Halloween bash at The Blue Star Cafe

A Halloween show on the actual night of Halloween could have disastrous effects. We knew that when we were booking this show that we’d have to make this the greatest Halloween show that people could go to. There is always stiff competition but after completing our final line up, I was sure that the only competition we’d have would be the people who went to West Hollywood and the people who went to West Hollywood to see the Damned.

The venue chosen was the always fun Blue Star Café in downtown Los Angeles. This is possibly one of the best places in Los Angeles to see a band or to play if you are in a band. It has a nice sized outdoor stage. They usually have a barbecue going. The drink prices are cheap. There is no doubt that part of the appeal is that it is 50s diner décor is a virtual oasis in the middle of a bunch of scrap metal yards.

I wasn’t dressed in my costume when I got to the club. My band, Pu$$y-Cow, wanted to make a grand appearance in our costumes. My girlfriend was dressed as Wonder Woman. As we walked in, we saw Justin, guitarist and singer for The Foundation dressed as Tyrone Biggums, the crack head from the Chappelle show. Then we saw Kash, the owner, dressed as Raggedy Ann.

The bartenders put on Orgy of the Dead on the television and slowly people started piling into the bar and outside. There were some of the most hilarious and creative costumes I’ve ever seen. Even the low rent ones were pretty funny. Pepper, guitarist and singer for Bobot Adrenaline arrived wearing an old school Pu$$y-Cow shirt with a label on it reading, “That Guy”. If you don’t get that joke, I feel sorry for you, chief.

So we got to a late start because I was too busy flapping my gums instead of looking at my watch. Bobot Adrenaline took the stage and had everyone bouncing on their feet. They announced that their new album, Unfurled, was out and that they were already recording new songs. The new songs sounded pretty killer. The crowd went nuts when they played, “Radio Tikrit” and “Penalty Box”. Our friend, Ogre, who was dressed as a coach kept yelling, “More hustle” but their hustle was perfect. Corey’s bass grooves fuelled the movement of the crowd and Pepper’s guitar fuelled the ferocity. My favorite part of their set was when Pepper, a native of the great state of Texas, saw a few guys in the crowd dressed as ZZ Top and offered up his guitar to them but they quickly ran away.

I announced that there would be 4 costume contests. Scariest, Funniest and Sexiest would be held after the Foundation and Best Costume would be awarded after Stab City. The crowd started pouring in as the Foundation took stage.

The first time I saw The Foundation, they were just a two piece and they blew me away. They’ve been playing with the current three piece line up for a while now. It sort of bummed me out that Justin took off his costume to play but I understood. How comfortable can it be playing a guitar in a beanie, overcoat and hoodie? Justin kept mentioning how drunk he was but they did phenomenal. Bryan’s drumming makes you feel like someone is stabbing you in the chest.

At this point, Pu$$y-Cow was in costume as the Los Angeles Lakers and it was time for the costume contest. The whole affair made me crack up. It took forever to people to come up front and be judged by the audience. I had to say stuff like, “This is for scariest costume. If you’re wearing lots of black or have fake blood this may apply to you” or “This is for funniest costume. If people busted out laughing right when they saw you, you should be up here”

The winner of scariest costume was Horace Weintraub for his Sand-witch costume. He was a witch with two huge real and rotting submarine sandwiches strapped to his chest. The winner of funniest AND sexiest costume was Suz with her Ron Jeremy costume. Personally, I thought it was a shoe in for best costume. It had chest hair and a penis. How do you compete?

Stab City took the stage next. Drummer, Bobby Vega was dressed as a rat caught in a rat trap. Singer and bassist, Dan, was dressed sort of like happy troll and guitarist, Sailor, had pieced together a crazy orangey witch costume. He told everyone he was a fairy. Stab City is my newest obsession. Sailor moves his body like a circus contortionist and Bobby jumps all over his drums like a daredevil while Dan anchors the mayhem screeching out the vocals. This won’t be the first time or the last time I will write about them. They play a lot and all over so that means you be should seeing them soon.

After Stab City, came the best costume contest. It took a long time to narrow it down but finally, this girl dressed as South Park fringe character, Towelie, won the grand prize.

My band, Pu$$y-Cow, took the stage. I didn’t mean to get so drunk but I did. I think it went okay though. We started with crowd favorites, “Hope We Don’t Suck” and BernNadette” but when it came time to do, “Kick your sister in the chin”, I realized I had forgotten my kazoo in the car. Can’t win them all, I guess.

There is nothing more fun than seeing a Santa Claus, Young John McCain, Ron Jeremy, a pimp, a clown and Dexter in a mosh pit. It was so much fun to watch that I’d crack up a lot on stage. We covered, “I Love LA” by Randy Newman in a tribute to our Lakers costumes. Our friend, Sylvie, dressed as Luchador threw a pair of panties on the stage that I promptly pulled over my head as we closed out the show. Then it was over. I pretended I was a member of Sonic Youth and brushed my mike stand against Mike’s guitar neck.

After the show was over, directions were passed out to the party at my house and that is where the amnesia really sets in.

Happy Halloween!
Joe Dana - Pu$$y-Cow
 

See more photos of this event in the photo gallery HERE

 

The Spits & Gantez Warrior at Commune Clothing – Halloween Party

With all of the events going on for Halloween in Southern California this year it took a while to decide what to do but Commune Clothing's all ages show/party did not disappoint. The event was kicked off by Orange County's Gantez Warrior who played a mix of surf Punk and garage. Over all their sound was a bit like the Mummies with their trashy guitar tone and low brow sensibilities. They were met with an enthusiastic reaction from the audience and they ripped through a great cover of Bobby 'Boris' Pickett's 'Monster Mash.'

The Spits came out with a smoke machine and a flaming Jack-O-Lantern. Audience members were falling over themselves (and sometimes the band/their equipment) as the band played raw Punk rock n roll  tunes like 'Sk8,' 'Tonight,' and 'Spit Me Out,' which they dedicated to the police. They played close to twenty songs before sending the audience home, worn out and satisfied.

-Ditch-

 

More photos of the night are HERE

 

Jay Reatard- Matador Singles 08

The first half of this record sounds like a party plain and simple. It evokes comparisons to the Violent Femmes, Generation X, the Ramones, and (dare I say?) Andrew WK while adding some weird undertones a la The Adverts. All of this is done with pop sensibilities that would give Buddy Holly a run for his money. This sounds too good to be true but somehow this guy from Tennessee musters up enough brilliance to make the greatest Punk / Indie party music to come out in a long time. However as great as he is at writing barn burning party tracks he is also able to tone things down as the second half of this singles collection shows. Songs like "No Time'" and "You Were Sleeping" are dark but still unsentimental and brutally honest. Reatard does not spend his time trying to write sweet or "touching" lyrics but instead calls people out with a harsh tongue and Punk rock attitude even when the music is more low key.

Out on Matador Records

http://www.myspace.com/jayreatard

http://jayreatard.blogspot.com

-Ditch-

 

Fri- Oct 31, 2008 – Have Heart w/ Internal Affairs – Chain Reaction – Anaheim, CA

Fri- Oct 31, 2008 – Love Grenades w/ Asobi Seksu
and The Strange Boys – The Echo – Echo Park, CA

Fri- Oct 31, 2008 – G.F.I w/ FLB,
Austin and The Rippers – Doll Hut – Anaheim, CA

Next Page »