We Want The Airwaves...

A BENEFIT FOR KCPR:

SHANNON AND THE CLAMS

SWIMMERS

DOG PARTY

SLO BREWING CO, SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA

16 MAY, 2015

With members of Dog Party and Swimmers ensconced in studies at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, a benefit for their radio station KCPR was a natural, kicking off the current fundraising drive. Bay Area surf-soul-punk titans Shannon and the Clams headlined the all ages do at San Luis Obispo's SLO Brewing Company, and a sweaty evening was had by all. It was just in January that we last caught up with Dog Party, and they got the ball rolling in style with the big takeaway being a preview of Volume IV, their forthcoming LP on Asian Man Records, with Burger Records doing the cassette duties. "Dead Man" was the first new blast, and fit in perfectly with their catalog to date. Calling out a friend's 21st birthday, "Flamingo Go" set the moshing in motion, and it didn't abate through "Lost Control". Late set highlight included a pair of Swimmers brought up for a tune (Swim Party?!).

Oakland's Swimmers, (formerly Emily's Army), were the new-to-me takeaway of the evening. Scheduling conflicts meant missing them at Burgerama, but fortune smiled on this night. From the first song, they were a blur of motion, bringing to mind the energy level of the much missed At The Drive-In. Pausing between songs to ensure audience safety, they immediately ratcheted the energy levels back up, with crowd surfers ping-ponging between the support beams. Finishing off with a high energy take on the Cure's "Boys Don't Cry", it was a memorable introduction. Bonus points awarded for the skate deck serving as a pedal dock.

As evidenced by past gigs, Oakland's Shannon And The Clams have a gift for The Show, and this was a rare opportunity to see them shorn of the spectacle, just the trio in small club, up close and personal, and it was all of that and more. Keeping it tight and wired, they never let the intensity lag, and considering the energy from the stage throughout the night, that was no small feat.

SHANNON AND THE CLAMS

SWIMMERS

DOG PARTY

 

"Swim Party"

Burgerama IV, Day One

BURGERAMA IV

Day One

OBSERVATORY, SANTA ANA, CA

28 MARCH, 2015

Burger Records continued their humble attempt to take over the world with edtion IV of their flagship Burgerama Festival, held on the grounds of the Observatory in Santa Ana, down in Orange County. It was a jam packed, wall to wall kind of day, overwhelming in the best of all possible ways, and the only regret is that there was only one of me. Burger favorites Bleached led an impressive main stage run, with Mississippi's Bass Drum Of Death and LA's Tijuana Panthers keeping it cranked in the sun. Australia's Step Panther and rising LA act Soko held court in the Constellation Room, then it was into the Observatory proper for a balls out set from UK's Palma Violets and a master class from the 805's own Madlib. Heading back in the Constellation Room, another Australian band Big White made an impact, and the night was topped with a breathless and much anticipated set from Hinds, straight outta Madrid. Technical issues took out a vast quantity of the days photos, but there's enough here to give you a taste of the action.

Bleached

Bleached

Bleached

Bass Drum Of Death

Bass Drum Of Death

Tijuana Panthers

Tijuana Panthers

Step Panther

Soko

Palma Violets

Madlib

Madlib

Big White

Hinds

Burger A Go Go: Sights and Sounds

BURGER A GO GO

OBSERVATORY, SANTA ANA, CA

02 AUGUST, 2014

The first annual Burger A Go Go, put on by Burger Records, was a day long celebration of women in punk, and putting three stages up for grabs at the same time made for a dazzling array of bands, and a day not to be forgotten. Full coverage of the fest was executed along with the one and only Sam Saturday for The Owl Magazine. After you've parsed that, continue with this for your extra credit, with videos and more photos from a number of the day's acts, including Dog Party, Ruby Pins, Sex Stains, Skating Polly, Penny Machine, Cheryll, Peach Kelli Pop, The Muffs, La Sera, The Coathangers, Shannon and the Clams, and Bleached.

DOG PARTY

RUBY PINS

 

SEX STAINS

SKATING POLLY

PENNY MACHINE

CHERYLL

PEACH KELLI POP

THE MUFFS

LA SERA

THE COATHANGERS

SHANNON AND THE CLAMS

dancing ghost stage invasion during Shannon and the Clams

BLEACHED