concert

STARLABFEST 2013 - JUNE 15, 2013

The FOURTH ANNUAL STARLABFEST will take place on Saturday, June 15th (June 22nd rain-date).  As always, the fest will take place in the parking lot of the studio.  It will feature 12 awesome local bands on two stages, free burgers, hot dogs and veggies from the grill as well as free food from local vendors, Narragansett beer and local folks selling their used gear, vintage clothing and other fun stuff.  Everyone is welcome!

THE FEST BEGINS AT 12NOON WITH THE FLEA MARKET AND BBQ, LIVE MUSIC BEGINS AT 2PM SHARP.

WEST STAGE
MEAN CREEK

SLOWDIM
THE SHILLS
THUNDERBLOODS
THE NEW LIGHTS
NONPAREILS

EAST STAGE
FAGETTES
DAN WEBB & THE SPIDERS
ST. RIPPER
PHANTOM GLUE
EX-MAGICIANS
FIXED BAYONETS

5/18 ANAMANAGUCHI, Time Wharp, Infinity Shred @anamanaguchi at TheSinclair‎ - @BoweryBoston @LeaguePodcast #MM #chiptune

 

Saturday, May 18 // ALL AGES 7:30 PM

ANAMANAGUCHI
with Time Wharp, Infinity Shred
$13 Advance / $15 Day Of Show

Tickets at Ticketmaster // This event is all ages


The Sinclair is general admission standing room only. 
Tickets available at TICKETMASTER.COM, or by phone at 800-745-3000. No service charge on tickets purchased in person at The Sinclair Box office Tuesdays-Saturdays 12-7PM, or at the Royale box office Fridays from 12-6PM.

http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/01004A74AD55AE97?brand=sinclair
FB Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/243240112481096/

52 CHURCH STREET
CAMBRIDGE
MA, 02138
617-547-5200


********************

ANAMANAGUCHI


http://anamanaguchi.com/

The birth of Anamanaguchi must have taken place in the middle of mankind’s greatest sugar high. Oh, there could have been ‘shrooms there too, but we’re betting that it had more to do with loads and loads of pure cane sugar, swallowed in liquid, cubed, granulated or processed form, in copious amounts. It was Jolt soda, cake, ice cream, candy and everything else in between. It was on the sunniest of days and all colors were vibrant and searing. Everyone involved with the delivery and responsible for the creation of this new life-form was coming off of its greatest night of slumber ever and there was an open-ended world to shred and conquer. The rosy-cheeked little thing came out of the womb, was slapped on the ass by the jovial delivering doctor and started laughing hysterically, blowing disco ball kisses in between its unprecedented fits of joyous rapture. The band, an instrumental electronic band from New York, was drawn to Nintendo game consoles, arcade games and all of the plinking and high-score sounds that were coming out of them, ringing in its ears like magical coos. It immediately set out to write punishing and inspired music that would comprise a mixtape that would be the chosen composition of the sky to accompany every plane jumper, skydiver and parachuter. It’s a little known fact that the second anyone takes a leap out of the open hatch of an airplane, thousands of feet above ground, for any recreational purpose whatsoever, the music of Anamanaguchi is suddenly blasting into the ears of those plummeting folks. It’s louder and more exhilarating that any of us down here on the safe ground could ever imagine and it’s a secret that those jumpers keep to themselves, having signed a binding Anamanguchi non-disclosure agreement before pulling the chute cord. The bronzed music was chosen for such an important placement, in part, because as those jumpers land on the run, often on a beach or an open field, the only thing they want to do is jump up and down and rage out with some freaky dance moves for 5-to-10 minutes. The music, as contractually obligated, continues on - at obscene volumes - for that amount of time and these people do their dances.

New York City (2003 – present)

Anamanaguchi is a four-piece group from New York City that combines guitars with the thick, electronic tones of a Nintendo Entertainment System. With driving, dynamic and melodic tracks, they focus on creating sounds that seem bigger than their hardware. A member of the artist collective 8bitpeoples, Peter Berkman has been creating chiptune music since 2003. They have since toured across the country and briefly in the UK and Ireland. Their debut, ‘Power Supply’ EP, was released in 2006 as a free download through 8bitpeoples and has since received over 50,000 downloads.

They also recorded ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game (Original Videogame Soundtrack)’ for the videogame. Their latest full-length album, ‘Dawn Metropolis’ was released March 3, 2009 and features 7 brand new songs sure to rock your face.


********************
Time Wharp

http://timewharp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/timewharp
Astro Nautico / JASS

********************
Infinity Shred

http://infinityshred.com/home/
https://www.facebook.com/infinityshred

Discontent with the now, Infinity Shred create music which aims to be the digital harbinger by which the human race once again dreams of tomorrow.


Through years of friendship forged on a shared love of skateboarding and screen printing, Damon Hardjowirogo and George Stroud originally founded the band in 2007 as Starscream. With the 2011 release of the final Starscream LP, “Future, Towards the Edge of Forever,” came the addition of Nathan Ritholz on guitar as well as a collective yearning amongst the members for creative growth by exploring digital synthesis beyond the sole use of the 8-bit hardware as a means of composition.


The group creates multi-chapter electronic anthems inspired by the hopefulness of the space age tinged by the dark feelings that arise in the members when faced with the prospect that the human race may not find it’s way in to forever. Additionally the band creates accompanying visuals for their live shows (performed by or with the help of artist Jean Y. Kim) that clearly illustrate the members’ love of  skateboarding and the bands obsession with the aesthetic of the Italo Disco / Space Synth era.

 

Tue. April 23, 2013 - League Podcast presents: GAGE, THE UNION BOYS

What a week.
Thanks for coming out to the Party, we raised over $100 for The One Fund!

Want to party with some nerdy rappers and punks?

Come out Tuesday (4/23) to O’Briens Pub in Allston for this!

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
04.23.13 Tue

LeaguePodcast Presents 
O’brien’s 

Gage (Baltimore)

Union Boys
Shane Hall
Chestnut Hullabaloo (Swaggerin Growlers)

Event Details

8PM Doors 

21+ 
$8 






As we ramp up for our 150th episode, we will also have some big announcements this week.
Check out all of our concerts, events, signings and parties here:

facebook.com/leaguepodcast/events

Thanks to you!

Facebook Event

LeaguePodcast and RockOn Concerts present: PAX-EAST POST-PARTIES 1.0 & 2.0

NIGHT 1.0

SAT 3/23/13
Hard Rock Cafe Boston

22-24 Clinton Street, Boston, Massachusetts

Mega Ran
Active Knowledge
Shane Hall
Gage
Weird Die Young

FACEBOOK EVENT

POST-PAX PAX AFTER PARTY 1.0
8pm Doors $10
21+ Event- Valid ID Required- No Exceptions


TICKET LINK
SHORT: http://ticketf.ly/XHzNGy

Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/leaguepodcast
http://www.twitter.com/rockonconcerts
http://www.twitter.com/activeknow
http://www.twitter.com/megaran
#nerdcore

EXTRA: TWO NIGHT PARTY PASS HERE

OR at MIDDLE EAST BOX OFFICE 2-8pm Daily - NO FEES!

 

SAT 3/23 Hard Rock: MEGARAN & ACTIVE KNOWLEDGE. Giveaways! & tix for !

________________________________________

NIGHT 2.0

SUN 3/24/13
Middle East Downstairs
480 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02139

League Podcast & Rock On! Concerts Present:
The Protomen
MC Frontalot
Br1ght Pr1mate (Chiptune / Chipmusic / Futurepop)
The World is Square (SquareSoft/Enix VGM Folk Band)
All Ages $15
*NOTE: 7pm Doors
TIX - Facebook Event


- TWO NIGHT POST PAX PARTY PASS for $20 -
(Admission to 3/23 Hard Rock Cafe & 3/24 Middle East)
Here or at MIDDLE EAST BOX OFFICE (no fees!)!

CENTRAL SQ. MBTA
All Ages $15 *NOTE: 7pm Doors

EXTRA: TWO NIGHT PARTY PASS HERE

OR at MIDDLE EAST BOX OFFICE 2-8pm Daily - NO FEES!

SUN 3/24 Twitter stuff:

TICKETS: http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=3435104&REFID=mideastclubmm&pl=mideastrestaurant

Buy Hulk comics, graphic novels, and more at TFAW!

EARTH PRIME TIME: NICOLE J. GEORGES, CASSIE J. SNEIDER & LIZ PRINCE READ AT HUB

Hub Comics Signing March 2, 2013A group of comic book creators will be at Hub Comics on Saturday: some of the best queer and feminist indie zine and spoken word artists will be joined by Somerville’s own Liz Prince for a book signing, slideshow, and reading. The funny ladies of funny books promise an exciting time. Luckily for us, Cassie, Nicole, and Liz had a few moments to spare on the road to give us an idea of what to expect on Saturday at 7 p.m. Nicole also gives a ‘friend’ some valuable cuddling advice.


DIGBOSTON: Nicole, thanks for taking the time, how is your book tour so far?

NICOLE J. GEORGES: It’s great.  I’ve met three hypo-allergenic dogs, drawn dogs in lots of books, and had the pleasure of [having] Cassie J. Sneider as my guest “Dr. Laura” every night at the readings.

Your new book, Calling Dr. Laura, is a mystery of sorts about a daughter and her thought-to-be-dead father. You also delightfully explore the pangs of growing up and your search for a committed girlfriend. 

Do you find it difficult to expose intimate details of your life through your art, or does this come naturally for you?

I have been doing autobiographical comics for 15 years, so I’ve gotten accustomed to writing about personal details of my life.

I know that in order to connect with readers, one has to be vulnerable, so I try my best.

Besides being an award-winning Zinester (is that a word?) you’ve appeared with Sister Spit: The Next Generation, and give a live version of your advice column. What can we expect at HUB, will there be performances?

At HUB Comics, I’ll be doing a slide-show presentation of some portions of my book, talk a little bit about its creation, and then do live rapid-fire advice with Cassie J. Sneider.

[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]

 

NICOLE J. GEORGES, CASSIE J. SNEIDER, AND LIZ PRINCE
READ AT HUB COMICS

SAT  3.2.13
7PM/ ALL AGES/FREE
19 BOW ST.
SOMERVILLE
617.718.0987
FACEBOOK EVENT

 

We all know Liz is not only a professional comic book artist with Boom’s Marceline and the Scream Queens, but some don’t know of her love of cats and pop punk. I asked her about the poster you see below used to promote the Queers, Teenage Bottlerocket, Masked Intruder, and Acro-Brats show on Sunday at Church. She put her drawing pencil and kneaded eraser away to get me just a few words about that!

LIZ PRINCE: I’m a huge fan of all three bands that are on this mega tour, so using my Masked Intruder connections to muscle my way into making a poster was a dream come true!

 

Queers March 3rd - Church. By Liz Prince!

Queers March 3rd - Church. By Liz Prince!

THE QUEERS
SUN. MARCH 3
CHURCH OF BOSTON
69 KILMARNOCK ST.
BOSTON MA
$15 // 12+ // 8PM DOORS
WWW.ROCKONCONCERTS.COM
617.661.1515
@ROCKONCONCERTS

EARTH PRIME TIME: INTERVIEW WITH J.H. WILLIAMS III (PART ONE)

The Sword 'Apocryphon' Cover - J.H. Williams III

When we can open our eyes and see the connections between people, places, and things as more than just coincidence, but rather as a web stretching across the universe and back home to Earth, great discoveries happen on a spiritual level. Metal band The Sword thinks about these ethereal associations and tapped modern comic book maestro J.H. Williams III (Batwoman, Promethea, Chase) to create the artwork for Apocryphon. Following a sold out show at The Middle East Downstairs last week, we talked to the artist about his craft and the collaboration that brought the band back to Earth after spending some time in outer space.

  DIGBOSTON: Thanks for taking the time with us, J.H.! Can you let us know what kind of direction you were given by the band for the artwork? We’ve been listening to Apocryphon by The Sword non-stop since their show last week.

J.H. WILLIAMS III: It was kind of an organic process. Ultimately it was born of having conversations with the singer John [D. Cronise]. For something like this to be really successful from my point of view, as someone who is creating visuals for someone else’s artistic endeavors, I feel like I need to get inside their head a little bit. We started talking about what the new music sounds like and they had sent me over some demos. We started talking about what some of the lyrical content was going to be like and what the overall feeling of the album would be. When he told me the meaning of the title, that word means secret writing. This led into a whole esoteric conversation about mysticism, a little bit about the occult, and more esoteric ideas. As we would talk, different things would come into my head, and I would sketch or think about some ideas and send those things over.

The biggest thing we were wanting to convey was a lot of symbolic imagery without it typically being just symbols. We ended up using some rune-like symbols, and overall the rest of the imagery needed to feel symbolic of different things. Some were purposeful, others were random and organic, more metaphoric in a sense.

That definitely fits into what I know of your art in the comics. You can get into some abstract symbols and symbolism. I was thinking about the runes and I meant to ask because everyone goes back to the Led Zeppelin IV — where everybody ‘has their own symbol.’ I feel like what the band was trying to do with the record and the overall look of your awesome artwork was that there are symbols people can relate to, but don’t exactly know why. I also know from their website that John did a lot of research on his own to get inspired for this new record. It is a great fit.

I think so, too; one of the things I was trying to convey visually was that with their previous albums, there is a great sense of story to their stuff. I wanted to keep that going, so that when you look at the artwork there is a great sense of story to it. A lot of it is more metaphoric, symbolic images that represent other things. The sense of story comes out through the use of those images.

The idea of the runes is like creating a sense of story that has mystery to it.

You aren’t going to get necessarily all of the answers concretely, or some of the stuff might make you feel something in particular, or make you think of something subliminally so that it becomes more interpretational.

When you are listening to the record and letting the art wash over you, you are filling in the gaps with your imagination, like in between pages or panels in a comic book, in a way.

Yeah, exactly. The only thing I was really concrete about wanting to convey was that the previous album, Warp Riders, was a far out, space, sci-fi fantasy epic thing. This record, the first thing that came to my mind when John was talking to me was that even though the lyrics are metaphorical, this is a much more personal record for him than Warp Riders was. When you look at the first image, I wanted you to have a sense of the cosmic-ness at the top, but [also the sense that] you are returning to a planetary body. In doing so, we wanted to show that a planetary body at first seems like a dead-looking planet. But there is a piece carved out, where there is still fire inside of it.

So the band is returning to a personal place to rebirth this fuel inside themselves, therefore re-birthing vitality in a way.

The Sword - Apocryphon - J.H. Williams III - Back Cover

 The whole symbol of the planet being dead there, and then you turn the cover over to the back and you see life growing from death. This becomes rich, and has almost a summer kind of feel to it or a spring kind of feel. At the bottom you can see the skulls and the sunflowers rising up from that. To me that was symbolizing the idea of being out in space and returning to someplace deeper and personal.

I see the contrast of reaching out to a big fantasy world of spaceships and sci-fi mysteries out there with the mysteries grounded by bringing it back to the Earth on a personal level best illustrated by your image of a sword cracking though the crust of the Earth on the back of the jewel case.

By returning to Earth and getting more personal, you are invigorating new life, and seeing things from a different point of view than you were before. That’s why we used the diagram aspect of the sword penetrating the planet. We wanted to follow through with another diagram of the human cell. That round shape of the human cell correlates to the round shape of the planet.

The planet itself is a symbol of life in a way, and the basic biology of small cell life builds up us, just as the planets build up the cosmos.

What I think is great about this is that other bands might be trying to go for this type of thing, but this is a whole package. A lot of thought and care went into this. And it is not just that they hired an illustrator to draw something cool for the record cover.

I was super stoked to do it, I was a huge fan of the band prior to getting to know them a little bit. At the same time, I was trepidatious because John was telling me he was a huge fan of my work. The first thing I thought of was “Please don’t tell me you want something that looks like Batwoman on the cover”. (Laughs) John said such a nice thing, that they were coming to you because of what they saw in my comics work. My comics work hits them at such a level that they trusted me to do whatever I wanted as far as visuals I could bring to the table as far as open and far reaching.

I think it’s also very cool that you guys are super big fans of each other! That’s the best.

Ha ha, yeah, they’re a killer band! Coming back to the runes, and the idea of secret writing having to do with metaphysics, there is a metaphysical bent to some of John’s lyrics and the name of the album, Apocryphon, when I did my research on what that word meant, I found two things. One was secret writings, two was about how things were very personal.

Even though they are conveying music to an audience, personal can also mean very personal secrets or privacy.

I was thinking about this thing called the alphabet of desire. This is a ritualistic technique developed by occultist Austin Osman Spare. You think of something you desire to have in your life, a personal mantra about how you want to live or something you need to accomplish in your life. You write down a sentence on what that is, and you take the first letter of each word and create a sigil from that. Then you would meditate on the idea. There are a couple of different interpretations. In one, you would burn the original sentence, or you would burn the sigil for yourself. No one else knows what this means. This becomes highly personal. When I explained this to John, he loved that idea. Since he loved it, I insisted his band to do it, and just tell me the letters and I would design sigils for the band. By just telling me the letters, that retains the power of the secret message. We created those, and I thought it would be interesting to make runes out of the titles of the songs as well.

For that, did you reach for comic book letterer Todd Klein’s assistance?

No, I designed all the runes and the book myself, where Todd comes in, was figuring out some of the technical aspects. We were under the gun to get this done in time and I couldn’t do all the lettering myself. So I went to the best guy there is! He designed all the text lettering for the credits and the song lyrics. Another cool element that was very concrete in the artwork was the use of the winged serpent, an interpretation of Quetzalcoatl. Here the band was returning to a personal place in the year 2012, looking for renewal and change.

Everyone is talking about how the world and society needs to renew and change as well. The Mayan 2012 stuff is a bunch of junk, but it got me thinking about the real meaning of apocalypse isn’t destruction, it is change from what we know.

Musicians constantly need to be reinventing themselves, selling records, but also bands don’t want to be stuck in the same place. Some bands get ethereally abstract about that, but Kyle (Shutt, guitar) was saying “We’re Not Making a Conscious Decision To Do Anything But Be Awesome”. The sound on this record is not a huge departure but it is more grounded as you said, so thank you for sharing this with us!

It was super exciting to do, and it seems like we enjoyed the collaboration enough that I’m hoping that we will be able to do more things in the future. I’ve expressed interest to them that I’d be game to be involved in other releases or however else they would like to join forces.

 

J.H. was awesome enough to let me keep him on the phone to talk about Batwoman, The New 52, his upcoming Sandman book with Neil Gaiman. Stay tuned for Part Two of our interview next week! EDIT: Here it is!

[READ MORE AT DIGBOSTON.COM]

4/9 The Protomen + MC Frontalot @MidEastClub with The World is Square

DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for November 16, 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMICS

An old enemy of the Waynes in Gotham City resurfaces as crime spikes, busying the Dark Knight with bat-famliy domestic disturbances in Batman #3. … British creator Paul Grist delights audiences with his adept cartooning and clever callbacks to comic book history. Welcome Grist’s teenage Mudman #1 from Image Comics into your home, but insist on leaving those boots at the door! … Superior and Kick Ass fans, get the Kapow Guinness World Record Special penned by over 50 creators in just 12 hours to benefit sick kids. … LeaguePodcast.com have reached a comic book milestone today - download or stream episode #100 today! Special shout-out from our nerd MC Frontalot here!

 

 

Pass the Daily Dig along! Your friends can sign up here!

 

 

Graphicly Comics

MC Frontalot Takes Rap ‘Nerdcore’ (11/9 @MidEastClub) from WBUR today!

MC Frontalot Takes Rap ‘Nerdcore’

Rapper MC Frontalot is at the forefront of a hip-hop genre that's being called "nerdcore." (Photo courtesy: Adam Merrifield, Flickr/Creative Commons)

Rapper MC Frontalot is at the forefront of a hip-hop genre that’s
being called “nerdcore.” (Photo courtesy: Adam Merrifield, Flickr/Creative Commons)

MC Frontalot is a 30-something former web designer, graduate of Wesleyan University, and a current resident of Brooklyn. He’ s also at the forefront of the hip-hop genre known as “nerdcore.”

MC Frontalot, also known as Damian Hess, describes himself on Facebook as the world’s 579th-greatest rapper. “This has been scientifically determined by scientists, using science,” he says.

He also tweets, blogs, Tumblr’s, and hosts something called an “open source beat project” on his website, where he also recommends web browser extensions.

MC Frontalot has just released his fifth studio album called “Solved,” and he’ll be performing at the Middle East in Cambridge next Wednesday, November 9th. Ahead of that performance, he spoke with Radio Boston from Jacksonville, Fla.

Guest: Damian Hess, aka, MC Frontalot

Wed 11/9
LeaguePodcast.com, Rock On! and Leedz Edutainment Present:
MC Frontalot
Math The Band
Brandon Patton Nabo Rawk
Weird Die Young
Hosted By Sly Young
18+ $10 Advance / $12 Day Of Show
TIX - Facebook Event

8pm Doors



11/10 MOVERS & SHAKERS @MidEastClub Upstairs

MIDDLE EAST UPSTAIRS

CENTRAL SQ.

Thu 11/10
Who Booked This? presents:
Movers & Shakers (National Harvester Record Release Show)
Viva Viva
Creaturos (ex-Doomstar! & ex-Ketman members)
Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band
18+ $10
Listen to Movers & Shakers National Harvester here on Band Camp
TIX - Facebook Event

11/9 MC FRONTALOT, Math The Band, Brandon Patton, Nabo Rawk, Weird Die Young #NERDCORE

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Middle East Upstairs

8pm Doors

 

********************
MC FRONTALOT

 

Lopez_519
CREDIT: Deborah Lopez

 

Bio

 

The original mastermind of Nerdcore Hip-Hop and still its Final Boss, MC Frontalot (nee Damian Hess) takes great pleasure in identifying himself as a professional rapper in polite conversation.

 

Front was born in San Francisco and grew up in Berkeley. He was tall and gangling, scrawny, had trouble breathing, and could not see well. A special teacher was called in to help him attain basic competence on the monkey bars, another to privately administer standardized tests (his were three grade levels advanced from his classmates). Thusly, he was the most popular kid in his elementary school. Just kidding! He got pushed down a lot and called “nerd.” Did he maybe even deserve it? I mean, really – who strikes out at kickball?

 

He spent the next twenty years or so trying to get over it. And kind of succeeded! Flash forward to 1999: the dotcom bubble is maximally inflated; nerds everywhere imagine themselves to be popular and/or hip. Damian is getting overpaid to code web pages, which leaves him free in the evenings to play with audio software. A longtime idolizer of rappers, he has been committing his own esoteric hip-hop compositions to four-track tape since high school, revealing them to nobody. Suddenly! Multi-track desktop studios, cheap pro-grade recording hardware, skyrocketing bandwidth, semi-anonymous web publishing – these factors converge on Damian’s rap hobby like a flock of winged monkeys. He posts an MC Frontalot web page, dubbing his output “Nerdcore Hip-Hop” since his audience is composed of several Star Wars figurines who live on his desk (and also random internet people who click on his MP3s by mistake).

 

Now it is 2010. Nerdcore has metastasized into an internet phenomenon and underground touring powerhouse, with dozens of live acts and more than a hundred home-studio rhymers self-identifying within the subgenre. MC Frontalot, called alternately the movement’s godfather or grandfather (thanks, kids), leads the charge, performing for thousands around the country and at prominent geek gatherings such as the Penny Arcade Expo and BlizzCon. He’s been featured in Newsweek, CNN, The New York Times, Spin, Wired, Blender, XXL, XLR8R, The London Daily Telegraph, NPR, G4TV, Esquire, The Guardian (UK), The Wall Street Journal, and scores of city papers nationally and internationally. He has released four studio albums, Nerdcore Rising (Sept 2005), Secrets From The Future (Apr 2007), Final Boss (Nov 2008), and Zero Day (Apr 2010). The documentary feature, Nerdcore Rising: The Movie, which focuses on Front’s live band and the Nerdcore phenomenon general, debuted at the South By Southwest Film Festival, March 2008, and is currently distributed by Virgil films / B-Side.

 

Artist Website:  http://frontalot.com/

 

NERDCORE RISING Documentary: 
*Nerdcore Rising* follows MC Frontalot — the “Godfather of Nerdcore” — on his first national tour to reveal both the roots of Nerdcore Hip Hop and the dorky complexities of its artists.

 

Official Nerdcore Rising website:

 

 

********************

 

BRANDON PATTON

 

Pastedgraphic

 

About the album

 

    Brandon Patton’s newest album, “How I Allegedly Bit a Man in Gloucestershire,” features 13 mostly comical songs that capture hilarity of his live shows opening for MC Frontalot. On the album, he exposes dark family secrets (Mixed-Up Modern Family,) sings anthems about sex acts (Munching the Coch and Kethcup and Mayo,) recalls his time temping and looking for love on an alien planet (My Girlfriend Was Kidnapped by Aliens,) contemplates the limits of friendship (Would You Take a Bullet For Me?) and relates stories about traveling the world and getting into mischief (Big in Japan, Private Jet, How I Allegedly Bit a Man in Gloucestershire.)

 

    Patton posts stories once a month on his webpage, along with a free download of each accompanying song.

 

About the artist

 

    Brandon Patton, songwriter and instrumentalist, currently resides in New Haven, CT.

 

    Patton also plays bass under the pseudonym BL4k Lotus for MC Frontalot, progenitor of “nerdcore hiphop.” MC Frontalot’s band and its first national tour was the subject of the documentary Nerdcore Rising. The Wikipedia entry on MC Frontalot can be found here.

 

    Patton also performs with playwright Prince Gomolvilas in the underground theater duo Jukebox Stories, called one of the 10 best plays of 2008 by the East Bay Express.

 

    He composed the songs for Love Sucks: the Musical, a Shakespearean take on the punk rock of the 1970s, which won honorable mention at the 2007 New York Musical Theatre Festival.

 

    Patton’s previous album, “Should Confusion,” was nominated for Album of the Year by the 2004 Independent Music Awards.

 

    He also sometimes plays bass for Futureboy and Jonathan Coulton.

 

About his past

 

    He was born in Grand Forks, N.D., grew up in St. Paul, Minn., and also lived in Trinidad and Tobago for two years when he was young.

 

    Patton has been writing music since he was pre-pubescent. When he was 11 years old, the composer/ethnomusicologist Miriam Gerberg rented a spare room in his mother’s house in St. Paul, MN, and Patton enlisted her help to write his first song, entitled “I’m Not Your Slave,” a protest about household chores. In junior high, when he started listening to punk rock, he and his friends set out to be offensive and brash, penning the songs “Fuck the Nun,” and “Fetus Burger.” With slim pickings in the record collections of his parents (Neil Diamond, Judy Collins) Patton found inspiration in a vibrant DIY counter-culture of zine writers and indie bands who would brandish the word “sellout” and discuss politics in independent coffeehouses and alternative art galleries. Minneapolis was exporting some incredible music at the time, not just the ultra famous Prince, but acts such as the Replacements, Hüsker Dü, the Jayhawks, and Walt Mink.

 

    He attended Wesleyan University in Connecticut, where the music department was ruled by experimental composers and ethnomusicologists. “It was incredible what I was exposed to there,” says Patton, “but there was also this Midwestern voice in my head whispering ‘College is not the real world.’ I didn’t want to become a disciple. And I couldn’t play any of this amazing world music I loved and still have any authenticity.” So in his own writing, he ended up turning toward the rock and pop of his youth. “I got obsessed with trying to figure out who I was in the midst of all of these new influences,” says Patton. “I was searching for an authentic expression of myself.”

 

    After college, his first experience playing music professionally rammed this point home. He spent a summer playing Caribbean music (which he loves) for drunken tourists (not so much) next to a beach volleyball court inside a giant country western bar on Cape Cod (hated it).

 

    His first solo album, “Nocturnal,” was recorded after hours (because there was no soundproofing) in the basement of an office building in Easthampton, Mass. Patton frequently let a homeless friend sleep in the studio, and one night said friend locked himself out of the room wearing nothing but underwear and had to hide under the staircase for an entire work day until Patton happened by.

 

    Patton used to play in the band three against four with Jay Skowronek (Maxeen) and fellow schoolmate Anand Nayak (Rani Arbo and Daisy Mayhem). Nayak and Patton were wandering down a dirt road one day and stumbled upon a decrepit slaughterhouse that turned out to be a recording studio. Inside was audio engineer Mark Alan Miller, who had worked with nearly every rock group in Western Massachusetts, including area royalty J.Mascis. Miller would later mix many of the tracks for their albums, as well as many of the tracks on Patton’s later solo work.

 

    Patton signed a deal with music publisher ACMRecords which has lead to music getting placed onto the soundtracks of several TV shows, including Monster Garage, That 70s Show, and The Real World.

 

    Patton was one of five songwriters to win an internet contest earning an invitation to perform at the Newport Folk Festival in 2004.

 

    The Temecula Film and Music Festival named Brandon Patton Top Music Artist in 2005, but failed to make good on a promise of a free hot air balloon ride.

 

 

 

********************

 

MATH THE BAND
Maththeband

 

Math the Band is a electro-punk spazz duo from Providence, RI. They use a combination of old video game systems, analog synthesizers and energy drinks to make the fastest, loudest, most party-est music they can imagine. They’ve only cracked their head open on stage ONCE

 

 

VIDEO: Why Didn’t You Get A Haircut? 

 

********************

 

NABO RAWK (of Wasted Talent / Porn Theater Ushers)
 

 

International Heavyweight Champion Movie Star MC drops knowledge from the top rope.

 

RICKY STEAMBOAT: 

 

BIZARRO WORLD promo:

 

APE- SWIPE THE FUNK with MR. LIF and NABO RAWK: 

 

 

********************
WEIRD DIE YOUNG
 

 

 

Dr. Dank and 50 Dead.

 

UNCOMFORTABLE AND AWKWARD:

 

 

********************

 

HOSTED BY SLY YOUNG
Picture_18

 

 

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10/16 Clay N. Ferno's Bday w/ THE BOMBPOPS (San Diego), CONTINENTAL, CHIP and XTOWN XPRESS & more #punk

PRESS RELEASE


Sunday, October 16, 2011

Middle East Upstairs

LeaguePodcast.com and Rock On! Concerts present
The Bombpops (Red Scare Records, San Diego, CA)
Continental (featuring Rick Barton of The Outlets / DKM)
Hands Like Bricks (LA, CA)
SEXCoffee
Chip and The Crosstown Express
Clay N. Ferno’s Birthday Party
18+ $9 Advance / $10 Day Of Show
TIX - Facebook Event

8pm Doors
*****************************************************

THE BOMBPOPS



The Bombpops have proven to be one of Southern California’s hardest working bands, drawing influences from ’90s skate punk and Fat Wreck Chords bands like NOFX, Lagwagon, Descendents, and No Use For A Name.

Fronted by two girls ripping on guitars and vocals, and backed by dudes holding down a strong rhythm section, The Bombpops offer a fresh, honest, in your face, delivery of catchy melodic pop punk songs.

Formed in early 2008, with members fresh out of (and others still in) High School, The Bombpops quickly established a name for themselves in the So-Cal punk scene opening up for punk rock giants such as Bad Religion, GBH, TSOL, The Adolescents, Strung Out and The Queers.

With their first official EP “Like I Care” released on Red Scare Industries in November 2010, their second EP “Stole the TV” on the way and relentless touring under their belts, The Bombpops have no plans of slowing down.

“Perfect for blasting through some pool corners or for keeping the good attitude going” - EuropeSkate.com

“The Bombpops are a female fronted quartet and a force to be reckoned with… Like I Care delivers some of the quickest and most melodic punk tracks of the year! “- Scene Point Blank



Artist Website: http://www.facebook.com/TheBombpops

****************************************************

CONTINENTAL


Hailing from the Hallowed grounds of the garage at 123 Centre Street (former home of the “Dropkick Murphy’s” and “Everybody Out”) comes Rick Barton’s latest and greatest incarnation “Continental.”

Continental will never be defined by a particular genre. They blend a unique style of rock, folk,country and blues to as closely follow Gram Parsons mission of “Cosmic American Music.” Some of the initial comparisons have been to Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and The Velvet Underground. Continental will be a touring, starving, and hard working band coming to your town.


Artist Website: http://www.facebook.com/ContinentalBand

*****************************************************

HANDS LIKE BRICKS

Remember when punk rock bands played in basements? Tall boys, best friends, bad lighting, and bands without make-up or hair that impaired their depth perception? This is Hands Like Bricks.

A Los Angeles foursome with an idea that punk rock is about best friends having awesome times together, Hands Like Bricks write unpretentious, sing-along anthems that speak to your soul, and voice things we can all relate to. With an impressive punk rock pedigree that stretches from New Jersey to Los Angeles, Hands Like Bricks is bringing punk rock back to the kids that couldn’t find a family anywhere else, whether they are 13 or 37.

Artist Website: http://www.facebook.com/handslikebricks

*****************************************************

SEXCOFFEE



Craving a high energy musical fix full of soulful melodies, innate harmonies, and carefully crafted songwriting? SEXCoffee is an alternative rock quintet best served live, loud, or recorded. Sean McCarthy from Standard Times praises SEXCoffee as “a high-energy rock band with a solid reputation”, while The Noise Magazine says “They sound like a band that knows how to carve their own musical path and does so with aplomb.”

Through the in-your-face vocal presence of front-woman Ruth Charbonneau, the dueling guitar riffs of Joey Magnanti (guitar/vocals) & Josh Baptista (guitar), and the thunderous low end rhythm section of Sharlene DeNardo (bass/vocals) and Paul Campbell (drums/vocals), SEXCoffee’s eclectic musical brew is a genre-breaking force in both their recorded and live sound.

Sharing the stage with such high profile acts as Candlebox, Halestorm, Siobhan Magnus (from American Idol) Company of Thieves and Me Talk Pretty, this multi-award winning band maintains and values a competent work ethic along with attention to melodious detail. Once you’ve had a taste of SEXCoffee’s infectious blend, you’ll be feeling satisfied to the last drop!

Artist Website: http://www.sexcoffeeband.com/

*****************************************************

CHIP AND THE CROSSTOWN EXPRESS - (first of 5)




Come early - Chip’s set opens the night at 8:30! Chip is saddled with the burden of being one of Clay’s closest friends. This Middle East Upstairs debut of the CHIP AND THE CROSSTOWN EXPRESS is going to be epic.

“Just in case you weren’t aware: Jimmy Fallon is my best friend. We opened an old phone museum. Fell in love with a Korean. Soup friends for life. Oh yes, soup friends for life.”- Soup Pals

Boston / New York singer songwriter. Tributes to old phone museums (Old Phone), The Turkey’s Nest in Brooklyn (Soup Pals), Jacket Magazine (Jimmy I Lost My Jacket), Jimmy Fallon , Brooklyn’s G-Train (G Train), Soon Lee from M*A*S*H (Soon Lee), and many more. The Chip and The Crosstown Express EP was produced by Randy Miller and Iyad Kheirbek (Wild Zero, C.O.N.D.O.R.).

Here’s Chip and the Crosstown Express at the Miss G-Train Pageant, 2009.


DOWNLOAD his EP for FREE at bandcamp -

Artist Website: http://chipandthecrosstownexpress.bandcamp.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chip-and-the-Crosstown-Express/132053693481903

NEW ART - 10/16 THE BOMBPOPS @MidEastClub Up - My Birthday Show

w00t.

Finally putting this one in the ‘done’ pile.

Pencils & inks from my hand.  Typeset and colors on the computer. My first coloring with a Wacom. Almost getting the hang of it, but I ised the mouse and trackpad for a lot of it.

 

The Bompops Oct. 16, 2011 at The Middle East

Looking forward to all the great bands:

Sunday (post NYCC) - October 16, 2011!


LeaguePodcast.com and Rock On! Concerts present
The Bombpops (Red Scare Records, San Diego, CA)
Continental (featuring Rick Barton of The Outlets / DKM)
Hands Like Bricks (LA, CA)
SEXCoffee
Chip and The Crosstown Express
Clay N. Ferno’s Birthday Party 
18+ $9 Advance / $10 Day Of Show 
TIX - Facebook Event

 

 

10/13/2011, 10/14/2011, 10/15/2011 - LIVE! ON STAGE Jonathan Richman featuring TOMMY LARKINS on the drums! @MidEastClub

10/13-10/15 LIVE! ON STAGE Jonathan Richman featuring TOMMY LARKINS on the drums! @MidEastClub

 Originally a ‘Google Buzz’ reply


Right when I first started working here at the Middle East, Kieran and I split the door duties for Jonathan’s shows (another 3 night stint) @mideastclub Upstairs.

Jonathan is very private and hates computers and cell phones! God bless him for that, it must be how he maintains his cool!

Before the show, Jonathan hands me a hand written guest list and says “Here’s my list…and if someone thinks they are on the list, (but aren’t) please don’t make them feel uncomfortable…just let them in!”

Show starts, I rip 194 tickets and (all of his shows sell out in advance, he prefers the intimacy and the history of the room at the Middle East Upstairs). By the way, I was also told that The Saters would take care of Jonathan after the shows were over “Next Week”. No large checks or cash was being transacted this evening. This is the kind of honest family business that I work for. Very romantic and cool and old school show biz.

The Marquee reads, according to contract:
“LIVE! ON STAGE Jonathan Richman featuring TOMMY LARKINS on the drums!”
The show happens, as it has a thousand times before on stages across the world.
200 people are transported to a vineyard in the south of France for an hour and a half as Jonathan soothes everyone’s souls.

After the show, I count and recount the till. I count and recount the door money. I fill out my paperwork (as I will come to do a thousand more times!). I imagine my office a smokey room, like a noir detective novel. There was probably no smoke, but Jonathan had turned on only one light in the room for mood. Here it is happening, as I write this I still cannot believe this to be true! This is a distant dream. A foggy memory, yet I can taste the air. I feel not excitement, in fact, I feel a calm warm spiritual experience as Jonathan Richman was LIVE! in the office playing his guitar and singing. He is playing for himself I am sure, but I was his only audience. I can honestly say this was one of my fondest memories of my life, my job, of music, and of the experiencing something greater than myself.

Yesterday, as I was typing this out (attempt #2!) I got distracted. I had a DJ gig at another bar. Here I was at another desk, 6 years later, putting my required mp3 set list on my iPod. This time in the office, it’s before Jonathan’s set, and I found myself with my eyes closed, my hands across my stomach, fingertips touching (thumb to thumb, index to index, ect.), breathing, eyes closed. It’s just the two of us and it’s happening again. The feeling was familiar, welcome, Zen, spiritual, and relaxing.

Then, as I had a thousand times before, I closed my laptop, disconnected my iPod, and slithered out the door. I felt like I was intruding on his warm up time, I had basked in his moment for exactly how long I needed to. I did not say goodbye but my smile is lasting through to this moment.
Clay S. Fernald, February 20, 2010 1:21 AM

 

Middle East Upstairs proudly presents:

Thu 10/13 - Night 1
Live! On Stage Jonathan Richman featuring Tommy Larkins on the drums!
18+ $15
TIX - Facebook Event


Fri 10/14 - Night 2
Live! On Stage Jonathan Richman featuring Tommy Larkins on the drums!
18+ $15
TIX - Facebook Event

Sat 10/15 - Night 3
Live! On Stage Jonathan Richman featuring Tommy Larkins on the drums!
18+ $15
TIX - Facebook Event

 

Artist Website: http://vaporrecords.com
Tickets at TicketWeb:
or at the Middle East Box Office 2-8pm Daily - NO FEES!

11/9 MC FRONTALOT, Brandon Patton @MidEastClub Upstairs! #Nerdcore

Wed 11/9 - Middle East Upstairs
LeaguePodcast.com & Rock On! Present:
MC Frontalot, Brandon Patton
18+ $10 Advance / $12 Day Of Show
TIX - Facebook Event


 

Just Announced show at Middle East Upstairs!

 

MC Frontalot - Bizarro Genius Baby

Happy Wednesday!

Enjoy!

http://i.ticketweb.com/i/00/03/98/04/69_Edp.jpg

 

MP3s here.

Video here.

********************

BRANDON PATTON

 

 

Save the Date - 10/16 Clay N. Ferno's Birthday Party @MidEastClub!

Sunday, ROCK-TOBER 16
Middle East Upstairs at 8PM

LeaguePodcast.com and Rock On! Concerts present
The Bombpops (Red Scare Records, San Diego, CA)
Continental (featuring Rick Barton of The Outlets / Dropkick Murphys)
Hands Like Bricks (LA, CA)
and Special Guests for
Clay N. Ferno’s Birthday Party
18+ $9 Advance / $10 Day Of Show
TIX - Facebook Event

********************

I’m ready to take you on a punk rock ride with some of my favorite bands from out-of-town, The Bombpops (Red Scare Records, San Diego, CA) and Hands Like Bricks (LA, CA)! Joining the soft-coast gang is the venerable Dr. Rick Barton of the Outlets and Dropkick Murphys, with his new project Continental.

Come join me for the 36th Birthday Stitches, it will be a party. Falafel optional at the world famous Middle East Restaurant and Nightclub.

We’re teaming up with RockOn! Concerts and the NYCC-bound LeaguePodcast for one heckuva blowout!

Clay N. Ferno being a creep at The Dwarves - pic by Eric Law

8/6 STARLAB FEST at Starlab in Somerville - OUTDOOR CONCERT | YARD SALE | BBQ

May as well be called “Friendship-fest ‘11”

MEDIA CONTACT:
MATT PRICE
617.319.0533
OUTDOOR CONCERT  |  YARD SALE  |  BBQ

STARLABFEST: Recording studio/rehearsal space hosts outdoor event

 

WHEN:
SATURDAY, AUGUST 6TH

12PM EVENT START TIME, 9PM END
BBQ/YARD SALE THROUGHOUT

WHERE:
STARLAB (PARKING LOT)

32 PROSPECT ST. SOMERVILLE, MA

PERFORMERS:   

MOVERS & SHAKERS

SLEEPY VERY SLEEPY

SPIRIT KID

RAMMING SPEED

GIRLFRIENDS

FEDAVEES

TRABANTS

EARTHQUAKE PARTY!

LOCUSTA

COST:   

$5-10 SUGGESTED DONATION

FREE FOOD AND BEVERAGES


##

SOMERVILLE, MA – Starlab is a rehearsal space/recording studio run by the members of local bands MOVERS & SHAKERS and SLEEPY VERY SLEEPY. 

Last summer Starlab was in need of a total overhaul due to water damage so an outdoor concert/BBQ was held to offset the cost.  The fundraiser was a huge success; In the same spirit, this time just for fun, Starlab will be throwing another outdoor summer event.

On the cusp of releasing their second album (recorded at Starlab), MOVERS & SHAKERS will co-headline the event with SLEEPY VERY SLEEPY.  They will be joined by an array of local buzz bands including SPIRIT KID, GIRLFRIENDS, RAMMING SPEED, FEDAVEES, EARTHQUAKE PARTY! and TRABANTS.

As well as grilling burgers and dogs (veggie and otherwise), local restaurants will be representing with tasty treats. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION , LINKS TO ALL PERFORMERS, AND PHOTOS/REVIEWS OF LAST YEAR’S EVENT VISIT STARLABFEST.COM

##

Here’s a picture of me flipping burgers at Starlabfest ‘10!

Pic by Maggie Cassidy