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=> GENERAL DISCUSSION => Topic started by: snailhook on May 31, 2007, 07:17:00 pm
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Don't miss one of the greatest rock 'n' roll acts on the planet right now...anybody who has seen the DMBQ spectacle can attest to their brilliance...
Friday, June 1
The Hosiery
443 I St NW WDC
8pm, $8, all ages
DMBQ (from Japan, Estrus Records)
The Apes (Birdman)
Food For Animals (DC hip-hop)
DMBQ
http://www.dmbq.net (http://www.dmbq.net)
No discussion of the Tokyo underground scene would be complete without mentioning DMBQ. They are the missing link between the much-divided Japanese noise, alternative music and garage-rock scenes. Their hard-rock/psychedelic-based music, infused with elements of noise and free improvisation, still unleashes an unstoppable power to embrace the whole spectrum of underground music.
DMBQ was formed around 1988 in Sapporo. By 1990, the band relocated to Tokyo and engaged in genreless activities, with Guitar Wolf, Boredoms and their family, Buffalo Daughter, Merzbow, and Violent Onsen Geisha, etc... Their sound, which was a complete deviation from the trend at the time, stood out in the local music scene and the band began to garner respect, especially from musicians. They released their first album in 1995 and were soon attracting more and more followers. The band continued to release albums on a regular basis; and in 1999, they moved to a major label, Parco/Columbia. In 2001, after 3 albums, they released a remix album, Resonated, featuring old friends Buffalo Daughter and EYE (Boredoms), etc. The following year, they signed a new record deal with Avex Trax, Japan's biggest major record label. They have released 2 albums since then. DMBQ has also performed with many overseas artists, sharing the stage at major rock festivals such as Fuji Rock Festival and Summer Sonic. They have toured the country supporting the likes of J.S.B.X., Fugazi, AxCx, Mudhoney, The Dirtbombs, Bob Log III, and 20 miles, etc.
Masuko is a well-known music/subculture writer. He has regular columns in several magazines.
The Apes
http://www.theapes.com/ (http://www.theapes.com/)
The Apes emerged from the wet, heavy jungle of Washington, DC in 1999 to command the rock subculture. Their modus: uniting great warlords, absorbing rogue factions, and educating red-handed guerilla bands with a passionately wayward rock signal.
Propelled by Erick Jackson's burning, fur-lined bass growls, Amanda Kleinman's horny and celestial banshee organ, and Jeff Schmid's iron-chest-of-cocaine drums, throat chieftain Breck Brunson (ably picking up where previous vocalists Paul Weil and Joe Halladay left off) channels the kaleidoscopic eye and children's black tears into the hearts of all. This overdriven rock assault drives forward as tales of conquest, social alienation, and a perverse spiritual kinship with the universe become trance-inducing incantations. Great armies of spectators prostrate themselves; the overcrowded brains of headphone astronauts are penetrated. Ultimately, a shared enthusiasm for the new aesthetic treasures of Ape magic and sound fury overtakes all.
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DMBQ put on one of the best shows I've ever seen. I mean, absolute and total mayhem. Check out this shot of a show from the other night in Brooklyn. That's rock.
<img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/189/517159916_db66084a80_d.jpg" alt=" - " />
And the Apes have gotten better with every show, so they're a fantastic opener.
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That Brooklyn show was with lightning bolt. Talk about a night of insanity...
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I'm bummed that a) I have plans tonight and b) I didn't know about this show sooner so I could've skipped said plans. Rats.
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I've only seen The Apes once and they were amazing. I wish I could make it to this.
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i wish i could have notified you guys earlier, but this show was put together pretty much last-minute.
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Has anybody been to, or heard of, the Hosiery? I just walked over to 443 I St. NW and saw that it's a auto repair shop. But there's also a studio sign on the side of the building. I assume some sort of venue opening will appear by tonight?
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if i can get out of work on time, i'll be at this show.
relaxer, if you're going - give me a call for a pre-party meet-up :)
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the hosiery is just an artists' studio above a mechanic's shop. it is not a club nor will ever be. but it is a fun place to see a show, and more spacious than the velvet lounge, red and black, dc9, and warehouse.
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what a f*ckin' BLAST. one of the funnest nights out i've had in a while. the space was an unassuming artist's studio made of concrete and exposed pipes, and greatly contributed to the amazing DIY vibe of the event. very simple PA-on-poles that worked suprisingly well, but could have used a sound-man to help with the mix at times. main room held 60-75 i think, with several dozens more in the "back room"/balcony area, hallway and out front on the street smoking. people were so damn friendly and open to chatting (when not in a the main room), completely different vibe that seeing a show in a bar. loved it.
Food For Animals were really good, espcially considering it was the first gig ever and they had never rehearsed together. then again, the saxophonist and bass players were none other than members of Thievery's live band, so that they were able to put together a good jam isn't that surprising. first vocalist was a rapper who kept things interesting but had too much echo on his voice, for the second jam the singer from the Apes grabbed the mic. i'd definitely go see them again.
next up were two rappers (one of them being the dude who took the mic for FFA) who were accompanied by someone on a laptop. unfortunately the little PA just couldn't handle their intensity, the sound was pretty bad. i didn't catch much of their set, i was out front chatting with Hash (thievery bass player).
The Apes put on a great show. the crowd was kinda lukewarm at first but by the end of their set they had completely won the place over. they sounded very tight. again, another band i'd go see again (they sounded great on that little PA, would be most interested to hear them on a properly mixed sound system). i believe that the crowd peaked during the Apes, people started wondering off into the night before and during the headliners. it also got very hot in the main room, between that and the volume i needed to take breaks in the back room every now and then.
DMBQ - wow. those guys rawked, and rawked hard. sorta of a harder version of 70's prog rock. at one point i got a spot on top of an amp off to one sidewith a nice raised view of the front half of the crowd head-banging away.
i was one of the first people to show up, to the point where i was helping lug stuff upstairs. at first i was thinking that it would be me and a dozen other people at this show, but DC did an impressive job of filling the place up. a great scene, nice to chat up so many people new and old (hi relaxer!). i'm definitely at the next show held at the hosiery, the venue and the vibe alone make it worthwhile.
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glad you had a great time, sweetcell. that was the best apes set yet with breck (their third singer), and DMBQ just tore it up. some notes:
food for animals was the hip-hop act that played second. the opening act, with hash and the thievery sax player, do not have a name yet.
also, enjoy the hosiery while it lasts, because it ain't gonna be there much longer. they host shows every few months or so and they're always a blast. there's nothing scheduled right now.
also, this is splitting hairs, but i don't hear any prog in DMBQ at all. just straight-up, over-the-top, balls-to-the-wall, psychedelic blues-rock, like blue cheer.
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Yeah I don't hear any prog rock in what I've heard by them. Wish II could've made it last night; thanks for the review.
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how's China's replacement?
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china's replacement is great. he rocks harder than china but doesn't have the jazzy touch she did. i miss her style, but the new guy more than holds his own.
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please let us know the next time they have something scheduled at the hosiery, you can count on me being there.
i guess you're right, not so much prog as all-out blue rock - some very zeppelin moments last night.
Originally posted by wanderlust aka j. marshmallow:
how's China's replacement?
on fire... literally :) closed out the show with the ol'lighter-fluid-on-the-cymbal routine. i've never heared china's work, but the guy last night was powerful and put in a solid performance.
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I love how stoic the DMBQ guys are pre-show and then how over-the-top they are with the mugging, the behind-the-head guitar playing, the shrieking, the kicking, spelunking goggles, etc. I love these guys. They bring the fun and the noise.
Sound quality made it tough to hear, but the great thing is most of their songs have a heavy underlying bass riff, so the noodling and the squall over the top is just a bonus.
I was suprised at how packed the show was. It previous DC9 show was more manageable, but I was glad to see that they're drawing more people.
The Apes were great. I swear, these guys seem destined for the big time. They look fantastic, they have great stage presence, great singer, they rock, and the songs are a catchy mix of poppy and heavy. They seem like the kind of band that should move to the UK and just stay there until they're famous. I do think they need a bass player -- the keyboards give some depth to the tunes, but there's no bottom there. DMBQ showed how important a solid bass is.
So, great time, and great to check out a new space, however briefly it may exist. Good to see you Sweetcell, hopefully I'll find you between sets next time.
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Unless they've changed greatly in the year since I last saw them, they ONLY have a bass player. And he slays.
Originally posted by Relaxer:
I do think [the Apes] need a bass player -- the keyboards give some depth to the tunes, but there's no bottom there.
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Originally posted by nkotb:
Unless they've changed greatly in the year since I last saw them, they ONLY have a bass player. And he slays.
hum, either they have indeed changed or you're thinking of another band... the apes line-up this weekend: drums, keys, guitar and vocals. no bass. did you write "they ONLY have a bass player" as in, no other live instruments? if that's what you meant, then definitely must be another band you're thinking of...
mind if i reiterate just how much fun i had at this show? LOVED IT.
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The Apes, right? Every time I've seen them (since about 2002 until last summer) they had a female organ player, an intense drummer, and a guy that shredded on bass (and three singers, at least count). No guitars. I know I'm not talking about another band.
Then again, they have changed quite a bit (like I said, three singers at least), so maybe they've switched things up again. That would be a total bust; they used to be so bottom heavy it was unreal.
Originally posted by sweetcell:
Originally posted by nkotb:
Unless they've changed greatly in the year since I last saw them, they ONLY have a bass player. And he slays.
hum, either they have indeed changed or you're thinking of another band... the apes line-up this weekend: drums, keys, guitar and vocals. no bass. did you write "they ONLY have a bass player" as in, no other live instruments? if that's what you meant, then definitely must be another band you're thinking of...
mind if i reiterate just how much fun i had at this show? LOVED IT. [/b]
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STREET WARZ TAKING OVER THIS TOWN
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Dude, when they played with Oneida, they didn't play anything from before the new singers tenure. Bummed me out...it was still pretty good, but what's an Apes set without Street Wars or Lightning???
Originally posted by econo:
STREET WARZ TAKING OVER THIS TOWN
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Originally posted by nkotb:
The Apes, right? Every time I've seen them (since about 2002 until last summer) they had a female organ player, an intense drummer, and a guy that shredded on bass (and three singers, at least count). No guitars.
maybe the bass player has switched to the guitar? he had dark curly hair, short to average height and was fairly skinny â?? reminded me a little of a young jimmy page. as pointed out earlier they had great stage presence.
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An unfortunate set!
Originally posted by nkotb:
Bummed me out...it was still pretty good, but what's an Apes set without Street Wars or Lightning???
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erick, the guitarist, used to play bass. he switched when they changed singers the first time. i personally prefer them to be bass-heavy, but erick's getting better on guitar.