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Vacation baby!

Beautiful downtown Vancouver.

Whenever I look forward to something, I usually can't stop talking about it. Anyone who's sat next to me at work, attended a municipal meeting in Kittery or drank with me at a bar in recent weeks, knows I'm heading to Vancouver for the next week, but I thought anyone else out there who knows me and checks this thing may not, so:

Hey, I'm in Vancouver for a week and it is going to totally rule!

In order for me to have a guilt-free conscience on my first big vacation in years, here are a few things to do while I'm gone.

Darkbuster with The Frosting and Grrrls out of Hell
May 25th 9pm $8 adv. $10 door
Stone Church, Newmarket

Frosting, aka, Stagecoach Dick, aka Shuttlecock are always worth the drive, not really becacue of their talent, per se, but for the show. They've been known to take the stage with a shine on and as one who likes to get a little toasty myself, I admire performers who do so as well. I don't know Darkbuster, but I've been told they're the East Coast NOFX. Take it for what you will.

DJ Kinetic
May 27 at 9 p.m.
The Red Door, State St. in Portsmouth

I usually try to see DJ Kinetic, or Trevor as I usually call him, when he's in town. He plays a great mix of intellectual electronic and old time favs. You can tell he went through a short goth phase and a short hip-hop phase and has come from the dark side of it a better man. Drinks will be high brow and expensive, but when was the last time you cleaned yourself up and had a night on the town, anyway.

Alcoa, Boy, The First Annual, Harper, Before They Set Sail
May 29 at 8 p.m.
The Red Door, State St. Portsmouth

I always try to see Alcoa, as well, since they are one of the few bands I've heard in town who know how to create skillful, interesting songs and play them well. For a $5 donation and cheap PBR, you can't really beat this night of live music. Just remember, you really, really, really have to be quiet.

Elsa Cross and Alexej Siren
Acoustic sonwriters
May 30 at 9 p.m.
Barley Pub, Central Ave. in Dover

If you missed the Stagecoach Dick show this past winter, you may not be aware of the sultry voice of Elsa Cross. Her rockabilly looks decive since her music is all soft country sung with the guts and gall of a true blues star. If you're going out drinking in Dover anyway, stop in. I guarantee you will fall in love.

Posted by blamontagne at 03:29 PM | Comments (6)

Punk Lives/Sucks

There are two schools of thought when it comes to modern punk bands:

1. As long as there are teens who are angry at the world, there will always be punk. Yes, the modern genre is filled with popsters like Green Day and such, but it doesn’t mean that they don’t rock. Green Day has been putting records out for over 10 years. They must be doing something right. And who are we to slam the pop sound? Just listen to the Ramones, for crying out loud. They’re as pop as it gets! I say, as long as it’s good and interesting and keeps my fist pumping in the air, new punk is okay by me.

2. Punk is dead as bloody Sid Vicious. The day (insert name of late 70s punk band here) broke up and (insert name of punk star that died violently or by a drug overdose here) the whole thing was over. Then came New Wave, with those freaky New Yorkers with their art school training and screwed up hair. Like they new what real punk was. Anyway, these new, young guys like (insert name of any punk band to come out after the Sex Pistols here) think they know what punk was about. I mean, how can you have a multi-million dollar deal with Sony and be considered punk? And look at all these old punk guys that sold out -- Iggy Pop is doing commercials and Henry Rollins! Don’t even get me started on Henry Rollins. I say, all music should be banned except for pre-1982 punk and hardcore. Then the world be a better place.

As for myself, I am an anti-snob, music snob. If the music’s good, the songs well-written the album well produced, I’m in, with the exception of pop country, but that goes without saying.

One of the things I admire most, when a band can pull it off, is taking a genre that’s been over played to death, like punk, and gives it some new life. There are few punk bands out there that can do this, and one of them is the Guts.

At their show at the Muddy Tuesday, a crowd of about 50 people from all walks crowded up to the stage to sing along, dance and occasionally spastically jump toward the stage. Geoff, Nate and Ben seemed to be having a good time, talking shit to eat other and the audience between songs. Rick, the drummer, sort of looked like he was having a good time, except the sweat pouring down his face was preventing him from doing so.

Besides the incredibly slow service at the bar (I waited 20 minutes for a beer, no joke) the night was spectacular. Even though it had been, what like 80 years since the Guts played, they sounded tight, their energy was high and the crowd was loving every minute of it.

Posted by blamontagne at 02:22 PM | Comments (2)

Let's Roll

There have been very few moments in my life where I genuinely felt cool. Looking at my date book this week and seeing that The Guts will be playing a Rock N Roll Sock Hop Reunion Show, I was reminded of one of those times.

I was working on a story about the teen radio programming at WSCA and decided to take a trip down to the station to talk with some of the kids. The day I went, a group of pre-pubescent skater punks were milling in the lobby while a slightly older looking group of Goth girls were spinning Saves the Day. At a station break, I asked the kids what they listen to. While the girls were into bands like the Cure and the Smiths (some things never change, right?) the boys immediately answered, The Guts.

When I told the boys that I was friends with those guys (“friends” meaning, shared about 1,000 PBRs with them at the Tiki Bar), they seemed very impressed, well, as impressed as pre-pubescent skater punks can be.

That was about a year ago, before the kids knew The Guts were officially on hiatus. Thankfully for those who love basic, down and dirty pop-punk, The Guts are back and will be playing a show next Tuesday at the Muddy River. There is no cover listed on their myspace page, or time of show, but I’m willing to guess it will be $5 and start at 9 p.m.

Nate, Ben, Geoff and Rick have an amazing crew of friends who know how to party like, well, you know. I know it’s cliché to drop this line, but if there’s one weeknight show to attend this year ... let’s just say I expect this show to be the dirty, rockin’, drunken party for the ages, so make sure you’re looking good.

Posted by blamontagne at 04:51 PM | Comments (0)

Yo tengo una fiesta

I know I haven’t written in a while. As I stare out the window at the gorgeous day, thinking about whether to buy an Ortiz, Manny or Youkilis shirt at the Red Sox game to night, I can see why.

Spring is here, the decks are open, people are dressing in less and playing hooky whenever they can.

What better way to celebrate than with a fake Mexican holiday.

Today is Cinco de Mayo, the anniversary of the Mexicans 1862 victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla, not the Mexican Independence day as I always thought. A quick Google search will tell you it is celebrated far more in America than in Mexico and in recent years has become highly commercialized.

That may explain why Kitchen & Company, the Inn at Long Sands, the Riverworks Tavern in Newmarket, Margarita’s, Tequila Jacks’ (excuse me, TJs) and the Knot Irish Bar in Durham are celebrating the holiday with sales and drink specials.

As with Mardi Gras, I have a problem with gringos taking over cultural holidays for the sheer purpose of getting blitzed. Doesn’t it demean a culture by reducing their history to a day of drinking? Well, the Irish don’t seem to mind.

On the other hand, why not spice up ham and bean supper New England? Why not celebrate a Central American culture known for great food and tequila?

Whatever your plans, just remember that any place even remotely referencing Mexico in its name will be filled to the gills tonight, so it might be a good idea to enjoy a margarita or Corona on your own back porch.

Also, it was reported today that the Portsmouth PD will be setting up sobriety roadblocks in undisclosed parts of the city this weekend. Who wants to be it’s tonight?

Posted by blamontagne at 03:08 PM | Comments (0)