Thursday March 28th 2024

Evil Conduct / Infa-Riot / Forced Reality / Razors In The Night / Bad Lieutenants

evil

Evil Conduct / Infa-Riot / Forced Reality / Razors In The Night / Bad Lieutenants
Cambridge Elks, Cambridge, MA 6/28/13

 

So I threw my back out early last week, then late last week I started having what I knew to be root canal pain. Then this Sunday a whole tooth fell out while I was eating an ice cream bar. Then my root canal removal was extra deep causing as much pain afterwards. Did I mention that where I live the windows can’t take air conditioners so in this heat wave I only have fans? But the show must go on as they say and so, I do.

This show was last month at a place I’d never been to- the Cambridge Elks. The two opening bands I like a lot but they don’t play out a lot. The rest of the bands I was curious about as super fan, Jo, said that this was the one show she looked forward to the most all year.

The Cambridge Elks is in Central Square and Robin Goodhue of the band Livver is involved in the booking. It’s a good place- kind of like going to a legal basement show; at least this one was in the downstairs and had a very decent turnout.

First up was Bad Lieutenants. They have members in three states- Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut. We have many facebook friends and bands from there now, and these guys put us onto that Connectition. And for that we will never forgive them.

They play a great set which straddles the line between humorous high energy rock and punk. They do some of my faves, including “Jesus On The Phone” about Jesus being a regular fucked up guy and “I’m Just A Piece Of Shit” which really, could be about any of us. They have a rousing finish with their song, “Fuckers,” and we’re off to a great start.

Next up is Razors In The Night (Oh-scoobie-doobie)- Frank Sinatra fans might get this. A mix of Oi, hardcore and pop/punk these guys like to kick ass musically and also, know how to do it. A lot of their songs have catchy choruses, like “Carry On,” but they always temper that catchiness with lots of guts and grit. Led by the able vocals of Troy, who jumps into the mosh-pit just to get folks more riled up, they turn in a great set.

Now, I get some reason for the excitement tonight. The remaining bands are all Oi bands from the eighties. OI TO THE WORLD!

First up is Forced Reality, formed in ‘86 from Connecticut. Like TNB has come to expect from Connecticut bands they do not disappoint and turn in a rip roaring excellent set. During one of the songs I mention to the guitarist from Razors In The Night/ diabolical mad scientist Swid that it sounds like ‘Blowing In The Wind” to me. He informs me that’s it’s a (country legend) Merle Haggard cover and my admiration of the band increases tenfold.

Then it’s time for Infa-Riot. Let it be known I only did my research after the show. But while listening to these English blokes I thought to myself, “Wow, this is the best Oi band I’ve ever seen.” From the snap of the drums to the charge of the guitars to the sing-a- long anthem like vocals this is Oi presented in perfection- true, pure and raw.

When I read up about them and found that they were formed in 1980 and have some connection to the Angelic Upstarts it all made sense to me. Though normally, I’m as cent-less and senseless as can be, though I do try to be scent-less, you see. Their set, while never accelerating into hardcore, just builds and builds to leave me with a sense of hearing the best set of the night and the best Oi set I’ll probably be seeing all year.

Then it’s time for Evil Conduct, a band from Holland. That’s right- the land of Heineken, Van Gogh and legalized hash. And naughty times with the ladies of the night in the Red Light District if you’re so inclined.

They have a lead singer, who I at first thought was the singer from For The Worse, Mike McCarthy. They were first formed in ‘84 and play an awesome set but are unable, in my ears, to topple Infa-Riot from the winners block, though they do play a great set in trying.

So cheers to a great night of Oi, this must of took a great deal of planning, so glad I was a witness to it all.

 

(Slimedog)

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