NYC

Crisp, psychedelic prog-rock from Baltimore’s Deaf Scene

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Listening to Deaf Scene for the first time, one of the things I was most impressed by were the seamless transitions within the songs. The band does a great job developing themes with increasing intensity, steering clear of traditional verse-chorus structures to take listeners on a journey. Sometimes it’s easy to get listener fatigue, going through 9 separate journeys on a full length prog-rock album, but the band keeps it interesting with a pleasing blend of post-rock and psychedelic, mixing in the driving force of tracks like “Zealot” with the trippy vibes of “Sun Drops”.

Aside from the stellar songwriting, the musicianship is a real tour-de force here. Everything is so tight, clean, and well rehearsed, it’s abundantly clear that these guys really know their way around their instruments. An impressive and promising first album from Deaf Scene.

-Written by Michael Dranove

Portland

Vow of Volition Make the Final Round of the Battle for Warped Tour

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The Vans Warped Tour was the first festival for many of us back in the day. As young’ns, it’s likely we didn’t necessarily think about all that went into figuring out the bands to book and play the whole shebang. Part of that process, at least locally, seems to be through a series "battle of the bands" style competitions specifically for landing a spot on the fest. Quite a few Portland bands have been furiously playing against one another for said spot, and djent/prog metal act Vow of Volition are one of the acts that made it to the finals.

Warped Tour was always the type of festival that included much in the realm of pop punk, punk punk, emo and metal, so Vow of Volition’s advancement to the final round is no surprise. Their incredibly technical, at times jazzy metal stands out in Portland’s pretty linear popular music scene, and is much worthy of the attention its getting.

Those that want to support Vow of Volition in driving home the permanent spot can go to the Battle for Warped Tour finals Saturday at the Hawthorne Theatre.

Toronto

TOMAHAWK LOVE – “TAKE THE BAIT”

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Tomahawk Love are a rock n roll band from Mississauga. Their brand new album "Take The Bait" offers up some classic pop punk influences that along with their self proclaimed blue collar approach brings together their sound in an enjoyable way. They were finalists in the HTZ FM Rock Search a couple years ago and were able to rock the stage at Riot Fest. If you like fun rock n roll tunes that are easy to sink in to then have a go with Tomahawk Love. This video for "Judy Nails" was shot at Stop, Drop n Roll on College St. They are playing the Bread n’ Honey Festival in Mississauga on June 3rd and will be at the Mod Club in Toronto on June 6 opening up for CKY, The Wild! and the Familiars. – Kris Gies

 

San Francisco

DONCAT Shares New Music Video – LA in ’83

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San Francisco-based psych folk act DONCAT has just shared their new video "LA in ’83".

Duncan Nielsen has sported the moniker ‘DONCAT’ since 2013. Since then he’s lived in a vista-abundant neighborhood in San Francisco, CA, just south of Haight-Ashbury. From almost anywhere in his house the eye can reach the eastern edge of the city, as well as downtown. On most days, just on the shoulders of the hill behind the house, fingers of heavy fog quietly creep in. While most would consider the view an inspiration, Nielsen finds it to be a distraction. He focuses his sights inward.

As a teen, he spent the lion’s share of his time channeling classic rock and folk. In junior-high, he gifted Led Zeppelin I at a birthday party and was ostracized. By the time he entered high school, he found himself as the token kid-with-a-guitar: loved by all and known by none. This bolstered his penchant for writing iconoclastic songs, as well as skipping high school to surf alone.

Enjoy DONCAT’s new music video, LA in ’83.

Portland

Mood Music: When We Met – “Ride the Tide”

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When We Met brings a loving dynamic back into rock. The duo, consisting of Bryan Casey and Melissa, create fully textered sounds with just the two of them. Sounds are created on a solely collaborative basis by the two songwriters and musicians, who also record and produce everything all themselves. Aside from the occasional use of a drummer, When We Met is a true DIY effort of blending indie, alternative rock and electro pop elements.

Keeping the band as stripped down as possible has meant that Bryan and Melissa have developed an even better stage presence, with a certain intimacy to their chemistry that can only be achieved by working so well together. See for yourselves during When We Met’s free show at Slim’s on Saturday, along with Avalanche Lily and Rascal Miles. Give "Ride the Tide" a listen below.

Austin

Sci-Fi Synthpop Invigorates on Night Drive’s “Trapeze Artist Regrets”

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 80’s nostalgia percolates through all fissures of this danceable synth-noir track called "Trapeze Artist Regrets. Night Drive seemingly indvertently created this tack:"Trapeze Artist Regrets was never suppose to happen. We were writing something else for a short film and became bored, so we changed the bpm, started shifting things around and all of the sudden we had this groove we liked.  We just started working backwards from there. The title came first, a sorta metaphor for disaster; it’s about watching someone you care about make the same mistake over and over again and not being able to do anything about it. Just hoping they pull through.”

Comprised of Rodney Connell and Brandon Duhon, Night Drive is a Texas-based electro duo who draw inspiration from sci-fi and modern electropop. “Trapeze Artist Regrets” is from their debut self-titled record, which will be out on June 16th. Having toured alongside CHVRCHES, Austra, Robert DeLong, and Miami Horror, Night Drive is getting ready to hit the stages again. 

Portland

Support Cat Hoch’s Full Length Album and Show Tonight

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Everyone has got to know about Cat Hoch and her band by now.

Hoch, along with bassist Theo Craig, guitarist Eric Sabatino, synth and vocalist Anna Tyler and Adam Breeden on drums, has established a top slot in Portland’s music scene over the last couple years. Coming out leading in best new band polls, getting premium bookings at local music festivals and clocking in hours of hard work in general have kept Hoch and her band in the eyes of a music adoring public. The band is currently reaching out to fans for help and if it all works out, fans will be pleasantly delighted.

Thank goodness this isn’t coming in the wake of an equipment theft like Hoch’s last crowdfunding campaign. Instead, Hoch is reaching out in hopes of raising enough money to produce and release a full length album. Recording isn’t the easiest or inexpensive feat, so Hoch’s GoFundMe is asking for $4,000 to hop back in the studio with one of Portland’s finest – Riley Geare.

More details into the prizes offered are given on the GoFundMe page, but include cute prizes like "a physical copy of the EP, as well as a digital download of the new record and a vociemail from me singing to you telling you I love you and thank you" for a $50 donation, and "we throw a house show personally for you in Portland, Or (as long as you can find a house). Dedicated to you and personally love you forever" for a $350 donation.

For those that still somehow haven’t seen Cat Hoch and her band play live, you can catch them tonight at Bunk Bar opening up for some pretty legendary Portlanders, Colin Hegna (of Brian Jonestown Massacre) and his band Federale. 

Philadelphia

Where Is My Mind?: Mannequin Pussy

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Childhood pals Marisa Dabice and Thanasi Paul formed Mannequin Pussy during their time in New York City. The group went through multiple configurations before bringing in Kaleen Read to take over drumming duties and solidifying their sound with the addition of Colins Regisford (a.k.a. Bear) on bass. The congruous, musical union inspired the band to return to the studio and record the follow-up to its debut LP Gypsy Pervert. Mannequin Pussy had already been building a reputation in the punk/DIY music community as a must-see on billings, and with the release of 2016’s Romantic, they began to garner deserved national/international critical acclaim, which eventually brought them top honors in The Deli Philly’s annual Best Emerging Artist(s) Poll.

Now, the quartet is all set to embark on their first European tour this weekend, and we had a chance to connect with Dabice before the start of this exciting, momentous occasion to talk about her and the band’s past, present, and future. It was a truly enjoyable exchange with the thoughtful Mannequin Pussy frontwoman, which you can check out HERE.

Philadelphia

Weekend Warrior, May 26 – 28

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The Rotunda hosts a daylong hardcore/punk affair this Saturday; Break Free Fest hopes to shine a light on those that have been marginalized within the scene. Among the plethora of artists from near and far, the undeterred raw emotive eruption of Soul Glo holds nothing back, capturing an intensity soaked in sincerity. After recently releasing their new EP Modern Mutants, Complex bombards the airwaves with the combination of Spanish-English that steadily rips at its core. Exposing the walls of injustice, the quick-hitting onslaught of S-21 tears at the foundation, while the murky, rumbling, noise-etching, pressure-building punk of Solarized and genre-melding, noise-filtered, dance-driven, sonic-concoctions of DJ Haram set off a day of excellence. – Michael Colavita

Other places to do your thang this Memorial Day Weekend…
 
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) SAT Nightlands, The Dove & The Wolf, SUN Valley Exit, Pulgas
 
Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) FRI Fire In The Radio (Record Release), Digger, Crossed Keys, SAT OOLALA (Record Release), Minka, Carol Cleveland Sings
 
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Dreadlords/DJSC/Jesse Tyler, Sean Hearn, SAT Dull Knives, Human Shield/Fame Lust, SUN T.O.M.B., Bride
 
PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12th St.) FRI Jason Killinger, I Think Like Midnight, The Improbables, SAT Blind Prism, SUN Lady Parts, Lizdelise, Carroll
 
Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) FRI DJ Kirsh
 
Bourbon & Branch (705 N. 2nd St.) FRI Jared Feinman
 
The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) SAT Mus Matos, SUN Final Showcase
 
The Foundry (1000 Frankford Ave.) FRI Swizzymack, Dirty South Joe, Gianni Lee, Heaven In Stereo
 
Festival Pier (601 N. Christopher Columbus Ave.) SAT Hoagiefest: Hall & Oates, Vivian Green, G. Love & Special Sauce, Marah, Son Little
 
World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI (Upstairs) Soulidified/(Downstairs) Philly Bloco, Trinadelphia, SAT (Downstairs) Sharon Jones Tribute: PJ Brown & Her Resistance, York Street Hustle, Miss Martha Graham Cracker
 
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Sleepy Limbs, Mohican, Flamethrower, SUN Settled Arrows, Fetish Eyez
 
MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Mars Parker, Aleana, Andrew Meoray, Cain Kerner
 
Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3rd St) FRI Revolution, I Love You, War Twins, Revolution, I Love You, SAT Outside Eyes, The Morelings/Suburban Living (DJ Set), SUN The Vernes, Tigers + Thieves, Water Temple
 
Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) FRI Francisco Collazo, SAT DJ Deejay, SUN Astro 8000, DJ Sylo
 
Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SUN Rusty Cadillac
 
Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9th St.) FRI Gibbous Moon, The Mojo Machine, Roxy Rollz, Disoriental, SUN The SlotCars
 
Voltage Lounge (421 N. 7th St.) FRI Korean Sean, Tre Prada, Coop Poppy, RanShaw, Mack Sota, Dee Haze
 
The Barbary (951 Frankford Ave.) FRI Andorra (EP Release), Somethin Divine, Backroom Dreamers, SAT Mel Alston, Dizzy Valdez, Troi Lauren / Thief, Steal Me A Peach, Faringwell, For Ages, More Than Sound, SUN DJ Ricochet
 
Morgan’s Pier (221 N. Columbus Blvd.) FRI DJ Beat Street, SAT DJ Kevin Kong, SUN DJ Lean Wit It
 
The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Max Seidman, Bohemian Mule, SAT Post War Dream (EP Release), American Dinosaur, Saver
 
Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.)  SAT Splintered Sunlight, The Quixote Project
 
Everybody Hits (529 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Cave People, Cabbage, Dot Pony
 
The Pharmacy (1300 S. 18th St.) FRI Eagle Daddy, Family Volleyball, Crooked Spine, SAT Molly Rhythm, Blushed
 
The Rotunda (4014 Walnut St. SAT Break Free Fest: SAT S-21 Complex, Soul Glo, Solarized, DJ Haram
 
First Unitarian Church (2125 Chestnut St.) FRI NAH, Kilamanzego, Weather
 
Sound Hole (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more information.) SAT Nina Ryser