Joe Strummer’s Second Annual Birthday Bash
Taxi Driver / The Uprisers / Penalty Kill / Barroom Heroes / Empty Vessels / Damn Broads
Firehouse 13, Providence, RI 8/19/2012
The Firehouse is our favorite “club” in Rhode Island. I put club in quotations because it’s more a performance place than a nightclub or bar. It’s an old firehouse that’s been converted for art events and other things, I’m not sure. But I do know it’s a big open room with a real stage and sound system; makeshift bar that only serves beer (no hard liquor) and just a person at the door taking money and a friendly bartenderess with a dog. It’s a homey place, has none of that seedy bar vibe and just seems like a nice place to hang out and hear music. I recommend everyone support this club.
They have Sunday matinee punk shows and today its Joe Strummer’s Second Annual Birthday Celebration put on by Carrie Bell, manager of the BarRoom Heroes, who looks delightfully fetching today with her strawberry blond ponytail.
Up first is all-girl hardcore band, Damn Broads, just back from their world tour where I hear they caused quite the stir in an impromptu performance at a Greek Orthodox Church recently. Actually, it was a Midwest and East Coast tour and this is their last stop before driving home to Connecticut where real beds, real food and real toilets await them. And lead singer, Riley, is hobbling with a sprained ankle but they soldier through a set of intense, serious, social commentary type hardcore. Though my favorite band, today they’re not perfect, but then I realize not everyone can be like me, and it’s good to hear they had a successful tour. Of course, it’s right to support girls playing music, but what makes it so effective (and this band is a perfect example) is, if a girl wants to be, say, a drummer in a metal band, she really has to fight her way and it shows that she really wants to do what she does, society isn’t rooting her on. Some folks want to play music and some need to and the latter is always the best.
But onto the show; new discovery, Empty Vessels, is next and I’m anxious to see a complete set by them. Lots of good talk about this band recently and I can see why. I find them closer to a metal band than a punk one, they have death vocals but no guitar solos. And, also, there are a lot of arty and dissonant elements hiding in the music and a lot of energy and aggression, as well. Sometimes the music makes me think of Sonic Youth at their most rockin’ so I’m pleasantly surprised to read they refer to themselves as “noise punk.” Today they deliver, for me, the best set of the show.
Seven Years Plan is next. The style they play falls in the pop/punk category. They have melodic vocals, no hardcore rhythms to speak of, but they add the passion and guts to make their style work. They have a drummer who reminds me of David Lovering of the Pixies, (who I think, they, and their drummer are great) and play a fun, energetic set that’s capped off with “Last Call Bathroom Stall” my personal favorite towards the end. Also, Providence’s top groupies, Katie and Lindsey, are here as usual but aren’t giving it up till the bands they follow, like Trans Fats and Seven Year Plan hit the big time. Good luck with that, fellas.
BarRoom Heroes play next and it’s sad to report that the rumor is true that two thirds of the band is not Carrie’s sons but are, in fact, circus midgets that Carrie has recruited in her ambitions of fame and fortune. Anyways, they have recently added a new drummer who has helped the band really progress in a style that combines Traditional and Irish punk. They even do more original material now than before. One cover, I notice is “White Riot” by the Clash that would make Joe Strummer smile. I only wish the words were changed to “Pussy Riot”, the most important punk band in the world right now. The Heroes really have the room moshin’ and it is by far, the best set I’ve seen by them and even better ones to come, I’m sure.
About this time I notice a redhead making her way to the bar. My new hobby is being photographed with redheaded girls while wearing my Damn Broads t-shirt, which I’m wearing today. I don’t know this young lady but Carrie saunters over and asks, “You want your picture taken with her, don’t you?” I, admit I do. Not long after I’m getting my picture taken with Carrie and Alyse, thank you ladies!
What’s interesting about today’s show is how even though every band is a punk band, each play in a different style from each other. Penalty Kill, next, is no exception. Instead of metal without guitar solos, like Empty Vessels, they play punk with metal guitar solos. There is a lot of influence of metal on this band but the vocals and songs fall more in the hardcore punk style. Lead singer, Sean, is usually sporting some Boston Bruins gear and today he has on a jersey that says “Hail Satan,” with the Bruins colors and design. Good set and I just wonder where you can get a shirt like that.
The Uprisers are the only band on today’s bill today I haven’t seen before but I’m informed by Nurse Heather that they are quite the good band. I am not disappointed as it seems these guys are veterans of the scene and really know how to put on a professional but also, passionate set. They are the most straight ahead traditional punk band of the show and really have the moshers singing along as they crash into each other in front of the stage. I hope to catch these guys again, soon.
Taxi Driver is the last band today and I’m looking forward to seeing them as I’ve only seen them once before and it was about a year ago. I liked them then and reviewed their demo and soon I guess they’ll have a real CD available. A lot of folks seem really up with this band and I can see why when they play. They play an energetic, aggressive sounding hardcore punk that is maybe a little heavier than a lot of the bands today and they are fronted by a giant of a guy whose arms look thicker than my legs but is very amiable off stage. They have the crowd going wild and the moshers slamming against the front of the stage.
They give the nod to Strummer by playing, “Police On My Back,” toward the end. And if he’s looking down, smiling upon us, I’m sure he’d approve of each and every band and fan here today. As the spirit of The Clash and the other bands of that time, lives on in the emotions and the actions of everyone here today and I’d bet, no, I’m sure, that he’d love to be here, today, at such a wonderful club. And I don’t blame him.
(Slimedog)
