Thursday March 28th 2024

Step 13 / Genuine Rust / The Martians / Cry Havoc

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Step 13 / Genuine Rust / The Martians / Cry Havoc
Midway Cafe, Jamaica Plain, MA     7/8/18

 

I’m guessing you’re not familiar with the soft drink Moxie?

I laugh at the notion of it being called a “soft” drink, as for the taste of it? I would describe it as Jagermeister mixed with motor oil.

And as a cola, it is as far away from Pepsi and Coke as power violence and grindcore is from mainstream rock.

Jonny, the lead singer for Cry Havoc though, is drinking it today.

I drank it for many decades. Hell, it was a popular soda in New England for a while. I remember it being sold at Fenway Park in the sixties.

Jonny pours me a little in a cup. I savor it’s bitter taste. And though I appreciate it, I think I’ll stick with my Jagermeister (with a chaser of motor oil.)

Cry Havoc’s split with The Lost Riots is on-line now as you read this and it’s one of the best releases I’ve reviewed this year. And I’m looking forward The Lost Riots off-shoot band, The Ratz, split with Damn Broads coming soon!

And I’m looking forward to seeing Cry Havoc today as they’re one of my favorite bands we cover.

“We’re kinda tired today,” Jonny announces from the stage, “So we’re gonna take it a little easy.” Right then, him and the band, rip into an amazing cover of “I Don’t Want To Hear It (None Of Your Bullshit),” by my favorite hardcore band of all time, Minor Threat.

He also introduces a song that, he says, they play at everyone of their sets, “Fuck White Supremacy,” a song that is as great as its sentiment.

I say to Dylan, the soundman, “You won’t see a front man that exerts as much energy as this guy here!” And I feel he is the best front man of any band I see.

They play one song at a moderate tempo, an Oi like song, but all their songs contain high-pitched, emotional vocals with music that is hardcore but takes so many wild spins and turns that somehow end up as some great, powerful material and that’s how I would describe their set, along with their art, today.

The Martians are next, one of the very best melodic punk bands we cover. Their live shows are always a bit rough, but for me, it seems to, justifiably, be needed in the style of music they play.

When it gets too polished this style veers off into pure pop- but with this band, you always get enough grit and passion to guarantee that what you’re receiving is pure un-cut punk.

Most of their tunes are about lost relationships or UFO’s and may I add, the songwriting is top notch. They start off with “We’re Not Alone,” and later play their great tune with the lyrics, “I love her, she hates me.” And do a cover of a fairly recent pop song I recognize but can’t figure out what it’s called.

Their set goes by in a flash, but not before I hear a dozen or so perfect songs performed.

On their facebook page, Genuine Rust, describe themselves as “Country Metal Drunkabilly.” And it does seem they had an upright bassist at one time.

I’d describe them as country/hardcore which sounds interesting, but as I found out with my Irish/Reggae music band and then my Electro-Polka project- interesting ideas don’t always produce scintillating, scrumptious sounds.

Jenny tells me that Nick The Barbarian is in this band and he also does a solo acoustic/punk act- which is not usually my thing. And this band is not my thing as well, but they do play, very well! And if this style is your thing, well, I can’t imagine you not liking them.

I think most of us are familiar with the term twelve-step recovery for addicted people. I guess, thirteen step refers to having a relationship with a newcomer to the program after one has completed it.

I’m not qualified to comment on that, but I do know that at least one of their members is a recovering addict and they do appear to me today, that they may be a straight edge band.

I do know they are a from New Hampshire and the guitarist and the drummer are from the popular hardcore/Oi band from a few years ago, The Bruisers.

I’d describe their music as hardcore vocals on top of hardcore punk/Oi music but they’re happy to describe themselves simply as punk rock and I have no trouble with that.

And I have no problem stating that however you categorize them, that this is some powerfully, great music.

They seem to mix punk, hardcore, Oi and metal all together to create a concoction that is as great as all those styles of music but one that they can uniquely call their own.

This is a very competent, professional sounding band that doesn’t forget to bring the passion and emotion of the songs to the fore.

One song starts with the intro of the Sabbath song “Sweet Leaf” today and they do an incredible version of The Sex Pistols classic, “God Save The Queen,” which leads into their great song “Aggression.”

They impressed me enough to check out a recorded release by them, which has been reviewed and is on-line now.

And besides witnessing a wonderful show, I found out that their guitar player, Richie’s, real name is Keith Richards! And, as others have warned me, he is an exceptionally, warm intelligent soul as is his lovely girlfriend, Goth Queen Julia- who is an amazingly, aware soul, too.

And you might think I’m corny when I say that I’m honored to write about bands and especially, people like this.

But if you do, I can guarantee that you’re wrong.

(Slimedog)

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