March 9th, 2010

It's been a little bit since the last update but isn't it always that way? We have a new print zine wrapping up right now so be sure to pick that up since it is our 6th issue. You will see interviews from Raein, the legendary Italian screamo band and Make Do and Mend, a great post-hardcore band on Panic Records. So it's been a busy past few weeks and there haven't been many shows worth making an update for. I was moving during the DRI show and couldn't make it out and definitely regret it. West should be doing a write-up on that for the print zine if all goes well. So here I go with this update...

Leatherface @ The Milestone (3/09/10)

So I have never really gotten around to listening to Leatherface as often as I wish but when given the opportunity to see such an influential band i try not to pass it up twice in one week and since i had just missed DRI then I figured I was obligated. I wasn't familiar with the rest of the lineup but it wasn't like I was going to see anyone else but Leatherface. I missed the first band and I apologize for not knowing their name. I came in during Riot Before, a Richmond, VA band, who played a by the numbers style revolution punk ala Strike Anywhere but not nearly as good as them. They weren't bad but nothing really grabbed me. The lyrics kept throwing me for a loop with lines like, "mustard seed."

Next up was Yesterday's Ring from Montreal. They played a "loud" country-punk hybrid which often does does sit well with me. It seems to be a good idea the mixing of the two genres but for the most part ends up sounding really cheesy. For example, banjo mixed with pop punk. Once again they weren't bad and were definitely super tight but it wasn't my thing.

Finally Leatherface was slated to go next and the oldest guys in the club took to the stage and tore the place up. The odd thing is that the singer of Leatherface looked a lot like my grandpa in the face and it definitely freaked me out. I probably only knew a small handful of songs but when they played them with such force I felt that I had known them all my life. You realize how many bands have been directly influenced by them and how underrated of a band Leatherface truly is. Bands like Hot Water Music for one wouldd probably not exist if it weren't for Leatherface. I wish the turnout was better so they feel good about coming back. I am totally bummed that more people did not get a chance to come out and witness such an awesome set.

Jan. 31, 2010

Youth Attack Showcase @ Lunchbox (12/28/09)



As soon as I had heard that the Youth Attack winter tour was gonna be coming through Charlotte, I almost hit the roof. I was stoked beyond belief. For anyone not familiar with the Youth Attack winter tour, it consisted of Failures, Aerosols, and Salvation. If for some reason you're not familiar with these bands, you may be familiar with the clusterfuck of "ex/current-members of" list that comprise these bands. Members of Charles Bronson, Orchid, Ampere, Das Oath, Wasteland, Cancer Kids, and Vaccine, among tons of others were all in tow. As I got there around 8:30 for the 8:00 show, I was immediately told that Aerosols had gotten lost, and the show wouldn't start until about 10:00. Undeterred by the hold up, I thumbed through records for a while, and then walked down to Common Market for a drink. Upon my return around 9:30ish, local openers Young & In The Way were almost done setting up. They started a few minutes before 10, and played their brand of heavy hardcore to a pretty thick crowd. After they finished, the first Youth Attack band of the night; Salvation from Pennsylvania took the floor. Salvation fucking ripped through about 12 minutes of some of the most intense hardcore I've seen in a long while. The dichotomy of the band's appearance made me laugh, as the singer, guitarist, and bassist all had skinned heads, and looked mean as fuck, while their drummer seemed to be some kind of Bohemian dude with long hair, with a "Boston's More than a Feelin" mustache, rocking some kind of aboriginal necklace; they fucking ripped though. Failures was up next. This was the band I think everyone (or at least myself) was most fixated on, as it features Charles Bronson's vocalist Mark McCoy. They were one of the absolute tightest breakneck outfits I think I've ever seen. They were fucking flawless, which is almost unseen with a band as fast as they are. You can usually expect some sloppy moments, but not with Failures. They didn't say shit in between songs, it was just violent burst after violent burst of awesome hardcore.


Right after Failures packed their shit, Aerosols took the stage. This band has the lead singer from Ampere playing guitar, and the dude who sang in Wasteland handling vocals, so you knew from the start that it was gonna be good. They had a new bassist in tow, and the night before, the singer had sliced his arm open on a lightbulb while playing in a basement, so the odds weren't necessarily in their favor. They seemed to somewhat struggle through the set a little, but it was still fun to watch, and sounded really good. The band is fucking flawless on record, and if you don't have their albums, then get a hold of them. I'm sure they're hard to find since everything Youth Attack seems to turn to gold, but I know tons of blogs have posted them for download. After the show, I spent wayyy too much money on some records, but don't regret it all, because they may have been the best records I bought all year. If you decided to sleep on this show, then at least check out all of the bands, and punch yourself in the bag for missing one the best shows on 2009. (West Hastey)


Jan 22, 2010

It's been about a month since the last entry but I promise that I wont leave you hanging for as long as I have. Here is a show review of a show that happened about a week ago. Just to let you know we used to post show reviews in the print zine but so much time often passes between each issue I don't feel right letting them be so dated.

Mammoth Grinder @ Lunchbox (1/15/10)



I hadn't seen Mammoth Grinder since this summer and was really stoked to see them again. Every time they come through they blow me away and I'm usually not blown away by jack shit being as jaded as I am. When I arrived at Lunchbox at 8pm I realized it was going to be a good show because people don't often come early for Lunchbox shows and there was already a crowd. A lot of unfamiliar faces too so that is always good. I had to run door while the first band Grids played but it was still a good set. They are a staple of the Charlotte, NC scene and even though I'm not entirely into their sound (Jesus Lizard/Young Widows style noise rock) they definitely put on a good show. I think it was due to them not playing as loud as they normally do so everything sounded crisp and it was nice being able to really hear Bobby their drummer. Next up was Dead City from Memphis, TN and were on tour with Mammoth Grinder. I think a lot of people in Charlotte weren't too into their sound since it was a mix of Entombed, Crowbar, and Integrity but I bet while standing outside the people who were super into Integrity a few years ago were moshing in their minds. I dug them but I definitely think I would have been more into it myself a few years back when all I listened to was Godbelow and Pantera.

Next up was Mammoth Grinder and once again they did not disappoint. Even with a new bass player they still got the goods. When they first start playing people just go berserks and start jumping off each others backs, bonking heads, and just being complete idiots, myself included. I can't remember a dull moment in their set which is a huge feat with my attention span. If you aren't familiar with their sound just envision fast brutal thrash metal played by punks. Lastly is Lowbrow, another local on the bill. This was their return show after being on hiatus due to their guitarist Brendan studying for a semester in Nicaragua. They had a new song and played all the gems off their 7" "Broken Speech" (self advertisement). I will say and sadly so that I didn't feel like they were on top of their game but not playing a show for six months will do that to you. I am really excited for them to be back and I'm fairly sure they will be killing it in no time with a slew of new songs. Overall this was a really awesome show and might be one of my top shows of the year but we will see this year has just begun.

Dec 20, 2009

Descendents Vans From The Descendents? (WTF)



So I posted the other day about getting a pair of Descendents Vans for my birthday. Would have not been that big of a deal to post anything else about it but I noticed something odd about where the box came from. First, before I give it all away in the first couple of sentences, I will give you some back story. So I got a pair of Descendents Vans a few years ago when they first came out and I still stand behind my view that they are the coolest band series shoes that have come out so far from Vans. In my opinion all of the other shoes have looked like utter shit. The Germs ones looked alright but I hate the Germs too much to ever condone. So as every pair of shoes I have or anyone has I wore them out. Then I wanted another and it seemed that I couldn't get them for under a hundred bucks or in my size. So when my girlfriend got me some I was pretty stoked to say the least. After wearing them for a day or two I was curious as to where the shoes came from in case they had more. I checked out the box and it read, "ALL, P.O. Box 36, Ft. Collins, CO." Holy shit. So from the random knowledge I know about the Descendents/All I knew that some of them had moved to Ft. Collins, Colorado. When I say some of them I mostly mean Bill Stevenson and Karl Alvarez.



That leads me to believe that Karl and Bill house Descendents/All merchandise that they peddle for extra cash. Would make a lot of sense if this is the case but it would seem that bands of their caliber wouldn't waste their time. I for one, am exciting about the prospect of them personally sending off this stuff and it not just being marketed and distributed by faceless corporations. For the record, I also had a friend tell me that she ordered a coffee mug that came from the same location as my shoes. It could be much more complex than the way I thought it out but it does seem that they have some control enough to personally mail me a pair of shoes. Neat!!!

Dec 14, 2009

Forgetters @ The Milestone (12/14/09)

So the day started out just like any other day except for the fact that it was my birthday (24th) and I had to work at 6am. Work wasn't too bad but that's a relative term when you work at a very busy vet clinic. A few people wish me a happy birthday and a few others, who will not be named, think it is a funny idea to post my phone number online. This leads to a person sending me a picture of their penis which is very frightening and almost caused me to wreck my car. Bastards!

I get home and eat left over birthday food from a family party the night before and commence to studying for an exam the next day. I only mention the bday food because I had Meatloaf cupcakes and they are very delicious. After a few hours of studying my girlfriend comes over and gives me a present and takes me out to an all you can eat sushi place. The food is great and so is having a new pair of Descendents Vans. Fuck Yeah!



After this we head off to The Milestone and go see Forgetters, Blake Schwarzenbach of Jawbreaker and Jets to Brazil's new band. This is where my story actually begins, i only felt it necessary to mention it being my birthday because I try and interject myself as much as I can into my musings. The first band, Pinko plays and is really bad. Granted this is their first show so I shouldn't be too hard on them but I honestly doubt they will get any better. There seems to be a formula to being in a bad band. All the guys in the band are really talented and the set begins with a ripping solo. Solo intros are probably only a good idea if you are Yngwie Malmsteen and even that is highly debatable. They spend the rest of the set switching between grunge, dead milkmen-esque ramblings, metal and as mentioned previously, solos.

The second band is One Another (ex Minority Party, Columns) which fits nicely on the bill with Forgetters. They have similarities to Jawbreaker but just pigeonholing them would do them no justice. Definitely shows that they are a newer band but I really think if they move in the direction of what I thought were there stronger songs then they would be really great. Definitely a breath of fresh air in Charlotte where punk bands tend to be either weird or heavy.




Next is Forgetters. I don't know what to expect. Some of my friends think it is going to sound like later Jets To Brazil and say they don't really care. I like Jets To Brazil but I can see what they mean. On a side note, Neil Hamburger performed stand-up across town so some people I would have expected to see aren't present. When do you get a chance to witness a punk legend everyday? Alright tangent done. So first the line-up... Along with having Mr. Schwarzenbach , Forgetters also showcases the talent of Against Me's first drummer, Kevin Mahon and bassist Carolina Paquita, who from what I saw at the show is a very talented artist. So the band starts playing and it sounds as you would expect a Schwarzenbach band to sound like. Their sound and tightness was astounding and from little snippets I could ascertain his lyrics are still top notch. He didn't really seem to sing with the faux British accent like in Jawbreaker so that was cool. I remember being like 13 years old and asked if I liked Jawbreaker and my response was, "Yeah, but I'm not really into British singers." I was scolded and soon realized that Mr. Schwarzenbach was not in fact British. Bollocks. The music that Forgetters play is darker than Jawbreaker in parts and definitely not as poppy as Jets. To me it fits somewhere in the middle of those two bands. They don't have anything recorded yet so you are going to have to take my word when I tell you that they are definitely a band worth checking out and if you like anything he has done in the past then you won't be let down. I hear they have a 7" coming out this spring so I will be eagerly waiting for it.

Now I must go back to studying for exams and hoping that I have the chops to do well enough on these exams to graduate on Saturday. Yikes!

(note: the forgetters photo is not at the milestone and until a photo surfaces this is as close as you'll get)

Dec. 9, 2009

Some things did not make it into the current issue of SELF AWARE so now we can keep you updated a little more. I'm going to try and update this often and just add a record review or short interview but don't expect too much because I am still a lazy bum.



Algernon Cadwallader @ The Silent Barn (8/2/09)





Recently I decided to go vacation in the Big Apple with my girlfriend of five years to celebrate our five years of dating. I know, congrats to anyone strong enough to stomach my idiocy for this long. While we were there we decided to try and catch some shows. We heard about two shows, one was Bridge and Tunnel and the other was Algernon Cadwallader. Since we had already seen Bridge and Tunnel we opted for the latter so we could go to a baseball game (GO METS!!!). The show was in Brooklyn so we had to take the metro. I knew we were getting close to Brooklyn because it seems like the people on the train were getting more hipsterish as we went on. We finally get there and walk to the show space. I’ve never been to Brooklyn but it reminded me of St. Louis in the movie Summer Vacation. I expected someone to steal rims off a car and spray paint “honky lips” on it.

The place is pretty well hidden but we manage to find it alright. We enter the place and its just like I would have imagined. An old storefront converted into a living area and also converted into a neat little area to host shows. The lighting is dark the smell is musky, it feels like all the places I’m used to playing, I was in love already. The first thing that I realize is the show is like 90 percent female. This is weird to me but may not be weird to you. All the shows I’m used to are all 90 percent male. While I am not used to gynocentric shows it is still nice to see and something that I wish there was more of. More people start piling into this small space and the place is packed and it is hot. No harm, I mean it is August.

The first band up, is called, if I remember correctly, Tania. They play repetitive dancey electro-punk, I’m not into it and since I am totally not into it, I lose interest in the show fast. After what seems like forever, the band ends and I learn that the next band is called, Songs for Moms. While they are setting up and while the first band was setting up I realize that New York bands must take forever to set up. Songs for Moms finally start and they are a lot better than the first band, everyone is shaking and singing along and it turns out to be a really awesome set. Think Andrew Jackson Jihad with an all female line-up and maybe not as jangly or nothing like that at all. Next is Algernon Cadwallader, from Philadelphia, who I was really stoked to see. They were just as amazing as I hoped and really suggest you going to see them if you get a chance. Lastly another all female band, the third that night to be exact, plays. They were called Each Other’s Mothers and it happened to be there reunion show. They also have a member of Bridge and Tunnel so that is cool. Sonically they were a mix of Algernon and the Fucking Champs. I might be saying FC because they were instrumental and rocked hard but whatever. Everyone is sweaty partying hard and the atmosphere, while being really smelly, is very positive.


It was good to see such positivity in this space and really hope that I can see more shows where more females attend. There is definitely a place for more women to participate in punk rock as more than an attachment for their boyfriends. These women at this space genuinely seemed to care about the bands and care about the scene. Later on that night, on my way back from the show back to my hostel in Manhattan, all of my positivity is dashed asunder while drinking Arizona Green Tea. I realize to my dismay that Arizona is not in fact made in Arizona it is made in New York. For such a great show this instance really ruined my night. Liars. (Joshua Robbins)

Self Aware Issue Five OUT NOW!!!

The new issue is now out.
paypal $4ppd to selfawarezine@gmail.com