Adam Ant: The Beacon Theater, New York, NY 9/13/2017 Anthems: The Singles Tour 2017

Since 2013, Adam Ant has made something of a comeback. He released his first album since 1995's Wonderful - the very fine Adam Ant Is the Blueblack Hussar in Marrying the Gunner's Daughter album, toured the UK in celebration of the reissue of Dirk Wears White Sox, embarked on a world tour to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Ants' basically perfect Kings Of The Wild Frontier album, and now he's on his Anthems: The Singles Tour.

His Anthems tour is basically the vast majority of his singles and a good portion of his best B-Sides. I'd seen Adam on tour earlier this year, so I knew what to expect in terms of his live band (he's got a cracking band that actually sound like a real band and not just backing musicians - Will Crewdson is an excellent lead guitarist and the two drummers are perfect - especially Jola). Adam himself has a lot more energy than one would expect from someone who's been through the Punk wars of 1977. He didn't disappoint on this night either.

The twenty-five song set was basically an Ant-fans dream set. The band opened with a fiery rendition of "Beat My Guest" and the show never really let up. Early singles "Young Parisians" (and its B-Side "Lady"), "Zerox" and "Car Trouble" all earned enthusiastic responses. Adam ran through plenty of obscure B-Sides such as "Greta X", "Christian D'Or" and "B-Side Baby". It was certainly nice to hear Adam perform hits that he doesn't do very often (excepting this tour) like "Apollo 9", "Can't Set Rules About Love" and "Puss N Boots". The ebbs and flows of the set felt fairly natural/organic with the energy level boosting up several notches on "Friend Or Foe" (which sounded amazing live, and truly benefited from having two drummers) and on "Kings Of The Wild Frontier" - which seemed to get the entire audience up and moving in a speaking in tongues sort of way.

Of course, Adam and his band performed the staples "Stand And Deliver", "Vive Le Rock", "Antmusic" and "Goody Two Shoes" all to the expected fervent response.

The only singles Adam didn't tackle were "Ant Rap" (for obvious reasons...Marco, Merrick, Terry Lee and Gary Tibbs were not on tour with "Yours Truly"), "Deutscher Girls", "Rough Stuff" and the US Top 40 single "Wonderful". None of which were missed too greatly.

I was basically a spoiled Antfan on this night - as I'd had my VIP package (which included a T-Shirt, a bandanna, buttons/badges, a tote bag and a numbered, limited edition autographed poster). Not to mention my eighth-row seat and sterling companionship.

Opening for Adam were the Glam Skanks. They're a quartet from LA who come off like a television producers dream of an a homogenized version of The Runaways. Their material didn't really resonate with me at all (it felt very affected and faux to put it lightly...very LA, very plastic). Their sound in terms of the house engineer and the room itself was fine though. About 3/4 through Adam's set, it was slightly overloaded and louder, which was basically unnecessary. The Beacon is a great sounding theater and really needs no help in terms of artificial loud sounds via the sound engineer. But I digress.

A great night.

Hüsker Dü: Candy Apple Grey (Warner Brothers/1986)

Hüsker Dü's fifth album Candy Apple Grey is their major-label debut for Warner Brothers. The band released three albums and an EP for legendary indie SST signing a lucrative deal with Warners in 1985. There isn't anything on the album that screams sell-out; it was produced by Grant Hart and Bob Mould, recorded in Minneapolis, and contains the same approach as Flip Your Wig does.

The album starts off with the Mould scream-fest of “Crystal” which clearly indicates the band isn't going soft just because their sudden major-label status. The albums two singles are both written by Hart and they are absolute classics; “Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely” is a perfect kiss-off pop song and even charted at number 96 on the UK singles chart. It was later covered by Green Day and is featured in the series Halt And Catch Fire and the film Adventureland. “Sorry Somehow” features mournful minor-key organ and a mid-tempo arrangement.

“I Don't Know For Sure” sounds like Mould was trying to rewrite “Makes No Sense At All” and Hart's “Dead Set On Destruction” doesn't really go anywhere memorable. “Eiffel Tower High” references getting high and going to the movies and “All This I've Done For You” is a perfect slice of Du PopPunk. The album features three acoustic classics;“Hardly Getting Over It” which deals with death in a mature, thoughtful way, “No Promise Have I Made” a stately piano piece that is a nice lyrical example of what makes Grant Hart such a special songwriter and “Too Far Down” is a Mould song that is almost a blueprint for his solo work. All three work well within the cold, Wintery-feel that pervades the album as a whole.

The album was well-recieved at the time by the mainstream music press but was generally snubbed by the bands hardcore following. It charted at a dismal 140 in the Billboard Top 200. It is generally overlooked after the acknowledged classic trilogy of Zen Arcade, New Day Rising and Flip Your Wig.

It certainly deserves wider-currency.

Here's the video review:

Rancid, Dropkick Murphys, Bouncing Souls & Jake Burns (Stiff Little Fingers) at Coney Island Ford Ampitheater, Brooklyn, NY (9/6/2017)

Rancid are currently on their From Boston To Berkeley tour in support of their Trouble Maker album. Joining them on tour are the Dropkick Murphys, Bouncing Souls and Jake Burns of Stiff Little Fingers. I attended the New York show at Ford Amphitheater on Coney Island.

The venue was literally right alongside the boardwalk, which is a stones-throw from the ocean. It was a very nice location for such a place and the it was a beautiful day. The venue is basically a large, round tent. The acoustics of the show were completely abysmal. It was the wrong venue for a punk show in general; in my opinion punk rock shows need to be in small, acoustic-sympathetic bar/clubs. The show was still loud, it just sounded terrible.

I missed Jake Burns' set entirely, which is a shame seeing that he's something of a legend himself, having fronted the great Stiff Little Fingers. Perhaps Ireland's first proper punk band. We arrived about 30 minutes after showtime (which was 6 PM sharp, apparently) and the Bouncing Souls were halfway through their set. They were probably my favorite band of the evening. Such classics as "Gone", "Kids and Heroes" and "True Believers" were all performed with much youthful enthusiasm. I really wish I'd caught their entire set.

Dropkick Murphys were up next. Despite being a fine live act, their performance felt a bit hollow. I really didn't feel too much of a connection with their music at all. Maybe I've heard "I'm Shipping Up To Boston" in one too many commercials. Also, poor sound marred any potential chance of any true enjoyment.

Headliners Rancid took the stage with definite purpose. Their newest album Troublemaker is basically more of the same old Rancid, for better or worse. The band was tight with Tim Armstrong and Lars Frederiksen in fine form. Their twenty-song set included a whopping eight tracks from their platinum break-through album ...And Out Come The Wolves (including the classic singles  "Ruby Soho", "Time Bomb" and "Roots Radicals"). "Nihilism", "Radio" and "Salvation" from Let's Go also got proper airings. As did a few from their newest album, including the single "Ghost Of A Chance".

The absolute highlight of the evening was Rancid & Dropkick Murphys performing an encore four-song set of "Take 'Em All" by Cock Sparrer, "Cretin Hop" by The Ramones, "Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash and "If The Kids Are United" by Sham 69.

The Smiths: The Boy With The Thorn In His Side (Warner Brothers/2017)

The Smiths haven’t really issued any really noteworthy product in many, many years. Johnny Marr remastered the four Smiths studio albums (and four compilation/live albums) in 2012. And The Sound Of The Smiths compilation in 2008. This year marks the first real year that The Smiths have a reissue campaign that will entice all Smiths fans alike.

Later this year the band will reissue The Queen Is Dead package that will include three CDs and one DVD. Earlier this Summer the title track was issued as a 12” and 7” single. And for Record Store Day The Boy With The Thorn In It's Side was released in a limited pressing of 12,000 copies. It's a teaser for the forthcoming box set. The A-Side is a “Demo Mix” of the well-known studio version. And isn't too different. The B-Side “Rubber Ring” is an “Early Drone Studios Version”, which was recorded at Drone Studios and very string-heavy.

Overall a very nice release. Cover star Albert Finney makes yet another appearance in the Smiths cannon. The truly noteworthy thing about this record is the political message that reads; “Trump Will Kill America”, which is etched in the runout groove of side A.

All in all, a wonderful release.

Here's the video review:

Special thanks to: Laurel.

Shriekback: Oil And Gold (Island Records/1985)

Shriekback's third album finds ex-XTC keyboardist Barry Andrews, ex-Gang Of Four bassist Dave Allen and ex-Out On Blue Six guitarist Carl Marsh's collectively greatest vinyl moment. Oil And Gold is the perfect transition from quirky outsider minimalist funk band to alternative commercial band. The album is perhaps their most diverse offering. It contains their most well-known hit in “Nemesis”, which is something of a mid 80's classic. “Fish Below The Ice” is also a fairly-successful single.

“Faded Flowers”, “Only Thing That Shines”, The Big Hush” and “Coelcanth” form something of a quiet calm suite. “Malaria” (which came this close to being issued as a single) and “Everything That Rises Must Converge” are both winning songs.

This was the last album to feature Marsh as lead vocalist, before the role was taken by creative leader Andrews. His whispering vocals are effective within the context of the bands inner logic.

This is a very good album and something of a forgotten mini-classic.

Here's the video review:

Corey Feldman & The Angels: The Korova, San Antonio, TX (5/26/2017)

Self-proclaimed legend/child actor Corey Feldman dazzled his fans at the Korova with a set of his original material. The man who starred in The Goonies, Stand By Me and License To Drive has been making music of questionable merit for over thirty-years now. He has released about five albums too.

He was in town to make an appearance at Alamo City Comic Con earlier that day. His twenty-song set lasted about two-hours and felt even longer. Many of those songs were from his newest album, Angelic 2 The Core. His band, The Angels, five females all dressed in angel wings and halos, were a serviceable band. Corey, despite having been up since 6 AM, had a remarkable amount of energy. Corey took a few short breaks every few songs, for a costume change as the Angels played on.

Also making an appearance at Comic Con was fellow Goonie star Jonathan Ke Quan (aka Data!!).
Ke Quan also hopped onstage with Corey and they (with significant support from The Angels) treated us to a rousing rendition of "The Goonies R Good Enough" by Cyndi Lauper. I have to admit, it was pretty special, not to mention surreal, seeing this all happen before my very eyes. This was basically the (mid) show-stopper. Corey also covered The Beatles' "Why Don't We Do It In The Road", with Mr. Feldman himself on drums and vocals. He pulled this off quite well. Who knew he could play the drums?

If this wasn't enough. I got to meet the man himself at a meet and greet in the basement of the venue a good hour after the show ended. Corey was perfectly gracious and nice. He signed a few things and took a photo with me as well.

Come to think of it, the guy really IS a legend.

Redd Kross: Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY 5/4/2017: Beneath The Valley Of The Teen Babes From Monsanto Tour

Hawthorne California's Redd Kross have been on tour this Spring, celebrating the reissue of their classic Teen Babes From Monsanto album. The band is one of the key figures from the late 70's LA punk scene (their first show was opening up for a Keith Morris-fronted Black Flag) who later morphed into a trashy, glammy, power pop, alt-rock outfit. After returning after a nearly ten-year hiatus with their Researching The Blues album in 2012, Kross have been going strong ever since.

The band graced Bowery Ballroom last week and put on an enthusiastic, ninety-minute, twenty-song set. The band had a new drummer (Roy McDonald was unavailable for the tour) in the form of Melvins drummer Dale Crover and touring lead guitarist Jason Shapiro (Robert Hecker, is a teacher and can't just up and tour anymore). The McDonald brothers, Jeff and Steve had a great on-stage rapport, with Steve providing a lot of funny anecdotes. The band were very well-rehearsed (except for one song, "It Won't Be Long", where there was a discrepancy over key and necessitated a few false starts).

The band played plenty of their loved singles; "Switchblade Sister", "Annie's Gone", "Jimmy's Fantasy" and "Lady In The Front Row". Plus a few deeper cuts; "Annette's Got The Hits", "Peach Kelli Pop" and "Neurotica". But the real treat was the band performing the entire Teen Babes all-covers album (ahem, "Rock And Roll Retrospective") in its' seven-song entirety (it's a short album). Hearing them perform "Ann" by The Stooges, "Saviour Machine" by David Bowie and "Citadel" by The Rolling Stones was a very nice treat for hardcore-fans, of which I am one.

They put on a great show with a very-well considered setlist. If you have to opportunity to see the band, by all means do.