Live music – Page 17 – 7th Level Music

Rewind Review: The Damned – The Captain’s Birthday Party Live at the Roundhouse (2016)

Recorded live November 27, 1977, The Damned‘s The Captain’s Birthday Party Live at the Roundhouse is, like other Damned records, mired with some weird history.

First, this album is often known and titled as Not the Captain’s Birthday Party. The band did play a show at the Roundhouse on April 23, 1977 – a day later after (then bassist, now guitarist) Captain Sensible‘s birthday. However, this show wasn’t recorded until seven months later at the same venue. Their label at the time, Stiff Records, thought this album was the April 1977 show and thus released it as The Captain’s Birthday Party. Later, in 1986, the album was re-released by Demon Records as Not the Captain’s Birthday Party. Are we all clear?

Another interesting bit of Damned history with this album is that it’s a recording of a rare lineup of the band with the Captain on bass and perpetual lead singer Dave Vanian, but with two guitarists – Brian James and the newly acquired Robert “Lu” (short for “lunatic”) Edmunds – and a new drummer – Jon Moss (who would later go onto worldwide fame drumming for Culture Club), as the legendary original drummer, Rat Scabies, had quit the band two weeks earlier.

The album is just eight tracks, but they’re eight tracks of raw power thrown at an enthusiastic crowd. Opening with “You Take My Money,” the guitar roars and feedback are immediately apparent, and Moss is holding his own with just two weeks of practice with three guys who were already punk legends just a couple years into their careers. “Creep (You Can’t Fool Me)” gets a great response from the crowd. “Fan Club” is rough, with Edmunds and Moss still figuring out some of the band’s mechanics, but that energy just brings more growl to it.

“This one’s for Rat Scabies,” Vanian announces before they start “Problem Child.” The whole band is energized for this one, and you can tell Moss wanted to slay it. “So Messed Up” is a full-blown sprint that must have sent the crowd into a panic. “New Rose,” their first hit (and, by most accounts, the first punk single) transforms from a grungy rocker into a wild mix of feedback, crashing drums, and bass rumbles that only settle for a moment before they rip into a blistering cover of The Stooges “Feel Alright.” They end with “Born to Kill,” barely leaving you any time to process what the hell just happened.

It’s a wild ride, not unlike one of those carnival rides that takes you up high, spins you around, and then drops you at a frightening rate.

Keep your mind open.

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Primus, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer team up for a western U.S. tour.

Sessanta, an untraditional tour that sees Puscifer, A Perfect Circle, and Primus joining forces, and sharing band members, is slated for April of 2024.

The Western U.S. outing is a resurrection, and expansion, of the 2014 Los Angeles event, Cinquanta, which was originally a one-time only celebration. Much like that fabled evening, which commemorated Maynard James Keenan’s landmark 50th birthday, Sessanta celebrates the Puscifer and A Perfect Circle frontman as he turns 60.

Sessanta’s unique format sees the musicians from the trio of bands joining each other’s performances throughout the concert. While each group will have their own distinctive set, the players will continually transform as the night unfolds.

“It took some massaging, and some long days in rehearsal, but we managed to seamlessly pull off this three-song rotation at Cinquanta, my 50th birthday shows, at The Greek Theatre in 2014,” says Keenan of the seven-date run that also sees A Perfect Circle’s first live performances since 2018. “Bands aren’t used to simultaneously sharing the stage with other bands, but if anyone can do it, it’s Primus, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer.”

Tickets are on-sale now, with VIP options available via Tour.puscifer.com.

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Monica at Speakeasy PR.]

Rewind Review: Julian Cope – Barrowlands (2019)

Recorded live in Glasgow, Scotland in 1995, Julian Cope‘s Barrowlands is almost seventy minutes of Cope and his four-piece band (Richard “K-R” Frost – bass and vocals, Michael “Mooneye” Watts – lead guitar and vocals, Mark “Rooster” Cosby – drums, Timothy “Thighpaulsandra” Lewis – vocals, piano, Mellotron 400, and synths) performing what was a three-hour set that’s been whittled down to this album. It marked a heavy synth influence on Cope’s live shows, as he’d recently acquired a vintage 1966 Mellotron 400 and dove head-first into synth-psych.

As a result, the live show is a wild freak-out (as, I’m sure any Cope concert is) heavy on synths and keys, but not skimping on raucous guitar riffs, tight bass, or near-panicked drum beats.

The album opens with blasting versions of “East Easy Rider” and “Spacehopper” before they slow things down a bit on “Nineteen Ninety-Five” (which Cope dedicates to a rowdy man in the crowd as Cope offers to throw him some meat). It’s a song that encourages us to open our minds and explore, and the heavy piano chords behind the message have a hint of danger to them (and the journey).

“Sleeping Gas” is downright manic, with Mooneye’s guitar sounding like an industrial saw one moment and a thrash metal solo the next. “Don’t Take Roots” is wonderfully loopy, and tracks like “Leli B.” and “Passionate Friend” (a Teardrop Explodes track, no less) keep the crowd rowdy. “Torpedo” features Cope’s unique voice supported by Thighpaulsandra’s Mellotron chords. Cope’s vocals can go from crooning to punk rage and then dreamy stylings that almost become spoken word pieces. “Torpedo” is a good example of this last one. “Julian H. Cope” is a solo acoustic track that’s like a warm-up before the sonic blast of “Out of My Mind on Dope & Speed.”

“Double Vegetation” sounds even better live than I’d hoped. Cope’s band brings a strange, haunting energy to it. Afterwards, Cope tells the crowd there won’t be an encore. “It’s really hard to go offstage after three hours and then come back,” he says. , claiming there will be only two more tracks. There are actually four.

“Reward” is first, another Teardrop Explodes classic. “It’s coming to an end,” Cope says before he and his crew launch into “Hanging Out & Hung Up on the Line.” Cope’s vocals take on an angry snarl while Mooneye’s guitar buzzes like someone just threw a beehive on the stage. “World Shut Your Mouth” roars with heavy bass from Frost and Thighpaulsandra’s synths are at times bright and other times skronky. The album ends with Cope’s wild, trippy, frenetic classic “Reynard the Fox” – which must have caused a near riot when they played it at this show because it’s like ending a marathon with a kickboxing match. It’s always been one of Cope’s best songs, and getting a live version of it on this record is a treat.

The whole thing is a treat if you’re a fan of Cope’s work. I hope the Archdrude releases more live cuts. He’s a bit of a hermit nowadays, and has mostly given up the rock life, but maybe, just maybe, he’ll come out of hiding and surprise us.

Keep your mind open.

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King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard announce North American marathon shows for 2024.

The inimitable King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard announce their first 2024 North American tour dates, all 3-hour marathon sets. Following the release of PetroDragonic Apocalypse — their latest album and “end times thrash metal concept album” (The Needle Drop) — as well as this year’s recently-wrapped sold-out residency tour, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard’s newly announced dates will bring their acclaimed marathon sets back to North America, including stops in New York, Chicago, Austin, TX and Quincy, WA at the legendary Gorge Amphitheatre (which, at a capacity of 21,600 tickets, will be the band’s largest headline show to date). General on sale begins today Friday, September 15th at 12pm ET. A full list of dates is below. Tickets will be available at kinggizzardandthelizardwizard.com

KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD TOUR DATES
Sat. Aug. 17, 2024 – Forest Hills, NY @ Forest Hills Stadium
Sun. Sept. 1, 2024 – Chicago, IL @ Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
Sat. Sept. 14, 2024 – Quincy, WA @ The Gorge Amphitheatre
Fri. Nov. 15, 2024 – Austin, TX @ Germania Insurance Amphitheater

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Jaycee at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Live: The Beths and Disq – Bell’s Eccentric Café – Kalamazoo, MI – August 22, 2023

I had been trying to see The Beths for a couple years, but either I was always working when they were playing or their tour dates were nowhere near where I live, but lo and behold, they scheduled a date in Kalamazoo, Michigan, a mere one-and-half-hour drive from my house, at Bell’s Eccentric Café.

It turned out not only to be my first time seeing The Beths, but also the first show I saw at Bell’s beer garden stage. I’d been to multiple shows at Bell’s, but had never been in the garden and had no idea it was so spacious. I also didn’t realize that the town’s Metro train tracks ran behind the stage area, and neither did the band and a lot of other people, until two trains went past during The Beths’ set.

Not only was the size of the garden a delightful surprise, but so was the age range of the crowd. It was an all-ages show, and I saw people ranging from a boy who was barely thirteen to a man in his seventies there. A lot of people were sporting Beths t-shirts from previous tours, and the crowd clearly loved them and were happy they’d come all the way from New Zealand.

First up, however were Disq from Madison, Wisconsin. They played an energetic mix of noise rock, post punk, and no-wave and were having a great time. I didn’t get to see their whole set, thanks to road construction delaying me a bit, but what I saw and heard was loud and frantic.

The Beths came out in the dark, complete with a giant inflatable fish, and opened with the title track of their debut album Future Me Hates Me, and the crowd was instantly happy. The Beths are a fun band. Their love of playing, and their camaraderie, is immediately apparent, and that energy races through the audience.

They played a fun set, including fun hits like “Whatever” and “Dying to Believe,” secretly sad songs like “Expert in a Dying Field” and “Best Left,” and lovely love songs like “Your Side” and “When You Know You Know.”

“We love you!” was a common shout from the crowd, and The Beths returned the love for the whole set, and did a lot of shredding. It’s easy to focus on Elizabeth Stokes‘ lyrics and miss how well the whole band plays. They could easily cut a shoegaze album if they wanted – and I hope they do.

It was a fun night with nice late summer weather and good vibes all around thanks to The Beths bringing the love.

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Jaycee at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Review: Motörhead – Live at Montreux Jazz Festival ’07

Recorded during their “Kiss of Death” tour in 2007, Motörhead‘s previously unreleased Live at Montreux Jazz Festival ’07 is another powerful live recording of Phil Campbell (guitar and backing vocals), Mikkey Dee (drums), and Lemmy Kilmister (bass and lead vocals) firing on all cylinders.

The set list include lots of bangers and some cuts you didn’t hear often during some other sets. Opening with “Snaggletooth” for example, is a nice touch. It wasn’t a common opener for them, and they unload it with the subtlety of a flamethrower. “Stay Clean” doesn’t give you time to breathe, as you’re too busy holding onto your face to keep it from being blasted onto the wall behind you. “Be My Baby” is thick with sludge and reveals how much Motörhead influenced early Nirvana records.

“That was kind of jazzy, wasn’t it?” Kilmister jokes after “Killers.” “One Night Stand” swings and shreds. Speaking of shredding, Campbell does a lot of it on “I Got Mine” with a solo that might sear your ears. Kilmister dedicates “Sword of Glory” to soldiers “fighting in Iraq for no good reason.”

“Who likes Thin Lizzy?” Kilmister asks, and then talks about how Phil Lynott was one of his heroes, before they rip in to a cover of Thin Lizzy‘s “Rosalie.” He gives a warning before the epic version of “Sacrifice”: “If you dance to this, you won’t have children later in life.” It is brutal and unforgiving. The mosh pit during this version must’ve been like the Battle of Helm’s Gate, only stopped by everyone’s jaws hitting the floor during Dee’s drum solo. It’s hard to tell what’s moving faster, his hands on the snares, cymbals, and toms, or his feet on the double kick drums. “Just ‘Cos You Got the Power” is slower, “So Phil can show off his new guitar,” Kilmister says. He does. Quite well.

“Going to Brazil” blasts by you in a heartbeat, followed by the always-sinister, always-heavy “Killed By Death.” “Iron Fist,” appropriately, pummels you. Kilmister’s bass on it is as relentless as a belt-fed machine gun. The acoustic “Whorehouse Blues” is a refreshing bit of fun after it, and a moment to inhale, exhale, and then go nuts when they finally get to “Ace of Spades.” The closer, “Overkill,” is over eight minutes of raw power. Dee’s double-bass kick-drumming alone will make your jaw drop.

It’s another fine live album in an already impressive catalog. Don’t miss it.

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Maria at Adrenaline PR.]

L7 announces tour dates in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand.

L7 have announced two upcoming tours that will include shows in small venues.

Seeing L7 live is always a good choice, and seeing them in a small venue is a no-brainer. If you’re on the other side of the planet, check out this tour in December.

As you can see, the last two shows of that tour in Melbourne, Australia are already sold out. Bricks Are Heavy is a great album, and hearing all of it live would be a blast.

They’ve also announced a new single will be released soon, so keep your ears open for it.

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to L7!]

Live: Love and Rockets and Vinsantos – Riviera Theatre – Chicago, IL – June 06, 2023

I didn’t hesitate to buy my tickets when I found out that Love and Rockets were touring for the first time in about fifteen years. I’d wanted to see them since I was in high school. I almost got to see them as Bauhaus with Peter Murphy, but the pandemic cancelled that. The closest I’d come was seeing bassist and co-vocalist David J do a solo acoustic show at Levitation Austin.

Opening for Love and Rockets was Vinsantos, a friend of David J who played an interesting mix of torch songs and gothic synth-rock. I described him to a friend as “a drag queen scarecrow who sang piano ballads about death.” So, yes, really interesting.

Vinsantos (right) and a friend who played guitar and sang backing vocals for him.

Love and Rockets came out, looking like the rock stars they are, and proceeded to level the place. They were smart to start with the mellow “I Feel Speed” before launching into the heavy, sexy “No Big Deal.” They then stomped the gas for “The Kundalini Express” and had the place jumping.

They sounded great. Daniel Ash still shreds on guitar and Kevin Haskins did a great job of handling both percussion and synths (often played on drum pads on his kit while putting down beats).

The raw power of Ash’s guitar work was evident on “Judgement Day,” and things got psychedelic on “An American Dream” before they rolled into “No New Tale to Tell” and the audience went nuts.

Then, they played “So Alive” and the place really went crazy.

Hearing “The Light” live nearly caused me and others to transcend. It felt like being inside power lines stretched across the Mohave Desert. “Mirror People” crushed it, and my friend, Leimomi, and I headed into the pit for the first encore, which included their great cover of “Ball of Confusion,” which was as stunning as I’d hoped it would be.

The second encore was “Sweet F.A.,” sending us out the way we came in – with a mellow track to float us to the ceiling.

It was a stunning show and worth the wait. Thanks for giving us this gift, Love and Rockets. We all missed you.

Keep your mind open.

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Rewind Review: All Them Witches – Live on the Internet (2022)

Stuck in the middle of a global pandemic shutdown with plenty of material and energy, and nowhere to go to promote it or expend it, All Them Witches decided to record and livestream a full concert during that weird time and bring fans together in their living rooms. The result was Live on the Internet, the title of which is a play on their song “Internet” (Opening lyric: “Guess I’ll go live on the internet.”) from their excellent album, Sleeping Through the War.

Having no time restraints set by a venue or local ordinances, ATW start their live set with “Blood and Sand / Milk and Endless Waters,” which is nearly ten minutes long…and all of it is amazing. “Dirt Preachers” is fuzzy and raw, like a bison shaking frost of its body before it prepares to charge across a meadow. Ben McLeod‘s guitar work on “Saturnine & Iron Jaw” ranges from metal shredding to Helmet-like chugging to psychedelic mind trips. “41” rumbles with the pent-up energy we all had during lockdown.

This energy is unloaded with all the subtlety of a cannon on their classic track “When God Comes Back,” and their equally classic “Alabaster” (all seven-plus minutes of it) rolls in afterward like charging cavalry. It has to be the most aggressive version of it I’ve heard. “Diamond” has a brooding menace to it that seeps under your skin. Robby Staebler‘s drums on “1×1” sound like the crushing feet of a mastodon.

“I am focused!” yells lead singer / bassist Michael Parks, Jr. on “3-5-7,” making you think he’s either lying to himself…or he is so damn focused that he’s terrifying. “The Marriage of Coyote Woman” highlights their love of Black Sabbath. “Charles William” grows like a wildfire until it threatens to consume everything in its path.

“Rats in Ruin,” often a closer of their shows, drips with mind-warping vocal effects and subtle bass that purrs like a large cat. Parks takes over on guitar for “Open Passage,” and for a moment it feels like the lights are dimming are we’re about to fall into REM sleep…

Then comes “Enemy of My Enemy” with Parks yelling, “Behold my power!” as McLeod plays like he’s trying to summon something at Stonehenge and Staebler unloads drum fill after drum fill. The brief instrumental “Everest” drifts into the always lovely (and heavy) “Bulls” to close out the session with powerful riffs, beats, and vocals that hit you like sporadic thunderstorms that break out on a hot summer day.

All Them Witches are one of the best live bands around, and their catalogue doesn’t have a weak spot. Live on the Internet continues that trend.

Keep your mind open.

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Debauch-a-Reno 2023 announces lineup schedule.

Both weekends of DEBAUCH-a-ReNO are set in stone and nearly sold out as of this announcement. Here’s a summary of expectations, and scroll down to see the official schedule.

The first weekend kicks off on the night of June 16th over at Cypress with four powerhouse local groups demonstrating there’s still a burgeoning DIY scene happening throughout the Biggest Little City In The World. The bands scheduled to grace the stage that evening include the contemporary post-punk neanderthal-ism of Clarko, the jangling garage beat-meets-jugular slash punk attack and sarcasm of The Juvinals, the trashcan glam n’ roll of Pussy Velour, and the urgent, mudslide sound of Rotary Club.

The following day’s event begins in the afternoon at Wingfield Park Amphitheatre. It culminates with a co-headlining bill with notorious Belgium punks, The Kids, playing their first US show in seven years alongside San Bruno’s anchormen of the trash rock netherworld, The Mummies, and Sacramento garage rock titans, The Troublemakers, who mark three decades together this year. Playing in support is Tucson’s own Farfisa a-go-go power quartet, The Okmoniks, making a return to DEBAUCH-a-ReNO, and local quartet Thee Saturday Knights opening the afternoon. However, the budget rock n’ roll onslaught doesn’t end upon the final chord ring out from Kids frontman Ludo Meriman’s guitar; the after-party returns to Cypress, where Holland blues-punk trio, Lo-Lite makes their long-awaited US return alongside the unhinged antagonism of Jamie Paul Lamb’s sardonic alter ego, Puppy and The Hand Jobs, and the Bay Area’s own Just Head, in addition to A SPECIAL SURPRISE GUEST!!!!

Closing out the weekend is another pair of co-headliners hailing from San Diego county as revered Chula Vista punks The Zeroes will make a return to Reno to headline June 18th’s performance at Wingfield Park alongside the twang guitar and power tools action of fellow San Diegans, Deadbolt. Support will be provided by a band that L7 helped push into the masses with their “American Society” cover on Smell The Magic as Eddie & The Subtitles will perform alongside Reno psych-punks, Spitting Image, and Los Angeles rockers, Tube Alloys.

The second weekend’s one-night stand soiree will occur south of Reno in the time-stamped silver mining town of Virginia City on July 14th and anchored by a man whose work crosses music, publishing, and painting AND whom Kurt Cobain, Jack White, Graham Coxon, and Kylie Minogue have paid tribute to in their own right with Wild Billy Childish & CTMF, making their exclusive US performance for 2023 at Piper’s Opera House (est. 1863) alongside Sacramento’s garage-mod screamers, Th’ Losin Streaks. A goodclosing lineup, right? Well, those two weren’t enough because we’ve got one of America’s more criminally underrated bands flying in from one sweatbox to another, with the gutter minimalist bump n’ grind of Subsonics making a rare and special appearance from Atlanta.

DEBAUCH-a-ReNo 2023 June Weekend Schedule
*Headliners
Non-Headliner schedule subject to change
DJs include Jello Biafra, Vivi Martian, Tony The Tyger, Bazooka Joe, and Slovenly Pete
Friday, June 16th (8:00 p.m. – 4:00 a,m.) – OPENING PARTY with bands / DJs**
Venue: Cypress Reno (directions + info here).
Lineup: The Juvinals, Clarko, Pussy Velour, Rotary Club

Saturday, June 17th (2:00 p.m. -10:00 p.m.) – MAIN EVENT with bands, DJs, and record fair
Venue: Wingfield Park Amphitheater (directions + info here).
Lineup: The Kids*, The Mummies*, The Troublemakers*, Okmoniks, Thee Saturday Knights

Saturday, June 17th (10:00 p.m. – 4:00 a.m.) – AFTERPARTY with bands / DJs
Venue: Cypress Reno
Lineup: Lo-Life, Puppy and The Hand Jobs, Just Head + SURPRISE SPECIAL GUEST!

Sunday, June 18th (2:00 p.m. -10:00 p.m.) – MAIN EVENT with bands & DJs**
Venue: Wingfield Park Amphitheater
Lineup: The Zeros*, Deadbolt*, Eddie & The Subtitles, Spitting Image, Tube Alloys

DEBAUCH-a-ReNO 2023 July One-Nighter Schedule
Friday, July 14th (7:00 p.m – Midnight) – MAIN EVENT with bands & DJ Bazooka Joe
Venue: Piper’s Opera House (directions + info here)
Lineup: Wild Billy Childish & CTMF*, Subsonics, Th’ Losin Streaks

CLICK HERE TO HEAR THE DEBAUCH-a-ReNO MIXTAPE FOR KWNK RADIO!

Tickets
Full passes (access to both Wingfield & Cypress shows), Park (Wingfield only), and Virginia City tickets are available through Eventsmart. That’s a good thing; they’re the kind of company who don’t blindside customers with the insane hidden fees the larger ticket companies are notorious for.

GET YOUR DEBAUCH-a-ReNO PASSES HERE
Room Deals
Hotel deals for DEBAUCH-a-ReNO are available through RENO SUITES in Downtown Reno (a 10-minute walk from Wingfield Park) for $109/nightly (that price includes taxes and fees). The reviews at this place are solid, and to get this rate, you’ll need to book through the link below.

BOOK YOUR DISCOUNTED HOTEL ROOM HERE

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Matthew at Shattered Platter PR.]