YOU GOTTA GO TO THIS TOMORROW, SUNDAY

Alpha Women Attack the Lower East Side FREE festival in Tompkins Square Park!
2-6 PM, a huge line up of great peeps. Check out the info on the Facebook invite now and go!

HIM 4/22/10

HIM is touring in support of their new release, Screamworks: Love in Theory & Practice. I've seen HIM multiple times, but I'd never had the privilege of photographing them, and I was definitely looking forward this San Diego House of Blues show (despite the murky lighting typical of all HOB venues). This was the first time I'd seen them since the lead singer, Ville Valo, went to rehab, and I was curious to see what a sober Ville looked and sounded like. Was the booze an integral part of a HIM performance?

Well, I can tell you that the band has never sounded better. They may not be wasted onstage, but they're still having a great time up there, and it shows. The songs are tight and the audience rapport as wonderful as ever.

A big part of a HIM show is atmosphere. There are oriental rugs laid out onstage, and the lighting is dramatic. Unfortunately, it's not so great for photography, but then again that's not what the lighting is for. It's for the audience, and they seem to love it.

Ville is older now, and forgoes the eyeliner, but he still looks great. He swaggers all over the stage as if he's not in front of thousands of people. He seems completely at ease, stopping to chat with audience members between songs with his trademark, almost manic grin.

The audience, also, has matured. Not just young teen girls (though there certainly were some there), many in the audience were clearly longtime fans and sang along enthusiastically to both old and new material. The set was a nice balance of songs, and the packed house seemed wholly appreciative.

HIM is alive and well, and I hope they continue to make music for years to come!

More info here: www.heartagram.com

AFI Again

Previously, I'd photographed AFI in a small, intimate venue. Then, they were set to play New York City's Roseland, and I wondered what difference that would make in the whole atmosphere. Not only that, but the lighting scheme had been significantly changed, so I wanted to have a new take on the Crash Love tour.

The lighting was much more sophisticated, less harsh and definitely more dramatic. It was also a hell of a lot harder to photograph, but that was my problem, not theirs. As their lighting director says, the lights are for the audience, not the photographer. We work with what we get.

The band, however, was just as energetic, giving their all with new songs and old. Davey Havok is the quintessential frontman, flamboyantly interacting with the crowd as if they're all old friends. And some of them are! Many AFI fans have been devoted to this band since their inception back in the 90's. Davey's look has changed many times, from punk to glam to his current Morrissey-esque 'do. His voice has also strengthened, as well as his lyrics. Jade Puget on guitar is a virtuoso, the melodic driving force, effortlessly shredding while pirouetting around the stage. Hunter attacks his bass with a savage force that still produces an epic counterpoint, grimacing at the crowd. And last but not least, Adam is a beast on the drums, pounding out the brutal rhythm like a man possessed.

The new songs may not be what old-school fans call "AFI", but they're unarguably tight and catchy, showing off the band's range. They do play a good share of their older material as well, and though the shows are short, usually not over an hour, they definitely give the audience their money's worth.

Not many bands have the kind of connection that AFI has with their fans. Go see an AFI show if you have a chance at all. It will be a show you won't soon forget.


AFI fans are colorful and patient:



























































Upcoming Tour Dates:

February 20 Brisbane Soundwave Festival 2010
February 21 Sydney Soundwave Festival 2010
February 26 Melbourne Soundwave Festival 2010
February 27 Adelaide Soundwave Festival 2010
March 1 Perth Soundwave Festival 2010
March 12 Nashville, TN Rocketown
March 13 Charlotte, NC The Fillmore
March 15 Jacksonville, FL Plush
March 16 Tampa, FL The Ritz
March 18 Pensacola, FL Seville Quarter Party Plaza
March 19 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
March 27 Anaheim, CA Festival Grounds at Angel Stadium
April 5 Nottingham, UK Nottingham Rock City
April 6 London, UK Brixton Academy
April 8 Glasgow, UK ABC
April 9 Manchester, UK Manchester Academy
April 11 Newcastle, UK 02 Academy 2 Newcastle
April 12 Birmingham, UK 02 Academy 2 Birmingham
April 14 Hamburg, Germany Grosse Freiheit 36
April 15 Munich Give It A Name,Tonhalle
April 17 Milan, IT, Italy Alcatraz
April 20 Vienna Outdoor Arena
April 21 Warsaw, PL Stodola
April 24 Meerhout, BE Groezrock Festival
April 25 Dulsburg T-Mobile Extreme Playground




Jade

REPOSTED FROM JESSY DELFINO'S BLOG

RAY's on AVE A may have to say laterzzz
by Jessica Delfino

The local NYC joint is on the skids due to the financial catastrophe of oh nine. A victim of the modern age and money issues, Ray, in his 70s, is facing a crisis.

More HERE from Gothamist too

So many have been lost in the money crunch. I saw Love Saves The Day hit the dust, which
just broke my heart because I loved that dusty little hell hole. Other spots which beat
it were the awesome Good World (though I heard that place just 'moved' but STILL, it's no longer four steps and a hop away from my place anymore) and a few other places that are skipping my mind just like they skipped town.

Turns out a small gathering of local art-ctivists are going to stand in front of the place and form a human wall to keep the body guard from bolting the doors shut, as the landlord promised to do later today. I tried to find a phone number and I can't, so if you want to help, just show up at Ray's around 5 pm on Ave A between 7th and A.

Another quick and easy way to help: Eat at Ray's today and tell everyone you know to eat at Ray's today! Order food for your office there today! And then donate a little extra, too.

Photos of Ray's, and more information HERE

From my friend's FB post:

PLEASE repost to help save Ray's on Ave A (btwn 7th & A) Ray Alvarez is in his 70's & owns & operates Rays. You can get truly amazing egg creams, rasberry lime rickeys, pomme frites (which I ONLY like from here!) from a true neighborhood character & institution. It would be HEARTBREAKING to see this place go...

Jeezuz Christ he's 77 yrs. old & has been there since 1974 according to EV Grieve. It will be horrible for him he can't work @ his place or stay open @ all...

Ars Nova Ant Fest

In midtown, there is this very interesting club that puts on really weird and neat shows. Maybe they aren't as weird or interesting as Ultrabunny or Haunted Pussy, but they're weird and interesting in their own ways. They have lots of "gay" shows, and other undefinable show topics.

It is called, "Ars Nova," and right now, a festival is going on there called the Ars Nova Ant Fest which features tons of crazy wacky shows. Music, bands, plays, dirty perverted folk songs --- wait a minute, did someone say dirty perverted folk songs? That's MY show!

That's right, my show is in the Ars Nova Ant Fest. Tickets are $10, which is not super cheap for those of us on a holiday budget, but if you buy your tickets in advance online, you get a free drink at the show, and $10 for a show and a drink isn't so bad. You can order your tickets RIGHT HERE.

I've toured this show across the US and UK, this past summer in Scotland, Ireland and England and as part of the Reading & Leeds Festival, Latitude Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival and more. These songs (and I) were publicly denounced by the Catholic League. This is one of the last times I'm going to perform this collection of perverted, twisted songs live, as I've been doing them for a few years now and I'm getting ready to retire them and move them on to something different. Of course, I will keep you posted about that project when it is ready.

Show info:

Thurs Nov 12 @ 8 PM
Jessica Delfino's Dirty Folk Rock
Ars Nova ANT FEST!
511 W. 54th St.
With her lewd songs and unconventional instruments (rape whistle!), Jessica Delfino is a self-described brunette Britney Spears--with balls.
Tickets: $10
For tickets: http://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/691205
SPECIAL OFFER: If you buy a ticket online to my show, you get a free drink at the show (which nearly covers the cost of the ticket!)

AFI is back!

After a long wait, AFI is finally back with its eighth CD, Crash Love. Decemberunderground came out way back in June 2006, and though the band toured heavily in the interim, it still seems like ages since we've heard from them. The new CD is once again a departure from their past work, something AFI seems to specialize in; they never seem content to stay with one 'sound'. At first listen, Crash Love seems poppier than previous efforts, but that's just a first impression. The songs grow on you, as good music does, and more and more layers open up on further listens.

Of course, AFI never shines as much as when they're onstage, and that hasn't changed one bit. AFI shows may be short (usually just over an hour) but they're packed full of energy and sincere showmanship. Davey Havok seems totally at ease and confident, chatting with the crowd as if they're old friends. And most of them are. For the kickoff of the Crash Love tour, AFI played Minneapolis on October 2nd. Davey mentioned playing the same city way back in the 90's, and an audience member immediately professed to having been there. AFI is the kind of band that attracts diehard, devoted fans. Fans who will line up for hours in cold, miserable weather in order to be front and center. For their efforts, they'll get crushed by fans behind and abused by crowd-surfers, but to them its well worth a close-up view of Davey, Jade, Adam and Hunter.

I attended three shows in two weeks: Minneapolis, Sayreville NJ and Pittsburgh. The setlist varied a bit, but was heaviest on Crash Love (of course) and Sing the Sorrow. At least one very old song was included in each show ("Ny-quil", "Half-Empty Bottle") and of course their MTV hit "Miss Murder". All in all, the crowd seemed extremely pleased, singing every word as loud as Davey.

The stage and the band were resplendent in black and gold; they look great and sound better. If you get a chance, check out AFI when they come to a town near you. They're touring the US and Canada for the rest of the year, then they'll be off to Australia in early 2010. Then they'll likely hit Europe, and then come back for another swing through the US. Here are the announced dates:

10/17/2009 Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom Hampton Beach, NH

10/19/2009 The National Richmond, VA

10/20/2009 Gallery of Sound Scranton, PA

10/21/2009 Scranton Cultural Center Scranton, PA, United States

10/23/2009 Merriweather Post Pavilion Columbia, MD

10/25/2009 House of Blues Boston, MA

11/3/2009 Cain's Ballroom Tulsa, OK

11/4/2009 The Pageant St. Louis, MO

11/6/2009 Uptown Theater Kansas City, MO

11/7/2009 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, United States

11/9/2009 The Fillmore Detroit Detroit, MI

11/10/2009 The Sound Academy Toronto, ONT, CA

11/12/2009 Electric Factory Philadelphia, PA

11/13/2009 Roseland Ballroom New York, NY

11/15/2009 House of Blues - Myrtle Beach North Myrtle Beach, SC

11/16/2009 Tabernacle Atlanta, GA

11/18/2009 Pompano Beach Amphitheatre West Palm Beach, FL

11/19/2009 House of Blues Lake Buena Vista, FL

11/21/2009 Verizon Wireless Theater Houston, TX

11/22/2009 Stubbs Austin, TX

12/15/2009 Winnipeg Convention Ctr. Winnipeg, MB, Canada

12/16/2009 Prairieland Park Saskatoon, CAN

12/18/2009 Shaw Conference Center Edmonton, CAN

12/19/2009 Big Four Building Calgary, AB, CAN

12/21/2009 Save On Foods Centre Victoria, BC, CAN

2/20/2010 Soundwave Festival Brisbane, AU

2/21/2010 Soundwave Festival Sydney, AU

2/26/2010 Soundwave Festival Melbourne, AU

2/27/2010 Soundwave Festival Adelaide, AU

3/1/2010 Soundwave Festival Perth, AU


Please check out http://www.afireinside.net/ for more info, and go buy Crash Love!

J

girls, gore, robots and geishas, and geisha robots!

American movie trailers have the baritone voiceover guy going for them, and generally not much more.

The voiceover guy here is pretty lame, BUT the movie certainly seems to make up for it.

RoboGeisha (Japan 2009 coming soon)

VNV Nation Review and Pics

VNV Nation has been around since 1990 in one form or another, and now, 19 years later, Ronan and Mark prove they've still very much got it.

Saturday night's LA show (6/27/09), was the kickoff of their tour to support their newest release, Of Faith, Power and Glory. The venue was packed with goth, alt, and rave types, and just plain fans of one of the best-known electronica bands in the world.

The energy was palpable, and the crowd threw themselves into the songs just like the band did. Though this tour is for the new CD, Ronan didn't skimp on the crowd favorites, even going back to 1999's Empires for Darkangel, to the audience's delight. The crowd favorite had to be Beloved, though, with Perpetual a close second.

Though the CD just came out on the 23rd of June, the audience seemed to have no problem with the lyrics and dance moves to the new material. The new tracks are pure VNV, and I predict "Sentinel" (misspelled on the album cover, FYI) will be the next big track. Introspective, emotional, yet uplifting; somehow VNV manages all of it while still being danceable, and not overdramatic. Quite a feat.

VNV is touring heavily in support of the new CD: North America in July, Europe in September, and a promise by Ronan to be back in the US late fall.

Check out their website www.vnvnation.com for tour dates and more info. Also please see my interview with Ronan Harris, coming up soon!

Prima Donna Review and Photos

I recently caught the band Prima Donna at Hollywood's historic Knitting Factory. When the band first struts out onstage to the accompaniment of some severely retro riffs, you'll wonder if you've stumbled into some sort of 80's time warp. Lycra, animal print, and lots of big hair and guyliner will make you feel like a virgin again. Or maybe not. At any rate, these boys know what they're doing, and they're ready to rock your face off. They work together like a well-oiled machine; singer Kevin has all the moves to win over the ladies, and Aaron doubles on keyboard and sax to give the music its unique blues-inspired feel. David wails on the drums, and the combo of Erik and Daniel on guitar and bass work together perfectly.

They just got back from a tour across the USA, and they're doing some SoCal shows in the next month or so. Catch them if you can; you won't regret it!

http://www.myspace.com/primadonna
www.primadonnarocks.com

Interview with Tiger Army's Nick13

Tiger Army is probably the most well-known band in the modern psychobilly scene. They've been at it for almost a decade, and through numerous lineup changes they're still going strong.

Tiger Army formed in early 1996, and played their very first show at the legendary 924 Gilman in Berkeley, CA, where bands such as Green Day, AFI and Rancid honed their skills. They opened for longtime friends AFI and actually borrowed their drummer Adam Carson for the gig. After hard work and local shows, the band hooked up with Rancid frontman and Hellcat Records co-founder Tim Armstrong. The band's self-titled debut was released in late '99. Tiger Army essentially introduced the psychobilly subculture to the USA.


When founder and frontman Nick13 agreed to answer some questions for me, they were working on a followup to their well-received III: Ghost Tigers Rise album.


Hello Mr. 13! Jade from PunkRockBitch.Com here... thanks so much for taking the time to answer some questions.

How do you see the psychobilly genre... is it growing, or changing significantly? Are the changes good or bad for the scene?

When Tiger Army started, there was no scene in America. For most of the band's existence, we tirelessly promoted the genre. People now are aware of it to an unprecedented extent here, so what we set out to do has been accomplished in that respect. That being said, the scene is largely a disappointment to me. Many of the older Euro bands are completely washed up and just tailor what they do to their idea of the American "market" -- zero artistic credibility at this point. As for younger bands from the States, too many are content to deliver poor imitations of bands they like rather than take artistic chances and do something new, which is both boring and a letdown. I think fans of the music deserve more than that.

What do you think the differences are between the US and European psychobilly scenes?

The European scene is older & frankly there's a better understanding of what the music is. Some kids here seem to think it's thrash metal with a stand-up bass. It's a little hard to say since it's been awhile since we've been there. We still get festival offers from Germany and hopefully we can make that happen.

What are some of the early bands you have tried to emulate? What one band do you think influenced you most?

Probably the Meteors. They were the first psychobilly band and always one of the best. Was always a fan of the Quakes, Long Tall Texans... my writing was also influenced by the songwriting of a little-known band from England called Sgt. Fury.

You've gone through a lot of lineup changes... can you tell us about the new members?

Well, they're not that new at this point as they've been in the band for over and year and played well over a hundred shows, but the stand-up bassist is Jeff Roffredo and the drummer is James Meza. Both have played in a number of different psycho bands and both are some of the most talented musicians at their respective instruments that I've ever had the privilege of playing with. As far as playing goes, I don't think the band has ever sounded better. I can't wait to make a record with these guys!

(Note: since this interview, original member Geoff Kresge has rejoined the band on stand-up bass)

Why did you start a band initially? Was it something to do, or what you really wanted to do with your life?

When I was young, it was something to do. As time went on, I realized that there was nothing in the world I cared about as much as the band, so I knew that I'd rather spent all my time trying to be a musician, even if it meant failing, than succeed at something else.

When you were a teenager and dreaming of starting a band, you must have pictured it a certain way. How does what you pictured compare with what it's really like?

Really, it's beyond my wildest dreams that I'd still be playing music and doing it for a living at this point. Tiger Army is 10 years old next March and there's no end in sight.

You started your first band in '91 at age 17, Influence13, with Jade Puget and Geoff Kresge. What was it like back then for a band starting out? Why did that band break up?

Things were harder then, it was so hard to get any kind of a recording out. There are many more labels now and more resources to promote your music, like the internet. As for breaking up, well, probably different musical directions and difficulty keeping a drummer were two big ones.

We hear you're working on a new CD... how's that coming?

I'm in the middle of the writing process now and I've got several songs that I really like. We've been working them out in the rehearsal room. I'm really excited about this album, the lineup, everything. I think it has the potential to be the best thing we've done yet and I don't want to settle for less! No date is set for the studio yet but it will be out in 2006...

What is your songwriting process like? Do you get random ideas while you're stuck in traffic?

Traffic would probably be too distracting, but I've definitely gotten a lot of ideas on long drives, both on & off tour! Many of the lyrics for "Rose of the Devil's Garden" came to me on a drive on CA's 1-5 from LA to the Bay Area. I had to pull into a gas station and scribble them down on paper napkins!

What non-psychobilly bands would you like to tour with?

Morrissey and AFI.

Do your parents/family like your music?

They do, which is really cool. My parents have always been supportive of my music. I had an opportunity to play our CD for my Grandma who lives in Australia this past spring when we were there on tour, she seemed to genuinely enjoy it! But it's probably just because I'm her grandson, who knows...

Have you ever gone to a high school reunion?

No. I hated high school and the people in it for the most part! I'm in touch with most of the people I want to be from back then so a reunion would just involve those that I don't care about or never liked.

What kind of music do you listen to for your own enjoyment? Do you ever worry it will influence your own music?

I listen to all sorts of things from 50's hillbilly to current industrial/ebm. Also a lot of pop, Morrissey, Depeche Mode, etc. Drawing on different styles is what makes music exciting, so no, I don't worry about things influencing me. On the contrary, I welcome it.

Do you have a favorite venue to play?

There are many I like, but if I had to pick just one, perhaps House of Blues, Los Angeles. A friendly and knowledgeable staff and a cool room that holds a decent number of people but still feels intimate.

And now a few requested questions from my readers:

What about the rockabilly/psychobilly scene made you decide you wanted to be part of the whole genre?

I was always a fan of early punk, as well as 50s rockabilly/rock'n'roll. The more I listened, the more connections emerged between the two, although on the surface they might seem to have nothing to do with each other to some people. When I discovered psychobilly, it seemed like I could have a combination of everything I was into in one band! That's still true, for the most part.

What do you think of people who only like Tiger Army because of their relation to AFI?

I don't know of any such people. I know of many people who discovered Tiger Army through AFI, but that's always the way it is, I got into so many bands when I was younger because of connections with other bands I liked. I'd imagine the majority of AFI fans to be drawn to original, exiting music, so I see no reason why they wouldn't genuinely enjoy both. If there is someone who's just into Tiger Army to seem cool to someone else, well, I don't know what to say, that's pretty far away from my world.

What is your pre-show ritual?

A little bit of vocal warm-up, maybe a bit of hot honey & lemon drink, some stretching maybe... whatever I think I need. Mostly it's about focusing and getting in the right head space to go out and do it.

If you were stranded on a desert island, which five people would you want with you and why?

Probably just my girlfriend. It'd be cool to have some friends there as well, but I wouldn't wish them to be stranded on a desert island just for my amusement!

What kind of deodorant do you use?

Old Spice "Original" scent. Perhaps a bit too much time on the hands, whoever was wondering about that. ;-)

www.tigerarmy.com
www.myspace.com/tigerarmy