Birthing Hips / Gas Station Girls / Gravel / Maxi’s World / The Skags
Out Of The Blue Too, Cambridge, MA 3/13/16
As I’ve said before I support women in punk, not just because it’s the right thing to do but also, because the results are so great. And that’s why I was intrigued by this women-orientated show. (In the bands tonight, I counted eleven females musicians out of eighteen players.)
And I wanted to see this show because I had never seen Gravel, whose album I reviewed and liked so much- and I wanted to see Gas Station Girls who I had seen on video but not live.
And I’m in Out Of The Blue Art Gallery with the best sound of any place that I see bands. Mainly, because the sound system is not too big for the room allowing one to hear each instrument clearly. And there’s some great art upon the walls, too! I like best an artist who uses mixed media, one painting of his has wood with a keyhole that you look through and there’s a small painting. And I also dug Dug McCormick’s paintings, (he plays in the band Psychic Dog), who does some neat expressionist work.
But let’s get strapped into our discarded airline seats and enjoy the show!
The Skags are a duo (guitar and drums)and the first band to play tonight. And I find out later, the guitarist also plays in the great local band Profit Margin, whose album I reviewed recently. At first I’m thinking this is kinda indi-orientated but then after a few, they kick it into high gear and I’m thinking this is more like some good pop/punk.
They both sing and that fills up the space of having no bassist. What is good is they really have to listen to each other when they play, and because of that, sometimes it really jells well. I’m not a big fan of duo’s, Seals & Krofts are an exception, but I enjoyed this band quite well.
Maxi’s World is next and they’re from Northampton, MA. This band is three girls and a guy on bass. This band is indi so it’s really not my taste.
But they mix dissonance with the pleasantries, adding a slice of spice to their mix. Plus, they have an excellent drummer. Not what I would order at a musical cafe but they’re very good and filling at what they do.
The next band starts to play and at first, I’m thinking this might be another indi band. But soon they kick it up a notch and I realize I’m seeing the band Gravel.
I loved their album and that’s a big reason why I’m here.
They are an all-girl band who are not hardcore but are riot grrl in style and for me, that’s some of the best punk ever made. And what I soon realize is this band is so much better live!
The drummer kicks ass with the guitarist synching up with her and along with the bassist they create an awesome groove. The singer, Victoria, who also organized this show, is such an expressive, emotional singer that after witnessing her moving performance, causes me to proclaim her my favorite singer on our site.
At times she recalls Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill and you just can’t have a better reference than that. And lyrically, she tackles serious topics like rape and unwanted attention. And by the end of their set I have another one of my favorite bands.
Gas Station Girls plays next, another big reason I’m here. (The lack of alcohol here is not!) This is a band with no facebook or bandcamp but I have seen some awesome videos of them on youtube playing underground shows or at places like The Democracy Center and Hardcore Stadium.
They have a female singer who stalks the stage like a caged panther with her eyes looking down in concentrated intensity.
She’s backed by three male musicians and what they play is pure, early punk- kind of like The Germs, that is if The Germs could actually play their instruments. And these guys play great.
Their songs are incise and short, jarring and explosive, raw and true- and again, I’m not disappointed. And again, it looks like I got another on of those “favorite bands” on hand. But these last two bands have just been that good! I look forward to seeing them both again.
Birthing Hips is the last band. Another band with three girls and a guy bassist. This band, though, is inspired by jazz and jazz of the more avant-garde kind. But they’re such great players that they easily pull it off.
They have an unbelievable drummer, a cool funky/jazzy bassist and a talented guitarist who sings along with the able singer.
Alas, there stuff is too complicated for my tiny brain to comprehend. Again, not my thing, but performed and executed excellently.
We live in a topsy-turvy world, my friends. Often what is supposed to be good is bad and vice versa. I’ve found this particularly true with people. In my experience gays were nicer to me than straight people, blacks and other minorities were nicer to me than whites, punkers were always brighter and more aware than mainstream music folks and women often, had more to offer musically, than men.
Never believe what the powers that be tell you because it’s often wrong. You see, they got their brains put in sideways and they really can’t see though they appear to be looking. And what comes out of their mouths are not words or sounds but hatred, ignorance and lies.
But what came out of the hearts and minds, emotions and thoughts, ideas and expressions of tonight’s show was perfect and sublime.
(Slimedog)
