Recap: The Points, Gut Reactions & More at The Vault, 10.18.09

[ED. NOTE: Yes, we realize this show happened over a week ago. The Fan-Belt editorial staff regrettably received the article a bit late and then went out of town all weekend. Procrastination is like a snowball down a hill in a Looney Tune, man. What can we say? We blew it. That being said, welcome Anthony Schwader to the F-B writing staff.]

Words by Anthony Schwader (didn’t we say that already?)

It’s finally fall, my favorite season. Although this summer wasn’t brutal by any measure, I still welcome the falling leaves, night fog, and what I like to call “hoodie weather”. Fall temperatures also make working up a sweat enjoyable because cooling down is as simple as stepping outside. So the Vault in the fall is where it’s at because I’ve been known to sweat all over the place from either seeing or playing great shows there. I entered the basement and after munching some pigs in a blanket, I cracked open a Milwaukee’s Best Ice and waited for my night to start.

TGIT: Our Weekend Picks!

 

flier from MySpace

Friday, October 16th

Poster Children + IfIHadAHiFi, White, Wrench, Conservatory @ the Cactus Club, (2496 S. Wentworth), 10 p.m.

Nothing says ‘raucous’ more for  a rock band than bashing the shit out of their instruments with animosity while simultaneously making the resulting noises sound appetizing. IfIHadAHiFi does their said instrument-bashing with finesse. Opening are White, Wrench, Conservatory, Milwaukee’s synthy and prog-y pop/rock trio, embarking upon their second-to-last performance after being a solid staple of Milwaukee’s rock scene since 2005.

photo of Julian Lynch from MySpace

Saturday, October 17th

Julian Lynch + Pataphor @ The Sugar Maple (441 E. Lincoln), 8 p.m.

Julian Lynch plays loopy and trip-y guitar and electronic ramblings that are a slightly organic version of Black Moth Super Rainbow and a bit like what Dungen would be like if they the singer became a mute. Weird, lo-fi indie chemistry. Milwaukee’s Pataphor scratches and scrapes their loops up, muddying the line between a noisy and a synth-laden atmospheric landscape.

 

flier from MySpace

Red Pens + Brief Candles, Dim Suns @ the Cactus Club (2496 S. Wentworth), 10 p.m.

Minneapolis’ Red Pens does the duo deal full-on. Drummer Laura Bennett and guitarist Howard Hamilton hit droned-out, glazed-sugar rock dead-on but washed-out, making full use of their effects pedals by building towers of overtones. Milwaukee’s Brief Candles follow suit, set to preview new material off of their latest 7″, Sink or Swim and beyond. Dim Suns, comprised of MKE’s rocker-past in Compound Red and Sometime Sweet Susan mates, dish out their rock sounds straightforward and prettily.

flier from MySpace

Monday, October 19th

The Points [D.C.], Gut Reactions, The Magic Words, Causeheads @ The Vault, 7 p.m.

Points shows are legendarily brutal and awesome. Gut Reactions are easily one of the most entertaining hardcore bands in the city. The Magic Words — a brand-new garage-pop band featuring Molly Rosenblum [ex-Doom Buggy] and Aaron Skufca [Crappy Dracula] — play pop influenced by The Nerves, The Feelies and Television Personalities. Why would you even be on the fence about this one?

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.