Thick has had a busy year and since they just happen to be one of the hardest working bands out there, it hardly seems as through they’ve broken a sweat. They released a stellar new record, Happy Now (read our review), hit the festival circuit with stops at Riot Fest (among others), and toured consistently— both opening for bigger acts like The Chats and on their own headline tour which they just wrapped up with a homecoming show at Saint Vitus in front of a sold out and exuberant crowd.
The line up for this show was unreal, stacked from start to finish with power house artists I love. Local noise punks Jess X (the band) opened and kicked things off at a very energetic pace with Jess X (the singer) themself running and jumping all over the stage, jumping onto and leaping off the drums more than once, launching out onto the crowd and making sure their pogo stick made an appearance as well. (I still am astounded watching them sing and pogo at the same time for a full song, impressive isn’t the word for it!) This apparently was their last show as a band for 2022 but I look forward to catching back up with them in 2023.
The crowd was already worked up when Thick’s tour mates, Skating Polly, the Washington based trio of siblings took the stage and really kicked things into high gear. Song after song, they pummeled with heavy hitting grunge punk “ugly pop” songs, bassist Kelli Mayo and guitarist Peyton Bighorse trading off on lead vocals. Mayo barely stayed still for a single moment, kicking and spinning and thrashing with her three stringed bass while delivering some seriously awesome and diiiirty tone (my absolute favorite kind of bass playing). Unsurprisingly, she finished their set on top of the crowd after telling everyone to “go fucking crazy.” The fans responded in kind, taking things all the way up to eleven. And while I needed a minute to catch my breath after their set, I am definitely already ready for them to make another appearance in NYC.
Skating Polly at Saint Vitus
With the audience now majorly fired up, Thick hit the stage and launched the room fully into the stratosphere. Playing a 16 song set that was peppered with fan favorites like “Your Mom,” “Bleeding,” “Party With Me” and “Mansplain,” they also hit plenty of tracks from the new album including “Happiness,” “Loser,” and “Your Garden” making for a nice mix from their catalog. All three members of the band sing, with bassist Kate Black and guitarist Nikki Sisti trading off on lead while drummer Shari Page does backups on several songs. They were joined on stage for a few songs by Sarah Greenwell of Gymshorts who played rhythm guitar. (She also does their merch and was fittingly crowd surfed to the back of the room to return to the merch table upon concluding her songs.) I must say, I really enjoyed the addition and it brought a nice dynamic to their sound, making things crunchier, while still leaving plenty of room for Sisti’s clever lead lines to shine.
The vibes were awesome throughout (with a brief instance of a broseph getting a little obnoxious in the crowd which was swiftly shut down by Page) and more than a few crowd surfers from both the band and the audience joined in on the fun. They wrapped up the set with a cover of the Bikini Kill classic “Rebel Girl,” joined by Kelli Mayo on vocals and Kurtis Mayo playing drums while Page jumped on the mic for an incredible ending to not only this show but their time together on the road. The love in the room was palpable as the crowd screamed along word for word.
Thick at Saint Vitus
And always the hard workers, at the close of the night Thick loaded out their gear themselves and were prepping for an opening spot for Muse at Beacon Theater the very next day (a last minute addition and not technically part of the original tour). One can’t help but admire this incredible work ethic and want to root for these lovable “losers” and hometown heroes who have made the Brooklyn music community so proud of their well deserved success. Team Thick all the way!
Scroll down for setlist, videos, pics of the show (photos by Kate Hoos)
“Loser” directed by FTA contributing photographer, Jeanette D. Moses.
All hail the mighty DIY space! No matter where I go to see shows, no matter how big the room, my favorite and most loved type of venue to see a show in will also be a DIY space, end of story. And as far are DIY spaces go, EWEL is among the most loved and well cared for spaces I’ve experienced. (Because as all who frequent these spaces know, they are always loved, but many of them are in a constant state of disrepair due to any number of factors, usually from a lack of funds or outside interference.)
EWEL was the setting for the recent release party (among a few) for the release of the Bands do BK oral history book by BDBK founder, Sam Sumpter who spoke between sets to express her gratitude for the space, the community, and the support the book has gotten. BDBK is a vital lifeline in the Brooklyn music community for bands and a well loved presence in the local music scene. The mood was jovial and everyone was in high spirits to be at the show, myself included. I had originally been scheduled to work and I was more than happy when it was canceled so I could be at this show.
Sam Sumpter of Bands do BK at the book release party
The vibes were awesome throughout the night, an air of excitement permeating the room. I often look at these shows, and their audiences, as family affairs because the bonds in the community are that close knit and often times the biggest fans of the bands on the bill are the members of the other bands sharing the bill with them or nerds like me who just love to go see live music whenever and however they can so we know and love the band members on a personal level too. This isn’t the sometime almost clinical feel of filing into a large room, observing some people playing songs on a stage, and filing back out a few hours later, this is family. That feeling was certainly heightened on this night even more so because of the special occasion of the book’s release.
On the bill were some of my local favorites, snarky riot grrrls, Nevva, fuzzy indie arty shoegazers, Kissed by an Animal, both of whom I love any chance I can get to see. They were joined by surfy sunny 60s girl group inspired rockers, High Waisted, who I had actually not yet seen before, but who I loved watching play. Towards the end of KBAA’s set, when they played the bouncy “Lemonade,” the floor in the room did indeed begin to bounce as everyone joined in to bop and dance along to the infectious song. And in that moment I knew this wasn’t just family, this was home.
Scroll down for pics of the show (photos by Kate Hoos)
1992 was a big year for rock music—and for era defining moments and albums. It was the year Rage Against The Machine’s debut album came out. It was the year Dirty was released. It was the year Nirvana knocked the King of Pop off the charts with “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” And it was the year that L7’s third and best known album, Bricks Are Heavy, arrived in the world. (It was also the year Right Said Fred’s “I’m Too Sexy” hit the airwaves in case you were wondering.)
30 years have come and gone since the release of the album, years that saw the alt rock/grunge movement hit incredible highs by the mid 90s and then start to decline as other genres began to dominate the airwaves as the decade wore on and turned to the new millennium. Many bands of the era broke up or took long hiatuses as music tastes changed and the members lives took different turns, L7 among them, going on indefinite hiatus around 2001.
I’ve been listening to them since around late 1994/early 1995 (I was a shade too young when Bricks first came out) when I first saw them perform “Gas Chamber” as the fake band Camel Lips in the John Waters’ classic Serial Mom (apparently due to contract/legal reasons they had to appear under a fake name) and immediately after begged my mom to take me to the record store to buy a copy of Hungry For Stink. They were a crucial part of my formative years and rock education, but I sadly never got to see them the first time around and figured they’d remain that way forever.
So you can imagine my delight when they first re-united at the end of 2014 and subsequently put out their poignant and often times hilarious documentary film L7: Pretend We’re Dead in 2016 (read my review for DOC NYC). I was finally able to see the band perform for the very first time the night of the New York premiere at a tiny club on the lower east side and it was a for sure come to Jesus moment for me, even with them playing a truncated six song set. (Thanks belatedly to Jennifer Finch, too, for looking out for me when the crowd knocked me down at the edge of the stage in their zeal.)
I got to see them two more times before Covid struck (see my pics from 2019) but as the reality of the pandemic sunk in and the world continued to crumble, I wasn’t sure what would happen next or if I’d ever see them again. A light appeared at the end of the tunnel earlier this year though when they announced on the anniversary of the initial release of Bricks Are Heavy—4/14/1992—that they would be playing an anniversary tour to celebrate. I was over the moon and immediately marked my calendar for the NYC dates, eyeing Irving Plaza as the show I wanted to attend most. I even planned an international trip with the show factored in so I’d ensure I was back in time; there was no way I was missing this “National Holiday” event. (Which was also my response when my boss asked me to work an extra shift that evening, “it’s a National Holiday, sorry can’t.”)
On the night of the show, I was more than a little hyped up and was bouncing around like the teenage girl I was so many years ago when I first discovered their hard hitting riffs that made me feel at home. While I’m now a (usually somewhat cranky) middle aged woman with salt and pepper hair, nothing could quell the excitement and youthful glee I felt upon arriving at the venue and walking up to the merch stand to buy a limited edition signed poster. From there heading up to the ballroom area, I was giddy and ready to fucking ROCK as was the assembled crowd which turned out to be a mix of “women of a certain age” aka middle aged (and older) 80s and 90s era rockers like me and quite a few Gen Z aged fans up front.
Local band Omat opened the evening, playing what was to date their biggest show yet. I’m not sure of the ages of the members but they do appear to be on the rather young side so it was very cool to see the obvious direct line from the 90s grunge era and bands like L7 to their music. They put on a great set of indie grunge revival songs and won the crowd over easily. They don’t appear to have any recorded music out yet but I’ll be sure to keep my eyes and ears peeled for when they do release their first tracks.
L7 didn’t keep fans waiting long and in their truly cheeky fashion, came out to entrance music that was a mix of songs popular in 1992. From there they kicked into the album with lead track, “Wargasm,” a song that still shreds and at the time it was released was a condemnation of the first Gulf War that unfortunately remains relevant in the context of America and the world today. They played the full album in order which, as a fan, I really enjoy more. Some artists I’ve seen do anniversary tours mix things up or spread the songs out but that tends to take me out of things. I really want to hear the body of work as a whole because I’ve always been an “album person” who listens to things front to back, so I very much appreciated that they approached things that way.
L7 at Irving Plaza
The fans reacted viscerally to hearing the entire album, of course going extra hard for the biggies like “Pretend We’re Dead,” “Everglade,” and “Shitlist.” After the eleven song run of the album was done, the classic skeleton hand logo banner suddenly dropped in dramatic fashion to reveal the later era circle logo, the crowd screamed, and the band kicked into a second eleven song set made up of a mix of songs from their other albums. The opening trio from the second set, “Andres,” “Fuel My Fire” and “Shove” got the most fan reaction and were among my highlights too as was “Fast And Frightening,” a track solidly among my favorite songs of all time. I was also pleasantly surprised to hear “Non Existent Patricia,” as I did not expect to hear anything from 1997’s The Beauty Process; that song was always a favorite of mine from their catalog. They closed the night out by urging the audience to vote and playing a cover of David Bowie’s “Suffragette City” to honor the anniversary of women being granted voting rights in the United States in 1920.
Snarky and self deprecating as always, they had a playful back and forth with the crowd, clearly trying to make the night special for the devoted fans who came out to see them. This is something I’ve noticed in the past with their shows too and appreciate it; you can tell they really care about their fans and their experience, this isn’t some phoning it in cash grab for the band (something I’ve sadly felt at other reunion and anniversary events), they truly give a shit. Guitarist/vocalist Donita Sparks had plenty of spitfire quips, telling everyone that fellow guitarist Suzi Gardner liked to be sexually harassed before saying “we shouldn’t joke like that” and saying they were waiting for their guitar techs to sue them. She later asked who had seen them before, quickly following up with the question “Who has seen our sex tapes?” before informing everyone they could purchase them secretly underneath the merch table, but adding “you’re not missing much.” Bassist Jennifer Finch told the crowd they’d be on the band’s shitlist if they left early, earning cheers and chuckles. And as subtle mistakes do tend to happen in the live setting, Sparks said late in the set “with us you get bonus notes, bonus beats. We don’t play to computers because we’re fucking dinosaurs” again met with hearty chuckles.
It was a very special evening for the fans and one hell of a pedal to the metal rock show. I would have been totally down to hear a third set if they had wanted to play one and include their epic cover of Dead Kennedy’s “Let’s Lynch The Landlord,” but alas, it was not to be. But no matter though because I’m still riding the high of that night and I think you all know I’m already here pre-gaming, waiting anxiously for the Hungry For Stink anniversary tour in 2024, naturally.
Scroll down for fan shot videos, setlist and pics of the show (photos by Kate Hoos)
Setlist: Wargasm, Scrap, Pretend We’re Dead, Diet Pill, Everglade, Slide, One More Thing, Mr. Integrity, Monster, Shit List, This Ain’t Pleasure || Andres, Fuel My Fire, Shove, Stadium West, Non Existent Patricia, Fighting The Crave, War With You, Drama, American Society (Eddie and The Subtitles cover), Fast & Frightening, Suffragette City (David Bowie Cover)
The whipsmart Japanese quartet Otoboke Beaver recently hit the hellfire shores of the US on their first full scale North American tour, bringing their intense and frenetic punk stylings across the States, making a stop in Brooklyn last week at a very packed, sold out Music Hall of Williamsburg. They have wowed fans and critics alike with their back to back power packed albums, 2019’s Itekoma Hits and the triumphant follow up, Super Champon, released earlier this year. They’ve even gotten endorsements from rock luminaries like Dave Grohl who called the group “the most fucking intense shit you’ve every seen” when asked about the state of modern rock in 2021. And with a nod like that, you know this band kicks serious ass both on stage and off.
Inspired by a variety of influences such as the Japanese comedy syle Manzai, punk, pop music, the world around them and their own experiences in it, they have taken all of this, mixed it in a blender and come out with a very unique and untamed style of frantic punk that the words “rapid fire” barely do justice to. A constant push and pull with starts, stops and wildly fluctuating tempos (that mostly all fall under the realm of “fast”), there’s no chance you can stay still while listening to, much less watching, this band play. Indeed, the room very quickly sprang to action with dancing, moshing, and plenty of fans angling to capture the moment in videos on their phones. Vocalist Accorinrin, who very accurately describes herself as the “hysterical brain of Otoboke Beaver,” made sure to display plenty of raised middle finger action for the cameras too, with drummer Kahokiss joining in on the bird flipping in between warp speed beats and lighting fast drum fills; she just might have taken the crown as my favorite drummer to watch.
Kahokiss of Otoboke Beaver at Music Hall of Williamsburg
Kicking off with the groove punk of “Yakitori,” they lit a match and doused the crowd with proverbial gasoline immediately. From there on out, song after song, all played in very quick succession and back to back for the most part, they wowed the crowd and kept everyone in a gleeful state of abandon, very near the edge of all out chaos but never quite jumping over the edge. I loved every moment and it was an overall high octane experience during which you better have held on for dear life! And being a middle aged woman who has actively and purposely chosen not to have children, a particularly huge highlight of the evening for me was of course “I am not maternal,” its disco-esque breakdowns and slinky bassline shaking the crowd even further.
One of my favorite local bands, Ratas En Zelo, opened the show and played a set of bouncy accordion fueled punk which captured the crowd and kept them moving for their entire set. I heard quite a few people around saying “I’m not sure who this is” at the start of the night and saw them dancing very quickly within the first few songs. The crowd responded well and I saw quite a number of people sporting their merch afterwards or lining up to buy it. Their music is totally infectious with lyrics that are 99% sung in Spanish and pack a political punch; it was the perfect start to a raucous and rowdy evening of fun and an excellent pairing with the sizzling snark of Otoboke Beaver.
After the show, Ratas said on their Instagram “It was an EPIC night last night with Otoboke Beaver ❤️❤️❤️ check their IG for US tour dates and if you don’t know them yet.. PLEASE do yourself a favor and run to check them out! It was INSAAAAANE in all the good ways🔥🔥🔥
Loved that yesterday only women step on stage and barely any english got sang! Is symbolic and special because these spaces are historically men dominated… but watch out POC women are taking over ❤️❤️❤️”
And I for one am a billion percent here for that!
Scroll down for videos, setlist and pics of the show (photos by Kate Hoos)
Otoboke Beaver live in July 2022
Setlist: Yakitori, Akimahenka, Light My Fire, Bad luck, S’il Vous Plait, Love Is Short, What do you mean you have to talk to me at this late date?, Introduce me to your family, Datsu.Hikage no onna, Don’t call me Mojo, George & Janice, Dirty old fart is waiting for my reaction, I am not maternal, Nabe party with pocket brothers, I put my love to you in a song JASRAC, I checked your cellphone, PARDON?, I won’t dish out salads, Leave me alone! No, stay with me!, I don’t want to die alone, First-class side-guy, Anata Watashi Daita Ato Yome No Meshi
I always like a nice surprise, I mean who doesn’t? I recently got a pretty sweet surprise in discovering that a pre-planned trip to the UK for a wedding magically lined up with a show Los Bitchos was playing in Bristol, one of my favorite places in the UK, which is also nearer to Wales, where I tend to spend more of my time over there than not. (Yes, Americans know more places than just London, it’s true!)
Their gig was part of a multi venue festival, Ritual Union, that was taking place in the city that day and saw bands booked for performances at three adjacent venues. As much as I wanted to take in the entire fest, and discover more of the rich local music scene the city/the UK has to offer, I had limited time because I was arriving in the area later in the day via bus—which arrived an hour late because most public transportation was backed up due to the rail strike that day and that cut even further into any time I would have had.
If the timing had been a little better I’d have liked to have taken in more bands but I was also ultimately there for Los Bitchos, so while I did get to check out two other artists who I did enjoy—queer hyper pop from Lynks (who I got a few pics of) and grungey punk from Panic Shack (who I unfortunately did not)—The Bitchos were the priority and who I builtmy evening around.
Los Bitchos at SWX
I fell in love with the tequila fueled Cumbia/psych/surf instrumental party band during the deep throws of lockdown in 2020 when I discovered their excellent KEXP Trans Musicale performance from 2019 on YouTube. I waited quite a bit of time to get to see them live and was thrilled to finally see them this past June when they made their US/NYC debut and hit Music Hall of Williamsburg, delighting the fervent fans who came out to see them—myself included! (See my coverage.)
I naturally left that night back in June wanting to see them again right away but that whole Atlantic Ocean in between us thing made things kind of inconvenient, so I figured it would be another long wait. Lucky for me my friends picked a good time to get married and I was also blessed to be able to afford to go over early for a little time to relax and have fun before the wedding so I got my wish faster than I expected.
Lead guitarist/percussionist/queen of guitar face Serra Petale again delivered the red hot guitar licks, leading the charge and was backed with the air tight grooves of the rhythm section—drummer Nic Crawshaw and bassist Josefine Jonsson—and the flair of Agustina Ruiz’s synth accents; they were joined this time by their UK based touring rhythm guitarist, Charles Prest (of Noon Garden) who was celebrating his birthday.
Los Bitchos at SWX
Their set again was built around songs from their excellent debut full length, Let The Festivities Begin, and included a new song (which I did not catch the title of, or perhaps it could have been a cover) and their punky rendition of “Tequila,” the instrumental classic by The Champs to wrap up the set. They were less chatty with the crowd than they had been in New York and didn’t have much in the way of cheeky banter this time, focusing mostly on the music and playing several songs at a time back to back, but their performance was no less of the spitfire affair than it had been in Brooklyn and their prowess as musicians was no less at peak levels.
They warned the crowd to get merch quickly after the show “because we are booking it out of here!” So I made sure I went over to get a copy of the LP on green vinyl finally and say hi. Petale and Jonsson were super friendly and as engaging with the fans as they had been in NYC and did in fact remember me from New York—hey it’s always nice to be remembered!
It was a great night out for me, a music nerd finding a musical oasis and a place to connect and feel happy far from home. Now I will sit patiently and wait for the mighty Bitchos to return to the States. No I’m lying, I’ll really be impatiently waiting but with a great soundtrack, the aforementioned copy of Let The Festivities Begin and dreaming of basking in their good time party vibes in person again (sipping on a Coke or a fizzy Vimto for me instead of tequila). But either way you slice it, I’m going to be very excited when they finally reach the hellfire shores of Murica again, very excited indeed.
Scroll down for pics of the show (photos by Kate Hoos)
