We'll get today's Essential Listening outta the way right here and now: Poison the Well's perhaps best release is 2001's Tear From The Red; sadly, I never had a chance to see them on tour promoting this killer record, but with songs like 'Botchla' and the purely rifferiffic 'Rings From Corona', Tear is so good you have no excuse not to hear it. Melodic heaviness is rarely done this well.
So my beloved Toronto Blue Jays have sunk so low(they're like almost twenty-five games below .500, which is Very Bad) that during a recent 18-6 annihilation at the hands of the Yankees, backup infielder Frank Menechino came in to pitch -and got the out that the professional pitching staff couldn't get. Sad but true. At least they beat New York in the fourth game of the series, avoiding yet another sweep. "Wait til next year!" Oh, and there was a power outage at the SkyDome before that fourth game. Supposedly a transformer was blown in a lightning storm in downtown Toronto, but I tend to think one of the Yankees EIGHT RUNS in the ninth inning the night before was a home run that was so long it hit something important. Hmph.
The Resident Evil: Apocalypse soundtrack is on listening posts at HMV Canada-wide, and it has some decent stuff on it in the form of good tracks from Demon Hunter, Killswitch Engage(arguably the best of the new American metal breed) and 36 Crazyfists - who, incidentally, will be here in Ottawa September 15th opening for Killswitch. It promises to be one of the best shows of the fall season. Personally, sd is looking forward to seeing Is Grace Enough opening for The Bled and Senses Fail September 17th. Got my ticket today, in fact.
I had the weekend off, taking it easy before The Big Move to Barrhaven yesterday, and I did what everyone should do if they have nights off - I hit two rock shows Saturday and Sunday. Saturday was dominated by the revelation that is Windsor, Ontario's Searching For Chin, who remind me of local boys Buried Inside with more melody and the occasional hardcore breakdown here and there. Sunday's extravaganza introduced this 'zinester to two of Canada's best young punk bands: Kitchener's Handheld(new-school technical fury) and Calgary's Kiros, those three Warped veterans, soon to be sharing a stage in Edmonton with the likes of Blindside and others. Terrific acts both. Highly recommended.
A show's going down up in Shawville, Quebec September 5th(that's this Sunday night, kiddies), put together by the lovely Samantha, and featuring The Fully Down, The Less You Know, Dead Letter Depot and more. Hit up Amplify819 for the details and directions. There's some sick interviews over there too.
Thornley are a new band composed of ringleader Ian Thornley(formerly of '90s stars Big Wreck - a terrific rock band) as well as ex-Watchmen bassist Ken Tizzard and two other dudes on guitar and drums. Overall, they're pretty fun. I can't remember the name of the single they have out right now, but I know that Thornley can hit the high notes on Guns 'N Roses covers that Big Wreck used to do, so if you have a chance to see his band, do it.
The Scene: still one of the best hardcore-oriented 'zines out there. Way better than us, though we're not strictly speaking 'hardcore'. Are we?
For everyone who missed Warped tour again this year - like, oh, say...hmmm...ME - over here are some soundboard live recordings of the likes of Underoath(whose new album They're Only Chasing Safety, by the way, has sold more than fifty thousand copies already), Saosin with Story of the Year vocalist Phil aboard, and a Less Than Jake cut from the tenth-anniversary show in Boston. Word. [absolutepunk]
Deftones, the kings of Sacramento, California, are touring. Headlining even!
September 26th San Francisco, CA - Grand
September 28th Los Angeles, CA - House of Blues
September 29th Los Angeles, CA - House of Blues
September 30th Anaheim, CA - House of Blues
October 01st San Diego, CA - Soma
October 03rd Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
October 04th Phoenix, AZ - Celebrity Theater
October 06th El Paso, TX - Xscape
October 07th Odessa, TX - Dos Amigos
October 08th San Antonio, TX - Sunset Station
October 09th Austin, TX - Stubbs BBQ
October 11th New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
October 13th Orlando, FL - House of Blues
October 14th Tampa, FL - Jannus Landing
October 15th Atlanta, GA - TBA
October 16th Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues
October 18th Norfolk, VA - The Norva
October 20th Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
October 21st Cincinnati, OH - Bogarts
October 22nd Detroit, MI - Clutch Cargos
October 23rd Milwaukee, WI - Rave
October 25th Minneapolis, MN - Quest
October 26th Chicago, IL - House of Blues
October 28th Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero
October 29th Sayreville, NJ - The Starland Ballroom
October 30th Hartford, CT - Webster Theatre
Atmosphere MC Slug was asked to diary/document his Warped tour experience for Spin magazine; I read the entire thing day before yesterday and laughed profusely at certain points. The guy can write his heart. Don't know if it's online, but hit a bookstore and find the issue with the Pixies on the cover. By the way, that cover story is literally like twenty or twenty-five pages long. Never seen one remotely close to that.
Simple Plan have a new song on some soundtrack to some movie somewhere - I really don't care that much, except the video has Eugene Levy throwing himself off the stage into the crowd. As in comedy legend Eugene Levy. It's worth watching just for that.
Essential Listening for August 28th is Ace Troubleshooter's 2002 album The Madness of the Crowds, containing the purely wonderful song 'Have It All'. It's reduced me to tears on more than one occasion, and no, I am not ashamed to be in such a state over a pop-punk band. So quit hatin'.
From the newsroom at virtualfrequency: "Movie giant 20th Century Fox has urged American churches to persuade their parishioners to buy the DVD of the controversial film The Passion of the Christ. The studio sent 260,000 postcards to churches offering bulk deliveries of the film as well as emails to more than six million Christian households." Six million? Where'd they get all those email addresses? What kinda Big Brother action is this? I'd like to think I'm capable of deciding if I wanna buy this movie or not, thanks.
This Just In, from sweetdisaster enforcer DJ Omnifik: "The new K-os is sick like Ebola!" I'm not gonna argue. K-os is amazing.
Rohan Marley, as in Bob's son, is planning a new clothing line in honour of his father. Now, like Simple Plan earlier, this really doesn't interest me that much, except for this interesting fact: Rohan played football for the old Ottawa Rough Riders right here in Cap City years ago. Booyah! At least I think it's this Marley. Yeah. Rohan.
Finally, some love for Manafest: the Toronto rapper - and friend of a friend of mine woohoo I'm so famous - is profiled here, and not a moment too soon. Guy is so fresh.
The new record from Further Seems Forever, just came out Tuesday, called Hide Nothing - it's amazing. Not amazing like How To Start A Fire was amazing a year and a half ago, because there's a new singer involved, but man can this band write great songs. I highly recommend it. Personally, I can't stop listening; it hasn't left my person in three days.
Speaking of new stuff, Green Day have a new single out from their upcoming album. Called 'American Idiot'(in keeping with the current trend of anti-patriotism in American recording artists), the video has lots of green paint involved - and the song sounds like it came off 1995's Insomniac album, and that's awesome.
The somewhat regular punkottawa email dropped today, detailing the upcoming shows in the underground around this fair town. Some highlights: Calgary punk band Kiros are in town Sunday night(August 29th), playing with Hartsfield and others. That's at Mavericks on Rideau Street. 6:30pm, eight bucks. I'll be there barring disaster. As well, September 5th my boy Tomo's other band We, The Accused are playing a basement show at 295 Powell St. here in town, opening for a band called Weather(ex-Milemarker, from Chicago). 7pm, five bucks. Word. Oh, and the big Killswitch Engage show on September 15th is sure to be a large draw, considering Eighteen Visions and From Autumn to Ashes are opening.
Lucerin Blue have been recording of late, new album coming out early 2005 if all goes well - not on Tooth & Nail Records, I gather. Tales of the Knife was a good album that T&N didn't really do much with, so I hope the new album does better by the band. They're also playing the giant Harvest Moon festival out in Edmonton(who isn't? GEEZ!), so check out their website for the tour dates they're setting up around their appearance there.
So yesterday on the bus I saw two amazing shirts: one was this head shot of who I believe was Bubbles from Trailer Park Boys(hilarious, but not recommended for children or hard-nosed Christian types), and underneath it just said "I'm crushing your head." I have no idea. And the other one, oh man, it was this brilliant orange t-shirt with MR. T on it, and arching over THAT head shot was "I Pity The Fool!" I can now die a happy man!
There's a pretty good article in Urb magazine on Christian hiphop and its current status, where it's heading and why it is what it is, quoting several well-known figures(KJ-52, Mars Ill, etc), and overall a good read. Sign up for their email list to keep tabs on what's what in electronica, hiphop and tons more. Word!
Essential Listening for August 27th is a huge, huge album: Straight Faced's 1998 epic Conditioned, featuring one of my absolute favourite hardcore anthems of all time, 'Against'. What a riff. I'm pretty sure this came out in '98, anyway. Whatever. It's incredible. Turn it up: I CHOOSE MY OWN ROAD!!
Zao put out a new album recently. It's called The Funeral of God. I'm still enraged that twice now I've been screwed out of seeing them live. But here's a review of the new record anyway.
Man, 'Against' is a killer song! Geez!
There's some news outta the Illect Recordings camp: Sintaxtheterrific's debut album Simple Moves is being redone with some smooooove new artwork and remastering courtesy of Elected Official; download some stuff over here. As well, the label is soon launching its very own web store - don't sleep.
The new record from Society's Finest, entitled Love, Murder and a Three-Letter Word dropped day before yesterday; it's in stores everywhere courtesy of Hand of Hope Records, and I bet it's a mother. Remember their 1999 record The Journey, So Far? Monster album.
The Harvest Moon festival out in Edmonton, already boasting a lineup including Blindside and Brave Saint Saturn, has landed another coup: the very first live show by Roper, aka Five Iron Frenzy ringleader Reese Roper doing his solo schtick. Man, I wish I lived somewhere I could go to these things.
Speaking of that, another band playing in Edmonton, Calgary punks Kiros, are here in Ottawa Sunday night, August 29th, along with locals Hartsfield. 7:00 show at Mavericks, on Rideau Street. It'll be a blast and three-eighths.
Some news now from Facedown Records, courtesy of the mindblowingly lovely Katie Norsworthy:
- The Whore's Trophy is the title of the new record from Symphony In Peril, and it'll be out next spring. Be ready. Hopefully the paper-thin production that plagued their debut will be eradicated forever. FOREVER!
- Comeback Kid and Figure Four are touring in Canada next month, but nothing east of Saskatchewan, sadly. Here're the dates:
Sept. 12 - Saskatoon, SK @ The Basement w/Down And Out
Sept. 13 - Edmonton, AB @ The Starlite w/Down And Out
Sept. 15 - Vancouver, BC @ Mesa Luna w/Blue Monday & Down And Out
Sept. 19 - Kelowna, BC @ Okanagan Mission Hall
Sept. 20 - Calgary, AB @ Inglewood Alexander Center
Sept. 21 - Regina, SK @ The Exchange
- New album from Nodes of Ranvier will hit hopefully next April. This has us around sd.com headquarters wetting ourselves with excitement.
I knew about this a while ago, but it still makes me quake to report it now: Spitfire are back, y'all. Virginia's metalcore masters have reunited after their breakup in late 2001 after releasing the amazing The Dead Next Door album on Solid State, and they're gonna record fourteen new tracks with some dude somewhere, and here's the bottom line: be ready for the incredibleness. [OGS]
Oh wow...even better news: Ottawa's own Buried Inside have signed with worldwide metal giant Relapse Records, home to The Dillinger Escape Plan, among others. I'm still a little stunned by this, even though it's not like it's inconceivable - BI bring the ruckus. Their label debut Chronoclast will be in stores here in Canada November 9th(my brother Steven's birthday! Happy birthday to me! I mean him!) and in January everywhere else. That's the best news I've heard today!
Why would Elektra Records drop Blindside from the label? I don't get it. That's what I see here, but I question the sanity of the suits at said label. What's with those idiots??
One-21(amazing band from Philadelphia) are rumoured to be touring through Ontario, including a stop here in lil' ol' Ottawa Capital City Baby. blue.skies.at.war have apparently been asked along, and this begs the question: I thought BSAW broke up last year? What in the...whatever. If One-21 are here, I'm wherever they are. Believe dat.
Hilarious: Toronto hardcore band No Warning have signed with a label called Machine Shop Recordings - owned by, um, Linkin Park. That's awesome. Not a huge fan of NW myself, but the upcoming debut Suffer, Survive(very hardcore) promises to be at least well-produced. [pastepunk]
You Must Listen Now: Born From Pain's new track 'Day of the Scorpio'. That's so threatening it's awesome. And they're from the Netherlands! Go Dutchies go!
Every once in a while, a few days - or more than a few days - pass where I'm not able to get on the internet and enjoy myself and do this here 'zine. Forgive the sometimes lengthy absences. Since we last spoke, Purple Door festival in Pennsylvania went down, featuring performances from Stretch Arm Strong, Anberlin and Brandtson, among a lot of others - rain canceled Blindside's set for the second consecutive year, while that same rain produced mud - a lot of it - which wound up being hurled at Project 86 onstage in a bit of tomfoolery that's apparently quite the discussion topic on the band's message board and elsewhere. Props to sweetdisaster supporter Heidi for spreading the gospel of our little 'zine everywhere she goes, to the point of wearing a homemade sd.com T-shirt. How dedicated is that?
Anyway. Some notes from watching TV lately:
- this Lithuanian shot-put champ, last name of Alekna - his day job is being a bodyguard for that nation's Prime Minister. Fascinating.
- I saw the video for 'Vindicated', the lead single by Dashboard Confessional, taken from the soundtrack of the second Spider-Man flick, and I have this to say - I remember fondly when Dashboard was Chris Carrabba with a guitar on a stool, playing in between Snapcase and some other band - and winning over crowds everywhere he went. I don't know about this full-band thing.
- 'Jesus Walks' is the current single and video from Kanye West, and I'd read articles about this song and how it was getting mad play in clubs all over the place despite being openly about God and faith. How awesome is that? And the song is sick.
- Slick Shoes' 'Now Is The Time'(off of Far From Nowhere) was played during an episode of MTV's Cribs. I forget what idiot celebrity's house was being profiled. Who cares.
- Also, during an episode of Pimp My Ride, an admittedly awesome show hosted by Xzibit where viewers' junkbox cars are remade into amazing pieces of hotrod action, 'Spy Hunter' by Project 86 was played. I severely dug that.
And finally today, in the Man, Their First Albums Were Good department: Five Iron Frenzy's 1996 debut Upbeats and Beatdowns remains a classic, and Norma Jean's debut album Throwing Myself, made when they were still called Luti-Kriss in 2000 or so, is so unbelievably heavy it still blows my skull.
More tomorrow. Read our Hartsfield review, submitted by the lovely Samantha. Word.
So I unsubscribed from this random listserve that I was somehow on for the longest time, and this is what I got from the automated robotic email-answer thingy:
"As per your request, you have been unsubscribed from initium_list.
We at Initium will try to find legal and socially acceptable ways to cope
with the rejection.
We'd love to have you back in the fold after you've taken some time to
think about your decision. If Ike and Tina could make it right, we can
work it out. Yeah, we can work it out.
Thanks,
www.initiumeyewear.com"
That is, by far, one of the funniest things ever. The End.
First things first: I found out that after the Senses Fail/The Bled show(to which Ottawa lads Is Grace Enough have been added in the wake of Underoath's cancellation), everyone with brains will be trekking over to Babylon(317 Bank St.) for the Canada's Top Prospects Tour, featuring headliner Kyprios(turn on MuchMusic for half an hour; you'll see him) with openers Classified(Halifax - and pretty good) and Ottawa's own DL Incognito. No word on door time, but count on maybe nineish at night. Twelve bucks, more at the door. Word up!!
I saw the video for Papa Roach's new single 'Getting Away With Murder' recently. My observations: a) when the did bassist start thinking he was the guy from Korn? b) singer Jacoby Shaddix is apparently idolizing Velvet Revolver frontman Scott Weiland - either that or it's just a desperate attempt on the part of the band's label to keep P-Roach relevant. Whatever. I miss their rap/rock days, personally. That first album with the big nasty bug on the cover was great.
Some baseball news! Woohoo! Eric Bedard, this pitcher from Orleans, I think(that's Ottawa's east end, kids, for those not around here) has been called up by the Baltimore Orioles - I think he started a game last night, but I'm not sure. Either way, local boy makes good.
Speaking of making good, anyone see that American kid Paul Hamm win the men's all-around gold medal? This dude from Wisconsin, 21 years old. My man completely tanked on the vault, right, and then came back and did what the commentators called the routines of his life on the rings and high bar- and won the friggin' thing. I'm sure my American relatives were stoked.
We have some new CD reviews up, over up in that 'Reviews' section you see to your upper left there. Isn't it pretty? Soon we'll have the recent reviews in one of those forlorn, empty, ill-used boxes to your right there - then you'll know when new and fun stuff goes up. Check it out for our takes on Dead Poetic, Mourning September, Marathon and In Due Time. Yesh. Oh, and keep your eye out for our review of the new EP from Ottawa's own Hartsfield, who by the way are gonna be down in Toronto at Club 360 August 20th(that's tomorrow night, kids! Get in the car!) to play Closet Monster and Hostage Life's joint CD release party, thrown by the boys at Underground Operations.
I was watching TV the other night, just surfing like everyone else, and I caught the end credits of Comedy at Club 54, taped down in Burlington, Ontario. Mike Trebilcock does the music on that show! Remember The Killjoys?? That was his band! Awesome! Anyway, Burlington is also home to Black Box Recordings, label home of amazing acts like The Fullblast and Rosesdead. So you'd be well-advised to hit them up and listen away.
This Just In: I'm listening to Earthsuit. Remember them? Didn't think so!
This kinda sucks, but here it is: the big ol' Senses Fail show on September 17th happens to be the same night as Alexisonfire and .hopesfall. This show will go down at Oliver's Pub(Carleton University), and openers(just added) are the aforementioned Closet Monster. Yay. I won't be there.
7th Factor were this little Christian band that broke up a while ago, played a bunch of shows in and around Ottawa until their dissolution 'bout six or eight or nine months ago. The new band is called August Sky and they're playing the Ex here in Ottawa tomorrow afternoon at four pm. Pizza Pizza stage. Be there!
Dead Poetic's newest, New Medicines(see our review over in the, um, Reviews section...yes...), is at number thirty-seven at my Friendly Local Christian Retailer. How 'bout that? Didn't know they had it in 'em. Oh, and the new album from Underoath - get this - has moved up at the store, to sixteen. The fifteen albums above them are the usual assortment of Christian contemporary and praise & worship stuff. Weird!
This has just been handed to me from my wildly immense staffroom(there's no staff): we have more people coming by here than ever before. How 'bout that? Thanks, kids. Keep it up and we'll keep the rock coming.
This band The Exit whose CD I got from the band and then never reviewed it - which technically makes me a thief, I think - can probably stop crying that I never reviewed their stolen merchandise: apparently the band is entertaining major-label offers. Good band! [thescout]
Some words, now, from the classy hombres in Death By Stereo: "Thanks to everyone that came out and played with us the past week or so. We are now back to working on our new record. We have about nine songs together so far and the gears keep on turning. We'll be heading into the studio in October with our producer Matt Hyde. You may know him from such records as Slayer's God Hates Us All. We are psyched to be working with him." End quote. By the way, God doesn't hate us all. Just so y'all know. [punknews]
Surprise, surprise: Philadelphia singer/songwriter Denison Witmer has signed with The Militia Group label out in California. Witmer's most recent work was with Tooth & Nail Records, and he's good. He's extremely good. Go find his stuff.
Project 86, one of the many bands that should've exploded into the stratosphere with popularity four or five years ago and didn't, are making a new video for 'Spy Hunter', a song that's been released on at least three different projects. Great song. Here's hoping director Derek Dale(whoever that guy is) doesn't botch it. [OGS]
The new album from Agnostic Front, Another Voice, will be out in November on...what? What is this? Nuclear Blast Records? They're a metal label! What's going on here? Whatever.
I might have been the only one, but I didn't know til the last forty-eight hours how much rear end Canada's Olympic baseball team was kicking over in Greece. First game versus...I can't remember, but it was seven-zip for the good guys in red and white. And this morning around five am(I'm a bit of a night owl) I was watching Canada put the boots to Italy; it was like nine-two by the time I fell asleep. GO CANADA GO! And if they get eliminated, I can cheer for the Netherlands, who also have a team. Who knew?
Black Box Recordings is my new favourite label. Why? Because within their roster is included one of the best punk bands in Ontario, The Fullblast. I'm such a fan. Go hit up the site and listen to the tunes. Good times. Oh, and the eighth track's intro is a clip from Back To The Future, where Marty plays that amazing rock and roll Chuck Berry thing! Huge.
Anam Cara are a newish band outta Florida, signed to Strike First Records, and their big claim to fame, at least when they signed, is that their guitarist Octavio used to be in Underoath, this little ol' nothing band you may have heard of.
....that's sarcasm, people. Underoath kill. Anyway, yeah, Anam Cara are pretty good; their four-song self-titled EP made me a fan. Look 'em up.
Saw a couple videos on MuchMusic early this morning; the newest from Belvedere called 'Slave to the Pavement' - this is vintage Belvedere, who've been running strong for almost ten years outta Calgary, Alberta. Speedy punk with metal solos? Amazing! As well, Kiros have an independently produced video in rotation, the name of the song I can't recall, but it was pretty good. Very much like older MxPx in terms of vocals and song structure. They're here in Ottawa again August 29th; c'mon out. I hope to be there.
Another video that really impressed me was 'Jesus Walks', from Kanye West. This guy is something else; I've read about this song getting mad love in the clubs, and it has an overtly Christian message. Props to Kanye for spitting it out and not caring who thinks what over. Plus the song kills.
T-Bone was here for Worshipfest two weekends ago, and did a huge set, yes, but then I got an email from my cousin Renae in Michigan and there was a PICTURE of HER with the BONE!! My cousin! With T-Bone! Stellar!
Anyway.
Essential Listening for August 16th is a band called A Javelin Reign. Ever heard of them? I never had either til this week, when my boy Brian mentioned them and then hooked me up with a copy of the album Wrath of the Rice Cooker for my listening pleasure. Weird, spastic metal that kinda clings to you. Like fungus. I like it. Oh, and Brian's daughter Katie is way cuter than any of YOUR kids.
Wrath of the Rice Cooker? That's SO good.
Some news from P.O.D.: guitarist Jason Truby, with his newfound fame surely helping it to get done, is releasing a 24-track solo acoustic record next month entitled String Theory. It'll be available exclusively through the band's online store at first before hitting stores later this year.
So I borrowed the Flikkemizer's copy of the Tooth & Nail Records 10th-anniversary box set - holy cow, I haven't heard some of these songs in years! I love it. Spitfire were so good - maybe the most insanely heavy band the label ever released - and word has it they're recording this summer!
'What Is This, Some Sort of Freaking Burt Reynolds Convention?' is the name of a new song Norma Jean have cooked up for the upcoming This Is Solid State Volume 5 label compilation. Great title. Oh God, The Aftermath, the band's new album, will be out next March. And click here for a slew of tour dates that I won't get to go to. Booo. [hxc]
sweetdisaster favourites Anberlin are in the studio recording material for their next album, said to be called Never Take Friendship Personal. This has me giddy with excitement, personally; Anberlin's debut was phenomenal. Aaron Sprinkle will handle production on the new album, and I bet it won't sound as poppy as Blueprints did. The band will be on the Nintendo Fusion tour October and November alongside My Chemical Romance, Story of the Year and the UK's Lostprophets. Heady company. [buzzgrinder]
Limp Bizkit(suprised to see their name here?) have kicked guitarist Mike Smith outta the band; Wes Borland is back in the fold. I don't much care either, but 1997's Three Dollar Bill, Y'all$ was a killer record because it was new and raw and Borland tore it up. Word. [theprp]
Strapping Young Lad are metal, and they're Canadian, and their next album is a live DVD called For Those Aboot To Rock. That's hilarious. It'll be out November 2nd on Century Media. So funny.
In local band news, my boy Ryan E. has a new band called Bury Your Chances. Not Bury Your Dead, or Buried Inside, or Buried Alive. Bury Your Chances. If you wanna hear 'em, and they're not bad at all, check this out. I like 'em.
This Just In: Stavesacre have always brought the rock and always will.
If you're a Helmet fan, and if you're not stupid you are, you wanna peruse this to find out when they're coming to your city: these are the dates for the band's first tour in seven years, in support of their first album in that long, Size Matters.
Helmet have announced the dates for their first tour in seven years, they are as follows:
September 17th Atlanta, GA - Cotton Club
September 22nd Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
September 24th Asbury Park, NJ - Stone Pony
September 25th Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's
September 26th Fitchburg, MA - WAAF Locobazooka
September 27th New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
September 29th Philadelphia, PA - North Star
September 30th Rochester, NY - Water Street Music Hall
October 01st Buffalo, NY - Showplace Theatre
October 02nd Toronto, ON - Lee's Palace
October 04th Cleveland, OH - The Grog Shop
October 05th Detroit, MI - St. Andrew's Hall
October 06th Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
October 08th Minneapolis, MN - Grumpy's
October 10th Lawrence, KS - The Bottleneck
October 12th Houston, TX - Engine Room
October 13th Dallas, TX - Gypsy Tea Room & Ballroom
October 14th Austin, TX - Emo's
October 16th Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge
October 17th Salt Lake City, UT - Club Sound
October 20th Vancouver, BC - Richards On Richards
October 21st Seattle, WA - Graceland
October 22nd Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge
October 24th San Francisco, CA - Slim's
October 25th West Hollywood, CA - Troubadour
October 28th Phoenix, AZ - The Brick House
October 29th San Diego, CA - The Casbah
October 30th Anaheim, CA - Chain Reaction
Blindside news(terrific band): they wrecked their brand-new tour bus heading in Denver for a show, but no one was hurt, thank God. And they've been playing a new song called 'I Am That I Am' on the ongoing Internal Storm tour. I wanna hear!! Play it for me in my backyard!!
That's it for now.
Greetings, fine readers. I just found out two minutes ago that I'm going to a doubleheader ball game with my dad next week(GO LYNX GO!), so I'm in a pretty good mood. So good in fact that I'll give you today's Essential Listening right off the bat: Nodes of Ranvier have come outta Sioux Falls, South Dakota with two very strong albums on the Facedown imprint, the first being 2002's Lost Senses, More Innocence and followed up by last year's stellar-in-every-way self-titled album(with artwork by renowned hardcore dude Derek Hess). So very, very good. Find them and own them and mosh in your bedroom to them.
This Just In: downhere's vocalist has a brother named Dave Martel, and this dude's in a band called either On Forward, or First Forward, or "something like that", according to Montreal source Car. What up, Car?? If anyone knows anything about anything here, lemme know.
sweetdisaster has two supporters along with their families down in Fort Myers, Florida, and they're currently - like, as you read this - being pummelled by Hurricane Charley; keep them in your thoughts and prayers: Meaghan and her husband and son, along with Cory and his family. Thanks, guys.
Horse the Band were recently here in Ottawa, and now they're over in Europe and the United Kingdom, but since you probably don't live here OR there, how's about you check out the video for 'Bunnies' instead, right over yonder? Word. Here're the American tour dates following the jaunt overseas:
8/28 New York City, NY @ ABC No Rio
8/29 Long Island, NY @ Molly Blooms 2
8/30 Wallingsford, CT @ The VFW
8/31 Derry, NH @ Alexander Carr Skate Park
9/01 Auburn, NY @ A Novel Idea
9/02 Albany, NY @ New Age Cabaret
9/03 Wilkes-Barre, PA @ Cafe Metropolis (94 South Main St.)
9/04 Franklinville, NJ @ Franklinville VFW
9/05 Haddon Twp, NJ @ Bruce
9/06 Philadelphia, PA @ Church of Divine Energy
9/07 College Park, MD @ WMUC Radio, University of Maryland
9/08 Morgantown, WV @ 123 Pleasant Street
9/09 Pittsburgh, PA @ TBA
9/10 Cincinnati, OH @ Sudsy Malone's
9/11 Louisville, KY @ TBA
9/12 Nashville, TN @ The Muse
9/13 Evansville, IN @ 1123
9/14 Fort Wayne, IN @ Sunset Hall
9/15 St. Louis, MO @ Creepy Crawl
9/16 Rock Island, IL @ UAW Hall
9/17 Minneapolis, MN @ The Fallout
9/18 Milwaukee, WI @ Shorewood Legion Hall
9/19 Dubuque, IA @ The Busted Lift
9/20 Fargo, ND @ Billard's On Broadway
9/21 Mankato, MN @ TBA
9/22 Chicago, IL @ TBA
9/23 Kansas City, MO @ El Torreon
9/24 Pueblo, CO @ TBA
9/25 Wyoming TBA
That's it for today. Sorry if you wanted more news. Guess you'll just have to bookmark this here 'zine and return often. And tell all your friends. And send us money.
Or not.
So today I kinda slept in...big...til about half past two. Right. Anyway, so I'm listening to the last half hour of Jim Rome from Los Angeles, and he's talking about how Mike Wallace(longtime 60 Minutes vet) is the baddest 86-year-old alive, and I'm wondering what's going on. Til about five minutes ago, when I read this story, and I'm still snickering. Way to be arrested, old dude! Props!
I borrowed the most recent album from Pearl Jam, Riot Act, from the library last week and listened to it, and while certainly not bad, it's just not grabbing me like Ten and Vs did back in the day. Anyway, they'll be going back into the studio to work on their eighth album in October, according to their manager. Full story if you're interested over here.
Some news from sphereofhiphop about assorted projects and unrelated things, summarized in point form:
- the Hip Hope 2005 compilation features John Reuben, Cross Movement, KJ-52(great dude), Mars Ill and more in that vein; it'll be out August 24th(same day as the new Further Seems Forever!!...not that it's relevant)
- speaking of Mars Ill, their third record, the soon-to-blow-minds Pro*Pain, drops October 19th - and watch out for the good-if-I-may-say-so interview we got with the lads from Mars last weekend...whenever we get around to posting it
- DJ Maj is currently working on his fourth album. Another mixtape project, no doubt. I remember seeing him spinning for Toby Mac last year
- and finally, our main man Sev Statik's second full-length Slow Burn has been pressed and picked up by Dominaton Records; it'll be available soon at shows and nationwide(hopefully) later this fall. Word!
Essential listening for today, the big ol' August 12th(Marathon plays tonight at SAW, by the way, go enjoy the rock), is Drawing Black Lines, still far and away the best album from Project 86; this beast hit in 1999 and changed the way I think, not about music or anything, but how I think. Rarely does the album emerge that does that. Find this one.
Eeeexcellence: Dan Castellaneta will receive this year's voice-over award for his work on The Simpsons; this be the dude who does Homer, Grampa, Groundskeeper Willie and Krusty, among others. Castellaneta previously won the award in 1992 and '93, when the show wasn't even that funny in my opinion. What about all those years in between?? [Relevant]
I knew this a while ago, but I wasn't allowed to tell, and now I am, so let the beat roll: a song from Flynn's latest solo record In Like Flynn has been licensed by Nike, of all people, for commercial purposes. I hope this means widespread exposure for a great MC. Oh, and Alternative Press is apparently reviewing the album in(presumably) the upcoming issue. OH, and MTV has apparently licensed the entire friggin' album for whatever it is they're gonna do. Enough 'apparently's. [illect]
...and now that you're really curious about this Flynn dude, here's a review of the album. Whee!
I've never been a huge fan of the Dillinger Escape Plan - too much math-wanking, not enough song - but I've kept up on the vocalist switch and the 'new direction' and all that jazz, and now we have this, one of the first reviews I've read of DEP's new album Miss Machine. Complimentary, to say the least. CAUTION: offensive language. If you're not an adult, stay away if you're turned off by such things.
There's an email here from the lads in downhere, one of the best Christian rock bands out there, period. There's a new baby(bassist Glenn Lavender), a closing article in 7ball magazine penned by either vocalist Marc or drummer Jeremy, and the band was dropped from their label last month, but they're fine with it and excited about their next step etc etc etc. Great band. Next!
GODS, the new band fronted by ex-Zao drummer Jesse Smith, has officially found a label - and what a label! Hand of Hope is owned and operated by two dudes, one from Until The End and another from Evergreen Terrace - two of the best bands in Florida - and now GODS is on it. Rejoice!
Best band name ever: The Kirby. Info on this wondrously-named outfit that apparently(that word again!) is for fans of Emery, The Bled(here in Ottawa September 17th), Silverstein etc. can be found here.
When I was in ninth or tenth grade, somewhere around there, one of my favourite bands was this new skacore band called the O.C. Supertones, and ten years later they're still cranking it out against all odds(a "dying genre", member changes galore, etc etc etc. Anyway, their newest came out a couple months back, and a review of it is over here. As I told Flikkemaster a while ago, "They're a one-trick pony, and I love their trick."
Thousand Foot Krutch's breakout album Phenomenon has officially sold over a hundred thousand copies. Way to be, lads. I remember watching these guys rock high school gyms way back in the day. renown]
Tomorrow marks ten years since that date in 1994 when major-league baseball's player's union walked off the job, cancelling the '94 World Series, peeving this writer off in a very big way and sealing my budding cycnicism towards pro sports at the tender age of fourteen - and oh by the way destroying the Montreal Expos permanently, according to this article, which has former players and other affiliated types reminiscing about how friggin' good the Expos were that year. 74-40 as of August 12th, with probably the best all-around team in baseball. The outfield consisting of Larry Walker, Moises Alou and Marquis Grissom was easily baseball's best, the infield was solid, and Pedro Martinez anchored a starting rotation that was so good, kids, I'm telling you. The Expos would almost assuredly have won the Series that year, ensuring stability and a long future. But no. Greed won out. I'm still bitter, and I've been a Toronto Blue Jays fan my whole life. That should tell you something. Oh, and an interesting side note: the general manager of the team in 1994 was Kevin Malone, and where he is now? Working at a Christian university out in California. How 'bout that!
Anyway. Enough of that. On to the music.
Essential listening for August 11th is one glorious slice of hardcore heaven: Stretch Arm Strong's 2003 record Engage. I never did get around to reviewing this, and it's pretty much useless to do it now since I imagine a new one will be coming soon, but it's so good, kids. Seriously.
Fear Before the March of Flames are one of the most innovative hardcore bands I've heard(not that I'm a professor of the genre or anything); Odd How People Shake, besides being named in honour of an episode of The Simpsons, was a great album, and they have a new record called Art Damage coming out September 7th. This article brings y'all up to speed on one of the Denver area's best rising bands. Word.
Anyone catch NOFX on Late Night with Conan O'Brien last night? They did 'Franco Un-American', and I bet the network told them not to say certain things contained in said song, and they went and did it anyway. Hilarious to watch. Wonder if Conan is gonna take all kindsa heat for it. I particularly enjoyed the robot pimp on keyboard. From the lads at punkhardcore, as a supplementary opinion: "The band won't say what they'll be playing but we've been assured that they will 'do some additional rocking against Bush.' We're crossing our fingers for the full eighteen-minute version of 'The Decline'; nobody cares about what Seth Green has to say anyway." That's gold.
In somewhat related news, Anti-Flag are allegedly being offered major-label money in excess of half a million dollars(no typo, people), half a million dollars, for a one-off contract. If this band, vehemently anti-corporate in everything it's about, does this, the world is officially coming to an end. aversion]
Due to the departure of their bassist, who left the band to focus on family(good man), Social Distortion have found themselves a pretty good replacement to take over: Rancid's Matt Freeman - who is incredible, for those who don't follow these things. Freeman's top priority will remain the Bay Area legends, but as it says here: "'Rancid is always going to be my priority,'" Freeman said in a statement. "'But Tim has the Transplants and Lars has the Bastards. I like to think I have a pretty cool side band now too.'" Um, ya think? Social D's new album drops September 28th.
The Warmth of Red Blood. Get used to that name, kids, because it's the new incarnation of the departed Shai Hulud. Vocalist Geert(that crazy Dutchman!) is history, and remaining members Matt Fox and Matt Fletcher have yet to name a new singer. They'll still be amazing though.
This link right here contains new video footage of kingpins Every Time I Die as well as New Jersey punks Life In Your Way, who I was supposed to interview a long time ago, and it never happened. Probably my fault entirely. Anyway, enjoy the clippage. [punkhardcore]
Skatefest happens shortly down in Worcester, Massachusetts, and this year's lineup is a beast. Check this out:
Norma Jean, Fear Before the March of Flames, Boys Night Out, Spitalfield, The Early November, Throwdown, Catch-22, From Autumn To Ashes, Codeseven, Silverstein and Murder By Death. I'm not taking the time to html-italicize all those names. Screw yas all! I wish I lived near Worcester, Massachusetts.
Some .hopesfall news for ya(I see you Veronique!): the band's new album is called A-Types, and it'll be out November 2nd on Trustkill Records. I devoutly hope the production is better than their last record. The Satellite Years was great songs kinda wrecked by the studio geniuses. And it was the guy from Hum who did it! How could this have happened?? Anyway. [noisetheory]
Behold: coverage of one of the few screamo bands I truly enjoy, Funeral For A Friend. And they're from England, no less! Check out the article. FFAF are so tight. '10.45 Amsterdam Conversations'...what a hook....mmm....yeah. Oh, and I learned that the band's name was derived from a song by Planes Mistaken For Stars(another Denver band woohoo!). I did not know that. Props to me for making Johnny Carson references!
Done.
So this afternoon I'm ready to leave the ol' apartment, haven't put the cream and sugar in my coffee yet, right, and my phone rings, and it's my man Ryan going, "Dude, you're headed downtown too? I'm on your STREET; let's go!" So I throw in the coffee stuff, mmm mmm tasty, we get in the car and go downtown, and we're listening to this band on Epitaph Records called From First To Last, and I liked what I heard.
All of that was just to say I like the band. Shut up! Oh, and then I sat in the friggin' car on a very busy downtown corner while Ryan busted into like four different buildings that all looked alike - this being downtown and all - looking for some security certificate or something. Good times.
In related news, this young band Ryan's band played with in Kemptville, One Last Gift, has developed into heck of a rock and roll attack. Check out their website for the latest. Local megaproducer Dean Hadji's worked with these kids, which is why their song on purevolume sounds so good.
Royce Nunley. Know that name? Probably not. He produced the latest Insyderz album(great record!), and though I had no idea, he's also left the Suicide Machines, for whom he played bass for eight years; now he's got this new band Blueprint 76(not to be confused with the long-defunct Christian rock band Soulfood 76) on a new label(Broken Spoke), and the review of said album can be read over here. Caution: some offensive language involved. Keep the kids away. And when you're done reading that, check out this review of the new covers album from Copeland, called Know Nothing Stays The Same. Copeland are a terrific rock band, and their cover of Billy Joel's 'She's Always A Woman' is quite good.
Essential listening for August 11th, the early morning hours: Anberlin's smash debut Blueprints For The Black Market. Really well-produced, to the point where their live show was a suprise in what a hardcore-tinged ruckus it was, but all the better for it. Their next album will blow even more minds. Believe it.
Word on the streets(at least in Quebec City) is that Most Precious Blood vocalist Rob Fusco has another project started called KGB, also involving two dudes from Today Is The Day. The band are hitting a studio down in Massachusetts maybe even as we speak. Quote: "According to Fusco, 'look forward to a heavy, dark, psychologically and sonically punishing attack from this band.'" Uh huh. As well, Fusco's former band One King Down are rumoured to be doing a reunion show, although details on that are extremely sketch. [qchc]
We gave you this last week, but I'm doing it again: If Tomorrow Comes have an EP coming sometime this month(we hope) called We Share This Burden, and you can stream a song from said EP over here. Also, check out the artwork over here. Very traditional tough-guy hardcore. I LOVE IT.
Oh, and there's some stuff about an absolutely killer NYHC-style band called Final Word right over in this corner! Wheee!
I really need to buy some kinda book to help me learn about computers so all the things inside my head can be put in this space for you lovely readers' enjoyment.
But until then, the only thing I can do regularly, for a number of reasons, is this here news. Hope you like it.
I was finishing up at work last week and saw this movie on TV called Grind; skateboard movie, I'd heard about it when it came out. Billy Talent and Trapt both appeared on the soundtrack in the few minutes I had to watch it. Some good cheap laughs had by all.
And now, some news.
The Toronto Blue Jays lost 8-2 to the Yankees and then fired their manager. Does anyone who knows this team think it'll make a shred of difference? The Jays beat New York 5-4 this afternoon under new manager Mr. Whatshisface - the comeback trail begins!!
....oh wait, they're still like fifteen games under .500. Roiiiiiight. I wish I had a good team to cheer for.
There's this tour happening next month, starting in Chicago, I believe, featuring headliners Starflyer 59 with supporting act Pedro the Lion. It must have been really hard to decide who was gonna headline, because these are two amazing rock bands. No word on Canadian dates, but sweetdisaster contributor Dave Leibold - what up brah - emailed me this bit, so maybe he knows something we all don't. Here's hoping.
Decapolis Dot Com: still one of the best-informed, knowledgeable 'zines out there. Git to it.
This Just In: the place I've been housesitting at since the end of July has this cat that won't quit meowing. I think she's heavily in heat, and I don't know her name, so it's been Cat for over a week now. Funny, huh? Right. Next.
This guy Mike Skinner over in England, aka The Streets, fascinates me, not because I think he's this great MC or anything, but because he's such an unlikely star on this side of the Atlantic. Right over here is possibly the most well-written review of The Streets' latest, A Grand Don't Come For Free, that I've read yet, and it makes me even more curious about the dude. Apparently he's just too good. Innnneresting.
Another Worshipfest tidbit: ever heard of The Elms? I stopped listening to them years ago, like 2001 or so, before their second record even came out(heard really lousy reviews of that one too), and I'd lumped them in with every other "Christian rock band with a polished prepackaged sound". Until I saw them Saturday night, when they completely blew the doors off Worshipfest. I had no idea Christian bands were still this full-on rock-and-roll attitudinal anymore. Bravo!!
I'm still pretty ticked that I missed Strike Anywhere a couple weeks ago, and before that the Beloved/Glass Casket tour that hit Hamilton and Montreal and not Ottawa, but never fear: at least the fellas at junkedcamera take lots of pictures for me to...um...cry over. Yesh. Struck A Nerve opened the Strike show; note the pictures of them featuring My Brown Man Mariful in his A Perfect Murder shirt, not to mention Matt Ford rocking a Marathon garment! Woohoo! Marathon'll be in town Thursday night, by the way. Be there.
Fascinating: The Passion of the Christ: Songs is a compilation that is what it says it is: songs inspired by artists who saw the Mel Gibson flick(you might have heard of it; did okay in theatres....yeah) and were inspired in their own individual ways. Now, the fact that the apparent lead single from the album is from Scott Stapp, Creed's former ringleader kinda deters me from even going any further in this post about this topic(even though the guy is backed by dudes from The Tea Party - now THERE's a rock band!), but behold: other music here includes songs from MxPx with Blink-182's Mark Hoppus(that intrigues me), Lauryn Hill, Christian contemporary kingpins Third Day and a collaboration between Steven Curtis Chapman and MercyMe, Welsh opera star Charlotte Church and Big Dismal(who're on Creed's former label). The entire thing is being released by Lost Keyword Recordings, a subsidiary of Wind-Up(the aforementioned label), and the entire track listing can be found over here. [rockrebel]
Some random in-a-hurry notes...
The Underoath show September 17th, if you haven't already heard, will be minus Underoath; the band bailed on the entire tour with Senses Fail and The Bled due to family problems. Hope nothing too serious is going on; keep them in your thoughts and prayers. However, all is not lost: skimming quickly through punkottawa I saw what I think was a mention of Alexisonfire playing Oliver's Pub(Carleton University) that very same night. *shrugs* Maybe the night won't be a total bust.
Keep an eye out for Hello Kelly, from Orangeville, ON. I laid paws on a three-song EP the dude(one guy made the entire record, from the looks of it) recorded with Thousand Foot Krutch's Jamie K on drums; everything else was the work of on Francoise something-or-other. Quality pop rock.
Proper news to come soonest.
Worshipfest Wrap-Up
It's all a blur, really. Mars Ill's set was epic, worth the wait...except no one was there to see it, thanks to a scheduling mishap that had some huge name on the other stage hogging the attendance-at-large. However, Manchild and Dust still ripped it up to about thirty people tops(I felt so bad for them), and then submitted to yours truly and his tape recorder. The bounty of that discussion will be posted at a later date. Oh, and KJ-52 lives in Fort Myers, Florida, which is where my mom and her mom go every January. Not that it matters. He made fun of Canadians who invade FL every year. What a dude.
Aside from that moment of clarity(EDL reference!), I can't really process much. Tomorrow's news(if there's news) will be better. Thanks to Don Smith at DJ's Productions for putting together the whole Worshipfest thing. To all the people I met and re-met, it's all love.
Worshipfest Review In Summation - Day One
Okay, so we were a little late getting out to the venue because of a certain Filipino who shall remain nameless - SID(just kidding, mad love brah), so we missed a bit of John Reuben's opening-festivities set. And it was different; last time he was here he had him and this guy rapping with him and DJ Manuel on the decks - this time he had a three-piece live band with no DJ in sight. Apparently Manny isn't on the road with him. Some miserable sound problems(the first act of any festival is always, unfortunately, the guinea pig for the sound crew) didn't stop Reu's natural charisma from winning over the fans - especially the female fans. Never heard such screaming.
T-Bone is straight-up Los Angeles west-coast gangsta steez, and it was amazing from beginning to end. Even though he didn't do 'Lyrical Assassin', the song I've always loved, the set was tight, varied and wildly engaging, to the point where the whitest of the white folk was dancing in circles on command. What a dude.
And then Pillar. I've never been a huge fan of the band; they're fun to listen to, but I'm not about to buy their records and join their street team or anything. After tonight - that hasn't changed. But they're very good live; tight, decent sound after they cranked the guitar up some, and with enough crunch to engage this hardcore kid. And vocalist Rob Beckley can sing live - bonus.
Tomorrow: Day Two.
Again, last-minute, but whatever: call 867-5858 for Worshipfest tickets. The event starts tomorrow night, so you have one day precisely to score cheaper prices. There're four adult tickets at $60 each and four kiddie tickets at around $48 each. You have the number. First come, first served. Do a guy a favour.
Anything Blindside has ever done and will ever do is pure amazingness. Don't you agree? 'Coming Back To Life', from 2002's Silence, still sounds very Papa Roach-ish, but that's not to say it isn't a great song - matter of fact it's one of the best on the album. And this year's About A Burning Fire is just mindcrushing.
I'll stop raving about them now.
Our friend Samantha at Amplify 819 has submitted a review of the new EP from Ottawa band Hartsfield, entitled Katya. A strong effort from a great band; we'll have that posted ASAP. Which is to say whenever I find time to hassle my web partner to do it. Curses, to know how to do it myself! Sucks to be me. Mad thanks to Samantha.
Some news from Floodgate Records crossed the desk today; as usual, we'll summarize in point form:
- August 12th at IKON in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Mourning September are having a big ol' CD-release party, and check out who's opening: Philmore(they of the infamous couch made of orange vinyl!!...never mind) and Yellow Second(featuring original Five Iron Frenzy guitarist Scott Kerr, I believe), among others
- Copeland's Aaron Marsh is gonna sing on the new album from Denison Marrs
- The Insyderz are going to Europe! And Royce Nunley from The Suicide Machines, who produced the band's latest record Soundtrack To A Revolution, is going along to play bass! Too bad I don't live anywhere near Europe! Next topic!
I'll end this update with the following statement: I have a chicken in my backpack. See, my friend Amy thinks that's random, but really, there's nothing random about it: I obtained a chicken in one of those ready-dinner plastic dome things, and now it's in my bag awaiting its final destination in my stomach.
Is that random?
I thought not.
Peace.
Holy crap.
...for those wondering why I'm so worked up, you all need to download a song called 'Message Beneath Contempt' by Swedish heavyweights Raised Fist. This song will completely obliterate what's left of your mind - if you've taken all our previous orders here about downloading this or that mind-crushing number from this or that amazing band. If you haven't, boy, are you out of the loops. My boy Ryan's band Is Grace Enough opened up for these dudes last year, and I was in Michigan and therefore missed it. One of my biggest regrets.
Okay: it's very last-minute, but a dude I know has four adult tickets to Worshipfest going down tomorrow through Sunday that he wants to get rid of at the price he paid: sixty bucks. There are also four kid-priced tickets at forty-eight dollars each. If you wanna go, I'm gonna risk my own rear end here: 867-5858 is my number here in the city; call that number and you'll be connected to the dude in question to handle all the particulars. No stupid calls, please.
The Fully Down were part of the Warped tour festivities in Washington, D.C., yesterday, and sweetdisaster supporter Jordan A. Friggin' Baker was quite impressed by the Ottawa sextet with the tri-guitar metal assault: "THE FULLY DOWN, from Ottawa, Canada ripped things up on the Kevin Says stage - they won the Alternative Press Warped Tour contest and easily proved their worth."
Word!
One Cross, soon to be known as Manic Drive(wonder what that name is about - someone find out for me), are hitting a bunch of festivals across the land this summer. Notable dates include Family Fest with Toby Mac and Skillet, happening down in Kitchener, Ontario August 15th(website here), Wired For Jesus alongside Lucerin Blue and Fighting the Fall August 20th in Cambridge(that'll be a fun show) and more fun stuff. All the particulars can be found over here.
Speaking of Ontario bands slogging their way to stardom, Midday Blackout are gonna be playing at Worshipfest this weekend out at the Nepean Equestrian park, and to pump up the volume as it were, they'll be interviewed on CHRI FM tonight at nine. 99.1 on your radio dial. Check it out and hear the new single 'Interstate Seven' from the long-awaited debut full-length.
Keep your eyes out for yet another Ontario band, this one not Christian or contemporary(not that there's anything wrong with that Jerry Seinfeld): Financial Panther is up and swinging, featuring two members of Alexisonfire with two dudes formerly of Rise Over Run. Props to my boy Phil on bass for the heads-up. There's a seven-inch on the way from FP, and though their first show won't be til December, you gotta figure that's plenty of time to build a buzz. Woohoo!
This just in: Haste the Day aren't from Ohio. They're from Indiana. See, I knew that posting it whenever it was I posted that, but again I went against that still small voice in my head. When will I learn to listen to that voice?? Man. Our extremely insincere apologies. Except to the band, if they read this. Then we're being sincere.
In Back In The Day news, R.E.M. have a new studio album coming out October 4th entitled Around The Sun. Speaking of the sun, wasn't their time in it done a long time ago? Just a thought. Great band way back though. [absolutepunk]
Here's a weird bill if you're in the NYC area: Senses Fail and My Chemical Romance opening up for legends Face to Face at Irving Plaza on August 22nd. And Senses Fail will be here in Ottawa September 17th opening for Underoath, a production brought you in(a very small) part by us here at sweetdisaster. Be there.
Yaaaay skate-punk: Goldfinger's new single 'My Everything'(I think I hate the title of the song already) has been posted at their website. The new album is called Disconnection Notice, hitting stores January 5th of next year. Awesomeness.
Ottawa band If Tomorrow Comes(what up Mariful) has a new slab coming out "sometime in August" called We Share This Burden; you can hear a single from said slab right over here. [ChamberSpinsThree]
In a related bit, Quebec hardcore artistes Forsaken Trust have split up. Three years they ran. Not bad in this day and age.
Enjoy Worshipfest this weekend, those of you going. Everyone else, catch you Monday probably. Peace.
Flipped through the new issue of CCM magazine a few minutes ago(the cover looks like they commissioned the Highlights For Kids art director to do it - tres chic) and some interesting things cropped up, namely that Thousand Foot Krutch are apparently heading into a Toronto studio in November to concoct the followup to last year's breakout album Phenomenon(what a killer record); as well, there are rumours that TFK will be hitting the road with Very Big Name Band Hoobastank sometime this fall. Even I would pay to see that show - if Ottawa was on the itinerary, and I bet we wouldn't be.
If you're in Denver, one more reminder: Hoi Polloi goes down at the Pepsi Centre this weekend. The headliner is this little nobody band called P.O.D., and the supporting acts are enough to make a kid from the Christian underground convulse: Blindside, Squad Five-O, MxPx and Further Seems Forever. August 5th-8th. Be there if you're anywhere near the Mile High city.
Essential Listening for August 4th Volume Two is Training For Utopia's best-of that came out earlier this year, Technical Difficulties. Yes, the Clark brothers have softened up a lot with their new band(Demon Hunter), but their roots are in hardcore and metal, and this band was completely offensive to the ears - and beautiful for it. Find all the TFU stuff you can get. Complete madness! Rock! And the riff about a minute into 'Tennessee Midget' might be the heaviest thing I've ever heard too.
In Boy Does That Take Me Back news: the long-dead Seven Day Jesus apparently reunited to be part of Bleach's farewell tour. Holy mid-'90s Christian rock flashback.
Check out a review of the new disc from Alexisonfire, entitled Watch Out!. So much better than their debut of 2002, it amazes me. How come more opinions don't coincide with mine and this review's writer? [pastepunk]
For some idiotic reason, the web brains behind this here 'zine(hi Al!) are having a hard time making the technology concede the truth: that the Stretch Arm Strong piece directly above these words should no longer be there, having been replaced by a very good(if we do say so ourselves) interview with New York's Marathon - who, oh by the way, will be here in Ottawa August 12th alongside The Break. This is one of the best punk bands out there, and you will all be in attendance on the 12th at Club SAW(67 Nicholas St. downtown). You have zero excuses now. And seriously, we'll figure out how to get the feature piece changed, but the interview is up, and you can go read it in the Interviews section I think. I know very little, really; I'm just the front-puppet.
Essential Listening for today, August 4th, is Joey's Loss, a band outta Knoxville, Tennessee, that sounds like they're from southern California. The album's called Unwelcome Travelers and Other Brave Men, the label website is over here, and the punk attack shall be overpowering. Great band.
The only hardcore band I've ever heard from Newfoundland, Bucket Truck, are up to some big things; after the sad demise of their website and a month of dealing with all that crap(boy, don't we know about the evils of technology here), they have a brand-new site up that's "99% functional", according to the email I have here, and that's by no means all: the band will be in NYC August 16th and 17th, and the 17th in particular is huge - the Bucketeers will be onstage at CBGB's alongside a guest appearance from Walter Schreifels(Youth of Today/Quicksand). There's also a video coming out at some point this year, etc etc etc. Hit up the website for all the banter and information. Wonder when they're coming back to Ottawa.
Underoath, whose new album They're Only Chasing Safety impresses me more every time I hear it(and that's a lot of hearing it), have also impressed others: the album is at #28 at my Friendly Local Christian Retailer's sales charts. Never thought I'd see the day.
Sunday morning found yours truly on the air co-hosting Over My Head on CKCU(Carleton University's radio station) alongside longtime sweetdisaster contributor Dave Leibold; we kept it light and breezy til about 8:45, then until the end of the show at half past nine we dropped the ruckus on unsuspecting heads everywhere. Featured were Underoath, Living Sacrifice, Mars Ill(some hiphop to cross y'all up!) and other brutality. My dad apparently "doesn't mind the instruments, but the singing is atrocious." Um, Pops, that's 'screaming', not 'singing'. Many loves to Laura out in Vancouver, who stayed up til like six in the morning her time to listen in. What a gal, no?
Apparently in a previous post we stated Lucerin Blue's name as Lucerine. Veronique in Orleans has called us on it, and we hereby very insincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused among our massive readership. All two of you.
The verdict has yet to come in on the new album from Further Seems Forever, but in the meantime, there's a new website up to promote it over here. Incidentally, my boy Ryan at Salem Storehouse(the Friendly Local Christian Retailer mentioned above) played some clips of it for me last night, and I liked what I heard. So there! [OGS]
Toronto's Cursed, the loudest band I've ever heard live(they had to be told unequivocally to turn everything down) will be here in Ottawa twice in the next couple months: September 6th with Breather Resist, LGS and Coliseum, and October 10th alongside Darkest Hour at Babylon. That latter is the makeup date for the time when DH blew Ottawa off a couple months ago, allowing Buried Inside to headline, which made me happy, but either way, some people were ticked that Darkest Hour weren't there, so shut up and go this time around.
Watashi Wa, who I actually didn't mind once I listened to them a bit more after initial repulsion, have called it quits. No real statement issued, they're just over. So quit yer cryin', already.
Does anyone else think it's hilarious that for the first time in forever Metallica are coming to Ottawa(October 7th at the Corel Centre if you really wanna go) and the best they could do for an opener is Godsmack? Terrible band.
Dude, this is awesome: a band my former compadre Brian and I dug in a large way back in the late '90s, Dear Ephesus, are apparently resurrected from the dead and recording again! Without getting into too much boring detail: good band + not dead = pure awesomeness. More details as events warrant.
That's it. It's a nice day outside here; if the same can be said for your area, get off your duff, go outside and enjoy it.
Right now it's 4:26 in the morning, and I'm listening to today's Essential Listening(August 3rd): Dead Poetic's second and by far their best album, New Medicines. Man, this kid can sing.
Another longish gap in between anything happening here. Sorry 'bout that. We've been told that something needs to be done regarding the message board we do in fact have around here, but that I pay not the slightest shred of attention to. So here's the deal: go play with it if you like - it's moderated by Flikkema's wife Kelly, so far as I know. I have no time for message boards, even the one I guess I technically own.
Other things going on include missing Strike Anywhere last Friday due to a massive highway incident about three hours away that prevented the show from happening in my timeframe(ie Before Work), looking forward to Worshipfest this weekend out at the Nepean Equestian Park(Moodie Dr.) and Marathon's show at Club SAW on the 12th, and recovering from a very busy weekend.
I've said it before - many times - and I say it again: there are more interviews and CD reviews coming. Like a lot of them. Hold your horses. The world won't end if they're not posted.
Ottawa band Is Grace Enough are currently the #10 band at purevolume, knocking Underoath out of that spot and sitting pretty behind Taking Back Sunday, who're in the ninth slot. On to number one!!
Speaking of locals, The Fully Down have left our fair city for their seventeen-day piece of the Warped tour action(check out Warped's website to see if they're playing your city), and hot on their heels comes the new issue of Exclaim! magazine, where the band are posted at number two on the Loud charts on nationwide college radio, behind Beyond the Embrace and edging out the new record from Bad Religion. That is beyond nuts.
More update action later today.