Thursday March 28th 2024

Huntingtons / Mongorellis / Profit Margin / The Gobshites

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Huntingtons / Mongorellis / Profit Margin / The Gobshites
Koto, Salem, MA   9/17/16

 

So this is the third stop on my excursion today. I started at a Roslindale Porchfest at 1:30pm, moseyed onto a Midway Metal Matinee around five in Jamaica Plain. And now, I’m on the other side of the world, in the Far East, north of Tokyo in Salem, Japan. Gail Kokorhan, Kristine Dohanahoo and Nina Rosashawn all greet me in their delightful kimonos. Why can’t American girls be so warm and inviting?

The Gobshites are the first band, and though I thought I hadn’t seen them before, it’s been so long that in fact, I had!

They kick off with a song called “We’re Going To The Pub” which if the beers I’ve had steer me right, is a song I first heard the Beantown Boozehounds play but, in fact, is a song originally done by a New Jersey band, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, I believe. But I could be mistaken with that.

This band has traditional Irish instruments like violin, accordion and banjo. And they even get Ed, the bass player for Mongorellis, to play toy piano with them tonight. But the covers they play are not traditional Irish songs but, one could say, they deal with traditional Irish themes. “Drink, Fight And Fuck” by Contemporary Christian rocker G.G. Allin, “Alcohol” by Ganggreen and “Somebody Put Something In My Drink” by The Ramones.

The latter was inspired by Johnny Thunders, and this is supposedly true- when Thunders was playing a gig, usually hampered and hammered on heroin he would quip, “I feel kinda funny tonight, I think somebody must of put something in my drink.”

After The Gobshites totally entertaining set, Profit Margin take the stage. This is a band I’ve only seen once before but I know them to play aggressive, progressive hardcore; reminding me at times of eighties bands like Mission Of Burma and Gang Of Four.

Also, I’m aware, that unfortunately, Tony (who is the singer/drummer for the band) has a brother that is in his last stages of cancer. So this fuels this bands already fierce approach into something that tonight, could be called ferocious.

There are some more moderate songs to add some variety, but this is a very intense set and a very good one at that. Possibly the most intense set I’ve seen this year, coming from this creative, terrific band.

Now, to change the mood drastically is the band Mongorellis who are fun and funny. But that’s no disrespect to Tony, life is dark and bright and both are equally of life.

So it’s explained to me by Gail Kokorhan, that Mongorellis translates from the Japanese word that means “munch on Elvis” some weird Tokyo tribute to the king of rock’n’roll. They start their set with the cheerful number “Concentration Death Camp.” That may not conjure, at first, pleasant thoughts, but when you realize the lyrics are about putting all the politicians into death camps- well, any true American should have a smile on their face just thinking the thought.

Their first album that I’ve reviewed is great and the new songs I hear tonight are, too. After a few songs a member of the crowd yells out, “That’s the good one,” and everyone laughs. But this band has a lot of great tunes in a style that mixes early punk with the best of seventies rock and turn in a set that is a lot like their songs- fun and of substance.

Now, Huntingtons are up to take it out. And they are the eleventh band I’ve seen today, on the third show. I’m told by some of the Japanese fans that this band is from Maryland and that, some of them are part of C.J. Ramone’s backing band.

Which doesn’t surprise me as they play excellent pop/punk with a definite Ramones influence.

I see a young fellow in a dark, sleeveless wool vest, wearing a long sleeved white shirt and dark rimmed glasses. At first I think he just must of wandered in here and is not aware of what he’s experiencing. But soon he’s pogo-ing and moshing enthusiastically and I realize, that he came to see Huntingtons. And that, I should know, you can’t judge by looks (like taking a look in the mirror, myself.)

The Huntingtons play a great, near perfect set- playing a Ramones cover, “Bonzo Goes To Bitburg” and “R.A.M.O.N.E.S.” by Motorhead.

During the show someone comes up and asks if it’s true I was the original guitarist for The Cars! (Must stem from me telling someone, my first show at The Rat was to see The Cars) And someone also comes up to thank me for what Andy and I do with Thrash N Bang. Which is not uncommon, but I’m having such a good time, at first, I don’t get what he’s referring to! Because I truly love what I do.

And here at Koto- I realize that this is a different country, a different way of life with different customs. But I feel quite at home here. I feel quite welcomed here on the North Shore of Japan.

And I feel the message of punk is universal and transcends any cultural difference or location in the world.

And I feel that any clever ploy by a writer, who thinks he’s clever but is probably not, doesn’t detract from the fact that punk is a philosophy that even transcends styles of music or any territory, language or time of being.

That exists as free and true and real and alive as maybe, Slimedog, at his purest- imagines himself to be.

And as drunk and as delusional (I know him well) he may be. I sense he means well and he had an excellent time.

As I believe, everyone else here tonight, did as well.

Including me.

(Slimedog)

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