Come In Pieces (Human); Turns (Patrick Bell); She Bangs The Drums (The Stone Roses); I See A Brightness (Lacrosse); Gravitate (Lou Barlow); Go Home (team9 & The Beeples).

Interested in entering the Stramash Sixth Show Sea Song Competition? The closing date for lyrics / recordings (don’t worry about quality!) is Wednesday 5th August. I’ll read out / play the best submissions and provide feedback if I can!

Whitney Live hosted quite the rocking good time the last two Fridays, down in the Lower Gallery and Sculpture Court. If you missed both shows – July 10 with Real Estate/Titus Andronicus and July 17 with Grooms/Abe Vigoda – you can check out photos here:

http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2009/07/titus_andronicu_8.html

http://www.prefixmag.com/photos/titus-andronicus-real-estate-whitney-museum-nyc-pi/

http://www.prefixmag.com/photos/abe-vigoda-grooms-whitney-museum-pics/

Also, there’s a great video here courtesy of our friends at Fader.TV.

Join us for the third week of our Dan Graham: Beyond the Glass series this Friday, July 24 when we’ll fill your ears with Woods and YellowFever!

Well, I’ve just gotten progressively worse at the whole blog thing. Anyway, here’s what good around town.

1) Animal Hospital, Religious Girls, Truman Peyote, and Our Brother the Native played Gay Gardens on Monday.
–Although the headline was Animal Hospital, Religious Girls stole the show. It was somewhere between the face paint, basement crowd surfing, or group howling that really got me. This band from Oakland, CA, sounded like HEALTH but with more of an electronic twist.

2) Monday,  the Smell’s tropical punk super group, Abe Vigoda, is playing the most unexpected location: Harper’s Ferry in Allston, MA.
[Abe Vigoda w/ Talbot Tagora and Clatter Clatter. Harper's Ferry. 158 Brighton Ave., Allston. 8pm/18+/$8 adv $10 dos. 617.254.9743. harpersferryboston.com]
–Also among unexpected bands booked at Harper’s, noise rock’s crown jewel, HEALTH has a date booked for Sept. 22. Awesome but strange. [check it out: http://www.last.fm/event/1101598]

3) I’ve finally completed July’s 8tracks called: Hula Hoops, Half Sunburns, Peeling, July, Fireworks. And by “finally completed” I mean I started and finished it three seconds ago. Woo woo woop for laziness! See the full track listing after the jump (prizes always included).

Eine Symphonie Des Grauens – The Monochrome Set
Born on the Day the Sun Didn’t Rise – Black Moth Super Rainbow
Surrender – Cheap Trick
Wild Heart – Abe Vigoda (2009 PPM) Reviver
Cut Your Hair – Pavement
Fistfull of Love – Antony and the Johnsons
Sun Lips – Black Moth Super Rainbow (2007 Graveface) Dandelion Gum
Runaway – Del Shannon

Man, Starbucks is fucking terrible about their Internet access, if it wasn’t the closest place to work at I’d never go there. Anyways, as usual “Please if you enjoy the music provided make an effort to either go down to your local record shop, or try one of the online retailers (amzon, emusic, itunes) to find the albums for purchase.”

Tuesday

Golden Animals- I’ll Remember You Long

This band travels in the same circles as a lot of current revisionist 60’s pop bands, lots of reverb, lots of grime to their work, and this track is no different, evocative of a dimming summer’s evening, sweat drenched, and tired.

Wednesday

Abe Vigoda- Wild heart

After listening to this track, I can’t help but wish they would put out a split with Ringo Deathstarr, as both bands travel down a path of beautiful noise.

Thursday

Low- Little Argument With Myself

Far be it for me to advocate the use of any illicit substances, but I feel this band is best listened to in a lamp light soaked room, with a certain haze hanging in the air.

Friday

Strange Boys- Heard You Wanna Beat Me Up

So what we have here is a straight forward country rocker, that delves into battling guitars with varying levels of fuzz, and it’s fantastic.

the pAper chAse- We Know Where You Sleep

So every blog in the world either post this track, or “What Will We Do With Your Body” I think that says a lot.

Matthew & the Arrogant Sea- Pretty Purple Top Hat

My friend Anthony thinks this is the best track from their album, I may disagree on that point, but it’s hard to argue that the expansive tone of the track setting a nice precedent for what’s to come.

Fishboy-Minus Two

This is hands down my favorite track from the previous Fishboy album, it’s just a fun little diety about life and the promsies it holds.

Deer Tick- Art Isn’t Real (City of Sin)

Good Country Music made by a Yankee, my father would be pissed.

Saturday

Matt & Kim- Leasons Learned

So we’re all agreed, we’re gonna dance at this show, right?

Giggle Party- Easter Tree

A fun little dip into Campesinos! territory by a high energy band, that manages genre hop at will.

The issue of doing most of the writing for this site is when something comes up I don’t really have anyone to fall back on to get post up, and I’m forced to through random shit up via my phone. Anyway, we’ve got a fairly decent week capped by a free show we’re throwing, and a that little bit of breaking news we had for you on Sunday.

Tuesday

I just spent the last 15 minutes listening to Golden Animals, and have gone from dismissively indifferent, to thinking I should drive up to RGRS in Denton. Of course local openers Violent Squid are worth the $5 by themselves.

Wednesday

Something something something joke about Abe Vigoda something something something Godfather something something something Ed Wood something something something PULL THE STRING! something something Parade of Flesh books some of the best shows around something something something John Is rules something something something go to this show at the Cavern.

Thursday

So, on Saturday I got to finally see Touch Tongues in person, at our little thing that went down at the Cavern, and I have to say they’re like nothing else around the area. The energetic music walks a line between caustic and captivating while managing to settle into an aural arena that captures their audience. Which is my way of saying you should make your way to J&J’s to catch them along with Basement Hitter, Boxcar Bandits, Spooky Folk and Tiger Tooth &  Paw.

I’m still waiting for Gutterth to put together a show I’m not interested in attending, and I don’t have to explain why you should want to go see Low at the loft.

Friday

Easily the busiest night of the week in the area, let’s see you’ve got our show at Hydrant which features Fishboy (solo), St. Philistine (kicking off their tour), Joey Kendall (doing his solo thing), Parata (doing their awesome thing) and The Bens from Manned Missiles (doing a relaxed thing).

While over at J&J’s you’ve got Seryn, Baruch the Scribe and Sans Soleil three bands everyone keeps telling me I need to check out. Yeah Def hip hop series is going down at RGRS, and Hailey’s has Deer Tick.

Dallas has shows at both Annex House, and Barley House, and Parade of Flesh has the Strange Boys at the Lounge.

Of course the show that most people are going to be at will be over at Dan’s where the pAper chAse will be playing with MATAS a lineup that’s sure to pack the people in. we’ve talked about both bands quite a bit on here, and will do so a little more tomorrow, when we post some music from both of them.

Saturday

Depending on your taste your either at the HOB seeing Giggle Party, and Matt & Kim, or you’re at the City Tavern seeing the Slow Burners and Robert Gomez.

Sunday

Sleep.

Today I’m stuck on: “See You Again” by The Mae Shi, featuring members of Bark Bark Bark, Abe Vigoda, Pizza, 14 Year Old Girls, Team Andrew and Man’s Assassination, Man

After such an incredible weekend, one of the last things I want to do is spend the majority of my day smushed on the subway and staring at a screen in my cubicle. Luckily I’ve found something to perk me up: this video by The Mae Shi. You cannot dance around in your underwear to and/or watch this video without your mood improving. I’ve been doing this for about a year and I still get excited every single time, despite my intense dislike of Miley Cyrus. That blonde wig only makes the video more awesome (and the guys sexier). Don’t you need a little of The Mae Shi in your Monday?

Caution: It’s catchy as shit.

Playing Wednesday at The Cavern:

Dot to Dot

Saturday 23^rd May

Bristol 

 As festival season begins to roll into full swing and stories of the devastation the effects the economic crisis and swine flu will have are sweeped away.

One day festivals in urban settings, sprawled out across venues throughout town, all an easy walk from each other offer a steady reliable alternative to 3 mud riddled days.  

Patrick Wolf @ Dot to Dot - Pic by Veronika Moore

Merging chart bothering artists such as Friendly Fires, Ladyhawke and Patrick Wolf with left of centre emerging one’s, bands such as I Heart Hiroshima who prove that Australia is still capable of producing a good band every once in a while. Though they may have a simple plug in and play ethos, yet what they lack in complexity they more then make up for with a slew of hard hitting and undeniably catchy 3 minute bursts of frantic pop where boy girl vocals intermingle and helps bring comparisons to Blood Red Shoes minus the distortion.  

Across town the four members of Girls may all lack Y chromosomes, but this San Franciscan quartet sound like Elvis Costello would if he grew up in Seattle and released his first record in 1994. Any one choosing to hole themselves up in The Cooler after that experience would have been exposed to the best that New York has to offer, with a strong community spirit shared between bands,

Crystal Stilts pile though a heavily reverb laden set that looks to The Velvet Underground as much as it does to the JAMC. It’s one that is psychedelic touched and fuzz filled, where guitars jangle, steady drum rhythms and vocals wrap themselves in thick coat like delay and peppered by the occasional organ line.

Crystal Stilts photo by Mike Burnell

Abe Vigoda on the other hand are not subdued and bring a lot of energy with them, bouncing around the stage they are a little bit more energetic then they are on record.   

If Abe Vigoda were a little too noisy for some people, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart bring the twee guitar pop coated with saccharine vocals and which wishes it was still 1986 with them, songs such as the vibrant ‘Come Saturday’ and ‘This love is fucking right’ will lead 40 year olds to remember their long lost teenage years..         

These same people would be equally pleased by headliners The Vivian Girls, who recall The Shop Assistants as much as they do The Vaselines. Though they have all the hall marks of being a hi-school college band acting at being cool, the reality is that there occasionally off kilter three part vocal harmonies dart beaten swashes of feedback, occasional brief surf led riff and untamed noise, which helps make them ramshackle, naïve and equally charming.

The Vivian Girls - Pic by Tony Lynch

One city, many venues and a whole heap of bands, join the dots and chances are you will find at least one new band of interest.  

Nathan Westley