I have to say I love shows like this. Three ripping bands, no bullshit. load in rip thru your set and load out. I hate it when touring band x rolls into town and takes 45 minutes to figure out how to slave two full stacks together to no greater effect. So anyways all three bands shared some form of equipment every one sounded great and the show started right on time!

Cycles was first, three piece punk from muskegon. for those who don’t already know, cycles consists of sock (xtra-vomit and positive noise among others) on drums, zack (duckbomb!) on guitar and vokillz!
and Dylan (clawhammer lobotomy) on second guitar. So cycles is kind of hard to pinhole. I hear them described as D-beat punk but to my ears I get allot of old UK style hardcore. The highlight of there set for me
was socks drumming, but I might be more than a little bias being a drummer myself. what socks lacks in finesse he more than makes up for in shear brutality and intensity. I really liked the vokillz too! a very fitting
ferocious strained scream. The guitar players traded off some leads that were a little hard to hear but sounded very cool! All and all a very intense set!

Next up was the oily menace. I think we played a very tight set but I think it could have been a little more intense in the drum department. I guess I will always be my own biggest critic but you never want to slack off when your playing with two of the most mad man ape drummers the state of Michigan has to offer! Anyways the highlight of our set for me was when travis stepped up and spoke about “big oil” and how they make a very convenient target. The reason I mention this is because for me personally its slightly intimidating to address a crowd and so I definitely applaud Travis for his two cents!

lastly was cloud rat and did they ever step up to the occasion! From what I can remember madison didn’t feel very good but you wouldn’t have known by her vokill performance. They also played a considerably longer set then I have seen in the past and they raged the whole way thru!  Not only did they play all the songs off there new self titled LP they also hammered out six songs that will be going on a split cassette with fellow Michigan HxCx grinders Xtra-vomit. so hold on tight because these new tracks are the most dissonant, crushing and pummeling cloud rat songs to date!  I also have to mention that
cloud rats set might have been the funnest “pit” ever! I don’t think a single person in that basement was standing still! Great energy from the band and great energy in the crowd!

All together another amazing time in muskegon. Its really a bummer there aren’t more shows or punk bands in the area because I have never had a bad time Muskegon. The cities shoreline is beautiful and Bronson park never disappoints! The day after the show we went and made burritos and fried bananas in my new skillet right on the beach, it was amazing! so to sum things Michigan should have a twenty minute HxCx punk set time cap, No more than one stack per guitarist policy, anti not moshing legislation, a rocket stove in every home! Support Michigan everything!

-Dylan

Ok first off I am writing about this show even though I missed half of it. The reason being is that the half I did see really floored me so here we go.

Ok starting of this show was a new band called RIPPED DAD first killer name If I seen this name on a flyer I would go on name alone (not Kidding).  Second this band played a killer set of noise punk stuff. The best part that played dead serious, and for a really really short amount of time. You see some noise bands just go on and on, and to me that just shows that don’t really know what they are doing. RIPPED DAD did it well and did it right good job guys on a good gig. Second of the night was VICTORY. The best thing about this band is that the first time I seen them people just took it as noise they walked away from because it drove them crazy. Then something happened with this band people started liking them! The last time I seen before this I felt enough energy in the crowd that people could have started loosing their minds, and begin dancing.  Victory is a legit band that is a strong force in the GR hardcore scene. Last night was a little different way more noise way less drums and bass for that matter. For those who don’t know they are a two-piece drum and bass band, but sometimes you will catch them doing some crazy noise stuff like last night. After them I have to say I went to eat. I worked all day and just needed to eat something anything so I left missing the next two bands I am sorry. BORED STRAIGHT was the next band I got to see. They are from Milwaukee WI. I had a tape by them I thought was ok nothing crazy. Then I heard one track of the new 7” and I was floored so I was stoked to see what this band was like now. They set up all their gear and got ready to play. It all started with a little feedback and the singer walking back and forth…then boom they where of to the races playing stripped down basic HC thrash. Just in your face the entire time jumping of the drums whaling guitars. This is what I have been missing in hardcore just basic tuned 3 chord ripping songs. One of the best parts about their set is they did not care at all that 5 people watched them. They just played to play that’s it.  BORED STRAIGHT was one of my highlights of the summer for sure. I think that’s one of the best things about living in a state like Michigan you can really pay attention to small things going on around you like RIPPED DAD/VICTORY and BORED STARIGHT. Sometimes in larger area’s great bands like this get overlooked. I am glad I can I still go to small show and find a new favorite band. I am sorry to say the show went later then I expected so I missed the last couple bands. Either way thinks Sam for putting on another great show. Also it seems like all the reviews for noise shows in this area I would have seen more of that crowd oh well.

O Man! I luv tonite! Got to cuddle in a puddle with my darl and then see Girls at Dawn at Louie's Bar(K-zoo) with Andy Panda, Venes and Ivan an the Dawners were ...rad! 
Only a floor tom an one other drum/some sorta shakey moracca thingie that was used quite well fer the minimal motives...!
Girls came in like a lamb an gradually grew to Rock Lion jumpers very subtly, but very, very! if you get my mid-drift! 
All beauty queens extrodinare, almost too pro-magnon but I dug the threesome squalls and squandrys they were throwing down if yu dig me...
Did y'all like the Hollows show Andy set up? Quite similar but more stripped down which I savored with relish! The drummer was a impressive beast who turned her maracca into an enchanting retro gadget that made Menthols singer dude who came to the show scream out:
"What the fuck is that?"
All three of the ladies sang with a sly post-post Nico pout! It was non-chalant entendres to the extreme scream! 
I hate to go off in tangents, crawl to the very raw tip of the rotten tree branch, sink my head in a bucket of liquid Drain-o, but I really, really fucking let out a sigh of relief when I'm in a venue like Louie's in K-zoo...wait a second there are no such venues like Louie's that I've ever seen!! Louie's is like walking into a kitschy, John Waters wet dream an yu better believe it fuck-nut! This is not no movie, it really exists! Hairy, scary, animal corpses on the wall, having sex an deep-throating each other! Its the perfect punk venue! I've seen Nobunny there twice now! But anyways, I'm hyping with another stripe of intentions which I'll probe yu for later...
"Teacher will we be tested on this material?"
Yes, yr darn tootin'!
GIRLS AT DAWN~!
Look 'em up!
They rock!
As for the supporting bands???
Hmmm...well I think Andy put it kindly referring to The Dauxers at K-zoo's version of Exotic Androids...real sludge rock if yu dig it...I kinda did!
The singer was this real old and scary broad who yelled: 
"Motherfucker! Cocksucker! Cheesedick! He's my Whiskey!" to everybuddy who cared,
and I appreciated the thought! She was a sweety!
I thought the Speedy Fuelies were a gimmick gone wrong, but thats just cuz there energy was so lackluster that it made me leave a couple time an shoot up aspirin!
I liked how they sounded kinda like the Blasters, but bands that sound too much like every other rockabilly band kinda suck too...
Besides they only had Cds(yeeech!!) and tee-shirts with lame designs!
RED LETTERS ON CHECKERBOARD PATTERNS????? How many times have we seen that before people??????????
Not much money fer drugs after I bought the Girls at Dawn Record...
bummers...
But forget all this blue sounding tripe, the show was all 
GIRLS AT DAWN!!!
AND IT WAS ALL 
COOL!
Back to praising, Louies, this bar has people who appreciate records!
They stand around a record and point and gawk!
They only play RECORDS when punk bands are about to play!
Love these folk! Their my kind! My ilk, and my mind!

P.S. So what I was leading up to funnily enuff with my earlier comment was shameless self promotion cuz I talked to the cartoonist fer Louie's punk shows BEN LYON...SUCH a good artist! He's made sum killer Nobunny fliers an his GIrls at Dawn flier is top drawer!
Anywayz/back to planet earth/LYON introduced me to Matt from Blackjack productions, I probed him thoroughly an physically an said 
"hey I wanna do a fucking show at Louie's I'm in the Corrosive Kids!" 
He's like, 
"oh yah! I remember yr message but forgot to get back to yu!
Do you wanna do a show the 18th of August????????????????!!!"
I was like, 
"FUCK YAH!"
Andy was like, 
"who's playing?"
Matt was like, 
"RAYON BEACH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" (CHECK OUT THEIR WAY COOL RECORD AT VERTIGO!!!)
SO FUCKING AWESOME!!
THATS THE BEST BAND/GIG CORROSIVE KIDS EVER HAD!!!
STARS IN MY EYES!
CUM SEE US THE 18th at LOUIE'S IN K-ZOO!!
I'll get off the soap-box now...

So okay it’s been awhile since I’ve felt inspired enough by a show to write a review of it, but Friday’s show was fucking FANTASTIC! Mind you I attended this show the day after I read John Fahy’s column in the August MRR in which he stated (and I WHOLE-HEARTEDLY agreed with) that:

“… The vast majority of pop punk today seems very clean, lovely, trite, and boring; I’m completely tired of generic love song lyrics; they’re neither charming nor intelligent, and they have been done to fucking death”.

and later boldly and rightfully stating that:

“… There is not enough punk in pop punk anymore”.

So yeah. Until recently I agreed with the dear Mr. Fahy. I went through a phase in which I would occasionally lend an ear to music classified as “pop punk”, though it was always on the heavier, grittier side, elements that seem to be somewhat of a declining art.

Well decline no more. Grand Rapids is fucking putting the grit back into pop punk and Friday’s show was pure genius as far as I’m concerned.  First off were the delightful LIGHTNING BUGS (Grand Rapids), whom are a rotating two piece of amazingness who play a style of music that brings me right back to THE BREEDERS again and again (though of COURSE much more rough and distorted sounding). I’ve seen this band several times now and I like them more and more every show. The way these individuals play music together is downright enchanting and I look forward to seeing them many more times before they are through.

Second up was RADIATOR HOSPITAL and once again the people in this band CONTINUE TO FUCKING AMAZE ME! (And on a side though equally as important note: it blows my mind that these kids are not only in one fantastic band, but several! SKELETON PARTY has been my favorite local band up until this point and now I think it’s safe to say they are TIED with themselves as RADIATOR HOSPITAL). Their style of music is undeniably impressive with unique ties to so many styles of music it makes my fucking head spin. Their set was tight and energetic and poppy and sad and happy and fantastic all put together. And who can really argue with a distorted sped-up version of DESCENDENTS “good good things”? I FUCKING LOVE THIS BAND.

Third to grace the stage were Sweden’s THE POPPETS who were touring with SWEET SIXTEENS (from Indiana). Another two piece though this time two guitarists and a drum machine, THE POPPETS played a fucking mean set of speedy bubblegum pop punk that had me dancing my ass off and staring in awe (and thinking of John Fahy’s column the whole time!). Unfortunately I missed SWEET SIXTEENS but a close source tells me they were sub-par after LIGHTNING BUGS, RADIATOR HOSPITAL, and THE POPPETS and chided the audience for not dancing enough. C’mon now guys, you’ve gotta know by now that’s never cool…

SO IN CONCLUSION! GRAND RAPIDS FUCKING RULES and OUR POP MUSIC IS PUNK AS FUCK!!

CVG!

Mysterious...
Gotta keep it mysterious,
ominous, brimming with question marks
and all that shlocky substance abuse...
Why? 
Because you didn't go you b-holes!
Well, some of you did, but some of you
have yr noses
so far up
yr collective asses
that you couldn't tell shit from shinola,
and it's usually the same fucking thing!
Anywayz, onto the review...

I've always thought of Noise 'music' and No-Wave
as like the highest form of bravery,
right up there with the brave souls who thought,
and fought to turn up at our basement show
shin-dig on Sunday, (and every other basement
show fer that matter!) "Father's Gay!"
where Grand Rapids proved it's worthlessness
and everyone was outta town celebrating
one hell of a boring holiday!

Ok! Yr Fathers gay, he's outta the closet, were
proud of him! Let's move one!

The kids that did go to this show found a kinship
with Noise musick and the musickians becuz
they too were sick and well aware of the repetition
repetitionrepetitionrepetitionrepetitionrepetition
of popular culture and popular sub-culture
all stirred into a slick mess in the toilet that is
our lives...For Lifers! That's what we is!
And sum of them got brave, and rather than choose
suicide they choose the next best thang
and choose to step off the grid
not catering to any form or function,
choosing to fall into uh dark, howling universe
that prolly on first inspection
appears to be uh spittle slathered sex organ...
Fuck all! Dive in! Live fer the moment!

Three Brained Robot opened up the show at PVC
with uh raging attack on form!
The curly haired cretin attacked a guitar which
did lil' but blind anyone in close range(thank-fully
I was wearing shades)!
No one was allowed a peaceful escape from routines
at this show!
No pleasant 'Oi' 'Oi's' to regress uh wet nursed
punker back uh couple decades!
It was pure unadulterated tough love!
Just the way I like it!
Robot dragged out his puppet halfway through
the set, finally giving us an inch of superficial
relief with the closest thing he had to a 'pop song'!
The puppet menacingly goaded the audience,
his voice coming from some well-spring in hell
as he spat "I'm the puppet, he's the human, I'm
the puppet, he's the human, I'm the puppet, he's
the human, I'm the puppet, he's the human, I'm
the puppet...ad nauseam! 
To finish off Robot forced everyone at Noise-point
to venture under uh tent that we all held up,
and, well...the rest is mystery!

Moving on...after the sexual liaison with our
well equipped robot friend, Yohimbe took the stage!
...And boy did they ever!
First thing you see, the well-endowed front-woman
turns her back and snaps off her bra!
Then the fun begins as she crashes her Double D
business all over her noise toys,
slapping and pummeling
the equipment, throwing her head up with uh
maniacal witch's leer, and then down again!
For some reason I envision Beethoven
for an instant, and then---gone!
Back to reality, or whatever is left of it!
After their set Yohimbe clued me into how their
name was derived from a herbal drug
which is supposed to give you rock-hard
erections, and torpedo tits from Venus!
I thought the name well-suited as
the drummer for Yohimbe struggled
in the background somewhere,
smashing the drums into uh
early grave in a bloody battle of flesh and
drum-head! 
You could see him in his near-death
trance, black and blue from his own throttlings!
I was rooted to the spot, and absolutely
could not move 'til the end of their set!
His purplish underwear stained with sweat
as he communed uh dichotomy of opinions
to his frenzied partner!
[I must include here that their accompanying
tape that came after the performance
is a must have and I play it all the time,
so try to acquire it if you have any means!]

After this debacle we had Grand Rapids own
Chinese People show us a dance or three,
and it was very crudely
cool, as it always is with the Chinese People,
but rather even more so with such a line-up
as this! It all made sense in uh strange, stinky way!
I don't know why!
Cassandra, who was gaping at their spasmodic
delights right next to me said they reminded her
of 'Tim & Eric Awesome Show Great Job'
which I hadn't seen in them until her moment of
revelation! 
I always got a hint of B-52's
from their jock straps, but on uh seconds rethink
I'd say they were a disastrously delicious
mix of both; just like the sweet, tonic that Jan
offered to the audience during his
speedy set! (I heard it's sweetness was concocted
with Stevie from Statutory Triangle!)
Jan was straight-faced as always, which I always
find so hilarious with their subject matter:
"Get herpes and spread it all around, and
spread it all around! Gonorrhea! And spread it
all around an spread it all around!..."
Sarah Anderson was in top form with a flopping
top, throwing herself to the very limits of
sanity with her methodical husband in tow
oddly rounding off the trio in uh seething gestalt
of suave nightmares and oiling pits!
The crowd plunged on and off the band,
begging to be rocked, and loving
the Chinese remedy!

by: cryptic josh

A WEEKEND OF SHOWS!!!!!!

JULY 17^TH

XTRA VOMIT

RADITOR HOSPITAL

POSITIVE NOISE

VICTORY

JULY 18^TH MI MELTDOWN #666

THE GREAT REVERSALS

LOTUS FUCKER

THE WANKY’S

CLOUD RAT

REALICIDE

BUNNY SKULLS

SCABBURGER

NIGHTBRINGER

DEATHSKIN RAZORS

SHATTERED BADGE

ATTENTION SPAN

JULY 19TH

SIN ORDEN

OILY MENACE

XTRA VOMIT

Ok how to start this review it was a crazy weekend of shows. Ok the 17th started with the touring band SWEETTOOTH not making to the show. I was bummed . For one, the band rules; and also because I love the people in this band. So it ended up starting with a new local band called RADITTOR HOSPITAL who played a great set of dirty pop punk. This band has tons of energy and put a smile on my face. Next POSITIVE NOISE played a set that I was told was a great set. We covered UNTIY and FAILURE FACE so it was fun. Next EXTRA VOMIT played a killer set of fast pissed HC punk that we all have come to love. This show only had a few people but man it was all the people who make punk what it is in GR. Its not the amount of people at a punk show its how radical they are!

Ok next was the mighty MI MELTDOWN #666. First off just a little bit of history this yearly fest. It started 6 years ago by a kid named Sean Kelly. The first one was at a house in Bryon Center owned by Chris Jackson’s parents. I did not live in GR at the time I was still in NY, but I was at this show at it ruled. After that it’s been at the DAAC every year. This is the 4th year I have done it, and I think Karen Heeringa has collected money every year also. It’s a great time I look forward to each year that’s for sure.

Ok moving onto the music of this year. SCABBURGER opened it up this could be my favorite local band right now. Each time they play it’s dead serious pissed HC punk I love it. This is just how punk and hardcore should be. Next CLOUD RAT played. Yet another killer HC punk act coming up in Michigan. This was the release of their new LP. Trust me this record fucking kills GET IT!!!! They played a super tight set of awesome hardcore. This is the 3rd time seeing them and each time it rules so hard. Next was SHATTERED BADGE and its tough to comment since I am in the band, but I will say it was a good show and I had a lot of fun. Next was BUNNY SKULLS a ripping HC punk band also from Michigan. This was the best set I have seen them play. Total 80’s style hc punk. I love this band so much. Next was one of my favorite bands of the night. REALICIDE from all over the country played a set of totally awesome industrial noise punk. Man it was so moving and over the top. I felt like they were playing in front of 400 people. The energy this band has rules check them out. DEATH SKIN RAZORS played next and did a set of super tight hardcore. Really this was the surprise of the night for me. I knew nothing about this band. I told them before they played remember you only have 15 minutes and they said we got it, and man they fucking nailed it. Song after song no breaks then boom it was over AWESOME! Next was THE GREAT REVERSALS holy shit what a band. They played a great tight set of TRIAL/mid 90’s style HC I love this band. ATTENTION SPAN was next and this is the only set I missed of the night. It was bound to happen 11 bands did play after all. THE WANKY’S took the stage after this. If you see some of the pics on this page you will see that they looked pretty great. These guys played a set of total noise punk. I felt they put on a killer show so full of energy it was great. I picked up a couple new records form them both are great. The vocals are so out of control. Then LOTUS FUCKER dropped a fucking bomb on all of us with total HC noise. The singer was in your face the entire time just screaming his ass off. Then right when your ears where about to blow out they turned it off and walked away FUCKING PERFECT! NIGHT BRINGER was the band to end the night. I have to say I wrote a little about this band in my last review because I saw them in Detroit with SLANG and some other bands. I have to say I said some things about the band that I felt at the time.  This time I decided to take the time to watch the entire set of theirs. This time what I took in was a very passionate singer. MICHIGAN MELTDWON #6 was great, but not a lot of bands had a lot to say maybe because of the short sets. The singer of NIGHTBRINGER had a lot to say. He had a lot of things that people needed to hear. They came into a show after everybody was worn out and beaten down from the last 10 bands and ripped it up. Music wise what I hear is a lot Cali style hardcore like REDEMTION 87 if anybody form the band reads this please check out that band the singer on all aspects reminds me of that. I don’t believe in taking down posts so my SLANG review of this band stays, but take this as a more thought out review of this band. I look forward to future visits from them in GR. Thanks to all who helped to make this happen.

Ok one last show for the weekend in GR. Ok the new giant of band OILY MENACE played first. Holy fuck this band killed it so hard. Kevin the singer just had the best shit to say while the band played some truly awesome hardcore grind core just much like 85-89 UK style HC. This band just did a demo and it kills GET IT!!!! XTRA VOMIT played another set of the weekend with more of the same killer POLTICAL hc punk. This band rules it’s plain and simple. SIN ORDEN SIN ORDEN SIN ORDEN what a fucking band. They have been killing it for 13 years and still playing fast as fuck killer fucking HARDCORE! This show was no different. This band demands your attention. No fence riding bullshit hardcore with them this is the real deal. Afterwards we went out and drank some beers and ate some killer vegan food, then me and OILY MENANCE dudes finished the awesome weekend with PRO WRESTLING/LOCAL BEERS and HARDCORE RECORDS. What a weekend it really does not get better then this. The last show was also supposed to be a benefit for Grahm Henning well the amount of people who came was very little so I hope to work with other people and making a much larger one. I think its very important to show people in our community that we care when they get knocked down. Anybody into putting one together collectively hit me up, but the key word is collectively.

DISCONNECTED

FINAL ASSAULT

SLANG

MIND ERASER

NIGHT BRINGER
The Shelter Detroit Mi June 6^th 2010

  So we decided to take the trip out to Detroit for this killer HC punk show. I was pretty shocked when I heard SLANG from Japan decided to book a tour of the US. Only because I did not think that many people ever heard of this awesome band, but it seems like they have. So we headed out and got to the show right when it was about to start. The first band was a band from Toledo who played tough metalish HC with a strong NYHC feel like the CRO MAGS. I felt this band was ok just real safe/clean and just not my thing. You could just feel the macho attitude while they played. Next was FINAL ASSAULT from Detroit. I was already into this band before the show and live I felt they ruled also. It was your classic d-beat style, but done right. They had some cool shit to say and all seemed like well aged punks who are going to be punk for life that’s for sure. They raged through a tight set of DISCHARGE style hardcore they also have the bass player for the classic Detroit band HERESY. Next I jetted over to the next door bar to get some vegan food that sucked pretty bad. It was one of the worst vegi burgers I ever had no joke. I got back to the show for the last two songs of NIGHTBRINGER whom I was told it was like MOTORHEAD but I did not ear that at all. What I did hear where some comments by the singer that I just did not understand and a very tough guy attitude. I heard from others he was just saying all sorts of right wing bullshit so whatever. I hope when they play Mi meltdown this month its not more of the same. Next came SLANG who shredded the entire set. Just non stop hardcore punk.  It was a tight mean set that topped the night at that point for me. It made the trip well worth it that’s for sure. Next was the surprise of the night. MIND ERASER from Boston was a band that just slipped through the cracks for me. I was told they played kinda fast tough guy hardcore. When I got to the show Jenson a guy who drums for IRON LUNG and is maybe the best drummer in HC today was their and he was their drummer for the tour. Well MIND ERASER started a set of fast as fuck hardcore that brought the biggest smile to my face. A truly awesome set that was top notch from start to finish. They even ended with a cover by RIPCHORD. This band rules and I will no longer look past them. I picked up the SLANG/MIND ERASER split 7” along with the SLANG lp both worth checking out. This show was worth the trip and nice to leave GR for a night. Sadly are driver Scott Bentz hit a deer on the way back home to Ludington last night but he is fine. All in all a great time for sure.

“Outside the pretentions of the ‘art scene’” (Review of last night’s Cage Show)

With one swipe I was covered in Cock Esp’s hormonal out-porings seething from his throbbing gristle that was rudely exposed and fiercely positioned at the audience reminding us all that the most primitive of weapons is the human body. Cock Esp was one of three bands that graced the independently run ‘The Cage’ venue during a fierce coup last night aimed to assault the senses that was more successful than most spectacles that I have seen over the years in so-called ‘artist atmospheres’ like the U.I.C.A., Wealthy Theatre, and Dogstory Theatre. Maybe it’s the rough and tumble feel of the aesthetically-absent warehouse that adds a disquieting chill to the bones and makes you experience a hemmed-in anxiety akin to being shepherded in like cattle to this brow-beaten shanty where the ceilings along with the architecture become disposable props for cannon fire between audience and performer. Either way, the atmosphere itself becomes a key player in each performance, and the ambiguity of musician and onlooker is constantly in flux as Cage guests usually engage in some form of deviant form of dress in their quest to pursue alternative lifestyles then the ones our exhausted society affords. The surprisingly electronically based show last night encouraged its primitive show goers to dress fetishistic, with either some form of leather article of clothing; cross-dressing ensemble; or perverse costume which further frustrated expectations of the evenings fate. Victory was the first band to gift us with their un-rock. Their set seemed planned but also slightly improvisational with the P.A. struggling to balance Victory’s screaming vox and archaic-sounding synth which made a nice precursor to the next band Buffalo Wings which fell into a more conventional sounding punk/retro-garage band feel. I liked how distinctive the band sounded when it changed singers mid-set. Almost instantly the style of the songs became more raw and piercing! Persons around me began assailing the band in a shower of beer cans to show their much elated respect. Soon the band finished leaving each of us in a state of disturbed expectation for the nights head-line act: Cock Esp… Suddenly the lights were dimmed, and a hunched over gorilla of a man attacked a P.A. and wrestled it to the ground making some sort of explosive static seemingly come out of nowhere while at the same time the beautiful front-woman now known as Page began gyrating her hips into the audiences face while the unknown half-naked front-man in a diaper poured what looked like baby powder onto his privates, letting all kinds of unknown nastiness stream down his skivvies and out the other side! While engaging in this wild act he stomped his feet like a baby with something strapped to his chest that resembled a modern torture device, and later turned out to be strategically placed microphones and sound samplers.I could have sworn I saw a couple of moist stool samples ooze out of his diaper, but than I immediately became transfixed by Page’s hyperventilating strip show which ended with her attacking the audience with a police issue National Guard defense shield while nude, and then frothing at the mouth while she screamed the words, ‘I want to shit in your mouth!’!!! The sexual assault continued to heat up to a boiling frenzy as the unnamed front-man groped between his legs, where now only a g-string resided, and then briskly slathered me and many others across the face with his under-carriage man sweat!  I immediately felt sweetly decorated in his relish of odors, and voted against showering for the next three days at least!

As for the rest of the show, I could continue to go into vacuous attention of detail like I have been, but it was really a scene to be experienced. You had to be there. Apparently from what I laced together after talking to Cock Esps’ front-man, (he was unabashedly standing by his merch table trying to rub one off in plain view) Page was the longest playing member of Cock at 31 years old, she flew out from NewYork to partake in the three song spectacle! Incredibly they refused an encore, keeping it short and sweet like the No Wave bands of New York were infamous for doing. Page pontificated throughout the show like a rabid preacher, her essence radiating murderous immortality….aggg! Here I go again! I just can’t stop raving about this show!!!

by:Cryptic Josh

UNDER ANCHER last GR show

DAMAGES

POSITIVE NOISE

TARANTULES

APRIL 15^TH SUICIDE HOUSE

First garage show of the year and the weather could not have been better. This was a potluck/show, which is a great combo. Tons of rad food tons of people.  I was very excited about seeing this new band from Holland since I never hear about anything happening in Holland MI. TARANTULES was the band I had a demo that I thought was very good if it just had a little more thickness in the recording. Within the first song of their set I was hooked. Totally heavy hardcore with awesome bass driven breakdowns. This band is very good and I very excited they are a part of everything that is happening these days in west MI. After that POSITIVE NOISE played what I felt was one of out tightest sets yet. Socks drummer was like a jackhammer so intense. Then came DAMAGES Grand Rapids all stars. Each time this band plays a better set it’s so awesome to see them. Their old guitar player even game out whom is dealing with cancer these days. He will be going into surgery very soon so lets all hope in due time he will be back raging with DAMAGES. UNDER ANCHER was next and this was the last GR show and it was the best one I have seen by them. Rorick the singer is just fucking awesome. Flipping out running all around getting everybody stoked. This band is breaking at their peak that’s a fact. They are so tight and so intense it’s pretty over whelming. So over all this was a great first garage show no cops tons of people killer bands cant ask for anything more then that. Thanks to all who brought food/paid and respected the house. Keep your eyes open for another killer garage show in the next few months.

STATE

ATTENTION SPAN

DEATH IN CUSTODY

EVERYTHING IS RUNIED

The cage 3/20/2010

It’s always tough to do two shows in a row at the same place with the same people. I was kind of worried about this one. I think the STATE is one of the most underrated bands in the country. I feel they put on a great show, but still never seem to really catch on. Grand Rapids I think is just not rough enough for a band like STATE. They are one of those bands that are 100% punk they have been living it for over 30 years, and they believe in it. Each time the STATE plays GR I have this dream that 150 kids will show up and lose their minds to this classic MI band. It never happens but every time I have a fucking blast. These guys are lifers and so am I, and that’s why I love them so much. Do your self a favor and buy a STATE record read the lyrics and find out what 30 plus years of punk will do to your fucking mind. Ok on with the review EVERYTHING IS RUNIED played first and I love this band total catchy pop punk from Chicago. They played a tight set and went over very well I thought. Next was ATTENTION SPAN these guys have become a GR classic. When you look back on this time you will think of this band. Total punk punk punk. The best part about this band is they never just play the old songs they keep playing new songs and it’s awesome. But really guys come out with something so I can buy it! STATE played next and like I said before they can’t be beat. This band makes me go crazy. They ended with NO ILLSIONS/SUBVERT/GIRL VOILENCE/EASY VICTUM and STATE CONTROL holy shit people that was the punkest moment of my life. DEATH IN CUSTODY was up next. The kids loved it … mean beat up the guy next to you HC. The songs where tight and they had some energy well really the singer had the energy.  The crowd was a little macho, and the band was kind of playing that side of it, but all in all it was a good set. Until I wrote this review I thought this entire show was a little macho and it was, and a little violent at times. I have to admit and moments during this show I felt this emotion of danger and it felt great. Like things around me where becoming unhinged in some way I could not stop it. Punk is not safe punk is out of control. In Boston back about 10 years ago the shows had guys dominating the shows with violent slam dancing and the women got tossed to the side pinned up against the wall. So the ladies decided to start something like a gang that would stand up front and demand respect in their hardcore scene, and they did for years the shows had some many women in bands/dancing and setting up shows. Punk and hardcore is fast aggressive pissed off music you cant change that, but if you love it then fight for it its your scene also so push up to the front demand your respect, and take control!