2015 is here.

Well, I know the year's here and all that jazz. So recently I have been looking forward for a few things that are happening in 2015.

So first, the new Los Bungalitos shows that are happening including a radio set in February, followed by a tour to Puerto Rico and also getting a show on the way back with Hollow Earth, which happens to be one of my favorite bands out there currently. Also thinking about recording again this year, which would rule.

Another thing that I find really awesome is the fact that between a few friends, we managed to get this group going challenging ourselves for reading the most books in 2015. I read a book in a day, which was awesome, and I started a second waaaay longer book.

Talking about the book challenge brings me to the first book I read, and already mentioned in the paragraph above. It was a book about the Dead Kennedys. One of the first bands that I got into as I was learning all about punk rock and hardcore music. The book is about pretty much the early years until about some time after they released their amazing (and best album in my opinion) Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables. It is a quick read, and you can do it (depending on how much time you have at hand to pleasure read) in about a day or three, if you are a quick reader. The narrative is engaging, although the author, I believe is British, so I had a little bit of a hard time in the beginning. For certainly a good read if you're in to the punk rock.

I mean as of right now things have been slow, but I hope for them to pick up and do a bunch more things. One thing I learned in the last couple of days was that Brujería is putting out a new record in this year, and I just hope for it to be good. I loved the last record, but it wasn't as good as their previous releases. But for bands putting out stuff this year, they are one of the ones that I am looking forward to the most.

I also learned that Fantagraphic Books is releasing a Hip Hop Family Tree Vol.3 this year. That's exciting for me. I mean, I have Volume 1 and I started reading it, but I have not finished it yet because of other books, and I have been wanting Volume 2, and now 3, but they're really expensive comics, and unfortunately right now I can't afford it. I think this is going to be a good year for comic books. And I was thinking on revising the one I was writing, or even maybe do it in crime novel format rather than in comic book format.

Looking forward to the Hardcore Bowl this year because Crumbsuckers is playing, and even though there are some cool bands playing I just hope it doesn't become boring. I mean I did skip last year's bowl, but I still hope I can make it this year. The Black And Blue Bowl is one of my favorite times of the year. And I am going to be more into writing in here for your enjoyment. Hopefully you'll appreciate it.

By the way, that Into the Woods movie... it rules.

The Start Of December

Well, this december started off great as some people may say. I certainly can say so.

The day was December 2nd and 3 days later I was going to go see and hang out with some of my best friends in the world in two days time. They play for this band KDC which is fucking tight, and they are (were) on tour with this other rad-as-fuck band called Hollow Earth. I was really bummed out because most of the times they come to Mass to play (that is KDC), we help them with the show, and play the show. This time it wasn't happening. But then that day, the 2nd I was talking with Casper on the phone (for the record, he sings for KDC) and I was commenting him how funny it would be that if during their show my band would just punk rock it out and crash the show and play a set. That's when he told me that the promoter for the show needed a band, because one had dropped. As I hear this words I was like damn, give me the contact, and I'll talk to you later. So i did a bunch of calls and stuff, and I pulled off the impossible, we managed to get on the show.

One thing I am not telling you completely is the fact that at all this, the show wasn't on the 5th (see above "3 days later"), but the 4th which would have meant "2 days later"... anyway it all worked out and it was fun as fuck.

So that was cool and I got to hang out with the KDC dudes and extra day because they came to my house the night before since they didn't have a place to stay in Vermont. One thing I really have to bring up in this, because it is still in my mind since the moment it happened... the band Hollow Earth. Holy motherfuckin' fuck. They played literally the tightest set I have ever seen a musician play. Let alone for hardcore bands. It was so intense and perfect that all I could do literally was to put my hand in my mouth (this really happened!) and at a point I just laughed.

I had seen them play the most recently at the Trial show at Anchor's Up in Haverill, and I thought they ruled, but I was like, "they are pretty cool". This was different. And since then I love listening to their new record. Unfortunately, I didn't have any money for the record, so I just listen to it on the bandcamp. A lot.

Then Saturday came and one of my best friends in the whole world came for just one day. The great Willo C. and co-host of this blog that no one ever reads. That is because we never ever really write anymore, but not after this.

He came and we went to the good old Cambridge to go see Breakdown that were playing at America's Hardcore Fest. Honestly,  didn't really care about it until I heard Breakdown was playing. Not in a bad way, I must say, but in the matter that I have been really out of touch with the current hardcore bands and stuff, so I didn't know many if most of the bands playing. On the way there we stopped at Bodega, because he had some stuff he ordered online and was going to pick up from the store, because it was easier to get that in person than in the mail. So after that we headed out to the Middle East to see the rest of the matineé show there before heading to the night show, the one Breakdown was headlining.

Since we stopped at Bodega we lost a little amount of time... I'd say about an hour tops... and we were able to see the last three bands. Which was awesome because Rotting Out was headlining that show and they were awesome, and I really love that band. There we met up with out good and great friend and former bandmate of mine, Baldy. (I forgot to say he was at the KDC show, too!)

So that show ended and we hung out for a while, before going to the Hardcore Stadium (a.k.a. Cambridge Elks) and had a good Hardcore, Good Friends, Good Times time...

That show was a lot of bands I have never ever heard off, and Breakdown. There were a few bands there out of tune, but the ones that I liked the most were Sweet Jesus, which was like a youth crew band meets Give (which played the previous night's show with Supertouch and I didn't know it and was mad). This band from the UK called Shrapnel, which were like the Breakdown '87 demo, and this band from California that were a more youth crew version of 98 Mute called Fury. I liked Fury, like I just said, reminded me of 98 Mute and Hands Tied/Chorus Of Dissaproval mix somewhere there, and obviously the reason I went there, Breakdown.

I have to admit. Even though I wasn't there for all the bands, this show got me hooked back again on hardcore and got me psyched about the current state of hardcore.

When we got home that night, we ordered some Fat Cows from Suppa's in Lowell. It was awesome, but then we went to bed, because Willo had to go the next day back to NYC, and I had to work at The Farm Market @ Mill No. 5. What a long name for the should-be-called "Lowell Winter Farmer's Market"... eh... it's not really that much longer.

Anyway, a week after this, which happend to be this weekend that just went by, Friday night Boston Strangler played in Lowell with Oblivionation. That show was sick, and I saw a shit ton of awesome people. Boston Strangler is an awesome band, so is Waste Management, and Oblivionation is rad as fuck, too. The bummer is that the venue, which is this awesome and huge basement in Downtown Lowell, is not doing any more shows, even though this one was the second show ever at that place. Which sucks, but hey! it's all cool. Hopefully a couple of things I heard that may happen in Lowell happen, and things will be awesome.

Links of bands to check out!

KDC
Hollow Earth
Sweet Jesus

Show Review: The A-Team (reunion show), Last In Line, Close Call, xProclamationx, Jan 18, 2014 @ Hardcore Stadium (Cambridge Elks) Cambridge, MA

The flyer for the show.

As most of the shows I attend these days, that is the ones that I don't play or the BNB Bowl in NYC, I found out about it no more than two weeks in advance. When I saw the lineup I got really excited because The A-Team rules (in present because the music forever lives). I remember going to their last show in the same venue about ten years ago in the middle of a snowstorm, and still the show was pretty awesome. If I recall correctly, this also happened to be Last In Line's last show as well. It was one of those kind of awesome shows, but at the same time sad, because two bands were calling it quits. Imagine how awesome it is that those 2 bands playing together again, ten years later. Let alone it being the same venue where they played last together. For hardcore punk standards that is pretty amazing. Not that many places that were around back then are still in existence, maybe the Democracy Center is the only one that still holds shows every once in a while, but most venues that had shows from that era are gone. Even Burrito Max at Kenmore Square, which was the meeting point for either pre-show or post-show food, is been gone for a while now.

One of the craziest things, I woke up really late, and first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was a lot of snow outside, the first thing I said out loud was "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO". In reality I said "fuck" that way, but this is a serious blog... haha. It pretty much had to be this way, The A-Team playing a show in the middle of a snow storm. Later, I was on my way on the Commuter Rail, to find out that when I got to the city it wasn't really that bad outside, I mean, there was snow on the ground, but not as much as I there was up in Lowell.

Well, the flyer said 7pm, I got there somewhere about 6:22pm thinking this was going to be packed already, but I found out it started at 8pm. The show did pack up eventually. Crazy thing was that the crowd at this show was pretty much the exact same crowd that I would have seen at a show back in 2003-2005, pretty crazy.

The first band that played was Proclamation, as not a lot of people know, or may know, this was the first Bridge Nine Records band, when B9 was a sXe label. (Fun fact: I own a B9 sXe t-shirt I got for my birthday few years back while on tour.) Anyway, to be honest, I really never paid that much attention to them when they were around back in 2001, because they were pretty much fading out then. I got to listen to some of their stuff, but it never got stuck to me, so to me this was my very first Proclamation set. I have to say I really liked it. They were fast as I remember, but I didn't recall (from years ago) that they were even almost to that powerviolence/metal fast, which I really liked. They played a Seige cover, and that was cool as hell. Their set was pretty cool.

After Proclamation was done, it was time for Close Call. This was another band from that early 2000's era that I remember seeing, but never listened to them outside shows. All I remember from them was them being cool, and putting a fun set while aggressive. It was pretty much what I remembered it to be, and people were starting to go off more for them, and singing along. They did this rap interlude, and I really enjoyed that part of their set. But like I said, i have always been familiar with the name and the style they play, but not specifically with their specific songs.

Last In Line were up next. I was really looking forward to seeing them again after all this time. And let me tell you one thing, they did not dissapoint. They are one of those bands that every time I listen to them, I want to start a band just like that. This is when everyone in the room really started getting really into it, and it was awesome. Like those shows back 10 years ago, it didn't seem like any time had passed. That's how crazy it was.

Then it finally was A-Team's turn. When I tell you that it really didn't feel like they lost a step, it would be an understatement. These guys played ON POINT. I wuld even dare to say that they played even better than when they were playing regularly. A fact about this band, is that I have all their songs in a burn CD, and all it shows is "track 01", and "track 02", you get the idea, so I am very bad with song names. They did play the song about punching babies, which I always found hilarious, and the one that said "Ho Ho You Fucking Ho" also that intro with the crazy drum part, that I find the most badass intro in hardcore punk, up there with Behind These Walls by No Warning, and Leeway's famous Rise and Fall intro. They closed with a Last Rights cover, and I moshed, I did. I wanted to do all night, but that was the drop that spilled the water.

As a whole, this probably was one of the best Boston shows I have attended in long years. I can't remember a Boston show that I was this pumped for, maybe the DTN/Bane/Have Heart show at the same place when I was drumming for Maintain, but in that show I was just psyched for DTN, as I was puking for the rest of that night, and don't remember how I was able to play drums.

To finish it off. Polar Bear.

PORTABLE JAMS: MBC Sound System x Lion City Young Lords

MBC SOUND SYSTEM - THE NEWBABYBORNS, LION CITY YOUNG LORDS (Mixtape)

(have to say you gotta click above to DL?)

Here is a mixtape I made in the end of last month dedicated to Aidan and Liam aka Lion City Young Lords, Seche and Shey's newborn twins birth last November '13. Tracklist is composed mainly of new released tracks or not so old, and one or two old jams, last track is strictly for them Aidan and Liam.
All tracks are edited with all info and artwork, so its from download to iPod or your favorite device, also includes some inserts that you maybe will not understand. Give it a try and enjoy.

"Dedicated to the Gods and the Earths, Dedicated to Lion City's Young Lords Liam and Aidan"

LIVE SESSIONS: NAILS - Live at FYA Fest '13

[*Video courtesy of SFHC]

Couple years back, I belive it was around late-2010, my boy Enrique PRHC aka Kicks told me 2 bands I might check out: All Pigs Must Die and NAILS. I was like "yeah meng I'll do it''... and didn't do the homework. Saw both names coming and going around the websites and didn't pay any interest. Some time later a mutual friend Hector Putrid (like most of the PRHC and overall underground scene in PR knows him) told me about both bands, in the same conversation; I said "NO" just to piss him, and I believe he doesn't know it yet (hahaha) Later on a visit to the Eastcoast went to spend some days with Kicks, in our traditional record hunt he copped lastest APMD record, played to me and I didn't pay attention...I was too deep searching Dancehall partys on Youtube... I believe we got into a friendly-like-blood-bros argumentation around 2011-2012 about APMD and NAILS, something that ended nowhere. A Sunday at the end of December 2013 the topic of "APMD / NAILS" came out again when met with Hector Putrid at which I believe was the last PRHC / metal show of 2013, and chatted again, he told me about some new bands, don't remember the names but I bet were HC-Crust or D-Beat, again I neglected to listen APMD and NAILS, and he again believe I was true in the hate-game... But karma was a bitch, should I say? Last band of the show was a Black metal one, me and "Lion City HC Mayor" Polo decided stay and watch them, 5 minutes later ended up spitted with blood all over my white t-shirt (John Mayer x ALIFE), me and the guy I was talking were like 15 feet away from the actual stage, even that both of us got blood stainned our tees, NO BUENO.

Last Friday I was looking for a particular viral video on Youtube and search results got listed a NAILS set...
Ok, was late-night Friday at home, so I gave it the shot. Hit play and right away something got my attention,something black and red on frontman's feet, he got Bred 1's on stage? Same day of release day fresh out the box? I did try to find if it was that but found no legit validation. Anyways the sneakers were not the point of the entry, just a distraction and something cool considering back in the days, in Thrash, Death Metal and Hardcore sneakers like those were favorites. Going back to the band, NAILS set was crushing, jams were adamantium cookies, and I just laughed because I was missing something mad dope; everytime I talked to Kicks and Hector Putrid about this band came out, they were right, capital letter right.

Things like that happens in our daily grind, we don't pay attention or interest in something just because we're lazy or another not serious reason. Basically the reason I decided to no pay attention to both bands is because felt forced to do it, and when I feel that way I drop it to the Recycle Bin, it's stupid but you gotta accept it, happens.

NAILS got a new (late-pass) fan, Ima be diggin' crates between NYC and Boston / Lowell, Mass for their records soon in my upcoming visit.

NETWORKS:
NAILS Official Website
NAILS Bandcamp
NAILS Facebook
NAILS Twitter

P.S. - Still not listened to APMD, I'll check them soon in a day-off to play it twice and listen correctly.

"elevationISM" Short Film Review

Movie Poster. Credit: Brian Boucek

The way I found about this movie was pretty much all coincidence. It was a regular Saturday night for me, and my girlfriend and I stopped by my house to chill with our pet mouse before going to get some food. When I get there, my roomate is sitting in the living room, and we ask him what is going on, if he wants to go watch some movies we borrowed from a friend later that night with us. His answer was "Nah, I am going to that movie premiere at the Western Ave. Studios." so my girlfriend goes like "That sounds like a good idea." I agreed with her, so we decided to go to eat then go to the premiere of the movie, which thankfully happened to be free, that was a plus!

After getting the food and headed to the activity, we sort of got lost getting to the actual room where the screening was happening, but we finally figured it out. On a side note, I must say that these Western Avenue Studios are pretty impressive. Anyway, we finally get to the room and it was very full of people, which I think is awesome, because a lot of people were from Lowell, and supporting a local films and artists is pretty amazing. There were some things for munching on the tables like candy and sandwiches, also copies of the DVD of the movie.

Now, to the actual movie.

Technically speaking, it was shot really well. You can tell they used good camera equipment for this, and they studied their shots. Very good cinematography indeed. One thing I kept having trouble with was the audio. There were certain parts where I imagine what the film makers did was to use the audio from the actual camera micrphone, rather than using their own microphones, or even trying to dub over certain parts, which is what bigger films do, and knowing this is a local low-budget film, I understand. For example, the scene at the bar where they main character John is watching the band, and the frontman is talking into the microphone. I couldn't really understand what he was saying because of the reverberation of the room. To give it my benefit of the doubt, it could have been the speaker system in the actual room where we were watching the movie. Apart from that, most of the technicalities were really good.

When it came to the story, all I could get was that it was a dude that was really into this chick, and the chick wasn't that really into him, he felt he was being given some good signals and he didn't know what to do and was really depressed and pretty much drank himself stupid. The problem with it was that, I believe,  the movie spent most of it's entirety showing what we already knew.

To give you an idea, I went to the IMDB of it (because that data base has pretty much everything in existence) and this is the synopsis:

"A young man deals with the interplay between art, romance, pain, and intoxication in the electronic age. A romantic rock melodrama."

All I have to say is that that was it, really. I did not see the art part (maybe the music?), but there was not really a build-up, or climax, and the resolution was pretty much the very last moment of the movie. The idea of the story is what I liked the best. It was more of a good idea, but it needed to develop more kind-of-thing. Not saying it was awful, i actually enjoyed it. The acting was good, but in moments the dialogue looked way too memorized. One thing I didn't notice right away and was told later and then realized, was the fact that it was a movie filmed in Lowell, but there was literally no diversity in it. Were were my Latino, Cambodian, Black, Middle Eastern, Indian people walking around, even at the show? I mean, unless the movie isn't supposed to happen in the real world Lowell... I'm just giving the movie a hard time here, but I would like for a thing like this in a community like Lowell to have more diversity and inclusion when it comes to casting.

Apart from that, I have to say that I feel very happy about something like this happening in my community, even if it is my adopted community. This city needs a lot of more people to take the initiative to do more things like this in the arts. I would really like to see these guys do more films, and I know there are some other people that have already done it before, and would like to see more. It really inspired me, because I have been myself writing a lot of ideas, and seeing people around town doing things, just gives me that extra confidence and initiative that I'll probably come out with one film, or a book, or a play, soon. Who knows!

Show Review: H2O, Youth Brigade, Cruel Hand, Angel Dust, Shit Kill @ The Gramercy Theater, NYC. Dec 27 2013

H2O, during their set. Credit not mine, found the picture from H2O's facebook page.

This was a show that I literally found out about maybe a week and a half before it occurred. This show also happened to be on the night before my 30th birthday. And myself, being such a loving fan of H2O, I coulnd't pass the chance to seeing one of my favorite and most influential bands (to me that is) on my birthday's eve. This being said, I dragged by beloved girlfriend, who is not really into hardcore, although appreciates the musicality of it, to the show. Another crazy fact about this show is that this was H2O's 19th anniversary, so that means that H2O played their first show I was about 11 years old on the dot, because as Toby, the singer said on stage, they played their first show on December 28, 1994. Anyway, on to the action!

The first band that played this show was in reality this random band called Shit Kill. These guys you could tell by their age(drummer apart) that this was their first band ever. They weren't particularly good either, most of their moves, if you could call them that, were very practiced and awful. The only thing they had going on was their bassist girl, who was the only one smiling, while the rest of the guys were very serious. The worst part of seeing this band was that I kept expecting a good song, and the last song they played was pretty much like them taking Refuse/Resist by Sepultura, changing the riffs a little, but keeping the song structure exactly the same. When I say same, I mean it, to the point that after their set I thought to myself out loud "Max Cavalera would be really pissed at such a bad song written after one of his", and a dude near me that heard it nodded at me and laughed. Also, I get the idea of kind of bad band names, including my own band, but Shit Kill? Really?

After that first awful experience it was Angel Dust's turn. I had only heard this band name before and had not an idea of what they were going to be like. I found out they are that guy that sings for Trapped Under Ice side project, or current project. They are pretty much one of these "super-bands" in the respect that it's a "members of" type of deal. They were like that Warzone style hardcore, also very melodic, very Ramones influenced, they played a Ramones cover to say the least. They weren't bad as a matter of fact, but I wasn't also like all about them. I have seen better bands that play that style and haven't gotten the oportunity to play a show like that for lack of connections, I guess, but I mean, their other bands are very hardworking, so in a way they are there for their own merit. I am interested in seeing where this band keeps going now that TUI is in hiatus and the drummer's band plays very little (Turnstile) from what I see.

Some ten to fifteen minutes after that it was Cruel Hand time. Apart from H2O, they were the only band I was really looking forward to see. And as always they did not dissapoint. One of the most energetic bands out there, and hardworking to be fair to them. Their set wasn't particularly long, and I came out of mosh retirement, or as I call it, a warm-up for H2O's set later on. They also played a brand new song of an album that if I recall they said had just recorded, but were looking for a label to put out. If it's not that it means that they were about to record it. The part I do remember is the part that they were looking for a label. Anyway the song killed, way heavier than what they usually play, more mid 90s Roadrunner Records style, in heavyness it reminded me of like Davidian by Machine Head, but also of Biohazard's urban Discipline, but also had that thrash influence to it. I really liked it and am definitely looking forward for that release.

Youth Brigade was to follow, and I have to say, I did not see a single song from their set. I was downstairs chatting up with people looking at the merch, getting ready for H2O's set. Not to disrespect Youth Brigade, but I really wasn't there for them. I mean I could hear fairly well from downstairs and I did see part of their set through the house Video system they have, but all I remember was hoping for them to finish as quickly as possible so I could enjoy my favorite band.

Finally!!! H2O. I couldn't have been happier. They started their set with Five-Year Plan, and it was off. The croud wasn't the usual crowd I have seen at for example the Hardcore Bowl, knowing a lot of people travel for that, but it was good, nevertheless. Toby dedicated to me Surrounded, which happens to be, in my humble opinion, the best song out of the first full-length, and he did say that I come all the time from Puerto Rico, which is never really true, because I have lived in the States for 11 years now and have told him personally that I live here now, but I still went off. Their set was long, but I liked the fact they played songs out of Go, which rarely ever happens. They closed their set with What Happened? which is usual, but their encore, now I have to tell you. They did come back and played Dont Forget the Struggle by Warzone, which is totally amazing, but the fact that they did play my favorite song that they have ever written which was Memory Lane last in the encore. I literally teared up and as my girlfriend told me, I guess i was doing the R. Kelly "open arms" pose a lot. It was awesome. Their set was awesome, and long and fun. But then, If you are looking for an objective review on an H2O set, I am not the person to read.

To close off, I have to give a shout-out to my boy Rony, who got me a ticket to go to the show as a b-day present, and for letting me bother him that weekend staying with him!