Barb Wire Dolls, Steve Albini recorded new LP "Slit" available for free for limited time! Live at Reverb in Reading 5/22.

http://www.reverbconcerts.com/concerts/

Wednesday, May 22nd: 

BARB WIRE DOLLS + more

PRESENTED ON THE REVERB OUTDOOR STAGE!!!

All Ages / 21+ To Drink with ID

Doors 6 PM Show: 6:30 PM

Tickets $8 advance / $10 at the door

SOUNDCLOUD DOWNLOAD




Get it on it before it's too late... and when the vinyl is out, buy a copy!

Cheers,
Frank FOE

Downlow, Straphangers & Society's Blood at PennSkate February 23, 2013

Johnny Loftus, aka Johnny Clap, aka Johnny Crisis, aka Johnny Humble 

celebrating the opening show at PennSounds, within PennSkate.

Kicking things off was Society's Blood. 

Society's Blood

Either Society's Blood vocalist is also a magician or I need to learn way more about photography. Most likely the latter. Still, I wish I knew how I only caught one leg and a blur of an arm. Crazy picture. 

Society's Blood

(love the Mack Trucks Bulldog)

Society's Blood version of metallic PA HC was a perfect start for this new venue. They played tracks from their "Hellbound and Hopeless" demo, which they generously handed me after the show! Get yourself one! Worth your time. You'll be hearing tracks on Up To No Good Radio that I am sure old man Johnny G. will tag with the "scrappy" title as he does with anything in this genre!

Society's Blood

Much thanks goes out to Society's Blood for being the first to break in PennSounds @ PennSkate.

Society's Blood

After the show I reminisced about some old Lehigh Valley venues, such as the Acorn and 4G's with Society's Blood vocalist. Oddly enough he brought up my old band Jessica without knowing I was in the band back then. Nice to know someone else appreciated the version of LL Cool J's "I Need Love" that we reworked.

Looking forward to seeing Society's Blood many more times!

Next up was NJ/NY's Straphangers. 

Straphangers

Last I saw the Straphangers was the Burners in Bethlehem PA approximately three years ago. 

The Straphangers were the perfect second band to play. Society's Blood broke the ice. Within a few songs of the Straphangers set, it was like this was an old venue, with a bunch of old friends, in a scene, sharing the love of hardcore punk! 

Straphangers

The Straphangers are one of the coolest bands. Personable, fun and they kick ass. Emily is one of the strongest front women in hardcore history and when you combine her style with the drummers guttural vocals, it is perfection!

Straphangers

This is a retooled lineup of the Straphangers since I witnessed them a few years back. As much as they impressed me back then, last night they blew me away! 

Straphangers

"Queens By All Means" is their CD from 2012. Speedy, quick, hardcore that is as tough as any NYHC band, as metal as Kylesa and as hardcore as Attitude Adjustment. 

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Straphangers

I love the fact that the guitarists in the Straphangers throw in the bomb drops! This band kicks ass. Get the damn CD.  

The band threw in a cover of S.O.D.'s "Pussywhipped" that apparently went over better in Allentown than it did in Philadelphia the night before!

Downlow NYHC wrapped things up in classic fashion. 

Joe Downlow

Joe likes to talk between songs. Information we learned: Joe hates armpit hair (Chewbacca), the PA (especially the monitors), he loves Up To No Good Radio (mutual), that he wanted to throw out his own guitarist and bring in the female guitarist of the Straphangers, that he had an operation and that Downlow is the first transsexual NYHC band (he's joking), doesn't recommend skating for old folks like himself (real operation), he hates that things are made in China rather than the USA and that Joe has a hard time keeping it clean even when talking to kids! Joe, as I have learned, finds it hard to edit himself, could care less about your sensitivities and is therefore, keeping it real, for real. I am sure this frequently gets him into trouble as he is a character somewhere between vintage Andrew Dice Clay, a Jerky Boys prank phone call and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. All this makes for one hell of a fun show, especially when you have a kick ass set of musicians backing you up.

Downlow

The band rips in classic NYHC style and Downlow has a lot of fun when they play! 

This first show at PennSounds/PennSkate by Strain productions will stand out as one of those memorable evenings. I have to thank everyone. The people who came out to support the event, the bands, the amazingly friendly people at this show, Chris and his awesome family, the kids in the pit, Johnny Loftus, the rest of the Up To No Good Radio crew.  This was a fun show, that produced memories that will last forever. Thank you!

Chris PennSkate 

Sorry for stealing your soul, but thank you for setting this venue up!

Straphanger Pit Cameo

  Ruler of Pit

Chaos in the Pit

If you want to get booked at PennSounds/PennSkate/Strain contact John Loftus:

johnny@shutupstore.com

610-205-9262

Cheers,

Frank FOE

Strongbow/Dog Company Split 7" Review

Strongbow/Dog Company

Split 7"

Black Hole Records / Contra Records

One of the joys of split 7"s is that fans of one particular band get to introduce themselves to another particular band's fans, thus benefiting everyone and expanding the whole punk universe. 

Oddly enough, I don't know much about either of these bands. Which is a great thing about split labels (Black Hole and Contra). My friends in Black Hole turned me on to this record, just like they have turned me on to so many great bands in the past. 

Strongbow is from Dresden, Germany. They've been around since 2001. 

One of Dresden's most famous landmarks, the Frauenkirche

Apparently I need to catch up. Strongbow has a nice discography that I've missed out on. If "These Nights" and "Blind" are any indication of the quality of the rest of their music, I need to complete the discography as I am now a FAN.

STRONGBOW

Strongbow have a powerful driving sound that is one part Naked Raygun, one part anthem and one part snarl. Check this video for "Up To You".

Here are some other Strongbow songs that I am sure will set you on the same goal that I have of tracking down all of their vinyl (including the many wonderful versions of this split 7").

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Dog Company is from Dallas Texas USA. Dog Company has an undeniable 2013 street punk sound, similar to bands like Flatfoot 56 and Street Dogs. But for my ears, their influence goes back much further. Joe Blow's vocals and the basic song structure had me thinking this was a new Mad Parade release, harking back to the early-mid 1980s! Seriously, at first listen I thought this was new Mad Parade.

Dog Company has been around since 2004 and I obviously need to do some catching up here.

Dog Company "Invisible"

More songs from Dog Company:

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Thank you Black Hole for again, introducing me to some great music, further proving the punk universe is forever expanding! 

Cheers,
Frank FOE

March To Soccer MLS Black Flag Commercial

By now everyone who loves hardcore punk knows that NBC Sports Network is using a Black Flag song in their March To Soccer commercial.

But did you by any chance catch the BLACK FLAG bars at the 21 second mark?

I caught it like a subliminal message from A Clockwork Orange, while originally seeing it on TV. I then had to go to youtube to pause it to make sure.



Not sure how much Black Flag is getting paid for this... Not sure how I feel about the song "Rise Above" attaining the definition of "sell out"... not sure how I feel about having one of the songs that saved my life used like a PitBull song to sell a product... The only thing I feel good about this is that the Bars made it to the subliminal images that flash during the commercial... But then again, how many of us are now going to get questioned as to why we have a MLS image tattooed on us... the bars are a symbol of everything we hold dear... not soccer... conflicted...


"Rise Above"
BLACK FLAG


Jealous cowards try to control
Rise above
We're gonna rise above
They distort what we say
Rise above
We're gonna rise above
Try and stop what we do
Rise above
When they can't do it themselves

We are tired of your abuse
Try to stop us it's no use

Society's arms of control
Rise above
We're gonna rise above
Think they're smart
Can't think for themselves
Rise above
We're gonna rise above
Laugh at us
Behind our backs
I find satisfaction
In what they lack

We are tired of your abuse
Try to stop us it's no use

We are born with a chance
Rise above
We're gonna rise above
I am gonna have my chance
Rise above
We're gonna rise above

We are tired of your abuse
Try to stop us it's no use

Rise above
Rise above
Rise above
We're gonna rise above
We're gonna rise above
We're gonna rise above

UTNG Radio Approved Events Listing as of February 9, 2013

Up To No Good Radio Approved EVENTS Listing

Thurs 2/14    Meshuggah @ TLA Philly PA

Fri 2/15      Pissed Jeans @ Underground Arts Philly PA

Fri 2/15      Stinking Lizaveta, Thee Nosebleeds, The Company Corvette @ Glitoria (51st and Chancellor) Philly

Fri 2/15      Hatebreed, Shadows Fall, Dying Fetus @ Crocodile Rock Allentown PA

Fri 2/15      Bad American, Slums, Kids, Clipbox @ Secret Art Space Bethlehem PA

Sat 2/16      Gojira @ TLA Philly PA

Sat 2/16      3 Input Woman, Tile, Balista! @ Siren Records Doylestown PA

Sun 2/17      Doomed To Obscurity, The Spirit World, St.James and the Apostles, The Broken Prayers, Live Not On Evil @ Connies Ric Rac 1132 South 9^th Philly

Fri 2/22      Casualties, Tribe 13, Common Enemy @ O’Reillys Philly PA

Sat 2/23      Society’s Blood, Straphangers, Downlow @ Penn Skate Allentown PA

Thurs 2/28    Queers, Teenage Bottlerocket @ Barbary Philly PA

Fri 3/1       DRI, Common Enemy, McRad @ Reverb Reading PA

Sat 3/2       H20, Terror, Wisdom In Chains, Skarhead, Ringworm @ Reverb Reading PA

Sat 3/2       Howl @ Kung Fu Necktie Philly PA

Tues 3/5      Black Tusk @ Reverb Reading PA

Wed 3/6       In Flames, Demon Hunter, All Shall Perish, Battlecross @ Croc Rock            

              Allentown

Sat 3/9       Today Is The Day, Black Tusk, KEN mode, Fight Amp @ Barbary Philly PA

Sun 3/10      Menzingers @ Reverb Reading PA

Fri 3/15      Soulfly @ Reverb Reading PA

3/16 & 3/17   The First Annual Philthadelphia Infest @ Gunners Run 1001 North 2nd Street Philadelphia, Pa - Featuring: Brutal Truth, Devourment, Phobia, Master, Cannabis Corpse, Abacinate, Malignancy, Meathook, Coathanger Abortion, Waking The Cadaver, Enemy Mind, Embalmer, Casket, Abnormality, Embludgeonment, Sexcrement, Eat The Turnbuckle, Without Remorse, Sacrificial Slaughter, Visceral Disgorge, Goemagot, Coffin Dust, Njdots, Mangled, Cognitive, Tombstalker, Slasherthroat, Fisthammer, Necroptic Engorgement & Infiltrator

Wed 3/20      Tommy Ramone & Glen Matlock (sex pistols) @ Croc Rock Allentown PA

Sun 3/24      Bad Religion @ Electric Factory Philly PA

Fri 3/29      Iron Lung @ First Unitarian Church Philly PA

Sat 3/30      Plow United @ Barbary Philly PA

Sun 3/31      Paint It Black @ First Unitarian Church Philly PA

Fri 4/5       They Might Be Giants @ TLA Philly PA

Fri 4/5       David Allan Coe @ Reverb Reading PA

Tues 4/9      Wavves, Fidlar @ Johnny Brendas Philly PA

Wed 4/10      Reverend Horton Heat @ Croc Rock Allentown PA

Sat 4/13      Death Threat, Lifeless @ Reverb Reading PA

Sun 4/21      KILLING JOKE @ Union Transfer Philly PA

Sun 4/21      Black Breath @ OReillys Philly PA

Fri - 4/26 thru Sun 4/28 SKINDUSTRY TATTOO EXPO Holiday Inn conference center Allentown PA

Tues 5/21     Rotten Sound, Kromosom @ Barbary Philly PA

Thurs 6/6     Cannibal Corpse, Napalm Death, Magrudergrind @ Union Transfer Philly PA