Jason Bennett & The Resistance / On The Cinder / Michael Kane & The Morning Afters / The Martians / Justin Franco
Midway Cafe, Jamaica Plain, MA 4/30/17
Justin Franco has already started his set when I enter the Midway. But as is the custom, he starts again from the beginning after the quell of silence is broken, as heads turn and stare and notice my presence. What they are noticing is the King of the Midway entering his domain.
Justin has just an acoustic guitar and a good melodic voice to play and sing his songs. One of the first I hear has the lines, “I have to get some things off my chest, but then my heart would explode and that would leave a mess.”
He sounds pretty able and entertaining at his one man quest and ends with a rendition of “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen.
I guess I’m used to hearing this song sung at least, two octaves below, by Cohen, R.I.P., and I must admit to being a big fan of his.
So though I don’t love Justin’s rendition, I do love that he thought of covering him and I do think he just played a very, cool set.
The Martians are next, illegal aliens from another solar system- but they’re so good that even President Donny Dump wants them to stay. Though, I might give up The Martians if they promised to take him back to their planet.
They have a new Martian, Chris, who plays guitar but I’m more familiar with as the drummer for Micky Rickshaw, who I’m certain are from this galaxy.
The Martians are one of my favorite bands, not only from this solar system, but all others. They play punk with solid songwriting, great, melodic guitar hooks and enough grit and guts to keep it real.
During their third song, Calzone Ramone, high commander of The Martians, feels he can eat a third of his sub during the intro, but he is sadly mistaken. But have no fear, second in command, guitarist Hoodoo Brown starts singing the song for him till his digestive system kicks in.
At one point they start a song and find they’re playing different songs, in different keys and in different time signatures and different time zones as well- they stop the song fairly quickly. But I like to believe, when a band does this, that we should make believe this was the whole song and clap our approval, wildly. This I did today and I was glad when many others followed my suit.
They play a new song which I, recklessly, sense is about me called, “I Hate Your Guts,” and they do a nifty medley of “Strangle You” into “We’re Not Alone.”
I joke to them afterwards that they’re now too slick for me, but really, this is what traditional punk was and I feel, is supposed to be: honest, true songwriting, a kick ass, if not precision perfect, rhythm section and guitars that bash and grind and ring true to match the feelings and spirits of the songs.
And at this they are perfect.
I’ve been hearing about this new band Michael Kane & The Morning Afters and this is my first time hearing them. I spot Franklin, from Broken Stereo, playing guitar and I take that as a positive sign.
They play a more traditional style of music then what I might usually like but they do it very well and still have enough passion and spirit to fall into a category called punk’n’roll.
During the middle of one song they divert suddenly into “Skull” by The Misfits for a bit and then later in the set, Franklin sings “Knock Me Down” by The Outlets, a great Boston band Andy and I used to follow in the eighties but then I wonder, if they know it more from the Dropkick Murphy’s version.
But then I’m really caught off guard when they finish their set with a cover of “Born To Run” by Bruce Stringbean. That takes a lot of guts to tackle but they pull it off quite well. So kudos to them, (and they do have some great original songs), for playing an energetic, well played set.
On The Cinder is next and they’re from Buffalo, New York and this is my second time seeing them. They play punk that is melodic but takes many twists and turns during each song. I would call them prog-punk but then I would have to hate them if they really fit that term.
‘Cause I do really enjoy seeing these guys, with their songs full of energy and rhythmic changes that sometimes plant metal headbanging grooves in the middle of songs, along with their entertaining stage demeanor. My only suggestion would be to simplify the songs, make them more streamlined, but they still turn in a great, fun set.
Jason Bennett & The Resistance is up to take it out and not only do they have great songs but they sport the secret weapon of the old Radicals rhythm section, Aria and Matt, two fellows who, kicking musical ass comes second nature to.
And Jason is the singer/songwriter who brings an eighties punk influence into the band with songs that recall Elvis Costello and The Clash. In fact, their slow song “Heavy Weather” reminds me melodically of “Lost In The Supermarket” today. Their set is full of energy driven, melodic punk with bass lines portraying a hint of reggae or ska.
They play a rousing, rockin’ set. A perfect ending to a great day.
A bunch of the music played today could’ve been put under that term I banded myself from using, the one where the first word follows snap, crackle and ___. And the second word being punk. Because all of today’s band had punk energy and melodic songs but were still, light years away from the crack whore music world we commonly refer to as “pop.”
So explode your balloons, call your father something besides dad, drop in someplace with another word that rhymes with drop. Just don’t tarnish the holiest of holiest words that I know- “punk” with that junk they’re selling to the feeble minded.
(Slimedog)
