Last Rites: Chinese Telephones Play Their Last Show at The Borg Ward

 

Photo of the Chinese Telephones courtesy of MySpace

Words by Erin Wolf

Pop-punk bands have it tough. They write songs to tight time constrictions (most songs are about two-three minutes long), need to be able to have two really good singers who can harmonize to fast and loud music, and then…the hooks! Every song has to have a hook that makes it, well, pop. It’s no wonder that after a few years, this gets tiring enough to make band members change their minds and eventually, the whole band throws the towel in: but that’s all speculation. Chinese Telephones, a pop-punk mainstay in Milwaukee for years, talks about  the true reasons why they’ve found when to say when as they prepare for their last show tonight at the Borg Ward.

“Stay Around”, Chinese Telephones

TGIT: Our Weekend Picks!

Image of The Invaders courtesy of MySpace

Friday, February 13th

Lonely Hearts Valentine’s Show with The Invaders and The Socialites @ Club Garibaldi’s (2501 S. Superior), 10 p.m.

When Valentine’s Day falls on a weekend, it almost works in the favor of the sweetheart-less. The weekend means more shows and more opportunities to divert one’s attentions. Milwaukee’s Invaders are taking part in the celebratory rather than the sulking mood of the holiday by performing their instant-party starter ska and rock steady antics at Club Garibaldi’s. Also joining the Invaders for the “Lonely Hearts Valentine’s Show” are Madison’s Socialites.

 

Image courtesy of MySpace

Saturday, February 14th

Farms in Trouble + Trash Crack (split cassette release), Possible Fathers, Charles De Gaulle @ the Cactus Club (2496 S. Wentworth), 10 p.m.

With more bells and whistles, loops and layered bits packed into the smallest of songs, Farms in Trouble provides a dizzying audio array that is enjoyably chaotic. Pop song pros Zack Pieper (Trusty Knife) and Riles Walsh (Trusty Knife, the Candliers) along with several other Milwaukee musician notables, will perform a rare live set of songs from their recent Gas Station Soundtrack and EP releases. Also in the works for the evening is a split cassette release with show-mates, Trash Crack. Also playing: Possible Fathers and Charles De Gaulle.

 

Photo of Diamonds courtesy of MySpace

Diamonds + OCD Automatic, Double Drop @ Stonefly (735 E. Center), 10 p.m. 

Nobody knows how to get a Valentine’s Day dance-party started quite like Diamonds. We’re talking about the DJ — not the glittering jewels, but very well may be, for the man behind the turntables churns out some of the most sparkling concoctions to hit Milwaukee’s dance floors. This time around he brings his spit and polished skills to Stonefly. With OCD Automatic and Double Drop.

 

Photo of Sometime Sweet Susan courtesy of MySpace

Atomic Valentine: Benefit and Tribute to Atomic Records: Liquid Pink + Boy Dirt Car, The Lovelies, The Etiquette, Sometime Sweet Susan, The Blowtorch, Cherry Cake, The Mighty Deerlick, Mark Waldoch and His Good Grief @ The Miramar Theater (2844 N. Oakland Avenue), 6:30 p.m.

Atomic Records has been fueling the Milwaukee music community for over twenty-four years, and will be missed tremendously. Honor the local legend before the doors officially close on an era by attending a benefit and tribute show featuring some of Milwaukee’s long-gone and great acts (as well as a couple current ones) — a fitting salute to the irreplaceable space on the corner of Locust and Oakland. 

 Read more on the Atomic Valentine show on Fan-belt, tomorrow…

Show review: Freight * Possible Fathers * The Conformists @ Cactus Club (1/24)

Photo of Freight by Derek Peterson

Words by Brian Whitney

Freight and Possible Fathers are two of Milwaukee’s best bands right now, each with their own take on aggressive indie rock that has been missing from both Milwaukee’s landscape and the scene-at-large for too long. Possible Fathers opened the show, with a set mixed with songs from their Doing The Dad Thing EP (available for free download on their MySpace) and their forthcoming split cassette with Pigs On Ice. Musically, the band floats somewhere between the garage-y grunge of Mudhoney and the precise punk of Hot Snakes, with the heavily reverbed vocals of singers Willy Dintenfass and Tony Dixon occasionally peeking through. The band probably played about 20 songs in 15 minutes, barely giving the crowd a chance to process the last song before launching into the next. The only breaks came when Dintenfass and Dixon traded off guitar and bass duties. This was my first time seeing the band in a non-basement venue and, I must say …