Truman Peyote – Sat 1/31 – Great Scott

I’ve never stumbled out of a sweat lodge into the heart of the jungle before but if I did I imagine it would sound a lot like Truman Peyote.

Truman Peyote is a three man operation stewing up a unique concoction of droning electronic meditations and ritualistic undulations in technicolor. 

Their music forms new streams of language out of the subtleties tucked inside repetition. This is the beauty of trance music, as it continues to evolve through the minds and hands of new generations.

Truman Peyote’s debut album will be out in March and they will be hitting the road for their longest tour yet. Check them out live with the rest of the Whitehaus Records line-up saturday night at Great Scott presented by Basstown.

Q&A w/ Caleb Johannes of Truman Capote

Q: How has the musical progression in your life led to you creating psychedelic electronic music?

A: I think it has more to do with the combination of all the music I’ve ever been exposed to rather than a linear path that led to psychedelia. Everything we make as a band reflects what we are exposed to currently and have been exposed to in the past. Anything from saturday night fever to the misfits to john cage could be listed as some of my influences, but the complete list could go on forever. The two of us appreciate lots of different kinds of music, and make music that reflects a lot of that genre jumping attitude. Years ago Eric and I started writing acousticy folk-popped out jams, moved to almost straight up noise, and now have found ourselves somewhere between pretty drone pop and club beats. 

Q: The show saturday at Great Scott is billed as Whitehaus Music. The following night the Whitehaus is having an all night Psychedfest. What is the story behind Whitehaus and the psychedelic scene it is springing forth?

A: The Whitehaus is a record label/DIY venue/house full of the most wonderful people you’ll ever meet. Get at them and I’m sure they’ll tell you all about it. Psychedfest is going to be the most epic show in boston this february, I strongly suggest anyone reading this attend. seriously.

Q: What is the most flattering/sickening musician/band comparisons you have received from fans, friends, family, press etc…?

A: The most flattering comparison i can remember is some guy in toronto said we reminded him of david bowie. I didn’t understand it at the time and still don’t really get it but I do love David Bowie’s music. The most interesting I think was being compared to The Lion King on LSD. We always get good press from the kind people at the Weekly Dig and under21boston. com so thumbs up to them!

Q: In a month or so you are doing a tour of the midwest. Why did you decide to play in this area of the country? and have you toured with this project before?

A: We decided to tour the midwest because we think people out there will like our stuff, and have fun listening to something new. Not many people know or understand the east-coast electronic scene brewing here in boston, so we want to get it out there and give people a positive view of the city. Playing out of state is always a blast for us, and we try to do it as much as possible. We’ve done a bunch of short tours as Truman Peyote since summer 2007, but this is going to be our longest one yet in the hopes of promoting out new album which is set to be released march 1st, right before the tour.

Q: If you could play a show in Boston with 3 other local bands who would they be and at what Boston venue would you play? 

A: MANY MANSIONS, GUATEMALA CITY, PRINCE RAMA OF AYODHYA anywhere fun that isn’t a bar or club.

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Basstown Presents:
Whitehaus Music
Many Mansions
Truman Peyote
Guatemala City
Kegs Of Acid (NYC)
with DJ sets by residents:
Die Young
Volvox
21+ 9pm $5.00

Arms and Sleepers – Wed 1/28 – Great Scott

Arms and Sleepers are a down-tempo electronic band from Cambridge, MA. Their sound is dreamlike, drenched in haunting tones that loom like a streetlights glow above a barren avenue. The beats are programmed but feel as if they have detached from the technology that birthed them and created a circadian-like pulse. For their live performances Arms and Sleepers incorporate a live drummer and video projections to broaden the scope of their show experience. Their new album Black Paris 86 is the perfect soundtrack to a snowy winter night and, as we all know, there is no shortage of those in this city.

Q&A w/ Mizra Ramic bassist/keyboardist

Q: Your music has been described as “nature plugged into a wall socket” and “a vast electronic atmosphere for the mind’s eye”. The songs have a dream-like quality creating an almost physical world around them that envelopes the listener. What was the impetus for the musical direction you’ve taken as a band?

A: Well thank you for those kind words! We have always really been inspired by film scores and movies in general, so I think a lot of that had really influenced us greatly when we started focusing on this project.  We’ve wanted to create an audio/visual experience for a long time, so when we started this band, we really set out to do just that. With this idea in mind (visuals/images), I think the music naturally has developed in a certain cinematic way, or at least we hope it has!

Q: You recently toured Europe with NYC’s the Lymbyc System, how was that experience? and what are the details of your upcoming tour?

A: Touring Europe with Lymbyc Systym was a lot of fun–we really got along well with those guys, which made the whole experience that much better.  Plus they’re a great band, so it was a pleasure hearing their music every night. Overall playing shows in Europe tends to be very different than in the US, only because venues/clubs are often funded by the government, so the whole operation runs smoother even for the smaller and more independent bands like us.  So for example a warm dinner, breakfast, clean place to sleep, and generally well-attended shows are all “normal” and “expected” things–unlike here, unfortunately.

Q: What is the most flattering/sickening musician/band comparisons you have received from fans, friends, family, press etc…?

A: Most flattering: not sure–maybe Air or Portishead? Most sickening: I read a post on some message board saying “hey arms and sleepers, Jesu called and he wants his sound back.”  That made no sense to me at all.

Q: Starting with the release of your first album in 2006 you’ve shown a great attention to detail when it comes to packaging your music. What led to your decision to do handmade packaged limited releases?

A: Nice packaging I think really makes the overall release that much more interesting and memorable.  Obviously it starts with the music first and foremost, but having nice packaging is crucial.  The hand-made stuff is a really nice gesture toward the people that listen to your music the most.  It’s a way of having a piece of art directly from the artist to the fan without anything in between but the postal service.  Plus it’s fun to put everything together yourself–there’s no bullshit involved and when you’re done, you can sell it, and when you run out of copies, you can make more.  Very simple.

Q: If you could play a show in Boston with 3 other local bands who would they be and at what Boston venue would you play? 

A: 1. The Lido Venice (defunct), Helios (just moved to Portland, OR), Travels (we’ll be playing with them @ PA’s Lounge in Somerville on Feb. 14!). The venue would be Twin Peaks in JP.

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Listen
to Arms and Sleepers
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The Baltic Sea
The White Mountains
Henry Gale

Guillermo Sexo – Sun 1/25 – Great Scott

Guillermo Sexo

Q&A w/ guitarist/vocalist Rueben Bettsak

Q: When and how did Guillermo Sexo form, how did you decide upon your band name, and what changes have been made in the band since it’s inception?

A: Guillermo Sexo formed sometime in 2004. Nationale Blue (my old band) was about to end, and I wanted to form a band with some shorter, psych-ish songs I’d been working on for a while… 

The original members included Nick Gaynier (Appomattox), Jess Barnett, and this guy Alan. We did an EP, and then our first album, “OH Wow, with Dave Nurmi (Appomattox on bass). There’s been a few changes since then…People moving to different cities, or doing other things, etc. 

The name of the band come as a vision. I was dreaming, and David Bowie was dressed in pink pajamas. He whispered, “Guillermo Sexo,” and for some reason we followed his advice. 
The current line-up is: Mark Fede (Drums), Noell Dorsey (Vocals,Keyboards), Jamie Kerry(bass), and me (Reuben, on guitar, vocals). 

Q: In 2008 you released your second album Magic Lanterns which the band has described as “letting loose, more freak out, more variety, more darkness”. As you continue to write songs for album #3 in what new directions do you see your music going?

A: Magic Lanterns was definitely a more expansive record than, “OH Wow.” With Oh Wow, Nick Gaynier, and I really worked hard to make the songs concise, and planned the type of vibe we wanted with the album. 

Magic Lanterns was almost like another band. I started working on the album with a whole new group of musicians. Instead of trying to keep within the framework of the first album, we just learned to play with each other, and let loose during the writing process. 

We are currently working on the 3rd album (about half of it is recorded)…
Most of the new album consists of shorter, upbeat songs…
Mark Fede asked me to make him a copy of like 30 demo songs i’d recorded on my computer, and he told me the ones that he thought we should work on. 

Those “demo,” songs make up half of the album, and the other half consists of songs that Noell wrote vocal lines to…those songs are pretty far out…I’m excited because we are being more selective with the songs that will make the album’s final cut…and it could turn out to be my favorite GS album. 
We are recording with Justin Pizzoferrato again…so, sound-wise, its got the 60′s vibe of Magic Lanterns…

Q: What is the most flattering/sickening musician/band comparisons you have received from fans, friends, family, press etc…?

A: Hmmmm…..band comparisons have included: Sonic Youth, Guided by voices, Pj Harvey, The Rapture, Kinks…I know people have mentioned the drummer of Deerhoof, and other spazzish drummers when talking about Mark. 

Q: On your Myspace page you have listed as your influence, bands such as The 13th Floor Elevators and Love. Have you always been a fan of late 60′s psychedelia? and does that influence inform just the sonic elements of your music or the approach to song writing as well?

A: Bands like 13th Floor Elevators, Love, and the Kinks are definitely very influential to our sound. I don’t try to emulate their songwriting style, but can’t help but want our records to have some of the sound those bands have….I mean, it’s warm, and toasty…..

I have to say that I’ve always liked the idea of taking elements from bands like 13th floor elevators, and meshing them with the noise of Sonic youth, or Liars, and the raw sensuality of a band like Sebadoh….Of course, I’m also obsessed with Guided by voices…

Noell, Jamie, and Mark also share the love of the 60′s bands, but definitely have other influences as well…Noell is an Opera singer, and does experimental shows around town..so, she definitely has an array of influences that find their way into our sound….Mark is obsessed with Deerhoof, and Jamie’s playing reminds me of Joy Division. 

Q: If you could play a show in Boston with 3 other local bands who would they be and at what Boston venue would you play?

A: There are so many good Boston bands so this is a tough one. But, I’ll answer the bands that just popped into my head right now: 

Helms
Neptune
Ketman 
Guillermo Sexo 

At Middle East Up

Listen to Guillermo Sexo

Mother/Father
The Living Sea
Whitetail
John Flax

Battle House – “Two Candidates One Cup” 1/22/09 – Debut Performance @ Great Scott

Battle House played their first show last night taking the stage following a torrid set by Hangman’s Alphabet. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I was witnessing an amazing band.

The songs are thoughtfully crafted and the execution and stage presence boils over with energy. The rhythm section is ferocious, in a calculating way, and the dual guitar/vocal attack is angular and immediate without sacrificing anything in the way of melody.

This band is visceral. This band stirs. This band is Battle House.

 

Free Demo

Pretty & Nice on Pitchfork

It was great to wake up this morning (afternoon) and see that Get Young by Pretty & Nice had not only been reviewed by Pitchformedia.com, but had garnered a commendable 7.2 rating. Say what you want about Pitchfork, but getting a positive album review on this site creates opportunities for bands to get their music into the ears of people around the globe. Unless they pan you of course.

Here is an excerpt…

“By now, our collective new wave nostalgia hangover should be staggering. But there’s something about the way Boston trio Pretty & Nice re-imagine the playfully manic, barbed-wire sounds of Devo, XTC, and This Year’s Model-era Elvis Costello. Their approach is so guileless and giddy, you’ll get drunk on that spazzy, sneering sound all over again.”  

 read full article

Some other boston bands reviewed on Pitchfork…

Mission of Burma OnOffOn 8.8

Major Stars Syntoptikon 8.4

Mission of Burma The Obliterati 8.3

Passion Pit Chunk of Change EP 7.9

Ho-Ag The Word From Pluto 7.6 

Hallelujah the Hills Collective Psychosis Begone 7.0

I’m sure there is more. Hit me up if you know of others.

Archelon as PUSA – Tues 1/20 – Middle East Up

 

Archelon

Come celebrate the inauguration of our 44th President by heading over to the Middle East Upstairs  tonight to see Archelon play a full set of music as The Presidents of the United States of America. Archelon first played in this musical costume on Election Night and it went so well that they figured it only fitting to cap off the political season with another night of music from the band known lovingly as PUSA. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q&A w/ Jesse Goyette, bassist of Archelon

 

Q: How did the idea first come up to play a show as PUSA on election night? and what kind of reception did you guys receive?

A: I think it was either Trever or Brian’s idea to start out…we’d originally planned on just doing it as a Halloween thing, and then it occurred to us that it’d be pretty cool to do the thing on election night. It was pretty overwhelming to start out…the Presidents’ style couldn’t be more unlike our usual sound, but having all cut our teeth on 90′s music it was still a common love for the three of us. The night of the show was amazing, we got a great response from the crowd. A lot of people came up to us afterwards talking about how they’d forgotten how much they loved the Presidents. And then there was that whole election thing, that was fairly exciting in and of itself. 

Q: PUSA cover shows aside, where does the connection lie between the extinct species of sea turtles known as Archelon and your music?

A: Ultimately we’re all just massive geeks who are hugely into dinosaurs and turtles. Trever has 5 pet turtles, Brian’s got dinosaur posters in his bedroom, it was just a natural direction for us to take things. We haven’t quite finished our first album yet but we’ve already started writing our second one, which is going to be a concept album centered around an Archelon-worshiping tribe of humans living in post-apocalyptic Colorado.  Q: What is the most flattering/sickening musician/band comparisons you have received from fans, friends, family, press etc…? A: Well we haven’t done much yet so just being asked for an interview is high on the list right now. The first PUSA show we did, the way that was received was amazingly flattering, especially for me having never sung in front of people before. Other than that, I guess one time Ernie Kim showed up kinda late into one of our shows and only saw us play a couple of covers and he complained later that he’d wanted to hear our songs, that was pretty nice to hear.

Q: What are the upcoming plans for Archelon in ’09, shows, touring, album etc..?

A: We’re up to the mixing stage of our first album, which we hope to have out by the end of the winter. Our next show after the inauguration show will probably be our record release. We actually haven’t played a show as ourselves since August, and as much fun as this whole Presidents thing has been we’re all really looking forward to dedicating ourselves to ourselves again. Once we’ve got the first record out and we get back into playing shows again we’ll start dedicating ourselves to writing the concept album, which we’ll hopefully get to start recording later in the summer. 

Q: If you could play a show in Boston with 3 other local bands who would they be and at what Boston venue would you play?

A: I’d love to play with Hangman’s Alphabet, Nassy, and Tristan da Cunha, just because those are really great bands that are friends of ours and any time that any of us get together it ends up being a good time. Venue, I don’t know, they’ve all got their positives, maybe Great Scott just because I haven’t played there in ages and I’ve had some great times there. 

Listen to Archelon “Dieceratops”

 w/ Death and Taxes and American Car

MA Bands Playing SXSW 2009

 

sxsw.com

This is a tentative list of Massachusetts bands scheduled to play SXSW Music Festival in Austin, TX from 3/18-3/22. If you know of a band that is playing and is not posted below please contact me. thanks.

 

Apollo Sunshine, Arms and Sleepers, The Downbeat 5, The Everyday Visuals, Melissa Ferrick, Earth People Orchestra,  Eli Paperboy Reed & the True Loves, Eksi Ekso, Magic People, Muck and the Mires, Passion Pit, Pretty and Nice, Eileen Rose, Tulsa, Westbound Train, Wheat, Who Shot Hollywood .

Yoni Gordon and The Goods – Fri 1/16 – Middle East Upstairs

Yoni Gordon and The Goods  

Yoni Gordon is a tireless musician who inspires people to come alive with the gospel of rock and roll. Seeing him play live is akin to a Tent Revival wherein the part of Jesus is being played by Chuck Berry and Yoni is speaking to the congregation in tongues through his electric guitar. Far from being just an inspired performer, he is a skilled songwriter who approaches his craft with workmanlike dedication and the melodic know-how to make his statements stick.

So call up that friend who just got dumped or you’re buddy who’s heart stays in sync with the seasons and tell them you’ve got just the thing to cheer them up – tickets to see Yoni Gordon and The Goods this friday night at The Middle East Upstairs.
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Q&A w/ Yoni Gordon

Q: You’ve been in the studio recording your new album, how are the sessions coming along? 

A: I am happier with this album, which is going to be called Turning Chaos Into a Career, than with any other album I’ve ever been involved with.  Usually the process for making an album is: I write and write and write, and we play and play and play until we know the songs well, and then we record everything live, put reverb on it and call it a day.  For this one, we actually took our time to get interesting sounds and didn’t feel the need to nail everything in one take.  The goal was to make something that wasn’t trying to hit you over the head quite as hard as the last one was.   I wanted it to be a record that you could listen to and maybe relax a little bit while doing so(only a little bit though).  I also didn’t want super tight arrangements on the album, because I wanted that to happen over the course of playing the songs live in front of an audience.  That way, you get two different experiences depending on whether you are seeing us live or listening the album

The songs were written all in the same chunk of time, right after a trip to the Middle East(the region, not the bar) and a solo tour across most of the country.  Both of those experiences were pretty fresh in my mind while writing these songs.   

Q: On your website, yonigordon.com, you have pictures from a concert you played for students of Baldwin Public School. How does one go about booking a gig at an elementary school?

A: When I lived in Cambridge I worked for the afterschool program at the Baldwin.  Those pictures were from their vacation week.  Basically what happens is, during Spring break, those kids with parents have to work, are stuck with us from 8am to 6pm, which is a really long day!  Especially for six year oldssp; So we tried to plan really special things for them, like trips to museum or musical guests.  

That show was super fun!  We got all the kids to sing along to Up the Punks.  I was actually surprised at how much everyone enjoyed it.  You know that kids aren’t going to bullshit you, and if you suck they will let you know.  I think we did pretty ok. bsp;  

Q: What is the most flattering/sickening musician/band comparisons you   has received from fans, friends, family, press etc…?

A: As far as people comparing music, I tend to think that the comparisons that they make have more to do with the music that THEY listen to rather than who your band may or may not sound like.  When we first started out all I heard was how much we sounded like Elvis Costello and Buddy Holly(?!).  Then for a while it was Bob Dylan.  Now it is usually Ted Leo.  Go figure.  

The only one that has ever really chapped my hide was when Ted Leo himself said that I kind of sing like Weird Al Yankovic(this supposedly took place, I wasn’t there for it.  My friend told me about it).  I don’t sound like Weird Al, do I?  
In a couple of reviews of the last record, Springsteen came up and that made me pretty happy.  But again, that has more to do with you I actually like and listen to rather than what the music sounds like. 

Q: You are known to be a tireless performer who embraces the power of live music with a giant bear hug. At what point in your life did you realize you were going to play music? What was the most inspiring live show you saw growing up?

A: Thanks for those kind words.   I’ve been on stage in form or another for twenty odd years now(I started at 8 or so), and have pretty much always known that I would be performer of some sort.  I liked it up on stage and felt comfortable in front of an audience, and not having that hurdle allowed me to just hone in on the skill of being engaging in front of a bunch of people.  

I didn’t like music until late, about 16 or so.  With no real reason or musical ability, I just became involved in that world.  There was music shop by my house and the deal was that they would give you an electric guitar  and amp for “free” and then you pay it off with lessons.  So that is what I did.  I paid it off and then I was done.  About a year into playing guitar, I started writing songs that I liked(after writing a bunch that were just kind of embarrassing).  
From the get go, like before I could even play a chord and all I could do was just make noise, it was pretty clear that I would be involved with music from then on.  
Like I said, I didn’t even really listen to music ’till I was 16, and then there was not a whole lot going on in my town.  I didn’t start going to shows till college.  I mean I went to big, big concerts as a kid, but that is not really the same thing.  When I was 21 I saw The Terribles and The Goonies play at the Mass Art auditorium, and that really changed some things for me.  When the Goonies played, you couldn’t tell where the audience ended and the band began.  They were set up on the floor and you would just occasionally see Kevin Driscoll(the singer) pop up in the crowd.  There were tons of people there and I have never felt so good to just be a cog in the wheel, you know what I mean?   

Q: If you could play a show in Boston with 3 other local bands who would they be and at what Boston venue would you play?

A: You know, I played a show at TJ Scallywaggles Vegan House of Pizza last year, and it was perfect!  Tiny place, super hot, but one of the best shows I;ve ever played!  That was with Merganser, Diamond Mines and myself.  So I would do that again.  And throw Jonathan Richman in there.  Is he still local?

Watch Yoni Gordon and The Goods “Up the Punks”

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Middle East Upstairs 1/16, doors at 8:30. 18+ $9. Buy tickets here.

Yoni Gordon and the Goods
Diamond Mines
Muy Cansado
White Problems

Sinaloa – “Seek Harbor” – 1/10 – Wadzilla Mansion

Sinaola played a ripping set last night at the Wadzilla Mansion in Allston. The place was packed shoulder-to-shoulder and all four bands, including L’Antietam/Brainworms/Daniel Striped Tiger, played killer sets to those of us who were not about to let a little snow storm get in the way of seeing great music.

Unfortunately, the video quality is iffy at best, the vocals were too low in the mix, and i didn’t have the best vantage point, but I wanted to post the song anyways. All the best to Brainworms as they travel back to RVA and much thanks to John from L’Antietam for hosting the show.

The New Dumb – Thurs 1/8 – O’Briens

 

thenewdumb.net

The New Dumb, formed in 2003, are not reinventing the wheel, and they would probably be the first ones to tell you that. What they are doing is churning out a deliberate brand of post-punk infected with their spastic humor, resulting in a sound catchier than the bird flu.

On stage this 3-piece, comprised of Jay Edmands on bass/vox, Foster Hoyt on guitar/vox, and Brian Rusnica on drums, approach their tunes with a feverish intensity but also with enough self-deprecation to allow for moments of hilarity and hi-jinx. If you like your bands brooding and self-involved then The New Dumb are not for you. On the other hand, If you like bands that look like they are having a blast playing their tunes then do the smart thing and head to O’Briens tonight to see The New Dumb.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q&A w/ Brian Rusnica of The New Dumb

Q: You are planning to release a DVD of your 2007 tour. What would be the script for the voice-over guy to read during the trailer for the movie?

A: we actually did put out the DVD, i think we made 25 of them, sold ‘em at shows, and gave the rest away to our families and touring friends.  the voice-over would be something along the lines of, “JUST HOW HORNY WILL THESE THREE MEN GET, SPENDING 10 DAYS AWAY FROM THEIR GIRLFRIENDS?”  i think everyone who actually sat through the DVD ended up liking it, because apparently we are pretty funny and charming people.  you can actually watch the first 7 minutes of it on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY1N8WwQRBw.  

Q: There is a distinct air of self-deprecation in the way the band presents itself. Does that come solely from your collective sense of humor or has the band made a conscious decision to set the bar low?

A: yes!  self-deprecation is at the heart of everything we do, from the name of the band to the names of the albums and a bunch of the songs, and definitely even into our live show.  it’s definitely a collective thing from what we find funny, and hopefully we can make some people smile at the same time as they are hopefully appreciating our actual music.  also, it’s probably partially due to how much we dislike bands and people who take their music careers so seriously.  we believe in effort, and working hard and sharing our ideas with other people, but hopefully never at the expense of alienating anyone with an overbearing sense of ‘we’re so important.’  the core of our band has always been us as friends hanging out, playing music at practice a couple times a week, and making new friends through our shows.  plus, we’re terrible!

Q: What is the most flattering/sickening band comparisons The New Dumb has received from fans, friends, family, press etc…?

A: the most flattering things we’ve ever heard are when people compare us to say the Pixies, Fugazi, or any of those really good bands in between.  when people reach a little further and say they hear things like the Minutemen or Ween as influences, that’s really exciting as well.  i think we tended to be pretty blatant earlier in the band with what we’re trying to emulate, but after 6 years of doing this, we feel that our “sound” is pretty well defined inside our practice space. the most depressing thing for me personally was when someone said we sounded like the Offspring, although they were pretty fun when i was in 7th grade!  

Q: You released your second album this past year Let’s Get Lucky on Mighty Science Records. can you tell us about the label and how you ended up working with them? Also, what, if any, were the differences in the process between you’re self-released record and this one?

A: the label is a start-up based in DC and South Carolina.  we haven’t fully explored what working with the label could bring to us, but we’re looking this year to tour more in the summer, and definitely put out another record with their help when it starts to get warm out again.  

the best part about the label is how we met one of the founders, Zak Jordon, during our ’07 tour.  we were talking with Zak on the computer about trying to get his band to play with us on a Monday night in Washington, and although we couldn’t get it to happen, he came to the show with a bunch of his friends.  we had known him for about 90 minutes in real life, and then we asked him to come on stage with us and sing a Misfits cover.  four months later, we were signed to his new label!  so i guess the moral of the story is, get in the van, meet people, listen to the misfits and something good will happen.

Q: If you could play a show in Boston with 3 other local bands who would they be and at what Boston venue would you play?

A: i love a lot of boston bands, so it’d be tough to choose!  Harris is the first one that comes to mind; i think we do some similar things in the ‘genre’ of a harder indie-rock, so i think our friends and theirs would enjoy the experience.  we finally played with them this past april on their residency at O’Briens.  plus they’re great people.  

i’d also put on Amoroso, who are a band we’ve played with a couple times (once before they were even called Amoroso) and are absolutely brutal.  and finally, we’d probably play with Piles, just so we could finally do our awful cover of “Sub-Mariner” in public and thoroughly embarass both us and them.  the song is in drop D and 7/4, which are two things that we will probably NEVER have in one of our songs, haha, and rightfully so.

for venue, i’d say Middle East Downstairs because i’ve always wanted to hang out “backstage” during a show i was playing, and after 60 shows in this band, we’ve yet to play in a venue that even has a backstage!

Listen to The New Dumb…\”Pea-Knuckle\”