Refuse Resist / The Blue Bloods / Taxi Driver / Barroom Heroes
Middle East (Up), Cambridge, MA 10/26/14
I actually had something to do with this fine show happening. It just goes to prove wrong those who say my entire life has been devoted to the creation of evil. Maybe they’re only ninety-nine percent correct.
Almost a year ago I was contacted by Essie Martone from Punks For Princess about Thrash N Bang doing a benefit show for the charity. I said, of course we would, but I would put it in the hands of one of the scene’s able promoters as the only way I’ve found to get people to go to my shows is to bribe them with pizza!
So I handed off the task to Brass’N’Ammo, told him to choose the bands and the site and just try to do his best as I was sure he’d do a better job than me.
And he proceeded to do so.
Barroom Heroes is the first band to play this Sunday Matinee. Though they are “the pipsqueaks of punk” they are truly giants in the hearts of all mankind. Well, maybe not all that but they are a pretty, nifty punk band.
Combining the influences of early punk (Clash/Ramones) with later day street punk (Dropkick Murphy’s/Street Dogs) this trio of terrifyingly good juvenile delinquents can and do hold their own with any band twice or three times their age.
When not skipping school to hang out at pool halls or to smoke cigarettes on the corner, these young hoodlums provide the punk ably. And today they are on fire with some tunes from their first album along with some from their upcoming one, as well.
They turn in a great, energetic set and leave just in time, evading a visit from the truant officer who arrives shortly after their set.
Next up is Taxi Driver, a band full of hooligans, derelicts and drunkards. Danny, the lead singer, does ask everyone shortly into the set, “Is everyone as hungover as I am today?”
This is a South Boston based Oi/ Street Punk/ Hardcore/ Metal band that brings the energy, passion and good times but will never be accused of being too slick.
They do “South Of Heaven” by Slayer and fuck up the beginning so they have to start it over. They have better luck with the last song of the set, after playing a bunch of great originals, a cover of Tom Petty’s “Running Down A Dream.” A version that is said to have caused Tom to crap his pants.
But for me, and the crowd, their fun, rowdy set just puts smiles on our faces and causes no intestinal discomfort at all.
The Blue Bloods are next, one of my favorite bands from the most popular bands we cover. This is also their record release party of their great new album which was reviewed by us recently. They play street punk with rock’n’roll and hardcore and have a great front man and superb drummer. And they really get the moshers reacting at the edge of the stage.
They do a few numbers off the new album but mostly it’s older ones like “Left Out In The Cold” and deliver a fiery, ferocious set.
So it was Brass’N’Ammo’s idea to contact Shawn Refuse, now living in New York, about doing the Refuse Resist reunion show. Shawn being a big supporter of the Punks For Princess agreed. Then between those two and Chestnut Decay from the Middle East they set up all the details of the show. Though the charity was changed to help a former bassist of Refuse Resist with medical bills.
Refuse Resist, until their breakup a couple of years ago, was one of the most popular local hardcore bands around and today they proved why, in case anyone had forgot. The last time I saw them was at their sold out farewell show at the Midway.
Today they run through their set of gravelly voiced straight ahead hardcore with such great tunes as “Sunday Matinee”- Oi! Oi! Oi! I and the crowd are having a great time, but perhaps not as much as one of the guitarists who is asking everybody for their drink and kindly accepting everyones drink. He has about seven drinks lined up on his amp and is drinking them all. A young girl who appears to be his daughter is snapping pictures the whole time and giggling with glee at her father’s antics.
Though Shawn the lead singer does live in New York with the lovely Lyz Red (one of my favorite gals) they did finish the set with the song “(Why Am I) Still In Massachusetts?” I think this video from atheistpriest69 says much more than I could add:
So though I had practically nothing to do with setting up this wonderful show, I was wise enough to step aside and let the professionals do their thing. Which is what I pretty much do all the time anyways, I guess. Just take a few notes, tell a few jokes and just watch from the side.
(Slimedog)
