Gang Green / Taxi Driver / The Black Cheers / The Shitbirds
Presidents Rock Club, Quincy, MA 12/31/13
It’s New Year’s Eve and what an exciting time of the year it is for people like me who are so infrequently out at nightclubs and bars and who rarely drink. Why, I can probably count the number of times on one appendage that I’ve been out on New Year’s Eve so this is something truly special.
Unfortunately, I missed the first band that played as I was picking up my white tuxedo and top hat. Turns out I’m frightfully overdressed for this party but again, I’m unfamiliar with the protocol for these affairs. Avid fan Jo seems to have the proper attire with her Xmas lights in her Mohawk; surely inspired by Lin, the singer of the band Bad Movies who played good music, a few weeks before.
The Shitbirds are the first band I see and the first thing I notice is that I recognize the guitarist from the band The Trashkillers. We featured their funny song “Mexico” once on the Bang Video of the Week. These turd birds do not play hardcore but they certainly play punk in the more traditional form and this they do exceptionally well.
They do have to start one song three times but no points were subtracted by the judges as they had perfect form. They get the moshers moving and are a great start to my night.
I lept with glee when I first heard that The Black Cheers were a late addition to this bill. The Black Cheers are led by Dan O’Halloran, formerly the drummer of Darkbuster. And with his “gargling with glass” vocals that is somewhat reminiscent of Lenny and somewhat reminiscent of Lemmy and somewhat reminiscent of Bon Scott from AC/DC- either one you choose will still mean he sounds great. As well do the band who lay down a sound that is closer to rock’n’roll than hardcore.
Lots of great, catchy, passionate songs comprise their repertoire as well as this set and they leave me looking forward to seeing them play their next gig.
Now it’s time for Taxi Driver to take us to a musical destination, one that promises to show us where hardcore, street punk and Oi meet, in the bad part of town, a town called Punk. I’ve seen them since they first started out and have seen them improve over time and tonight they turn in their now usual impressive set. The moshers are going wild and even I, in my reverie, spill some ginger ale on the tails of my tux. They end with a cover of Tom Petty’s “Running Down A Dream” that I’m sure would cause Mr. Petty to choke on his marijuana and granola cocktail.
But now the clock strikes twelve and it’s the best time of the night for me as I’m allowed to bestow kisses on the cheeks of all the girls, (Viviam, Jo and Carolyn, Lindsey, Catherine, Lyz, Amy and countless more). I propose this become a tradition for every show!
Before GangGreen take the stage I’m trying to explain to folks, who didn’t grow up in the eighties with this band, that the lyrics to their song “Alcohol” are often misunderstood. “You’ve got the beer/We’ve got the time,” a reference to an old Miller Beer commercial, is followed by “You’ve got the coke give me a LIME,” yes he’s asking for a slice of lime, not line, for his Coca-Cola, as cocaine was rarely used in the eighties.
But then Viviam, the merch girl, shows me the cover of their CD with them standing around a table with lines of coke spread out and my theory goes up in flames! (Or up a rolled dollar bill).
I’m shocked and surprised when they lead off with “Alcohol” one of the best local songs of all time. The band is very tight even without original drummer Walter Gustafason, playing today instead with a younger cat from F.L.A. who sounds great as well.
They turn in a fun, crazy, energetic set- one you’d expect from a Boston hardcore legend and tonight they do not disappoint. They play their second best known song “Skate To Hell” and later in the set play it again. And now I see why they started off with “Alcohol” as they end with it also; only this time after a few seconds pause they start it up and play it again, and again, and again- this they continue to do until they’ve played it eight or ten times!
A fun night was had by all and after wards as I stand by a urinal, with beer in hand and my mighty manhood in the other, my new t-shirt in Budweiser decal “Enjoy Gang Green irresponsibly” tucked under my arm, the shirt slips and falls into the urinal.
I quickly take it out; decide to take it home, anyways, I’m thinking- this is really punk rock. And this was a really good punk show. And this was a good way to end any year.
(Limedog)
