Monthly Archives: July 2009
GOOD OLD WAR THIS FRIDAY
Rock On is gearing up for its Indie Band Fest this Friday July 31 with Good Old War, Art Decade and Bella’s Bartok. The show will start at 7PM atTickets are still available in person at the Rock On office (27 East Housatonic Street in Pittsfield, MA), over the phone (413.499.1733) or at the door.
Good Old War will be taking a bit of a break after their Pittsfield Show until the end of August when they hit the road with The Honorary Title and Cory Branan up until October. The band stopped by for a radio session at WNRN in Charlottesville, VA and performed a new song, “Sinking Ship.” Check out the track below:
Also be fore to check out the exclusive Good Old War interview:
Rock On: Execution seems to be a big part of your band. From the beginning was the band’s initial intent what you’ve happened upon at this point in your career? In other words, has the original mindset or idea of “the band” changed at all since you guys started?
Dan Schwartz: We haven’t changed our mindset, just crafted our original ideas until we were able to perform our ideas well. As far as execution, I’d say we practice more than most bands. Every day we’re home is spent practicing and recording, and every day on tour we practice up until the show. We just love to sing together.
RO: Have you always been so focused on harmonies?
DS: Harmonies were the reason we wanted to do this band. Keith and I got together to do a couple acoustic versions of Days Away songs, and naturally, I started to sing along with him. It was a good blend right from the start. When we added Tim to that vocal mix, it was just a really exciting moment. Besides that, he and Keith had been harmonizing more subtly in Days Away for years.
518 REVIEWS
Tia Giftos is heading into her senior year of high school over in Galway, NY and is in her third Summer of Rock On playing bass. Interested in promoting local acts from her 518 area code, Tia started a blog entitled 518 Reviews, reviewing local shows, songs and albums by local artists. She’s planning on continuing writing for her blog after her final year of high school, with hopes of attending a Music Business program at college. Check out her reviews and music musings HERE.
Tia is helping promote a local act, Par 6, with their upcoming tour of Hot Topics. Below is the flyer/details for the August 6 Berkshire Mall date.
New Music – Free Music
Here’s a small list of spectacular Summery sounds from around the net, all free and easy. Finally it has been sunny more than half of the past 3 days, which is cause for celebration. Put windows down, take shoes off and enjoy what Summer should be – lazy, warm and bright.
Chocolate Bobka – Polaroids at the Beach
Butter Team – Summer Sanka Mix
Weekly Tape Deck – Hold Yr Breath
Rose Quartz – PRMNT VIBES Summer Mixx 1 + PRMNT VIBES Summer Mixx 2
Rebel Sound Tonight – WARSYNIUM + DANGUR
Warsynium + Dangur will play tonight at The Room at Rebel Sound Records at 7PM with Black Pyramid (Northampton), The Night Brigade (Illinois) and The Book Slave (CT).
I recently interviewed both the bands pictured above, Warsynium and Dangur.
WARSYNIUM:
Ian Nelson: So I get the sense that you guys started out at the Rock On band camp. Did the band actually start at Rock On or was it a separate project altogether? What was the lineup back then when you started?
Anders Olson: Yes, we formed in 2006 at band camp. Nate (Calebaugh) and Joe (Haryanto) came up to me and said, “Hey, dude, do you wanna start a shred-metal band?” Without hesitation I was like, hell yeah, this could be cool. I recruited Zack (Orcutt) and former bassist Dillon Ethier from the band I was in at the time and we had a full outfit. We wrote and recorded “Krakatoa” at our first practice and decided it was meant to be. We quit our other bands and made Warsynium official. However, Dillon went to college and we went through two more bassists before finding Nik (Viola).
IN: How many of you attended Rock On? How many sessions did you guys attend and what was the biggest lessons you learned from the workshops? Any particularly fond memories? What was your set like at the end-of-session concert?
AO: I think we all attended Rock On at some point. Most of us went for at least 2 or 3 years. I believe the most important lesson learned was that, as a musician, you need to find bandmates that you really click with – fellow musicians with similar goals and interests that you respect and respect you back. Some of our best memories were in the cafeteria goofing around, and during the end-of-session concerts. But honestly the whole time we were there was just amazing. Playing music and hanging out with friends all day for two weeks made for an unforgettable experience. For the concert at the end of the week, we were actually in different bands. Zack and I were in one band while Nate and Joe were in another. But we liked each other’s playing styles and wanted to start something new.
IN: Why power metal? What is it about massive solos, flowing locks and the whole dark vibe that got you all hooked?
AO: For us, power metal was something so epic and extreme, that it inspired us create something of our own. It was the giants of the classical era, such as Vivaldi and Paganini, that made us want to shred as well. Bands like Hammerfall, Queensryche and Dragonforce were the staples of our musical diet at the time. At the same time, however, we recognized a certain cheesiness about the genre. We didn’t want to follow a trend or go along the same beaten path. Thrash has always been a big part of our sound and we tried to incorporate it more with each song we wrote. We called it Power-thrash. If you listen to our debut album, Warsynium I, you will notice how the music progresses from the more straightforward power-metal first half, to the darker, more progressive, and thrashier second half.
IN: I recall Devan Gardner joining you guys at a show at the ITAM to sing “Crazy Train” before I was aware of him being in the band. When did the inclusion of Devan in the band become official? What unique characteristics does he bring to the band that weren’t there before?
AO: Yeah we had Devan jump in multiple times to sing along to “Crazy Train,” the first time being at the PNA in Adams in a spur of the moment kind of deal. That was a long time ago, but Devan was officially included in the band in late 2008. We released him to the public in our interview with the Berkshire Eagle in March ’09 and he performed his first official show with us soon after. Devan gives us the versatility of a stand alone frontman. He can run around and pump up the crowd while Nate and Joe shred their brains out. He has a great voice and can hit those glass-shattering falsetto notes, as well the vicious Pantera-style screams. Zack and Joe continue to do lead and backing vocals, which adds some pleasant harmony to the mix. Also, with our riffs becoming much more technical, Zack deserved a break from all the singing, allowing him to focus more on guitar.
IN: I’m sure I could venture some guesses as to what your major influences are, but what bands or musicians have driven you guys to make the music that you make?
AO: Our list of influences is innumerable. But a big part of it started with your classics: Iron Maiden, Metallica, Megadeth etc. We each take inspiration from different individual musicians as well. It seems each of us is always into something a little different, but we share our interests and accept our diversity as a gift. Some of the stuff we’re listening to now: Between the Buried and Me, Fear Before, Opeth, Isis, Pelican, I Wrestled a Bear Once, Speak of the Horse and When I Came Back From Death.
IN: What’s the hardest part about being a metal band? I’m sure there are countless other metal bands trying to do exactly what you’re doing. What makes Warsynium stand out?
AO: For our second album, we’ve been writing much more experimental, technical, and progressive music. So far we have yet to encounter a band doing anything close. By incorporating jazz, fusion, and a variety of other unconventional styles into our music, we’ve begun to craft a new and unique sound. The hardest part isn’t the writing or playing – that’s the best part. The hard part is treating the band like a business. We have to manage ourselves and work our asses off to promote and get our music heard. We want nothing more than to get our music to the masses.
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DANGUR:
Ian Nelson: So you’re all from Holyoke and I’ve seen you play at UMass D.I.Y. shows a few times and it’s always rad. Whats’ the scuzzy metal/punk scene like in Holyoke if there is one at all?
Nick: In Holyoke all of our group of friends make/record music all of the time. We’re jam fiends. There’s not much of a scene specifically in Holyoke, but I guess you could say that about a good portion of areas of Western Mass. Bands that end up playing shows with each other on a regular basis usually are pretty dispersed.
IN: When did you four get together and start Dangur? How’d you all meet up? Where does the name “Dangur” come from?
Nick: Dangur started in 2005 while I was playing bass in a hardcore band called The Blackbelt Club with Pete (singer of Dangur) on drums. Me, Andrew (drums) and Pete all went to Holyoke High and formed friendships through seeing each other at school and punk shows at the Flywheel mainly. We’ve all become super close. Before Dangur, during Blackbelt Club, I was also playing bass in a band called Ricin with Keenan (guitar player in Dangur). That band was starting to break up and Keenan and I had been jamming together since middle school and he’s quite the talent so we really wanted to start another band together so we did and that was Dangur. I asked Andrew and Pete and they agreed. The name Dangur doesn’t mean anything at all. It’s a horrible name, and yes there is a story behind it, but a lame one. That’s what we went with. It was at first The FVK (Fearless Vampire Killers), but we soon found out that was taken.
IN: What’s your guys’ favorite records that helped to inform Dangur’s sound?
Nick: Well it’s funny… We started out as a hardcore band wanting to sound like local legends Sick And Tired and we were heavily into the Bad Brains. But all four of us heard Annihilation Time II one fine day and iId say that album definitively changed the course of our band, if it weren’t already obvious to anyone. We wanted TO BE Annihilation Time II. Deep Purple‘s In Rock, Black Flag‘s My War, Boris‘s Pink and Dinosaur Jr.‘s Your Living All Over Me are all records that all four of us draw alot of influence from in this band. I liked that question.
IN: How’d you guys hook up with Former Thieves for the week of shows youre playing? Have you ever gone out and toured before?
Nick: Two Summers ago I tagged along with my best friend Dan Kozuch’s hardcore band Casket on their first tour. They hooked up with these dudes from Iowa called Despiration. Great guys, great band. We all partied and became friends over the course of the tour. I recently found out that 2 of the kids from Despiration had formed a new band called Former Thieves and got wind of them coming around here this summer for a tour. So I called em up and we started helping each other book shows for us for the week, and between both bands it’s come together pretty smoothly. We’re super psyched it’s our very first tour! We’ve only played outside of Western Mass in Albany, NY and parts of Connecticut so this is going to be awesome for us.
IN: Releasing anything else this Summer/Fall? What are your plans for the Fall school semester? More shows? More 7″s?
Nick: I’ve been discussing putting out another 7″ with Dan Barker from Shock To The System records about putting out another release. He’s psyched to do another album so sometime this Winter or Spring you may see another 7″. We’re calling it Cosmic Garage. It will most likely be a 4-song record. We’ve also been talking to Nick Chechile from the band Overman, who has a doom, solo project called Sunless. We’ve been discussing possibly recording and producing our own split to be put out on vinyl. That may take some time, but it’s something we definitely want to pursue. This semester I’ll be booking more shows with D.I.Y. UMass and inevitably Dangur will find its way onto a bill or two. We’re pumped on life.
Echo Expansion
This rainbow cover art accompanies dublab‘s Echo Expansion compilation, a 16-artist trek through all mediums hip hop, funk, deep space beat and everything else electronic and groovable. The set features lauded beatmakers Flying Lotus, Ras G, Dntel, Daedelus and many, many more. Click HERE for audio samples and vinyl/CD preordering, available in August.
Other music to check out with similarly brilliant and colorful cover art:
Neon Indian (a.k.a. VEGA a.k.a. Ghosthustler) crafts ultra pop bombast wrapped in tight hooks, shining exuberance and most importantly a great ear for great music. Psychic Chasms is out October 13 on Lefse Records.
Listen to “Terminally Chill” + “Deadbeat Summer.”
Teengirl Fantasy is Nick Weiss and Logan Takahashi, a duo attending Oberlin College in Ohio. They craft circular dance rhythms after piling layer upon layer of sound on top of each other. Their new 12″ record, Hollywood Hils b/w Love Don’t Live Here, is available for free download at Pukekos and will be released physically in September.
Gang Gang Dance‘s Saint Dymphna was released on The Social Registry last fall to much acclaim and the band will be performing August 2 at the Pearl Street clubroom in Northampton. Check out the blatant pop banger “House Jam” (via Stereogum).
A Sunny Day In Glasgow‘s new record Ashes Grammar (Mis Ojos) will be released September 15. Their last album, Scribble Mural Comic Journal, was one of my favorite releases of 2007, a stuttering tapestry of sonic wilderness, infectious beats and washes of soothing noise.
Kickoff
This week the Rock On workshop has begun. What better way to get the name out than an article in the Berkshire Eagle?
Also, check out some music from Rock On director Jay Fruet and Rock On’s Ian Mattoon as they soundtrack intergalactic scenes:
Rock On Faculty – Dan Broad
Dan Broad is a five year veteran bass instructor at the Rock On workshop and a professional bassist for over 20 years. He has performed in nearly every state in the U.S. and many European Countries. Well versed in many musical genres, he has performed and recorded with ensembles that range from rock, blues and jazz to classical, bluegrass and beyond. Splitting his time between electric and upright bass, Dan maintains a busy schedule of gigs as well as private students. He holds a BA in Music from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where he studied under Salvatore Macchia and Mark Dresser.
Rebel Sound Weekend
Bella’s Bartok/Forever Autumn kicked off a long weekend of shows at The Room at Rebel Sound Records last night, which will host three more nights of music in a row this Friday, Saturday and Sunday!
Tonight, Friday July 17 at 7PM – Stigma (Vinnie Stigma from Agnostic Front), Refuse/Resist, Everybody Out! and Dead Radio Rebels – All Ages
Saturday July 18 at 7PM – Fields of Gaffney (Eric Gaffney from Sebadoh), Awkward Ending, Ben Karis-Nix and Prince Jellyfish
Sunday July 19 at 7PM – Screaming Females, The Test Tube Casanova Brigade, Werewolves of Pittsfield, Gimlet Slip and The Slaughterhouse Chorus
I caught up with Screaming Females before they bounced out on tour with The Dead Weather (ft. Alison Mosshart of the Kills, Jack White of the White Stripes/Raconteurs, Dam Fertita of Queens of the Stone Age and Jack Lawrence of the Raconteurs/Greenhornes) and did a quick interview:
Ian Nelson: First of all I know you guys played in Pittsfield a couple months ago. Go anywhere particularly interesting/eat any particularly delicious Pittsfield delicacies/do anything remotely cool?
Jarrett: The show we played seemed to be about the coolest thing going on in town. We got to see Masshysteri play, who are from Sweden. We ate some mediocre burritos that made me feel a little sick. It was SUPER cold and I was in a bad mood because of the weather.
Marissa: No.
King Mike: No.
IN: Unfortunately I couldn’t attend that show, but I’ve seen the comical flyer which billed you lower than Pr— B-st-rd. Few months later and you’ve played a show with Dinosaur Jr. and you’re about to tour with The Dead Weather and Jack White. Hows the transition from playing smaller shows (ie: The Room) to opening presumably larger venues?
Marissa: Well, being billed below Pr— B-st-rd was nothing short of an honor. We were put on that show last minute… I understand why we opened the show, it’s really not a big deal. Personally, I am equally comfortable with playing small and large venues. Not too sure how I’m going to feel playing in front of 3,000 people yet… but I’ll let you know. So far I haven’t had much of a problem. I’d say we prefer to play smaller places that are a bit more intimate… but I can’t speak on behalf of my band mates on that one.
IN: Are you down with any of Jack White’s previous musics? If so what’s your favorite? What’d you think when you were asked to tour with them?
Jarrett: I love the White Stripes. De Stijl is one of the best albums ever.
Marissa: I also love the White Stripes.
King Mike: Me too.
IN: I’m real down with one of your more melodic tracks “Humanity Arranged” as well as some of your more brutal ones. What makes you want to make songs both gorgeous and melodic while also making songs so abrasive and primal? Is this at all a combination of your personal tastes and the range of your influences?
Jarrett: When a lot of bands get together they decide what they are going to sound like before they even start playing together. People say things along the lines of, “I want to start a band that is a mix of Ramones melodies and early 90s dance beats with heavy breakdowns.” Then anything they play that happens to fall outside of those lines isn’t usable. We never decided to have a particular sound so that means anything we play and like we can use.
IN: This also seems to pour into the whole aesthetic of your album art, flyers, etc, which I think is very attractive. Who creates all the cool/creepy/weirdo flyers and art?
Marissa: I make all of our album art, and I typically draw most of the flyers. My mom was an art teacher and I’ve been drawing and painting ever since I was old enough to hold a pencil.
IN: What do you guys think about the whole bunch of bands popping out of and getting talked about from New Jersey semi-lately (ie: yourselves, Titus Andronicus, Vivian Girls, Real Estate, etc)?
Jarrett: All those bands are super cool but aren’t really the bands that make up the core of the New Brunswick, NJ DIY scene that we consider ourselves part of. Everyone should definitely check out The Measure [SA], SLAW, Seasick, Full of Fancy, Snowboy, You without Teeth, Mimi and Cristian, The Ergs!, Hunchback, The Atomic Missiles, Plastic East, etc, etc, etc.
IN: What’s next for the band after this upcoming tour plus all the West Coast shows scheduled in August? More touring? Thinking about any more recording yet?
Marissa: We have about five new songs completed right now. Not time for a new album yet. Soon enough. We’ll be touring again in the fall.
(originally posted here)
Thursday rain-out/Bella’s Bartok
While downtown Pittsfield’s July 3rd Thursday was faced with a tremendous thunderstorm yesterday evening and, in turn, a wash out, indoor activities prevailed. Prepared were rain locations for every event and Bella’s Bartok made the most of their set even with the possibility of many potential fans being driven away by the storm.
The band was rowdy, bombastic and very together even with eight members contributing sound at once. Those in attendance seemed to love it and some even took to jumping/stomping around in a circle jubilantly.
