Worm / Braindeth / Jerry’s Got Jokes / The Dick Pics / Dogs In The Woods
Midway Cafe, Jamaica Plain, MA 4/14/18
Dogs In The Woods is the first band to play. They have no bass, like people tell me I have no basis for living- just vocals, guitar and drums. And I don’t even have that!
They start off pretty good with an upbeat, melodic punk song with emotional, intense lyrics. But after a few songs they have the drummer sit out and do some numbers with just vocals and acoustic guitar. I don’t have that either!
After a bit they return to the full band and upbeat numbers but I’m thinking this band would fit better in an indi or alternative lineup, much like I might fit better in a straight jacket.
So though I feel there’s some good songs here and the guitarist plays very well- this is not my style of music. My shoulders are too loose and too tight along the waistline. And I guess, I’m not sold on this band.
(I, now, proceed to throw myself face forward onto the Midway floor, kick my heels frantically, and beat my fists while wailing. Yes, I’m throwing a tantrum at not getting my way!)
But now that the authorities have arrived and some semblance of order has been restored, it’s time to hear a band with the best name of any band in Boston- the all-female The Dick Pics.
While they’re setting up, I ask the young soundman, Derek, if he could explain the phenomenon of boys sending pictures of their penises to girls?
“You know,” he says, “Maybe it worked for one guy in a million. And now, everyone thinks it will work for them and it don’t. All I know is, I just laugh about it with the girls and then they all go home with me.”
There’s two great bass players in the band- Ali from The Guilloteenagers and Cat from The Knock Ups (and countless, other bands.) In this band they switch off on drums, so during the first half Cat plays the drums, aptly handling a waltz. (I find out afterwards she wrote the song.) And mid-set they switch instruments. Much like I switch mid-set from shots of Jameson to Jagermeister.
It turns out this is their fourth gig and I’ve seen three of them! But this one is by far the best I’ve seen by them. They’ve settled on one style which I would describe as garage/punk with a heavy dose of riot grrl vibe.
My favorite song by them today is about a guy trying to pick up one of them and when he is dealt rejection, he asks, “Hey, you must have some hot looking girlfriends, can you hook me up with one of them?”
And the retort and lyric goes, “All my friends are virgins, they don’t want your dick. All my friends are lesbians, they don’t want your dick.”
And though it pains me greatly to reveal, that it was I, who was the inspiration for this song, nevertheless, it’s a great song and this up and coming band with a great name, just played a great set. They top it off with a worthy cover of “Psycho Killer” by Talking Heads.
Now Jerry’s Got Jokes is another band who I’ve possibly seen most of their shows and every time I see them I love them more.
They describe themselves as ska/punk but I find them too wild and fun to be restricted by that term.
I’ve describe them as ska/hardcore before, but today I’m going with high energy punk rock/ska.
Two guitars, two lead singers (the bassist and one of the guitars,) and an un-miked trombone player that throws absurd, but effective lines into the proceedings.
This is a party type of band that commands the stage and dares you- not to have a good time because they certainly are, whether you want to or not.
“Put Your Lights Out” and “Don’t Forget The Pickles” are standouts for me today. I may not love their style of music but I love their style of playing. Their music is wild, passionate and fun and I believe I’ve just witnessed the best set of the day.
Braindeth is next and I can see, at the start, that the guitarist and bassist are not singing so I assume, it must be the drummer. But as I move closer to the stage I see that it’s the double leg amputee I saw earlier in a wheelchair, and he’s singing propped up in the front of the stage!
He has an excellent, operatic voice- like Lee Ving from Fear or Jello Biafra from The Dead Kennedy’s that is melodic and clear but frequently swoops up into a caustic, death metal scream.
They describe themselves as “heavy metal rock’n’roll,” while I’d describe them as traditional metal mixed with funk/metal. (They have an amazing bass player who plays, constantly, in that slap’n’pull funk bass style.)
And though they do this style extremely well, alas, it’s not my style. (And alas, take into context- that I’m lame enough to use the word- “Alas!”)
They do end their set with my favorite song by them, a kind of thrash metal number called “Cock Rock’N’Roll.”
Worm has two members from one of my favorite bands, the now defunct Bad Movies, but here Mikke and Colman still play wonderfully.
This is another band that seems to have consolidated their influences, like The Dicks Pics, and settled on a more concise style.
This band plays songs influenced by early punk or early hardcore and puts their individual stamp upon those styles.
And though Jerry’s Got Jokes wins my set of the night, these guys finish a close second.
From the stage, Mikke says they played some GG Allin covers at the gig last night, I’m guessing “Bite It, You Scum,” was one of them, today they close it out with a cover of “This Is Boston Not L.A.,” a song off the first Boston hardcore album of several bands, and this one was by The Freeze.
I had a great time today. There’s nothing better to me than seeing shows except, maybe writing about them.
And I wish what I wrote could capture all the fun, energy, passion, excitement and art that I am blessed to witness.
Though, I realize, that’s surely, impossible.
(Slimedog)
