OTP / Whoopi Sticks / Broken Stereo / Fast Times
Out Of The Blue Art Gallery, Cambridge, MA 7/11/15
So, I finally made it to the Out Of The Blue Art Gallery to see a show. I was really excited about this ’cause I think the mix of music and art is great.
It probably actually isn’t, but I like to think so, because when I was a teen my two main interests were music and art. Not writing, that was strictly dullsville. That was something done by boring, old farts which is why, now, I excel at it so much.
I’d like to add, that in the early days of punk in Boston the art schools and punk scene were so entwined that there was hardly a band without at least one art student in it. I even thought at one time that perhaps punk was music made by and enjoyed by, mainly artists!
I find the place, it’s on the other side of the street from The Middle East. While I’m standing in line I notice the girl taking the money, instead of stamping hands, is asking what folks would like drawn upon their hand before entering.
When it’s my turn I reply, “A slimedog.”
“How do you draw that,” she inquires.
“I don’t know, I’m not an artist like you,” I say. “Well, it’s a dog with slime on it, I guess.”
She draws that and I enter.
This is a pretty cool place even if its alcohol free. Pretty big space, I’m thinking maybe it used to be a clothing store but I’m then informed it used to be a Blockbuster.
Lots of really good art on the wall, two by artists we cover. Jess Punk on one wall with her big expressionistic portraits is great and Dave Tree on another with his amazing mixed media is also wonderful.
They don’t have a real stage but they do have lights and a great sounding small P.A. that allows one to actually hear the different instruments, I think it’s the best sound I’ve heard around!
Anyways- Fast Times is the first band playing tonight. And though they won’t play “Taco Time”. And though the bass player won’t split his head open. And though Pat, the drummer, has a black eye – Well that- I just figured Rachael gave it to him.
But this does not preclude the fact that this is Cape Cod’s finest hardcore band or the fact that we think this is one of the best hardcore bands on our site.
But back to Rachael. Rachael is a lingerie designer, she has designed many unique outfits for Andy and myself, but she is also, something like 4’7” which precludes her being a model herself. So she enlisted Pat to model her lingerie, who then proceeded to rip her clothes in “punk fashion” and then she bopped him one.
Which means to say, this is a hardcore band that is adept at many tricky twists and turns, mainly because they have such a goddamn great rhythm section, that’s very skillful without losing any energy, passion or guts. And some great tunes like “Sideswiped” and “Your Gonna Fall, “ and they turn in a great, blistering fast first set.
But besides that they suck as lingerie models.
Broken Stereo play next and they describe themselves as punk’n’roll and that’s just about right. They sound like bands that Andy and I first saw going to the Rat in the early eighties. Nowhere near hardcore punk but more garage rock with punk energy and rock’n’roll grit.
If you ever wondered what bands sounded like then- well, this is it. No fancy frills or time signatures just catchy tunes imbued with the spirit of rock’n’roll in a garage like setting. This is a fun band to experience and have some great tunes.
Whoopi Sticks is next with their artsy punk, Devo-like rhythms and nursery rhymes from the insane asylum. Nick, the new Russian guitarist, is distraught because as a Russian spy he is now looked down at as “so last year.” “We’re into terrorists this year,” the girls all scream at him while he plays.
They’re doing their first mini-tour next month. They have a new t-shirt designed by Dave Tree. And they’re going into the studio soon to record their first songs, like my favorite “I Don’t Wanna Be A Person No More.” I’m so proud of my punk daughter, L.L., singer, drummer, composer, conceptualist of this fine band who play a rollicking, fun set tonight. She is so talented . I’m so glad she doesn’t take after her dad.
Now, it’s time for OTP. They play “moody indi rock” to my ears and this they do exceptionally well. But they describe themselves as “folk/punk” and this I can’t see. The Old Edison called themselves that, as well, but they had a banjo, fiddle and acoustic guitar along with song titles like “You Can Go Fuck Yourself.”
OTP is a trio with all electric instruments who remind me of Dinosaur Jr. with a better singer, a band I like, but one that I wouldn’t refer to as punk. They even have a song in “waltz” time, that I’m guessing, none of our punk bands have. OTP are good but are just not our style.
But I’m just one voice, one critic. And though that’s what we are, we try to stay positive here, positively insane perhaps, or maybe a “positic”- yes, that’s what we are!
And I think Out Of The Blue is a great place and a pretty, nifty song by Roxy Music, too. They were an arty band, you know. Though you probably don’t and if you do you don’t like them.
I wish to paint a picture that encapsulates everyone- all of you- with all your emotions, feelings and experiences and put it in all in a frame.
Then I wish to break it.
Over your heads.
(Slimedog)
