Social Punk Invasion tour--Ludlow Garage, Cincinnati, Ohio, November 18, 2022.

A package tour of veteran California punk bands isn't the type of show this venue usually puts on. But they occasionally go out of their comfort zone, and so they did on this evening.

TOTAL CHAOS: Opened the show. Pretty much standard thrash , but enlivened by a drummer who reminded me of Orpheo McCord (ex-Fall). I've heard worse live thrash, though. I'm glad I got to see them.

THE DICKIES: This band just seems to get better with age. Leonard had his usual array of props and toys (one of which was a squeaky toy that he played some "solos" with). The band was incredibly tight, with real songcraft in addition to the shredding guitars. If you haven't seen this group before, do so if you get the chance.

TSOL: Yes, Virginia, this was the real TSOL led by Jack Grisham and Ron Emory, not the long departed hair band claim jumpers. They far exceeded my expectations: power, stage presence (which I don't usually care about), energy, and Jack can really work a crowd. This is the first time I've seen TSOL. Hopefully it won't be the last.

I didn't stay for Greg Ginn's Black Flag tribute band, which is what taking BF's former back up band, with its surfer hippie poseur singer, and slapping the "Black Flag" label on them amounts to. A hard pass from me.

Codeine at Chelsea, Vienna yesterday (Sept. 3rd, 2023)


The three guys are still at the top of their game. The location was jam-packed with old and new fans and the cavernous quality of the concert room paired with the warm late Summer temperatures didn't exactly help. Around the time I had bought tickets for two friends of mine and me, there'd only been around 17 left. That's rather rare for a band that doesn't play stadium rock here in Vienna. But that's the sort of situation you get when a band has a cult-following and sporadically slips in and out of a live-hiatus.


People were cheering loudly, calling for an Encore. Immerwahr by contrast spoke with a decidely calm and collected cadence. He had the presence of a kind, elderly man who had seen a lot but wouldn't let that cloud his judgement. He reminisced about the first time they had played in Vienna back in 1991, appealed to taller audience members to look around and make sure those who are not as tall feel comfortable and generally just seemed like the most polite New Yorker you could possibly encounter.


Without missing a beat, the trio played their classics off Frigid Stars, Dessau and The White Birch. The sound was crisp and clear - a pleasant surprise considering the reputation of the venue they played at (I've seen my fair share of sound fuckups there). A little shoutout to the sound technician who had apparently been booked specifically for that particular gig. I talked to a friend of mine who'd heard her work before and was just as ecstatic about it (good sound technicians are hard to come by in these corners).


Their cover of the Joy Division song "Atmosphere" acted as a particular crowd-pleaser. Hot-take, but ever since I heard it, I vastly prefered it over the original - stripped down, less bombast, more room to sink in and really stick with you. Love me some Joy Division, but I never really got that particular track before I heard the Codeine version. It was only then that I learned to appreciate the songwriting behind it. After previously informing the crowd that they were "allowed to go home" after a certain song, the trio returned for their encore or "extra-credits" as Immerwahr put it, busting into three more tracks, ending on "Broken Hearted Wine", capping the night off on an ethereal note.


I enjoyed it a lot. The music and the show that is. I'll pass on the sweaty, jam-packed cavern where people are trying to squeeze into any vacant inch on the floor they may have caught an illusory glance of.

Public Image Limited in Strasbourg
Lydon seemed to genuinely enjoy himself, his breath might not be what it was but he was aware of that and made sure he found other ways. It was better than I expected.


I've just missed The Warlocks/Équipe de Foot in Cognac
My train was canceled due to high winds on the French west coast, and I've gradually stopped using the car for long trips

I saw the Dresden Dolls in November of 2022. I waited 4 hours to get in, and I got up front! It was absolutely amazing! it was a really small venue, so the stage was up to knees and Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione were like 5 feet in front of me. Amanda made brief eye contact with me during a song, and it was so kool! on the last night the drummer Brian was out on stage. i asked if he liked letters, I gave them their letters I wrote for them, and then he gave me a signed drumhead! It's still hanging proudly in my dorm. They perform with such passion and drive, it's almost magical. I definitely want to see them again someday, when I'm not broke.

I saw them at the Northcote Social Club playing a matinée show (the evening one had sold out, but it was a Saturday, so they were able to put one on mid-afternoon) about a month ago, and it was exactly as stunning as you talked about. It's impressive how much they'd stripped away everything excessive from rock (fast tempos, complicated arrangements, even things like chord changes) and were left with just powerful, emotive numbers - the way the songs just ended was an unreal experience. The 'Broken-Hearted Wine' encore was beautiful.

Blind Equation and Your Arms Are My Cocoon, co-headlining at the Thornbury Bowls Club (yes, lawn bowls), was a much more modern and chaotic experience. First time I've ever checked out any live cybergrind stuff (you milennials might have called them 'Nintendocore') from BXE and they were really powerful stuff, the keytar got everyone hyped up and James is a great frontman. YAAMC did a great job of extending out a setlist when their one non-split release is ten minutes long - this included a lengthy improv while we all stood back and let the venue staff clean up broken class - but they played kinetic, tightly-woven screamo and people got so deeply into it.

Big Brave with support by Kee Avil, in Duisburg
13 Euro for the ticket, 2 Euro for a large bottle of beer, and parking is cheap too

there were no printed tickets, or e-tickets, they had a list at the entrance and you had to mention your name

wow, didn't know that was possible anymore these days
small venue, many punksters, but very nice ambiance
very good sound too, check the recordings on Dime (not mine)


if you ever have the chance to see Big Brave live, just do it. Their sound is amazing

Selvhenter 3 nights in a row at Cafe Oto last week. It's mind boggling that they're only playing to crowds of ~150 people, see them if you ever get the chance.

watching this live video now. Definitely looks fun to watch live

It's a bit old now, but I went to Rotterdam for their Motel Mozaique festival, which mingles soul-like bands and post-punk combos.
It was good, plus I felt really well (not being crushed) ; New Dad, Alison Jutta, Library Card, Dry Cleaning...
I saw the Ex a few days later in the north of France, the gig was fine, but even though the place wasn't packed, I did feel a bit overcrowded, which altered my perception of the music
Bodega in Rennes 2 weeks ago, they were good

I went to see Graham Lambkin reading extracts from his book at Worse Gallery in South London, where he was also showing his art on the walls. Had a nice chat with him about The Bevis Frond, his work and Jim Shepard.

Deerhoof last week were great. Very generous setlist (21 songs, more than an hour and a half), attentive crowd; it was obvious that they were having fun on stage - at one point Satomi ran up the stairs behind them to dance for us, and the show ended with a noisy feedback outro.

Grabbed a setlist and said hi to Greg after, he was very grateful for the reception and flattered that I'd taped.

Have been to a few others since, but last night was Ride performing Going Blank Again, with support from Mercury Rev. Great evening.

Mercury Rev supporting Ride in 2024?
That's so strange
It throws me back in the 90ies with a twist (I'd have thought then Ride would have supported Mercury Rev)
So many years have passed...

I saw Low open for Mercury Rev once, very strange, becasue I didn't know M.R. at all and didn't like much of it either



Went to see The Ex last friday in a tiny venue
One would think that a 45 year old band would play a set consisting of their greatest hits, but no: the main set were 10 new songs, and each of them were completely and utterly brilliant (well, alright I may not have liked one of them as much but still)
two songs in the encore, one of them ws "old", not even sure if the last song they played was an oldie because I don't think I knew it


Can't wait to hear their new album, whenever it will come out. The recording came out fine upon first listen, I might hold on to it for a bit.




Tonight, it's something completely different: Chantal Acda doing Jazzy singer/songwriter songs

You hoarder! :D (I understand why, though...)

Saw Richard Hawley in Tourcoing last sunday (I saw the Ex there earlier and they indeed played stuff I hadn't heard of, and it mostly sounded good)
I liked Hawley's set and it was quite fun listening to between songs
Saw King Hannah in Belgium the day before ; do I enjoy non-French crowds more or is it solely due to the fact I don't go abroad that much?

I saw Incapacitants a couple of weeks ago

At my college, we have a little music festival every semester since it's an art college and whatnot, and there was this Punk band called Lead Pedal. We got yelled at for moshing by the event staff so we just got to dance in the front, but the sound guys joined us a few times too. The band was great !!!

Mono last Sunday was one of the best gigs I've seen of them in the recent years. First time I saw them with an orchestra, two violins, two cellos, a trombone and a trumpet. And with all of them in full force and with the guitars at full speed was divine.
Still have a great dislike of the new drummer, he needs to get a crash course in subtlety, all he can do is hit hard. But even then it was very good.
They play the new album in full, then two older songs as the encore, Ashes in the Snow and Everlasting Light. The last they dedicate to Steve Albini.

The Shadow Ring, it was delightful.

I saw DIIV in Dynamo in Zurich yesterday. Went there mainly out of curiousity as I liked their last album a lot, but they surpassed all my expectations. Such a tight and concentrated performance, great sound and mesmerizing video projection that played throughout the whole show and took a major part in song transitions etc. This made the whole experience 100% more interesting. I truly loved this concert, 8/10, would go again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrSJ...b_channel=DIIV

Is this the same band, slavo? If they are, we need to have words.

It's like Sway started a band. Admittedly, I liked some of their early stuff when they had that racist bassist (might be something to say there)... but their last 2 LPs are awful.

Yeah :D. They can be cringy, but I embrace that fully.

Feminine male singers, innit. Not since Thurston singing Snare Girl has a man sounded so gHeY.

I wonder what it would have been like if Kim had sung that song.

I'm guessing whisper treatment, yet still somehow more testosterone.

I saw Eyehategod last weekend, and it enjoyed it a lot. Especially because the gig was finished at the middle aged friendly time of 10pm.

I saw the Belair Lip Bombs in Saint-Malo last thursday and really enjoyed it.

They opened for Pixies last year and it was half decent. Guitarist pulls a good tone

Ölüm (Anatolian rock/psych) 7in release show at Zebulon w/ Groop (psych heavy groove and synth)

Saw Ut last week, very good and they had a guy guesting on sax and violin

Slowdive/Drab Majesty at Simm City, Vienna. Slowdive were absolutely sublime. Hearing Souvlaki Space Station live for the first time was an absolute experience. Their stripped down version of Dagger with now deeper and more seasoned vocals was a highlight as well.


Drab Majesty did their ... very stoical thing. The synth sounds are playful and have a certain Umami-quality to them (I've grown a bit jaded towards many contemporary very Synth-heavy bands, because the sounds can - excuse the pun - get quite drab after a while and the whole arrangement winds up sounding very soup-y with vocal tenor being more of an afterthought). The energy wasn't quite there though. Liked it, didn't love it.


Simm City is a weird location. It's an elevated concert venue inside a mall of sorts - right up the stairs to the left of a Burger King. And the floors inside the concert hall have strong school gym vibes. Good choice of refreshments though and the sound was quite fine.

I'm seeing Slowdive for a second time in a month.

On the train home from Xiu Xiu - there were more handstands involved than I expected.

I saw Wolf Eyes last week, which was excellent. Germ Lattice, Kulku and Mosquito Farm the week before which was good but each act played longer than they needed to. And the week before that I saw Maher Shalal Hash Baz which had moments of being magical.

the fuck. I really wish to see Drab Majesty at least once but always missed their gigs ... sad to see they played Vienna and I missed it once again.

I know the feeling. I would have had the opportunity to see them in a much smaller, more intimate setting circa 2018 - when a friend of mine, who's also an event organizer in the broader Goth scene had booked them for one of his events. Back then, they weren't quite as well known and I wasn't quite up for going out that evening. Fast forward a couple of years and the Drab Majesty gig I wanted to go to was sold out. They've been quite elusive ever since. It was a stroke of luck that they were announced as the support act for Slowdive rather late after my gf and I had already secured our tickets. Can check it on my list now. The quality of the music was good, but the performance was somewhat low energy - must have been a bad day.

I haven't heard that band's name in a long time. Good to know they're still doing occasional shows.

The pattern seems to be play about once a year in london, and then occasionally do shows in other places. Nina Canal seems no longer to be in the band, or maybe just isn't willing to travel to London to play one show, apparently she lives in California now but I believe the other two are based in the UK.

Went to see a beloved local industrial percussion group whose main members are moving out of the USA (good on them for being able to swing that!).
They blew a few fuses a couple times and had to end the show early and they were still better than most bands operating at full power for a full set.
I'll miss them.