The Factoids / Red Line Rebels / I.Z.A. / The Manglers / SourPunch
Midway Cafe, Jamaica Plain, MA 9/11
I go to the Midway after getting out of my second shift job. Hey, I’m at the Midway by 11:20 Wednesday night, free show. We’re taking it to the man- MUSIC IS FREE! At one time in the sixties some San Francisco hippies were arguing that all music concerts should be free! I guess they like the current internet download age. FUCK THE HIPPIES! Nothing against the internet, without it T N B would be passing out flyers at the Greyhound station. So this ain’t no fuckin’ hippie jam band show, “Let’s play four notes in every variation for twelve minutes then squat and take a shit onstage,” tonight. No, I’m here to experience, and imbibe and exalt in some PUNK ROCK!
I get in (Jay of Red Line Rebels has graciously put me on the guest list. I know it’s free. Hey, it’s the THOUGHT THAT COUNTS) and I see silly string sprawled along the floors and I know, Damn, I missed Red Line Rebels again. Missed them last Saturday, also, a mere four days ago as I was off interviewing Led To The Grave and getting parking tickets (Andy says they’re great). So I meet Jen from Sourpunch whose band I’ve missed again (Andy says they’re great) and Brian from Bad Lieutenants. I also missed his new Johnny Thunders/Dictators cover band The Manglers and also I.Z.A. Brian’s has organized this show and unfortunately seems to be suffering from a severe head cold.
I see Jay, lead singer of the Rebels, and he’s excited- he’s found a dollar outside on the street. He leaves and 5 minutes later a guy in front of me points to the floor and says, “Is that yours?” It’s a dollar bill and instead of explaining, “Well, I think its Jays but then it really isn’t,” I encourage him to pocket it.
So I guess I’m only on time for one band and that’s The Factiods. The singer has a shot of Jager before hitting the stage and as he strums his guitar for sound levels I notice it’s seriously out of tune. I also notice he intends to proceed with things just as they are. I think this could be a bad sign or a really good one.
Turns out the later as the band has the perfect combination of grit, mistakes, speed and anarchy. People are slam dancing, the band is starting and restarting songs and the whole atmosphere of the club feels more like ’78 L.A. than ’11 J.P. to me.
At one point a man with a giant mouse head on enters the pit; he is also wearing a black kimono with different colored flowers on it. It doesn’t take long for the crowd to realize its Dave one of the owners of the Midway who some say was dropped hard upon his head as a child. He is bounced and slammed out into the street whereupon a patron locks him out.
Right after this The Factiods break into “I Love Livin’ In The City,” by Fear, one of my favorite California punk bands. 1. The Avengers 2. X 3. Angry Samoans 4. Fear 5. Dead Kennedys. The Factoids put on a great show.
After they play I interview The Red Line Rebels in the dungeon of the Midway and after that I enjoy a free round (Jamison and Narragansett) with Brian and the singer of The Factoids provided upstairs by Dave. LIQUOR SHOULD BE FREE! We should be able to download it into our mouths off the internet!
Ahh, fuck the hippies. Punk rock is where it’s at. Gotta load Brian into the car, he’s spouting off about anarchy, his cold medicine affects having taken effect. The rhythm section of The factoids is trying to pry their singer away from the bar.
What have I learned from this experience? Wow, it seems I haven’t learned a fuckin’ thing. In fact, what kind of review is this? When the reviewer gets to see one band out of five? And mostly talks about someone in a mouse head and a kimono. WHAT FUCK’N’SHIT IS THIS? I am truly ashamed. I apologize. I hope it’s not put in. In fact I encourage you not to read it. Damn, I guess you already have.
(Jim Slimedog)
