by Kate Hoos | Aug 4, 2021
Hope: For the Trevor Project compilation
A new compilation Hope: For the Trevor Project has just been released by SOMEWHERECOLD. Raising money for the Trevor Project, which is dedicated to saving young LGBTQ lives, the fundraiser runs between now and September 29th at which time the collection will be removed from Bandcamp. The comp features a whopping 52 tracks and clocks in at nearly five hours of music, very well worth the $10 minimum price tag.
The songs are of the dark ambient, shoegaze, electro, downtempo post rock variety; all genres that I have enjoyed when I’ve heard specific artists sporadically over the years, but that I admittedly remain less familiar with overall, especially those artists who are still creating in the more DIY realms. But it is a fact that while my knowledge is currently limited, I have loved most everything I’ve heard in those spheres along the way, and have always wanted to explore more. What better way to dig in and start finding out more than with an epic comp? Any punk from the 90s knows this is the absolute best way to discover new music, and it still holds true today even with the proliferation of playlists and the like. And add in that it benefits queer youth? Sign me up!
According to their Bandcamp page:
Somewherecold Records has done a charity compilation almost every year it has been active. Part of the ethos surrounding the record label is the need for art to do something positive in the world. This year, an open call went out for artists to contribute tracks to a compilation in support of the Trevor Project. The mission of “The Trevor Project is to end suicide among gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning young people.” This mission involves education, counseling, helping LGBTQ+ young people with homelessness, and much more.
The compilation turned out to contain 52 tracks and almost five hours of music. There are a number of artists from a number of different genres. This makes it seem like the compilation itself would feel disjointed but, as the head of the label, I beg to differ. Each artist brought something to the table that helped to create an ebb and flow from caution, to joy, to danger, to fear, to hope, and so on. There is a sense of difference here like there are in all communities and the connecting glue is all the artists’ desires to help with this very important cause. Given what is happening to LGBTQ+ communities in the United States and around the world, we think that art, and its ability to touch people, is one way to help raise funds to support said projects.
It took me a few listens to take in everything as it’s a lot of bang for your buck and a lot to fully get through in one sitting, but it was easy to break it up and pick groups of songs to listen to and immerse myself in; I definitely enjoyed the majority of the included tracks. Standouts include “If You Can Read This” by Mevius, a dark synthgaze romp; “Dissociative State” by ORACLE 666 which ranges from airy to dancey and back again over the course of the track; “You Melt Me” by Departure Street, an eight plus minute instrumental ambient opus that blends slowcore shoegaze with an underlying bluegrass twang in a very impressive mashup of styles; “They’re Like Animals” by Jeremy Bastard, a purely electro jam which is a bit peppier than a lot of the other tracks and also features guest vocals from Mevius; and “Fracture and Flow,” a contemplative, atmospheric, and at times brooding (electro and acoustic) piano piece by prolific composer Robert Scott Thompson.
A handful of tracks clock in at well over ten minutes, including the penultimate track, the fourteen minute electro noise soundscape “SingAllSeason” by CynocephalicSaints. I admit that I probably wouldn’t listen to this during my daily commute, but could definitely vibe to it at home. Another long soundscape towards the wind down of the collection is “I’ve Seen the Miracle” by Noh Fyuchur, which clocks in at just over twenty minutes and also is another thing I would skip on the subway but I absolute would vibe out to with some candles lit on a cool night at home or perhaps while creating some collage art.
With 52 tracks, there is something for everyone who loves sweeping, introspective music. With such a wide ranging roster, listeners will be sure to discover a few favorite new artists along the way too and a few quick clicks through Bandcamp will lead to a wide world of other releases by all of these artists. Don’t delay on downloading this wonderful collection before it becomes unavailable in the future.
Hope: For the Trevor Project is out now and available for a limited time from SOMEWHERE COLD.
by Kate Hoos | Aug 4, 2021
Full disclosure, this is a post about a t-shirt. I also wanted to give a little love to the album monuments to thieves by His Hero Is Gone, so yes it is also a double appreciation post, but it really is more specifically to express my excitement about this shirt by Julien Baker which (lovingly) copped the art from the album.
The album came out in 1997 and is a classic by the seminal Memphis hardcore band, while the shirt was released in May 2020 as a benefit for ACLU of Tennessee. It being a clear respectful nod to the DIY culture and city from which Baker came, plus it being for a great cause, led to me pretty much immediately parting with my money (my actual shirt is not pictured since its currently covered in cat hair). As a very nerdy music fan, one whose life is also intrinsically and deeply linked to DIY culture, this is one of the things I really adore and keeps me attached to particular artists- when they keep their roots in focus and find ways to work that into their continuing practices as they move up in the industry. It’s not always particularly easy to do this I know, so I do also always love to see it. Especially a deep cut such as this.
Speaking of deep cuts, I definitely wondered at the time this came out how many of Baker’s fans got the reference or would enjoy listening to something by HHIG? I’m pretty sure her fans run a wide gamut ranging from dedicated indie fans to people more on the punk end of the spectrum aka myself. I for one am definitely someone who will think nothing of blasting through something like monuments to thieves and then immediately following it up with a full run through of Baker’s acclaimed 2015 debut album Sprained Ankle and then hitting a Fugazi record seamlessly before steering things back around again to Grouper– I’m sure I’m can’t be the only person in her fanbase that has those listening habits.
As a fan, that may be one of my favorite aspects of her aside from her startling music (as well as her introspective and intelligent takes on many other subjects), not only that she still finds ways to incorporate her punk and DIY roots into her work but that she is such an ardent and unabashed fan of heavy music to begin. I have to say that’s absolutely not what I was expecting the first time I heard her, but I was very excited to find that out about her and I am 100% here for it.
The original artwork for monuments to thieves
While you can stream Baker’s work on pretty much any major platform (including her stellar new record Little Oblivions), His Hero Is Gone is a little more difficult to find in streaming land- this album is not currently on Spotify or Bandcamp- but luckily it is on YouTube. You can listen to and enjoy this classic bit of 90s hardcore crust below.
by Kate Hoos | Aug 3, 2021
Lucy Dacus at Music Hall of Williamsburg (photo by Kate Hoos)
Lucy Dacus was in New York this past weekend to play here for the first time since 2019 (though she was here recently to do a signing at the new Rough Trade location). She opened for Bright Eyes on Saturday at Forest Hills Stadium and had been scheduled to open again on Sunday night, August 1st, at Terminal 5 until the night was cancelled ahead of the first show. Fortunately for her fans, Dacus was able to quickly pivot and shift over to her own headlining show at Music Hall of Williamsburg, which by now has become a venue on the smaller side for her to play (she has two sold out nights at Brooklyn Steel coming up in October). The show sold out almost immediately and the size of the venue definitely led to an intimate feel which was a real treat for fans, some who came from as far as Boston special for the last minute gig.
Having found myself with a free Sunday night, and never having seen Dacus perform live before, I took the unique opportunity to see her in a smaller venue and headed to the show with an excited anticipation. I also brought my point and shoot camera (since I couldn’t use my SLR) because really when can I ever help myself from taking pics at a show? The answer, as I’m sure readers are aware by now, is never. I’m sure readers are also likely aware that I tend to provide most of the punk and heavier coverage for the site and that that is my usual vibe, but as the saying goes “I contain multitudes,” so was very happy to get a chance to see something that, for me at least, was on a more low-key wavelength. The show was vaccinated only with masks encouraged; most everyone in the crowd kept their masks on the entire evening.
Tomberlin opened the night in just her second show back since the start of the pandemic (the first being at TV Eye on Friday 7/30) saying this was the “best last minute gig ever.” It was my first time seeing her perform or admittedly even hearing her music. Funny and engaging throughout her set of dreamy folky songs, she won me over almost immediately and kept the audience in rapt attention—not always an easy feat for an opening act—but it seemed clear a lot of people in the crowd were definitely there for her set just as much as to see Dacus. She played most of the songs from the 2020 EP Projections, a few from 2018’s At Weddings, as well as including a new song that was described as “my first dis track,” which was met with amused chuckles from the crowd.
At one point Tomberlin told the audience she would take requests, jokingly adding “but I’m not gonna do Wonderwall.” The song most people were yelling out for was “Seventeen,” currently her most popular song on Spotify and a fan favorite. With a big smile she responded and said “great that one’s coming!” When she did play the song, towards the end she dropped playing guitar and went A cappella with the room harmonizing along in a beautiful moment of togetherness earning a “ya’ll are better than me,” and “that was hot” afterwards. Before going into “Sin” she roundly declared “this is about gay shit” to loud cheers from the crowd (myself among them). This may have been my introduction to Tomberlin, but I am now firmly a fan; her ethereal vocals and guitar playing reminded me at times of Sarah Dougher, whose albums I would (secretly) cry along to many moons ago in my early 20s. I found myself disappointed when the set ended and absolutely will be back for a show next time I can.
I may have been bummed to not get to hear more Tomberlin, but my disappointment was very quickly soothed when Lucy Dacus hit the stage shortly after. We here at FTA loved her masterful new album, Home Video (you can read Ellen Qbertplaya’s review of it here) so I was beyond thrilled to get to see these songs performed live. She hit almost the entirety of the album, only forgoing “Cartwheel,” pacing the emotions of the night through the setlist. The set worked its way through the new album and was also peppered with songs from 2016’s No Burden and 2018’s Historian, as well as a sublime cover of the Sufjan Stevens song “Casimir Pulaksi Day” that Dacus and Tomberlin sang together (with Tomberlin playing guitar). Dacus thanked “each and every one of you for getting vaccinated,” going on to say “the fact that ya’ll care is not lost on me.”
The true highlight of the evening was the startlingly gorgeous, spellbinding performance of “Thumbs,” a strong fan favorite which finally came out on Home Video; the crowd sang back almost word for word. Dacus commented that on prior tours when the song was not out, no one sang along (and she had asked at those earlier shows for the song to not be recorded, a request fans honored) but now that it has been released, to hear the crowd singing it back was “magical.” She was clearly very emotional speaking about this and her voice waivered for just a moment before she quickly composed herself and moved on to the next song. “Thumbs” may be a sonically mellow sounding song on the surface, but it is complexly layered and is a supremely intense documentation of supporting a friend through a meeting with an estranged parent; her deep love for her companion weaved all throughout the lyrics. This being my first time seeing her perform this, I got goosebumps and rather emotional myself (having a difficult relationship with the man who gave me his eyes, too).
Dacus wrapped up the set with a few of the older and peppier numbers in her catalog, pairing one of my personal favorite songs “I Don’t Want to be Funny Anymore,” with “Night Shift,” hitting the closing crescendo with a huge fuzzed out wall of sound pummeling from the stage. She returned to the stage alone for an encore to perform a brand new song that was “about New York so maybe this is the best or the worst” crowd to perform it for. She again requested that fans not record the song, cheekily quipping “you can bully people around you if you see them trying.” After she was done, she returned to the stage once more to hand out white roses to audience members. Indeed this was a magical night and one that fans will not soon forget as they will be unlikely to get to see her in such a small performance space again. You can count on me being in the audience when she returns in October.
Scroll down for pics of the show (photos by Kate Hoos)
TOMBERLIN
LUCY DACUS
by Kate Hoos | Jul 28, 2021
Spite Fuxxx at Rubulad (photo by Kate Hoos)
My band Witch Slap was booked to play this bill and I personally was very excited to finally get to play with Spite Fuxxx because they always put on such a killer show and are one of my local Brooklyn favorites. It was also very cool to meet Toward Space, who was on tour from Richmond VA, and to be able to help give Bizarre Sharks a proper send off as this was their very last show. I used to not make it a habit to shoot shows that I was also playing, it’s just a different headspace for me (and also more gear to bring and worry about), but these days as shows are coming back in earnest, I’ve found myself bending on that more and more. I keep telling myself “just a few pics” before or after my set but then can’t help myself and before I know it, I end up getting into full on photographer mode, jumping on stage for shots and just getting deeply “in the zone.” I really can chalk this up to being the result of feeling so starved from both shooting and playing over the course of the pandemic so I’ve got to get it in when I can.
I was coming from the Lunachicks book launch on the other side of BK (you can read my article about it here) and was running late, so I expected to miss part of the show. But then everyone’s favorite thing, “punk time,” made me very happy because it pushed the start of the show back so I hadn’t actually missed anything. I managed to park and rock up to the venue, rush in the door, throw my snare drum on stage, and grab my camera right before Spite Fuxxx started playing.
They have been busy this summer, playing a number of gigs and tightening up their synth punk sound. It’s still noisy mayhem on stage but they are getting sharper every time I see them. Singer MG Stillwagon is a commanding presence on and off stage- as she actually spent a good portion of the set in the crowd while the band raged behind her- and knows how to expertly build the fever pitch with the audience. I am also a very big fan of guitarist Anais Valdez’s style, often eschewing traditional patterns of playing in many of their songs and instead evoking early Sonic Youth with plenty of feedback, hitting the guitar with drum sticks, and using the strings at the top of the neck behind the nut for high pitched accents. They will play their final shows of the summer on 8/4 at TV Eye and 8/11 at Our Wicked Lady before taking a brief break for their drummer Alex to prepare for a solo exhibition of his art (check out his incredible work) and so the band can get ready for a Halloween cover set (keep an eye on their social media for who they are covering- trust me, it’s good!)
Bizarre Sharks played the second set and as it turned out, this was also goodbye for them as the band has come to an end and this was their sendoff show. While that may have been the case, they clearly were not phoning it in or holding back, blissfully ripping through a set of “slacker garage punk,” and looked to be having a wonderful time together. I am sad that I never got to see this band prior to this show because they were a lot of fun, but their music is still out there in streaming land to be enjoyed and enjoy it I will.
Power pop band Toward Space was in town from Richmond and wow were they so much fun! They packed a frenzied punch and easily won the crowd over with their energy. I didn’t get to shoot or watch as much of their set as the previous two bands, as it was getting to be the time I needed to start prepping and warming up my hands for my own set, but even listening from the back of the room, I was impressed. I absolutely would love to see and play with this band again so I hope they are able to come back through town again. They actually were one of the first touring bands I’d been able to see in the after times so it felt good to know the earth is healing a little bit more each day too.
As for my own set with Witch Slap, from the perspective of being on stage behind the drum kit and without my glasses on, everyone looked to be having a good time, ha! In true show in a DIY space fashion, there was no AC so I was sweating profusely, probably one of the sweatiest shows of my life in fact. But this is what I live for though so no complaints from me, I love each and every day I ever get to play drums and be on stage with my friends. The crowd loved our covers of “Nervous Breakdown” by Black Flag and “Sweet 69” by Babes In Toyland and we closed the set with the fan favorite “Hungover At Church,” complete with fake vomit and a barf bag which earned cheers and also some repulsed stares- so really, mission accomplished! We will play again in Philadelphia on Friday 7/30 at Century.
Scroll down for pics of the show (photos by Kate Hoos, except for Witch Slap, photos by Jessie Rodriguez)
WITCH SLAP
TOWARD SPACE
BIZARRE SHARKS
SPITE FUXXX
by Kate Hoos | Jul 28, 2021
The Lunachicks performing at Vans Warped Tour, July 1999 (photo by Kate Hoos)
The Lunachicks recently released a book, Fallopian Rhapsody, which recounts the story of the band from its inception in the mid 1980s, through the wild times of the 90s, up to their long term hiatus beginning in the early 2000s, and their recent rebirth for the 2020s. As soon as it was announced, I placed a pre-order and immediately dove in the moment it arrived, polishing it off in a day and a half. Riotously funny, endearing, and yes even absolutely gross at times, the book tells the story of the three main members of the band- singer Theo Kogan, guitarist Gina Volpe, and bassist Sydney “Squid” Silver– meeting in their youth, forming the band as teens along with rhythm guitarist Sindi B, the shows and exploits they got up to all along the way, and how multiple drummers- Becky Wreck, Chip English, and Gus “Destroy” Morgan– moved through the band over the years. Impressively, all members who were involved in the band over the years offer insight on their time in the Lunachicks (though some significantly more than others) but the story is largely told through the eyes of Kogan, Silver, and Volpe.
The book includes chapters on each member’s childhood as well as how they came to meet one another and later start the band together. It follows through the timeline with each of the members describing- often together and in interview form- the many events that shaped the course of the band. How they broke through to play at CBGB for the first time, the irritation of working with Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore on their first album, being in Japan to record the “Sushi Ala Mode” EP (“the worst thing we ever recorded” according to Silver on the night of the book launch), misadventures on European tours, the costumes/outfits, personal struggles and personality clashes that happened throughout, and the disappointment and frustration of playing/traveling in the hyper masculine world of Warped Tour in 1999 that was the final straw leading to English’s departure and the increasingly strained band to re-consider what was next. All of these and many, many other tales craft a compelling narrative of a punk rock band on the go, moving through a world and industry that wasn’t always friendly, but that nonetheless established a strong and devoted fanbase that endures to this day.
Some of these stories I already knew from being a fan for so many years, but many I did not so it was very eye opening and often times insanely funny to think about them getting up to a lot of these hijinx on the road. I also couldn’t help but cheer for them when reading a lot of their accounts of pushing through and confronting misogyny head on, most memorably how they went ballistic on a sleazy promoter in the UK shortly after English came into the picture as a fill-in drummer for a European tour and how this incident- with them trashing the dressing room and smashing the venue’s lighting rig after catching said promoter peeping on the band changing in the dressing room via a two way mirror- cemented them as a permanent member of the band for the next several years.
In the waning pages of the book the band briefly talks about the burnout they felt at the end and the need to move on but also that they never really had a discussion about officially ending things, they just stopped booking tours and writing songs. Adjusting to life afterwards is also quickly addressed along with some of what they got up to in the intervening years. So while not as much space is devoted to the aftermath of the band ending, some of what is included- the story of Silver surviving cancer being the most heart wrenching- shows how much they truly love each other and that they were way more than just some friends who were in a band for a while together.
As for celebrating the release of the book, the pandemic put a damper on things at first so there was initially a virtual book launch that was held on June 1st, the day the book was released. As things have begun to improve since then, they were able to hold an in person event on Friday July 23rd with the three main Lunachicks on hand and joined by co-author Jeanne Fury at Powerhouse Books in Dumbo. The group answered questions and talked to a small crowd of devoted fans about the book and were delightfully engaging with everyone who wanted to talk to them during the course of the event. While I had been expecting more of a traditional book reading with anecdotes, this was the Lunachicks after all, so it instead took on a game show vibe (reminiscent of their video for “Don’t Want You”) and the band played “Lunachicks Jeopardy”- complete with the sound tech providing the classic “thinking music,” much to the amusement of both the band and the crowd. Fury quizzed the members on their adventures along the way which led to many hilarious answers and more ridiculous re-countings and further details on some of the best stories contained within the pages of the book.
The band also answered direct questions from fans, the one I think most everyone wanted to know is “what next?” They initially announced reunion shows for 2020 at Webster Hall that were pushed back several times and which are now scheduled for November 26th and 27th, 2021 (they will also appear at Punk Rock Bowling in September 2021). But what comes after that? They so far had not made mention of any future plans beyond these shows on their website or social media, but when asked if this was it or if “they would keep playing until they were the Golden Girls.” Kogan quipped “aren’t we already the Golden Girls?” before Silver elaborated on what may happen next: “So we’re just moving through a phase and who knows what other phases we might move through together? But I’m sure that it will be one phase after the other til we all drop dead, because we really like each other a lot” (this also being said in a wonderfully sassy affected voice). Volpe chimed in and added “We’ve been busy rehearsing and doing the book and doing all this stuff so it just seems weird that we would stop. The future is unwritten but I would imagine that yeah, we have lots of shit we still have to do.” Kogan followed up her bandmates to say “I mean someday we could all walk out with walkers for all we know” before saying she hoped they would one day be sponsored by Depends and Metamucil which garnered much laughter from the audience.
While the answers were a bit coy and guarded, and delivered with the special brand of Lunachicks snark, it seems clear that the band is not done yet by any means and do plan to keep things going in some form. They were also asked about if there are any plans to record new music, a question I’m sure many fans want to know. Volpe immediately answered, excitedly addressing Silver and saying “I actually was going to send you the riff last night!” alluding to songs in the works or at least beginning of foundations and ideas for new songs, with Silver adding that it’s so easy now to say “send it right over and I’ll see what I can do with it” with the use of cell phones, concluding with “so you never know.” Again not a direct confirmation and another coy answer, but definitely something to give the fans hope that more music could be coming in the future.
Lunachicks poster featuring art by guitarist Gina Volpe hanging in FTA headquarters.
I can sit here and write for a VERY long time about the Lunachicks and tell many stories of making hand made merch and mix tapes for friends, gushing about them in my high school zine, or bashing through a crappy cover of their song “Drop Dead,” with my very first band (yes audio of that still exists, no I won’t share it here!) but suffice it to say that they were such an important band to me in my teenage into early adult years and still are today; I would not be exaggerating to use the term “life saving,” or at the very least “life affirming,” to describe their impact on me.
They came into my life at a time when I didn’t have many role models to look towards that were flying the “freak flag” without reservation; it gave me great strength to have their music to turn to at that age, particularly with just being able to be comfortable with myself at a time when most of the adults around me didn’t want me to be what I wanted to be, but rather to be in a box of what they wanted me to be- a familiar story for many weird, lonely, or queer teenagers. I was so happy to fan girl for a moment and relay that to them now, at 40 years old, just how important they were and still are to me. Theo graciously talked to me for a few moments and chuckled delightedly when I also told her that she and Squid were the very first heavily tattooed women I ever saw and I knew immediately that “I want to look like that!” Some 25 years later, I have still have some catching up to do to their work, but I’m well on my way. And more importantly than that, I’m comfortable in my own skin in a way I could have only dreamed about when I first discovered their music and I can say that in part because of them.
Reading Fallopian Rhapsody was not only a delight as a long time fan but as a musician myself. I found great joy in laughing and groaning along to the many memories and tales of the trials and tribulations of being in a band and it was nice to realize “wow everyone in a band deals with drama and bullshit too, not just me/my bands.” While there are many, many stories told in the book about the often wacky life of being in a band, it is absolutely a book about a wonderful and enduring friendship, a nearly four decade bond between women who went through their youth and early adulthood doing everything together. It is also about how those bonds were tested along the way by life on the road, drugs, relationships, stress, creative tensions and any of the other myriad issues that can and do affect working musicians. But the story also addresses how those bonds were ultimately strengthened by life changing events after the end of the band, things such as Silver’s cancer diagnosis and when she and Kogan later became mothers. In the end, those are not only the most poignant moments but the strongest part of the Lunachicks’ story.
Fallopian Rhapsody is available now from Hachette Books.
The music video for “Don’t Want You,” a true 90s classic
Playing “Lunachicks Jeopardy”
The answer when asked “Squid never ever practiced while [blank]?”
(answers included- “wearing underwear,” “pooping,” “sitting down” You can find the correct answer in the book)
The answer when asked “what is this book about?”
(all three members responded with “friendship” and “pooping” with Kogan and Silver saying “a/our band” and Volpe saying “rock n roll” and “more pooping”)
Kate Hoos and The Lunachicks, 1999 (I was 18 in this photo. I couldn’t find the original negative so scanned this from a copy of the zine I made at the time)
Kate Hoos and The Lunachicks, 2021 (definitely not still 18 in this photo by Ellen Qbertplaya)
