If we lived in New Haven, we’d be at BAR each and every Wednesday. After all, where else can you have New Haven style pizza, house-made beer, and free music to boot? Manic Production’s ongoing free concert series has made BAR New Haven’s place to be on Wednesday nights, although all too often work and other obligations get in the way. It takes a special lineup to get us out most weeknights, and tonight certainly fits the bill when Connecticut’s own Wess Meets West takes the stage.
Having been a staple of BAR Wednesdays and the entire CT music scene, Wess Meets West headlines tonight, with True Apothecary and A Paper Tugboat supporting. Tonight is also the record release party for Chevaliers, the formal debut from the band. We heard a few tracks from this record at their last BAR appearance when they opened for Fang Island, and the tunes have only gotten better with time. Sleek production, interlacing guitar work, and epic post-rock anthems are all hallmarks of Chevaliers, an album we’re excited to finally get our hands on. So come on down to BAR, tonight at 9. Pizza. Beer. New records (and a future Vintage Vinyl post). What could be better?
“We’re the Astro Investigation and Defense Service! (AIDS)”
“We’ve got to change that name…”
“It’s like elevator music for head bangers!”
“What are you astro-bastards doing on my planet?”
“Did ya have to drink some chuck?”
Keep in mind all of these lines are much better delivered with a Kiwi accent amid the madness of an invasion of hungry aliens, which was the plot of Peter Jackson’s directorial debut, Bad Taste. The film, a gory splatterfest replete with violence, vomit, brains, and big guns, combines gross-out moments with a darkly comedic tone (An AIDS joke in '87? Bold.) making for an over the top action experience that will have you laughing until it hurts. And as no action flick would be complete without a good tune for the end credits, here’s the catchy-as-hell “Bad Taste” by The Remnants.
It's been over a year since we last saw New London reggae-rockers The Hempsteadys. Complex horn and guitar arrangements played with an undeniable energy is the hallmark of their live experience, and was the perfect mid-afternoon set at 2010's incarnation of I Am Festival. They'll be opening for The Soul Merchants tonight, who are playing their 2nd to last show ever. Tickets are only $5 at The Outer Space in Hamden, or $10 for a combined ticket which includes the Teles reunion at The Space (see post below). We've had our combo tickets for weeks and couldn't be more excited. Hope to see you there, and check out a clip from The Hempsteadys' I Am Fest set.
This Saturday (tomorrow), we’re going to party like it’s 2004: Local pop-punk band The Teles are playing a reunion show at The Space. Also in the lineup are the Sex Tigers, Keith Zarriello of The Shivers, and the Caligulists. Show starts at 7. $8 for the all-ages show at The Space alone, $10 for entry to both The Space and the 21+ show at The Outer Space across the parking lot, where there is a bar.
If you’re from the south-central region (or any region, really) of Connecticut and went to high school in the early to mid-2000s like me, the Teles are part of a fond high school memory of spending Friday and Saturday nights rocking out to local bands at area Knights of Columbus and American Legion halls. I remember keeping The Teles’ CD “Trust” in my CD visor in my car and listening to it as I drove to school my junior and senior year (back in the day when I hooked my portable CD player to a cassette tape adapter!). This reunion show is going to be a reunion not only for the bands, but for the fans too. I’m looking forward to this party.
In a last minute decision, myself and the good Dr Bendel will be getting absolutely blotto tonight and singing along with John Valby, also known as Doctor Dirty. Most famous for his "12 Dirty Days of Christmas", Valby spins classic drinking tunes into topical and disgusting epics. Known for audience participation and taking the stage to chants of "Valby sucks!" or "Valby fucks sheep", the show will be a must see, especially so close to the holidays. So bring the kids to Toad's tonight and give a listen to what Valby's true love gets him each Christmas. Needless to say, NSFW.
I've been listening to far too much Sinn Sisamouth to go without posting a track. His Khmer-language rewrites of Western hits feature distorted guitar work and frenzied, garage-band style playing. East truly meets west on tracks from seminal acts such as Procol Harum, The Beatles, and The Animals. More prolific than Elvis, Sisamouth recorded an astounding amount of music in his career, which was cut short in the Killing Fields after the Khmer Rouge takeover of Cambodia. Give a listen to the 5:13 of overdriven guitar virtuosity that is "I'm Still Waiting" his version "House of the Rising Sun" and give it up for the 'King of Music' and the amazing work he left behind.
What a surprise Snake Oil was. I’d missed their previous set at BAR where they opened for Woodsman, but was glad to see them supporting for Mates of State last September for their fall tour kickoff. I was blown away, tweeting about “spacey psychedelic instrumental ROCK” during their set. Many tracks build upon themselves, a slow crescendo not unlike “The Power and the Glory” off Spiritualized’s Amazing Grace, but with more control to the clamor. Rather than fully descending into dissonance, their self-titled LP remains lush rather than cluttered, making for a melodic journey. The cover art, minimalist depictions of a desert landscape, helps influence the feel of the album, taking the listener floating across that topography, complete with washed out sands and a talking space coyote. Each side of the LP reflects the dual album covers, day and night as you travel that landscape.
Find your soulmate, Homer!
But the beauty of this album, like the bulk of instrumental rock, is that this is just my take on it. Any other listener could be transported to any number of other places, times, or even worlds based on what they hear and where it takes them, but let me assure you, Snake Oil will take you there. I used the hashtag #BuyThatLP while they were playing, which might be among the truer things I’ve ever written. This album is a must have. Here’s a clip of their BAR set, playing “I Was A Total Pyro”, the lead-off track from their debut LP, Snake Oil.
