TGIT: Our Weekend Picks!

 

photo by Marie Kuzniar

Friday, December 4th

Farms in Trouble + Crappy Dracular, Fahri @ the Cactus Club (2496 S. Wentworth), 10 p.m.

Although Farms in Trouble’s catalogue is filled with bunches of sub-two minute songs, they’re by no means a hardcore band. This Milwaukee group writes both wonderfully dissonant and melodic pop in the same realm as early Guided by Voices with it’s lo-fi, big-pictured and creative caterwauling that’s never sloppy despite its compositional sprawl.

 

flier from MySpace

 

Saturday, December 5th

Northless + Gate, the Parrish, Slob Donovan, Coelacanth @ The Borg Ward (823 W. National), 6 p.m.

If you haven’t experienced the crushingly intense doom metal of Milwaukee’s Northless, then words will to fail to make an impression of the definite need for earplugs. Northless may be loud as hell, but they employ a sense of technical skill  that will make audience members want to lose the earplugs during the more drawn out and and picked-apart moments of their songs. Dynamics are definitely key to the fury; like going from Dianogah to Mastodon in mere seconds, Northless demonstrates depth. Featuring members of ex Milwaukee bands such as Asrava, and Mahogany Throttle, and current members of Half Gorilla and This Specific Dream and it’s obvious that the band has the chops to write solid material.

video of Bangkok Taxi Pimps from YouTube

Skip Tracer + Bangkok Taxi Pimps, Fetch the Pliers @ Club Garibaldi’s (2501 S. Superior), 10 p.m.

It’s been a while since Skip Tracer has played their hometown and those who remember them from a bygone Milwaukee punk scene will definitely want to take the chance to catch them. Fan-belt will be there to make up for lost chances. Doh! Also playing are the flippant and energized punk/post-rockers, Bangkok Taxi Pimps. They’re calling this show ‘Reunion Rock’ for good reason — Bangkok Taxi Pimps’ shows are few and far in between these days (last one was in May). Catch ‘em while you can.

TGIT! WTF?

Alright … this is a sparse list of to-dos. Why do I not know anything about what’s going on this weekend?! Hey venues — I know it’s summer, but it wouldn’t hurt to update the ol’ website once in awhile (Lulu I’m looking at you) or get the right information out to the press about your shows so that the Shepherd Express doesn’t write about the supporting act like it’s the headliner (Stonefly!).  Don’t make me have to think about shamelessly self-promoting one of my own gigs that happens to be at Live on North on Friday night … oops.

So here are a couple of Friday shows that I actually received information on. If y’all know of anything else cool happening this weekend, hit me up via email Thanks! -AL

Friday, July 31

Signaldrift + Rich Dad + Pressboard + Made of Oak @ Cactus Club, 2496 S. Wentworth Ave. 10 p.m.

The experimental electronic duo Signal Drift is joined by fellow sonic searchers Pressboard and Rich Dad (a pair of CoCoBees side projects) and also Made of Oak, the solo project of Nick Sandborn of the Headlights and Decibully. “Esoteric” is the word that comes to mind; you’ll get quite familiar the tops of your shoes Friday night at Cactus.

The Nicotine Fits + Empty Heads + The Anasazis + Crappy Dracula + Crappy Dracula @ Frank’s Powerplant, California & KK, 10 p.m.

It’s loud, unforgiving, unapologetic DIY garage punk from across the United States. The Nicotine Fits are in from Colorado; they share a similar sound with Chicago bill-mates Empty Heads, which can be described as two-chord abrasiveness in so many words. San Diego’s The Anasazis take a more Beach Boys/Magnetic Fields-approach to the garage component. And if you don’t know about Milwaukee hosts Crappy Dracula, you’d best ask somebody.

Sunday, August 2

Group of the Altos + Night Owl + White Problems @ Cactus Club, 2496 S Wentworth, 10 p.m.

Group of the Altos have a lot of instruments and the chops to use them appropriately. Night Owl came all the way here from Quebec City. White Problems have an impressive pedigree and some incendiary new cds and t-shirts.  Don’t sleep on this one.

Tonight at the Riverhorse: Crappy Dracula

photo courtesy of the band

Words by Erin Wolf

Crappy Dracula might be a bit misunderstood, but that’s all right with them; they’re not out to win any popularity contests. They are out to release a 7″ along with Farms in Trouble before they head off on a tour of Michigan, New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island.  The band has selected three tunes for their side of the vinyl that will be available tonight at Riverhorse – both a live and a documented form of the band that is as much Scratch Acid and Flipper as it is Guided By Voices and the Troggs. Fan-belt checks in with the band before they ship out.

 

Crappy Dracula, “Hospital Waste Management Facility (Party Tonight)”
 

TGIT: Our Weekend Picks!

image courtesy of MySpace

Thursday, April 23rd

Movie Star Junkies + Daniel James Gang, Crappy Dracula, The Plates @ Frank’s Power Plant (2800 S. Kinnickinnic), 10 p.m.

All the way from Turin, Italy, the Movie Star Junkies are ready to infiltrate its ‘voodoo rhythm’ on Milwaukee. It’s their first tour in the States, and they’ve planned it out in proper style with basement shows and two-day stops in the home of garage rock, Detroit. They make their stop in Brew Town, playing alongside local, Thin Lizzy-esque the Daniel James Gang and the wonderfully abrasive Crappy Dracula. 

 

image courtesy of MySpace

Friday, April 24th

De La Buena + Snarky Puppy @ Stonefly (735 E. Center), 10 p.m.

The ten-strong, Afro-Cuban/Latin Jazz pros, De La Buena have been recently entrenched in the making of their second recording effort. Undoubtedly, the group will welcome a renewed energy as they step away from the practice space and studio by playing live at Stonefly this Friday, bringing their keen sense of improv to the stage. Brass, bongos and bass all make De La Buena impossible not to want to shake it; might as well — everyone else will be. With Texas’ Snarky Puppy.

 

image courtesy of MySpace

 Saturday, April 25th

Wizard of Cause + Fres Thao, Sunshine Harrison @ Cactus Club (2496 S. Wentworth), 10 p.m.

Cactus is throwing a chilled out, mixed up party this Saturday, fun in its spontaneous set-up. Regarding the catchy glam-pop grooves of JTodd’s new musical sorcery, Wizard of Cause will be effortlessly working their magic over the crowd with their amped instruments. Intelligent hip hop-er Fres Thao will be laying lyrical fluidity like nobody’s business along with producer Bernwood. Throw in the folk-pop of Sunshine Harrison, and show-goers will get more variety in less than four hours than most would see/hear in a week.

image courtesy of Dusty Medical Records

Sunday, April 26th

The Night Marchers + Call Me Lightning, Birthday Suits, the Dynamiters, Get Drunk DJs @ Club Garibaldi (2501 S. Superior), 9 p.m.

John Reis is a busy guy: in between running Swami Records and owning Bar Pink in San Diego, the ex Drive Like Jehu, Hot Snakes, Rocket From the Crypt guitar god has found time to start the new project with bassist Tommy Kitsos (CPC Gangbangs), and drummer Jason Kourkounis (Delta 72) that is the Night Marchers. As the front man, Reis rips into lyrics with the same gusto he did in RFTC, while still managing to pummel out his fiery riffs. Also playing: the like-audio-ed Birthday Suits and Dynamiters.

TGIT: Our Weekend Picks!

Photo of the Hussy by Sean Owen

 Thursday, March 5

The Hussy + Crappy Dracula, The Points!, Zygoteens 

Madison’s The Hussy have been getting a lot of well-deserved attention for their take on the guitar/drummer combo, but they amp up the snotty vocals to gives their music a more Be Your Own Pet angle than White Stripes. 

Photo of the Bryan Cherry Band by Jessica Perrault

Friday, March 6

The Bryan Cherry Band + On the Porch, Chris Otepka (Heligoats), Jeannie Mayotte @ Point East (1501 N. Jackson), 10 p.m.

The Bryan Cherry Band’s latest release, Alley Apple is a perfect testament to their funk prowess: smooth soul vocals from Cherry are surrounded by alternately gritty/fluid guitars and percussion from his band mates. Check out Fan-belt’s earlier coverage of the band, *here*. 

 

 

Photo of Freight courtesy of MySpace

Saturday, March 7

Big Fun 4Ever (record release) + Terrior Bute (CD release), Freight (last show), the Emptyheads @ Cactus Club (2496 S. Wentworth), 10 p.m.

Freight, Milwaukee’s all-out rock, audio-assault is calling it quits: the best ones always do, way too early. Join the Young Widows proteges for a night of furious guitars, mechanically-precise drum crashes and plenty of slightly deadpan and yell-y vocals. Burn off your energy after the rock show with a dance-party provided by Terrior Bute and Big Fun 4Ever: Milwaukee’s Vicious Pop Records poster kids.

Nobunny + The Yolks, the Gut Reactions, Rocktopus, the Get Drunk DJs @ Mad Planet (533 E. Center), 9 p.m.

He’s a man. He’s a bunny. Nobunny is nothing easy to describe, churning out karaoke-style garage rock muffle-shouted out of a bunny head. Nobunny’s album Love Visions has been sweeping the nation and beyond, as his ‘nobunny loves you!’ idealism continues to sweep coast to coast. See for yourself in the above video: even babies love Nobunny.