Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players w/ Andrew Katz -The Social (Orlando, FL) - 1/31/2004

Entering The Social on Saturday night, one may have thought he was in a time warp. Many of the showgoers were clad in vintage outfits and 70s music played over the speakers while the band got ready to take to the stage. At 8:00 Jason Trachtenburg, father/vocalist/keyboardist of his family’s band, came out resembling a distorted version of Austin Powers. He joked around with the spirited crowd and announced the opening act, Andrew Katz.

Katz is a guitarist/vocalist who the Trachtenburgs found in the East Village and brought along with them on tour. He played with intense feeling and energy while singing about issues such as losing a girl. Katz’s vigorous playing came through when he broke four guitar strings during his set and was forced to play a song on Trachtenburg’s keyboard. When he acquired a guitar in tact once again, he played the rest of his set acoustically. With a jazzy style similar to Tom Waits, Katz sang his heart out and took everyone through a roller coaster of sound encompassing faint strumming, soft vocals, and dramatic crescendoes, leading to more raw vocals. He was well loved by the crowd.

The Trachtenburgs came out next and Jason informally suggested the audience leave their cell phones on and take as much video footage and photographs as everyone wanted. Providing humor and intimacy was what made this show so remarkable. The family opened with their Trachtenburg Theme Song as Tina, wife and mother, played tambourine and Rachel, young year old daughter, kept ryhthm on the drums. The show consisted of vintage slides that the family had purchased at estate sales being presented on a large screen, while Jason sang humorous ditties to accompany them. With light, poppy, rock songs such as “Mountain Trip to Japan, 1959” and “What Will the Corporation Do?” the Trachtenburgs successfully harbored the stories of strangers in the slides to the zealous onlookers in the crowd.

Afterwards, keeping with the intimate atmosphere of the show, Katz and the Trachtenburgs were selling their cds, signing them, and showing true appreciation for their fans.

-Mary C

For more info visit:

Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players Official Site

The Starlight Mints w/LaGuardia and Dodger - The Social (Orlando, FL) - 11/7/2003

The doors opened at 9....at 8:30 pm there was already a line from the front doors of The Social that went almost to the corner where Independent Bar is located. There were turds of all shapes and sizes (but mostly the same hairstyle and eyeglass frames) lined up for the show. Instead of waiting on line for half an hour to get into a show that was sure not to sell out in Orlando, we hit The Lodge across the street to enjoy some PBR's and cheap wine for a while.

We finally made our way over to The Social a little after 9pm and waited until a few minutes after 10 o'clock for the first band, Dodger, to hit the stage. Their lineup included a lead singer/guitarist, bass player, drummer, and keyboard player with a Yamaha and a little Nord Lead synth. They played a bunch of poppy rock n' roll about gumdrops and lollipops or something like that while people danced really goofy in the crowd. The best part of the show was when the keyboard player sang songs...the vocals and songs were more of a treat than the lead singer's efforts. After about 35 minutes, they left and La Guardia came on.

LaGuardia rocked the house with some loud ass bass and killer drums. The keyboard riffs went well with the singer, who sounded a little bit like Billy Corgan...but not nearly as much of a winy crybaby. After cleaning up the blood that came out of my ears from the loudness, it was time for the Starlight Mints.

In between sets, I was lucky enough to enjoy a nice conversation with a man pooping in one of the stalls in the bathroom. He was even kind enough to leave the faucet running in the sink when he left so that I could pee more easily as a bit of urination anxiety had kicked in.

I came back just as the Starlight Mints were starting and also caught a glimpse of a certain Orlando dj consorting with a "man-friend" wearing a "Route 69" t-shirt...they were all over each other. But I pulled my eyes away from that impending abomination to god to enjoy what ended up being a great performance.

The set list featured track from "Built on Squares" and the previous release "The Dreams That Stuff Is Made Of". They took a break during the show to ease the demands of many in the crowd with a screening of the video for their track "Popsicle". When requested to play it live, they declined...they said that it always sounds shitty live. A girl standing in front of us decided that it would be most appropriate to do the robot for the entire set...it was humorous and annoying. At one point she turned, facing us to do a little robot/walkin' like an Egyptian dance solo...I worked hard to avoid eye contact, knowing that anyone this desperate for attention would attempt to strike up conversation at the first chance of any interest on my part.

The band did a great performance of "Submarine #3", even though some of the string parts seemed to be played on a sampler. The show was super cool overall...and despite the multitude of douche bags in attendance, it was another enjoyable evening at The Social.

-Chris C

For more info visit:

Starlight Mints Official Site

LaGuardia Official Site

Blue Öyster Cult - Church Street Market (Orlando, FL) - 9/27/2003

It's only a few minutes past 7:30 when I get to Church Street and Blue Öyster Cult has already taken the stage. Or have they? There is no insignia on the bass drum to verify that the band on stage in front of me jamming out to something that sounds more like Wet Willie's brand of Southern rock than the heavy metal I was expecting is in fact BOC. Nobody's even paying attention to them. Although even if this is BOC, I wouldn't expect these people to pay attention. The satchel carrying emo kid in front of me couldn't possibly be a fan. Same with the sunburnt middle-aged man wearing an unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt, who looks like he could be the Big Kahuna of Cocoa Beach, but certainly not a devotee of the group. A few unmemorable songs pass as drunks stumble away to continue their inebriated quest for libations in this disgustingly hot weather. The crowd begins to thin down because this music, although not terrible, is hardly worth the free admission. But wait! What's this? The man who's been singing all along steps back and the lead guitar player walks up to the mic. A familiar riff begins and the voice of Mr. Buck Dharma sings "Home in the valley, home in the city . . . " For the first time all evening I am positive that this is the band I came for. They may be a bit older and a tad doughier, but these guys still sound great. I look around and suddenly the crowd has changed. A man sporting a duck tail coif and jeans faded from wear rather than some chemical process is singing the chorus to his ladyfriend. "I'm burning, I'm burning, I'm burning for you." The boy with the purse has disappeared and a man with long dirty hair and a faded Loverboy baseball T is in his place. This is the show and crowd I was anticipating. But the fun can't last forever, as a couple more unrecognizable and somewhat boring songs are played. Then Mr. Eric Bloom lets the crowd know that there's been a fire. It appears as though cities are on flame with rock and roll. The poor grammar of this statement confuses me at first, but then I recognize it as the title of another of the band's great songs. Mr. Dharma plays an amazing solo then just as he finishes, Mr. Allen Lanier takes over lead guitar duties and plays another solo. Everyone is mesmerized by the mastery on stage except for a young man in denim shorts that extend almost to his ankles who has the nerve to ask me the name of the legendary band before him. If I had some potassium chloride on me, I would put the sad soul to sleep right where he stands.

Unfortunately, all I can do is say "Blue Öyster Cult" in a tone so snide, he is forced to slog away feeling ashamed, but not sure why. Mr. Bloom gives us another news bulletin. A creature who has been frozen at the bottom of the ocean has awoken and is ready to run rampant through the cities. He asks us if we know the name of this behemoth. Godzilla! Again the crowd participates in the chorus and this song features more fantastic solo work. This time the rhythm section gets the spotlight, with Mr. Danny Miranda slapping his bass like it was a cur of a child. He finishes up and allows Mr. Bobby Rondinelli to show off his percussion prowess. The drum solo lasts for minutes then suddenly comes to end and "Godzilla" is over. Or is it? There's a brief silence then the whole band returns for a reprise. The band has now been playing for ninety minutes and only one hit remains. One of the most recognizable riffs in rock and roll history begins and the crowd is ecstatic. The time has come for "Don't Fear the Reaper." It's always been a fantasy of mine that during this fine song, the band invites an audience member to play the unforgettable cowbell, but apparently this is not the case. Instead I can barely see a guitar tech behind the amps knocking on the cowbell. Despite this minor letdown, hearing "Don't Fear the Reaper" played live is stupefying and it's a fitting finale to an enjoyable concert. I leave Church Street and end my night out with a stop for a peach milkshake. Delicious.

-Hobo Joe

For more info visit:

Blue Öyster Cult Official Site

The Green Goblyn Project, Nick Zedd Film Extravaganza, The Obscene, Wolfy & The Blue Moons -Bodhisattva (Orlando, FL) - 9/26/2003

I heard about this show a couple weeks ago. Of course, when I heard about it, it was Green Goblin Project, The Obscene, and The Starlits. It was also supposed to be $3. Friday night rolls around...Brent and I show up to find out it's a $5 show and The Starlits are not there.

I guess we got into the upstairs room at Bodhisattva around 11:30-ish, in time to catch the last half of a set from Wolfy and the Blue Moons. There was only one guy there. I'm assuming it was Wolfy, but maybe it was a Blue Moon. He played his set with some Mike Ness covers sprinkled in and did a pretty sweet job for having no backup band. The crowd seemed entertained. And the traditional $1 Pabst Blue Ribbons that Bodhisattva serves up definitely helped.

Three beers later, Wolfy was done and we were treated to a screening of the NY underground film hero Nick Zedd's latest release: "Abnormal: The Sinema of Nick Zedd". The dvd was a colletion of various works...we only had a chance to see two of them. The first was called "Tom Thumb in the Land of the Giants", I think. It was fun and had a great ending. It also featured an amputee and that was a real crowd pleaser. I don't want to give away the ending, but it involved a child, a giant naked woman, and some great special effects. The second short was a little piece entitled "Electra Elf and Fluffer". I know it involved an elf-woman and her chihuahua-riding-a-winged-skateboard sidekick. It was a super-hero type thing filmed in New York. Lots of those ugly little troll dolls with the fuzzy hair ended up coming to life and overrunning the city. I think I would need to see that one again to give a good review. Overall, the crowd enjoyed and Brent agreed that it kinda felt like an old episode of the British sci-fi show Red Dwarf except with more nudity and disturbing scenes (and that makes it good). I can't wait to get my copy of Nick's latest feature film, "Lord of the Cock Rings".

Next up was The Obscene. They were obscene, and lead singer Rob was a bit hard to hear at first through his wireless mic in a gas mask rig. Once he took off the mask and started using the stage mic, problem was solved. Their themes ranged from wanting to get laid to hating people that suck to liking people that don't suck. It was like Beavis and Butthead with the f-word. Their logo has an inverted pentagram on it, but they didn't do too much devil music. It mostly seemed to be about beer and anger. The crowd was having fun and Brent was keepin' the PBR's a-comin', so I can't complain too much.

More beers and a new drum set brought us to The Green Goblyn Project. We got through a couple songs with them, and the crowd was having a blast. It was some good hard angry punk rock. Unfortunately, the PBR's got the best of me and it was bathroom time. I had to use the girl's room because the boy's room had a guy in there forever. The drunk girl exiting as I entered was kind enough to warn me in a slurred voice, "I peed all over the seat". "How did she do that?" I asked myself as I looked at the urine drenched seat. Maybe she was just crouching instead of sitting and sprayed it somehow? I guess some things are better left a mystery. By the time that was all done, the show was over and it was time to leave.

-cc.

For more info visit:

Nick Zedd Website
The Obscene Website
Green Goblin Project Website
Peephole Records

Marilyn Manson - Mahaffey Theater (St. Petersburg, FL) - 8/27/2003

Walking into the posh venue, one would have never guessed that Marilyn Manson would be performing. In spite of this, goths of all ages poured in and filled up the red velvet seats long before Manson took to the stage. After almost two hours, show time was quickly approaching.

As the lights dimmed, thrashing electric violin music played loudly over the animated screams of the crowd. Within a short time, colored lights flashed on and revealed a black clad Manson dancing around the stage with his band. They began with the first track off of The Golden Age of Grotesque, “This is the New Shit.” By the time the song had gotten under way, the entire audience had risen out of their chairs. At the end of the song, his wicked laughter resonated throughout the theater.

Being raised in Florida, Manson welcomed the St. Pete crowd and assured everyone he’d been bad since he’d last been here. He shouted obscenities while referring to the audience as “mother fuckers” and then asked how many of his ex-girlfriends were in the room. This must’ve all come as quite a shock to the venue’s sixty year old ushers!

If that wasn’t outspoken enough, Manson later asked his audience for a middle finger salute prior to playing “Use Your Fist and Not Your Mouth.” Despite the vulgarity of his suggestion, no one was hesitant to join in. The crowd involvement was amazing.

Two gentlemen in the row in front of me decided to sit down after a few songs, and once “Mobscene” began they were literally on the edge of their seats. Manson brought two girls out with him who danced provocatively and wore skimpy lingerie outfits. The girls chanted, “Be obscene, be, be obscene” during the chorus while Manson fondled and simulated sexual acts with them.

There wasn’t a moment during the show that left anybody in the crowd bored. From the extended arms Manson wore during “Dope Show,” to his being hoisted far up above the stage to give the illusion he was standing on stilts, to the bass player doing a song with an upright bass, and the giant Marilyn Manson balloon that popped up from behind the black curtain, the whole show was full of surprises.

Toward the end of the show the lights were dimmed once again as the band got ready for their encore. When the stage was revealed Manson was wearing mouse ears and climbed up behind a large white podium where he serenaded everyone with a tweaked rendition of “It’s a Small World” before breaking into one of his more traditional tunes.

Marilyn Manson ended the night with “Beautiful People,” proving that his old songs are still in as much demand as his new ones.

-Mary C.

Van's Warped Tour - Vinoy Park (St. Petersburg, FL) - 7/25/2003

After finally landing a parking spot at the pier, I showed up at Vinoy Park just as AFI took the stage. While working my way to the front, through the shockingly young crowd, I was kicked and spat upon. I eventually ended up in the second row and was happy to find a spot behind someone shorter than me. The band played with their usual intense energy and the crowd sang along to all of the new songs. Once the old hits came on, less people seemed interested in the band and instead shouted out how hot lead singer Davey Havok is. Other than the fashion fans, my annoyance swelled as more and more crowd surfers continued to crash down right on top of my head. There is a difference between headwalking and carelessly letting yourself flail among people. At one point Havok even thanked “the hardcore kid who knows how to crowd surf.” Although there were signs posted, that prohibited any bands from using the “f” word during their performances, I recall AFI playing “Cruise Control.” Their set ended with the usual “God Called in Sick Today” and Davey walking over the outstretched arms of worshiping fans.

Trendy, pop punk bands that were hurtful to the ears included The Used, All American Rejects, and Simple Plan. I sat in the grass, as far away from the stages as possible, while such bands belted out tunes to swarms of teenaged girls.

Rancid put on a great show, as was to be expected. Playing classics, such as “Ruby Soho” and “Maxwell Murder,” they had everyone singing along. They also gave the crowd a taste of their new album, due out in late August, performing “Fall Back Down.” Rob Aston, of The Transplants, even took center stage to sing with them at one point.
While awaiting the Andrew W.K. performance I happened to walk past the stage where S.T.U.N. was playing. With a sound similar to Rage Against the Machine (and the political profoundness to match), the unique combination of rock and hardcore drew me in right away. Lead singer, Christiane J, was full of surprises and climbed up the side of the stage to swing on the bar high above on more than one occasion. During their last song, drummer Bobby Alt banged his drums profusely and then kicked them over. They had spunk but once I brought the cd home and listened to it I found it to be less intense than their live performance had been.

Andrew W.K. was a good ending to a long, hot day. He played his usual set consisting of playful, yet simple songs, including “She is Beautiful” and “We Want Fun.” The enthused crowd appeared to have had a blast as they collectively jumped and danced around. During Andrew W.K.’s final song the crowd was invited onto the stage. As always, he was a fun loving performer flaunting his trademark smile throughout it all.

Overall the day wasn’t so bad. It was quite a relief from the Orlando Warped Tour the day before. The brutal heat, overbearing sunshine, trash covered ground, and young know it all fashion punks were not as plentiful in St. Pete.

-Mary C.

The Willowz - Boddhisattva (Orlando, FL) - 7/19/2003

Brent and I had just downed $1 Pabst Blue Ribbon number five when The Willowz hit the stage at Boddhisattva, which is really not a stage but more of a section of the upstairs bar's floor where all their amps and the pa are located. We had only heard the band via MP3.com at this point and were eagerly awaiting the live show. We had foolishly arrived at 10 pm, the advertised time for the show, and waited until around quarter till midnight before the band started. But it was a-ok...because, as I already mentioned, PBRs at Boddhisattva only cost a buck!

The three members each picked up their...huh huh...instruments, as the lead singer/guitarist, Ritchie, introduced the band members including bass player Jessica and drummer Alex. Next, they started right into their set....about 35 minutes of fun punk rock that kept the crowd moving. People couldn't help but dance badly or (in the case of Brent and myself) bob their drunken heads to the tunes.

They were really polite...they kept thanking us and stuff, Ritchie was even nice enough to let us know the title of each song before they started playing it. Thanks Willowz! Check them out at www.thewillowz.com or download some of their free MP3s by clicking here.

-cc.

While the true meaning of “punk” is ambiguous, it’s widely accepted that punks are individualists who aren’t afraid to express non-conformist views in a peaceful manner, while striving to make their voices heard and aiming for revolution. With such ideals, the Subhumans have greatly impacted the punk scene and after decades they’re still doing so today.

Sunday, April 13th, in the middle of the afternoon, area punks lined up in front of The Social on Orange Ave. in anticipation of seeing British punk legends, the Subhumans.

The show opened with Pittsburgh’s, The Code. It was not surprising that the band had an obvious Anti-Flag influence, since they’re on A-F’s record label. Although not much of the crowd was into their set at first, they played loud and hard, and even did a cover of Op Ivy's “Unity.” That was what ultimately ended up winning the crowd over.

Three piece punk band from Oakland, CA, The Enemies, were the second band of the show. They played with enthusiasm, however, their repetitive sound and familiar chord progressions got old quickly. There was one memorable moment though- when Trotsky, Subhuman’s drummer, sat in for one of their songs.

By the time the Subhumans finally got onto the stage, the room had become overcrowded with eager fans. With a depiction of true passion, singer, Dick Lucas, led the band with the same energy that he’s had for twenty years. In between songs he made some powerful political statements and revved up the crowd. The encore consisted of two classics: first, “From the Cradle to the Grave,” and then, “Religious Wars.”

After seeing such a group of dedicated legends perform live, it’s not hard to realize how genuine their lyrics are and just how much music can be used as a positive means revolution and communication.

-Mary C.

For more information on the Subhumans, check them out on the web at the following sites:
Subhumans/Citizen Fish Official Site
Southern Records' Subhumans Site

AFI - Irving Plaza (NYC) - 1/31 and 2/1/2003

While AFI has been in the studio for months working on their latest album, their name has been projected all throughout the music industry. Being featured in magazine after magazine and on the radio, one may wonder what all the hype is about. But, if you’ve been to an AFI show in the last ten years, you know exactly why they’re receiving such recognition.
Being a member of AFI’s Despair Faction, fan club, proved to be beneficial when the band allowed a group of members into sound check. Lead singer, Davey Havok greeted the small crowd and asked for suggestions of what to play then the band proceeded with a few songs. After mingling with the fans for a few minutes, it was time to prepare for the night ahead.

Strike Anywhere first took to the stage and put on an enthusiastic performance that warmed up the crowd. By the time The Explosion was up, some fans were screaming out the punk rock lyrics while others were antsy to see AFI. They played a great set, mixing old favorites with newer material.

As AFI’s presence approached, the crowd was pushed up against the barricade, and the traditional chant of “Through our bleeding, we are one” began. Once the band members got onto the stage a majestic burst of energy flowed through the crowd. Havok’s intense vocals echoed through the venue, creating a most dominant presence. Bassist, Hunter Burgan, and guitarist, Jade Puget, followed Havok’s lead with catchy backup vocals, while Adam Carson beat away on the drums.

To please the old school fans, they played such classics as “A Single Second” and “This Secret Ninja,” while newer fans were serenaded with “Girl’s Not Grey” and “Now the World.” The band even played their famous cover of The Cure’s, “The Hanging Garden.”

During the encore, when “God Called In Sick Today” was played, Havok performed his usual act of walking into the arms of adoring fans in the crowd who held him up with all their strength.

And as if one night of AFI wasn’t enough, there was still one more awaiting the New York City crowd.

The Explosion opened for AFI once again on the second night, and unfortunately this time even less of the crowd was into their set. People were yelling comments at the band, but they proceeded to play their hearts out until it was time for AFI to go on.

AFI opted to open up a bit differently by starting out with “Fall Children.” They continued to play with as much energy as the previous night and even displayed some changes in their setlist. To divert from the slew of fast-paced songs, the band played a slow, melodic piece from The Art of Drowning album, “Morning Star.”

With enough variety to please the crowd, but still stick to playing traditional songs, once again AFI was able to amaze a crowd of adoring fans who had flown in from all over the United States. The only thing that could’ve made the show better would have been for the bouncers to be slightly less aggressive and the barricade to had been removed.
Lookout for AFI’s new album, “Sing the Sorrow” that hits the shelves March 11, 2003. And as usual, you can probably expect a promotional tour following shortly thereafter!

-Mary C.

AFI will be touring all summer as a headliner at this year's Warped Tour, coming to a city near you.