In somewhat less than a two week period, I managed to find time to sneak in seven shows in the Northeast across three states. The band I saw the most times was the Hub City Stompers, who I must admit I had never seen before, despite being a lifelong resident of New Jersey and having gone to more than my fair share of ska shows in New York City. Actually, at the Big Apple Stomp was the first and only time I saw Inspecter 7. By all rights, I should have been a fan earlier, either due to connections or access, but Radical Records never really hit me the way Moon Ska did and their track's position on Oi/Skampiliation Volume 1 did not lend itself to more review by me as it is between Ray Gun Sally by the Slackers and Rudy Don't Fear by the Insteps, which I always forwarded to, given how absolutely mindblowingly good the Insteps were.
So, more armed with knowledge of their music, I planned to see them in Poughkeepsie, since they were opening for Pilfers, who I would definitely drive two hours for without question and then last Friday at Asbury Lanes. The Friday before, I was sitting around my apartment with little to do and said, screw it, let's go to Dingbatz for their first show back. Earlier in the day, I had familiarized myself with their sound with some of their music on Spotify. I actually thought Dirty Jersey was a very good CD and when I arrived purchased the CD from the merchandise table, so I could listen to it in my car and without commercial interruption.
As an aside, I am a big fan of the merchandise table. It allows me, the consumer, an opportunity to provide direct, material support to the bands whose music I enjoy. Generally, I spend less on a CD than I used to spend on lunch when I worked in Jersey City, unless it is the Slackers merchandise table, where I just buy everything I don't own. But it allows me to make that direct impact, which is why I always go over the merchandise table and see if there is something I don't own or want. Over the course of three shows, I purchased Dirty Jersey, Mass Appeal, Baa Baa Black Sheep and a Hub City Stompers T-Shirt, even though I don't actually wear T-Shirts outside of my apartment. But again, that isn't the point. If I want to be able to go to more Hub City Stompers or Slackers or Pilfers or Sammy Kay shows in the future, then I should buy merchandise for them, to make what they do financially viable for them to allow me to have fun. As a random point, I was actually disappointed the Copacetics didn't have a CD in Rhode Island for me to buy, since I couldn't support them directly that night.
As to the Hub City Stompers, they put on three great shows in eight days. Each show was different, which is harder to do when you have a catalog of 30 songs instead of 150 songs like the Slackers. Their sound is somewhat hard for me to describe. There are definitely ska punk elements found in the music, but the not the lyrical sound of the band, which thanks to Rev Sinister takes on more of a toaster feel. To draw an analogy, I have to move toward the Pilfers, but with a more fun, sarcastic take on their sound.
To be polite, their lyrics definitely push boundaries and think if you don't have a good sense of humor, might be inadvertently construed as offensive. But the lyrics are also exceptionally clever, which is very surprising from ska bands, who are notorious for thinking they are far more clever than they actually are. But here, topics are pushed and pulled in ways you don't expect and usually in an enjoyable way. Their horn work is very good as well, which is critical for a ska band. It's not the subtle, intricate work of the Slackers, but it is a full on bombast designed to complement the punk and oi overtones of many of their songs.
And their stage show is great. Rev Sinister and Jenny Whiskey have great stage presence and chemistry together, doing bits together in perfect time. The rest of the band plays strong and has just enough personality to not be completely overshadowed by the front of the stage. Admittedly, they are one of those bands I could see three times in eight days and would definitely want to see again. If I still believed in regret for what I did or did not do with my life in the past, I would regret not getting into the Hub City Stompers sooner, but I can only atone for that by going to more shows while they are in the area.
Showing posts with label Hub City Stompers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hub City Stompers. Show all posts
Friday, March 21, 2014
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Pilfers, Hub City Stompers and The Chance in Poughkeepsie
Saturday night, I made my first ever trip to Poughkeepsie. There is something irresistible about a Pilfers show where there is hope that Vinny Nobile is back with the band. Worried about a sellout, I pre-purchased my ticket a few days ahead of time and leave to arrive by 7 PM for the doors opening. Amazingly, I avoid getting lost, even at the end and make the trip in two hours flat. Arriving at a parking lot, I see another couple clearly heading to the show, given their ska fan appearance and some small amounts of checkerboard.
Arriving, I see Rev Sinister from the Hub City Stompers standing outside, which is always a good sign the show is going on, but learn two things. One, the club is not opening until 7:30 PM and two, Mephiskapheles and Rude Boy George pulled out of the show. The first ended up being the far worse news, since I refuse to wear a jacket to a show unless required by long walks, but the second meant that I would see the bands I would enjoy the most from the original lineup only.
So, I brave the mean streets of Poughkeepsie and head over to the Family Dollar, which looked like the most inviting place to spend fifteen or so minutes. Aside from the panhandler who hit me up for money, the trip was uneventful, but I would say the urban decay would not encourage me to ever go to Poughkeepsie without great reason. Walking back, we only have to wait another 15 minutes in the cold for the door, which was fine, since it was about 40 out and I was wearing a short-sleeve soccer jersey. And I'm immune to the cold.
Going inside, I see this amazing concert venue, which could only exist in a blighted area. The Chance is a 1920s theatre with two levels, a pit area, tables, and a sizable bar. It speaks to you if you like antiquity and history in your life, which I certainly do. The bathrooms are in a deep cellar, which I did not care for at all, but you cannot have everything in an old building. The acoustics are also excellent, which is not surprising, considering it is two stories and designed as a theatre back when people cared about aesthetics. As a venue, you could only ask for a better location, but I would not call the area unsafe, unless you are not aware of your surroundings.
There was also a merchandise area, which I am a sucker for, if for no other reason than I like supporting what I enjoy. I saw that Coolie Ranx, the front man for the Pilfers was manning his own table, with whom I suspect was his wife. I decide that after seven Pilfers shows, I need a Pilfers shirt and ask him about the blue and orange Pilfers shirt. When he didn't have it in the arena, he was nice enough to go out to his car and get another bag of merchandise in order to find the shirt in my size. I purchase the shirt and thank him for his efforts and the great shows over the years. We even talked for a moment about the record release party for Chawalaleng back in 1999, which was a crazy and amazing show in a super no vacancy Wetlands. I also picked up another Hub City Stompers CD, because I greatly enjoyed Dirty Jersey, purchased at the prior night's show.
The Hub City Stompers came on and I managed to score a good standing area at eye level near the bar under an awning. As with the night before, they put on a really great show, with some very clever, but admittedly non-PC lyrics. Also, for a band putting on their first two shows in over a year, they have great chemistry and stage presence, to go along with some really great Oi-infused ska. I enjoyed myself so much, I'm going to see them again, this Friday, at Asbury Lanes.
Finally, I saw the Pilfers set up and was super excited. I knew Vinny Nobile played with the Pilfers in mid-January, which was the reason I decided to drive two hours to see them, but was slowly crushed by the presence of an organ, which Vinny does not play. I knew this meant the other trombone player who performed with them at the Big Apple Stomp would be performing this night. Now, back in May 2013, he was what I would charitably call, not very good, then shown up by Vinny Nobile playing a few songs with his trademark style and sound. In retrospect, the biggest issue was trying to play the trombone into a standing microphone like most people, unlike Vinny, who puts a wireless mic at the front of his trombone. Well, I noticed that Ben was doing the same thing...and I drove all the way there...and Coolie was super nice to me, so I was willing to give it a chance.
And I was not disappointed in the least. They opened with the Intro and Dr. Kevorkian from their debut album and Coolie was great and the rest of the sound was there. It wasn't quite as good as Vinny Nobile playing with the Pilfers, but then again, I don't think anyone plays the trombone as well as he does in this context. For most of the night. though Yakuza and Show No Fear were a little off (but played back to back, like I do in my car), but not to ruin the experience, the horn parts sounded roughly similar, with the right level of sound, critical to get that real Pilfers sound. And the rest of the band were great as always. Coolie puts on a great show and even put the microphone to me in the audience to yell into, which never happened at any of the other 100 or so shows I've been to in the past.
Given that, I went back, bought the first Pilfers album on LP to eventually hang on my wall, realized that I was hoarse from singing for the last hour fifteen, like Coolie wanted us to be, then headed home, knowing that I would pretty much go see any Pilfers show within a reasonable distance, which is probably shorter than Rhode Island, but further than Delaware. In essence, the Pilfers are still one of the best live experiences you will ever see from a ska band and definitely something you should never miss unless required by work, law or unreasonable travel.
Arriving, I see Rev Sinister from the Hub City Stompers standing outside, which is always a good sign the show is going on, but learn two things. One, the club is not opening until 7:30 PM and two, Mephiskapheles and Rude Boy George pulled out of the show. The first ended up being the far worse news, since I refuse to wear a jacket to a show unless required by long walks, but the second meant that I would see the bands I would enjoy the most from the original lineup only.
So, I brave the mean streets of Poughkeepsie and head over to the Family Dollar, which looked like the most inviting place to spend fifteen or so minutes. Aside from the panhandler who hit me up for money, the trip was uneventful, but I would say the urban decay would not encourage me to ever go to Poughkeepsie without great reason. Walking back, we only have to wait another 15 minutes in the cold for the door, which was fine, since it was about 40 out and I was wearing a short-sleeve soccer jersey. And I'm immune to the cold.
Going inside, I see this amazing concert venue, which could only exist in a blighted area. The Chance is a 1920s theatre with two levels, a pit area, tables, and a sizable bar. It speaks to you if you like antiquity and history in your life, which I certainly do. The bathrooms are in a deep cellar, which I did not care for at all, but you cannot have everything in an old building. The acoustics are also excellent, which is not surprising, considering it is two stories and designed as a theatre back when people cared about aesthetics. As a venue, you could only ask for a better location, but I would not call the area unsafe, unless you are not aware of your surroundings.
There was also a merchandise area, which I am a sucker for, if for no other reason than I like supporting what I enjoy. I saw that Coolie Ranx, the front man for the Pilfers was manning his own table, with whom I suspect was his wife. I decide that after seven Pilfers shows, I need a Pilfers shirt and ask him about the blue and orange Pilfers shirt. When he didn't have it in the arena, he was nice enough to go out to his car and get another bag of merchandise in order to find the shirt in my size. I purchase the shirt and thank him for his efforts and the great shows over the years. We even talked for a moment about the record release party for Chawalaleng back in 1999, which was a crazy and amazing show in a super no vacancy Wetlands. I also picked up another Hub City Stompers CD, because I greatly enjoyed Dirty Jersey, purchased at the prior night's show.
The Hub City Stompers came on and I managed to score a good standing area at eye level near the bar under an awning. As with the night before, they put on a really great show, with some very clever, but admittedly non-PC lyrics. Also, for a band putting on their first two shows in over a year, they have great chemistry and stage presence, to go along with some really great Oi-infused ska. I enjoyed myself so much, I'm going to see them again, this Friday, at Asbury Lanes.
Finally, I saw the Pilfers set up and was super excited. I knew Vinny Nobile played with the Pilfers in mid-January, which was the reason I decided to drive two hours to see them, but was slowly crushed by the presence of an organ, which Vinny does not play. I knew this meant the other trombone player who performed with them at the Big Apple Stomp would be performing this night. Now, back in May 2013, he was what I would charitably call, not very good, then shown up by Vinny Nobile playing a few songs with his trademark style and sound. In retrospect, the biggest issue was trying to play the trombone into a standing microphone like most people, unlike Vinny, who puts a wireless mic at the front of his trombone. Well, I noticed that Ben was doing the same thing...and I drove all the way there...and Coolie was super nice to me, so I was willing to give it a chance.
And I was not disappointed in the least. They opened with the Intro and Dr. Kevorkian from their debut album and Coolie was great and the rest of the sound was there. It wasn't quite as good as Vinny Nobile playing with the Pilfers, but then again, I don't think anyone plays the trombone as well as he does in this context. For most of the night. though Yakuza and Show No Fear were a little off (but played back to back, like I do in my car), but not to ruin the experience, the horn parts sounded roughly similar, with the right level of sound, critical to get that real Pilfers sound. And the rest of the band were great as always. Coolie puts on a great show and even put the microphone to me in the audience to yell into, which never happened at any of the other 100 or so shows I've been to in the past.
Given that, I went back, bought the first Pilfers album on LP to eventually hang on my wall, realized that I was hoarse from singing for the last hour fifteen, like Coolie wanted us to be, then headed home, knowing that I would pretty much go see any Pilfers show within a reasonable distance, which is probably shorter than Rhode Island, but further than Delaware. In essence, the Pilfers are still one of the best live experiences you will ever see from a ska band and definitely something you should never miss unless required by work, law or unreasonable travel.
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