Iron Lung Friday May 26, 2017

Iron Lung

Iron Lung is playing in Bethlehem PA on Friday May 26, 2017.

I have three of their LPS (yes, on vinyl): "Sexless//No Sex", "Life - Iron Lung - Death" and "White Glove Test".

I have embedded all three albums digitally below so you can familiarize yourself with their music for Friday night.

The Lehigh Valley's Manbeast is also on the gig. I have embedded their awesome "Sore" below.

I don't know Burglary Years, but I certainly will after Friday.

Seattle-based hardcore punk band, Iron Lung, will headline the next show in Tape Swap Radio's concert series this Friday, May 26, 2017 at the Charles A. Brown Ice House in Bethlehem. 

Also performing at the show is Allentown hardcore punk band, Manbeast, and Boston post-punk/dream pop band, Burglary Years. 

Proceeds from the show will benefit Tabor Children's Services youth mentoring program in the Lehigh Valley. 

Formed in 1999 in Reno, Nevada, Iron Lung has since relocated to Seattle and toured extensively across the U.S., Asia, Australia, and Europe over the last 18 years. The A.V. Club has described them as "one of the heaviest, tightest, and most ambitious duos going." Vice Magazine's Noisey has praised their adventurous approach to heavy music as "bridg[ing] the ever-closing gap between hardcore punk, noise, and power electronics. Out the gate, these two dudes smoked anyone who was willing to share a stage with them." 

This will be Iron Lung's first Lehigh Valley performance in a decade since playing in Allentown in 2007.

Tape Swap Radio's concert series is part of Ice House Tonight which allows the arts, theater, and independent music to have a space at the Ice House throughout the year. "The big response we've received since announcing this show demonstrates that there is a real need to have outlets like this for independent music in the Lehigh Valley," said Tape Swap Radio co-founder Shamus McGroggan. "We're excited to be able to bring music of all kinds to the Lehigh Valley from indie folk to punk rock."

Tape Swap Radio is an original live music series which, in addition to hosting its concert series, produces a radio program that airs on WDIY 88.1 FM, Lehigh Valley's community NPR station. Since 2015, Tape Swap Radio's concert series has raised $6,543 for Lehigh Valley non-profit and community programs like The Center for Animal Health & Welfare in Easton, The Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center in Allentown, and the Homebase Skateshop After-School Skate Program in Bethlehem.

Cheers,
Frank FOE

Parasites "Pair of Sides"

Parasites

"Pair of Sides"

Violated Records

Original 1990, Reissue 2016

Originally from Livingston New Jersey, Parasites instantly became one of my favorite pop punk bands the first time I heard them.

"Pair of Sides" was released in 1990 on Shredder records on vinyl and cassette. Violated records is moving this classic into the digital age. There is also a planned vinyl reissue.

Violated Records "Pair of Sides" order information here: http://www.violatedrecords.com/products/578292-parasites-pair-of-sides

The Parasites are playing the Brighton Bar May 12, 2017 with The Accelerators and The Fiendz.

The Parasites are playing the Kung Fu Necktie May 13, 2017 with The Fiendz, Seeing Snakes and Missile Toads.

This link will take you to an interview I did with the Parasites many years ago in the pages of FOE zine:  http://www.foe.firstpress.net/parasites.pdf

The album kicks off with "Refuge", which is a pop masterpiece in every sense of the word other than it didn't sell a million copies (at least I think it didn't). Parasites have always had a knack of pulling together varying degrees of Beatles, Ramones, Beach Boys, Buzzcocks, early Misfits and Generation X. 

Weston and Parasites are two bands I think should have been huge. Like Green Day huge.

When I say this, I tell you meaning that Parasites have some great songs and then they have songs that make the hair on my arms stand up. "Crazy" from their LP "Punch Lines" (1993) is one of those songs. I've listened to that song a thousand times if I've listened to it once.

The hair standing on my arm hit from "Pair of Sides" is "Refuge". The raw sound throughout the album balances out the bubblegum pop. "Fool For You" and "Waiting Game" are melodic rippers. "I Wanna Be Like Dee Dee" (Ramones) is obvious, "Wild Youth" is too (Generation X). "Make You Mine" is a garage/Beatles slice of brilliance. "My Demon Eyes" is a page out of the early Misfits buzzsaw and melody. "Good Grief" is pure Parasites pop groove. "Never Giving Up On You" is haunting, yet has a Beach Boys flair. "Pair of Sides" is a great debut LP from the beginning stages of the pop punk explosion.

If you missed their debut the first time around in 1990, don't miss out again.  

Cheers,
Frank FOE

Parasites FB