Peter Bjorn & John live at The Theatre of Living Arts. It was a big year for the Swedish bunch, as their "Living Things" CD was among the top records of the year.
It was a good year for music. No new trends - just piggy backs off the fresh musical habits made to be popular last year. Still, solid records all around. Hip-hop made a return to my year-end wrap-up. Electronic had a strong year. So did just-about-pop indie rock.
Here's On the Beat's Top 20 albums of the year in no particular order:
The Juan MacLean - The Future Will Come
Silversun Pickups - Swoon
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
La Roux - La Roux
Felt - Felt 2: A Tribute to Rosie Perez
Boys Noize - Power
Doom - Born Like This
Esoteric - Saving Seamus Ryan
N.A.S.A. - Spirit of Apollo
Dr. Doom 2 - Dr. Doom (Kool Keith)
Franz Ferdinand - Tonight
Peaches - I Feel Cream
Passion Pit - Manners
Peter Bjorn & John - Living Things
Simian Mobile Disco - Temporary Pleasure
The Sounds - Crossing the Rubicon
The Very Best - Warm Heart of Africa
Major Lazer - Guns Don't Kill People ... Lazers Do!
Wow ... 30 good songs in one year? Not bad for the end of the decade.
What I tried to do was list my favorite songs of the year - not necessarily the most popular - but the tracks that got me going. If you want any, let me know (djscott111@aol.com), I'll shoot you some free mp3s.
“Mistletoe,” the award-winning area singer-songwriter’s just released holiday warmer, belongs on one of those Christmas coffeehouse collection CDs. According to Carvin, who’s headlining the free New Year’s Eve party at Hamilton Lanes (1200 Kuser Road, Hamilton) tonight, the song is “about how life changes like the seasons do and we need to flow with it like how you would just kiss someone under the mistletoe.” “It just happens,” Carvin says, “why think about it or try to explain it?” The perfect sitting-by-fire-sipping-coco-with-a-special-someone-tune, “Mistletoe” features holiday bells, girlie harmonies and a lyrical map that shows off Carvin’s sweet and spiritual side. Show starts at 10. 18-plus.
DJ ISH
The beat selector spins in the next decade at Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) tonight at 8. The “Good Riddance” party runs till 5 a.m. Tickets cost $5 and that includes a bunch of New Year’s Eve discounts and goodies. 21-plus.
Get jealous of these kid-rockers-in-training. At the start of its all-star team’s Holiday Tour ’09, Yes’ Jon Anderson greeted the teens backstage during sound check. The British prog-God was brought in as a “guest professor” in preparation for their Philly show at the Trocadero – instructing a couple of Paul Green’s prodigies to not be so “noisy” when passing between rhythm and lead guitars. The tour - which ran up and down the east coast throughout December - concludes with a New Year’s Eve bash tonight at Asbury Lanes (209 4th Ave., Asbury Park). Show starts at 8. Tickets cost $10. All-ages.
The Queens death-metalers get the head-banging going with neck-snapping breakdowns and creature-conjuring devil screams. Sounds like a hell-ride through “The Devil’s Rejects” if the movie took place in Jigsaw’s basement of barbed wire. Featured on the MINOtour with Hallow Ties, the foursome shakes the walls of Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) on Saturday afternoon. Show starts at 2. A Dream Worth Dying For, The Crowning, I Am Forever and The Goodnight Armada open. Tickets cost$10. All-ages.
The pulsating instrumental dementia delivered by these Trenton/Philly metal mentalists explores an infatuation with doom-driven grinds constructed to bite you in the ass with hammering guitar and drums just as you get lassoed in by the dreamy jazz elements found in the opening minutes of their songs. The thunder clappers - who place elements of Isis, Russian Circles and Neurosis in its sonic projectiles – play their first show since May at Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) on Saturday night. They’re will be new songs to digest, too. Show starts at 9. Prog rockers Holluck Rex and Entelechy open. Tickets cost $8. 21-plus.
The Cleveland emo rockers – think Taking Back Sunday or Jimmy Eat World – leave no frown upside down at The Court Tavern (124 Church St., New Brunswick) Saturday night. Victory Records. Show starts at 8. American Living, Further North and Kickdown Kickdown round out the bill. Tickets cost $8. 21-plus.
Indie-folk space distortion a la vintage Flaming Lips, Sebedoh and Pavement, and breathy song structuring in a Band of Horses sort-of-way make this Asbury Park group a band to keep your eye on. Also sounds like Bright Eyes, but heavier on percussion, weirdo sound additives and go-go boots. The eight-piece open for .448 at Asbury Lanes (209 4th Ave., Asbury Park) on Saturday. Show starts at 8 p.m. Chemtrail and The Obvious round out the bill. Tickets cost $8. 18-plus.
Pop-punk royalty in Philly through its associations with Kid Dynamite and Paint It Black, Dave Hause and company “find the will to survive” by playing a few shows during the holidays – including Wednesday night at Asbury Lanes (209 4th Ave., Asbury Park) - as each member works on their quieter solo recordings. Hause did his dusty-country acoustic thing when opening for AFI twice in November and last week with the Bouncing Souls at the Stone Pony, and is expected to drop a solo record sometime in 2010. Show starts at 8. Trenton’s The Great Explainer (The Roskoes) and New Brunswick’s Let Me Run open. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.
Scott Frost’s On The Beat concert listing appears in The Trentonian every Thursday. If your band is playing around town, email the On the Beat web line at djscott111@aol.com.
People know I love girls – a lot. And the only thing I find more appealing than the beauty of the female race, is when woman take control. And 2009 brought plenty of that.
- Scott Frost “On The Beat”
Shakira
Just by the way she crawled across the monitor on Saturday Night Live a few months back showed me just how talented the Columbian bombshell is. And with the electronic production on "She Wolf" - and the slinky lead single - I could no longer press the mute button when her videos appear. Growl!
Rye Rye
Still waiting for a proper release - “Go! Pop! Bang!” was set to drop in March – the reigning queen of B-More still got dance floors around the world gyrating with “Bang.” She appeared at Coachella with MIA, but was dropped from the All Points West lineup and a tour with A-Trak presumably because she was pregnant. Guessing we’ll see her on this list next year, too.
Peaches
Ms. Nisker retracted the claws in dropping a solid electro-centric record for the ’09, “I Feel Cream.” The ranch remained while the hyper-clash approach – and production from Simian Mobile Disco and Soulwax – smoothed-up her usual grime. Peaches’ synchronized rhyme flow on the record was also a welcome attraction.
Lea Michele
The raven-haired half-Jew and her bratty, over-anxious, ultra competitive, villainous, stuck-up-on-speed portrayal of Rachel is easily the most appealing part of “Glee” – the biggest guilty pleasure on TV nowadays. But she’s pretty hot, too, and way more attractive then those bimbo Cheerios. And somehow I was hoping she’d end up bed with thatfootball douche, Terry. Yes, I watch. God knows I feel dirty about it. But I watch with one eye on my school work – promise.
Nikki Monninger
She plays bass in Silversun Pickups – and sings a little back up – but that’s about it.
So how does she make this list, you ask? Well, “Swoon” is an awesome album that should be revered forever – and at least one indie-rock nerd babe should make this list every year. And Jenny Lewis has done nothing this year. So there you have it.
Natalie White
Hot and a million dollars richer. Nice, right? Actually it was the way she won “Survivor: Samoa” that was so memorable. Based solely on his game play, manipulation and his ability to find numerous hidden immunity idols with few clues, the hated Russell Hantz seemed like the obvious winner. But even though it looked like White was using the millionaire oil tycoon as a shield, it was White who pulled off the biggest move in the game. With her Foa Foa down in numbers heading into the merge, White befriended Hantz’s heated revival, Laura, and was able to convince her Galu tribe to vote out Eric (who nobody knew was holding a hidden immunity idol). It was the shift in the game Foa Foa needed to send three on that tribe to the finals. In the meantime, White looked super sexy the whole time and was easy to like with that southern charm. Even when she bashed that rat in the head and ate it. Yum, indeed.
Nattie “Natalya” Neidhart
Ok, so she’s built like a midget linebacker. And yes her dad is Jim “The Anvil,” so the WWE diva will probably grow out the Billy-goat beard in her old age. But of all the ladies in Vince Mac’s corner, Natalya is quite the performer in the ring. That, and she’s part of the Hart bloodline, so it’s easy to cheer for anyone related to my favorite performer of the ’90s, Uncle Bret. Not a Bella Twin by any means, her womanly curves is still neatly positioned on her muscular 5-5 frame. So I’m ready for my camel clutch any day now, my lady.
Megan Fox
The Hollywood starlet is too hot for David Silver - period! Didn’t see “Transformers 2” or “Jennifer’s Body” and didn’t need to, to see she’s the most babelious chick in Boner City.
Elly Jackson
The girl lead in Brit synth-pop duo La Roux became one of the most recognized faces in the blog universe in 2009 because - simply put – all their songs are perfect. Sure they’re throwbacks to ’80s new wave, but Jackson’s songs are powerful and pretty at the same time. Finally a short-haired indie diva for use music nerds that’s we’re not afraid to dance to.
Lissy Truille
Maybe you’ll hear more from this New York ex-model in 2010, but her debut, “Self-Taught Learner,” is a super record. Could have been the darling covers of Biz Markie’s “Just A Friend” and Hot Chip’s “Ready On the Floor” that got me hooked. But that’s OK for this list.
Karen O
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs leading lady’s art-house chic went diva in 2009. Actually, she stayed weird and continued to dress awkward, but turned up the volume to arena levels on “It’s Blitz!” – the New York trio’s best and most disco danceable record yet – as the world’s regulars started to take notice. Still no top 10 hit, but a festival headliner. And that’s the way Karen – who also penned the lead track to “Where the Wild Things Are” - tends to like it.
Lady Sovereign
“Jigsaw,” the self-proclaimed biggest midget in the galaxy’s sophomore CD, was not the best record of 2009. But it did spit a few parting shots at her adversaries while proving the Brit rap tomboy never needed to hide those vocal harmonies behind a knickers and that infamous snarl.
Caroline Martial
Another model-turned-lead-squealer, the French fly girl in electro-clash outfit Kap Bambino could snatch the queen of sleaze title from Peaches. The music is more intense and in-your-face, and Martial’s wild live shows have been considered legendary in Europe.
Kaley Cuoco
The perfect girl-next-door for the geeks in “The Big Bang Theory,” Cuoco – in her thir
d season playing Penny – features the sexiest blank look on TV. The glue to the show, Cuoco is so good at her ditsy, blonde, struggling actress with horrible taste for mindless muscle men role that it’s actual believable that after so many bad relationships such a babe would fall for the hopelessly-but-brilliant nerd-next-door, Leonard. Score one for the good guys. Sucks that it’s still just a TV show.
Emma Stone
No one looked so good killing the living dead than this 21-year-old “Zombieland” star.
Jules (as in the dream girl from “Superbad”) has grown up before our eyes – and the redhead looked mighty fine armed in those stiletto boots and sexy pout. Another actress in the “could-be-my-girlfriend” label. Then I woke up.
Joss Stone
The Brit soul revivalist canned her record label, went indie and released a solid fourth album, “Colour Me Free!” for 2009. Vintage on the jazz and R&B front, Ms. Stone finally shook that gimmick label that’s haunted her for years.
Amanda Blank
The Philly spank rocker dropped some of the more vulgar lyrics heard from a female emcee in 2009 on “I Love You” – further proving gutter music was invented to destroy dance floors and male egos.
The Canadian hardcore hate-breeders advocate strife and the type of metallic-melting musical spectrum Warzone, Earth Crisis and Snapcase bullied into your skull more than a decade ago. The former A Stained Glass Romance lays the hammer on Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) tonight. Show starts at 5. Tomorrow Never Dies, Open Denile, Taking The Tide, An Open Ended Sky, Burn Your Bridges and Night of Malice open. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. 21-plus.
Put on your Yamaca …. it’s time to celebrate Hanukkah … with an evening of Eastern European Yiddish folk music and milk chocolate disguised as money at The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) tonight. Maybe if you’ve been a good boy for Hanukkah Harry, the tsimbl player will share his recipe for potato latkas. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.
The lady-led Bucks crew jams stony groove metal and lecture-delivered, almost rapping vocal jabs into a concoction sounding like a less-punk-more-rock L7. The trio headlines Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) tomorrow night. Show starts at 9. As Opposed to Dead, Before the Accident Happens, Foul-Play! and Sex With Rollercoasters play, too. Tickets cost $8. 21-plus.
A former cadet, who recognized her vocal potential while stationed in Korea, Paris’ style swings between radio pop and coffee house blues. For fans of Suzzanne Vega and Melissa Etheridge, as well. The blonde celebrates the holidays with some Christmas tunage on tap for tomorrow’s holiday party at The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown). Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Todd Ellis opens. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.
The Trenton pirate metallers – according to a recent statement – promise there will be plenty of space at their hometown thrown-down at Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) Saturday afternoon for “whirlpits and waves of death.” There will be no plank to walk, but the booty-looting buccaneers said the “is going to be a panty dropping, mom-raping, father-punching, friend-f***in awesome party.” The band’s high-sailing, hardcore antics are good for a chuckle, but are taken pretty seriously in Europe where mythological heavy music is worshiped. In fact, Swashbuckle - who recently bunked with Vader – begin the Euro-leg of the Darkness Over Xmas Tour with Heaven Shall Burn and Dark Tranquility, Christmas Day in Germany. What that means, is that these guys argh going places, matey. By the way, YouTube clips prove the guys have traded their inflatable ship for a guy in a killer shark suit. Show starts at 2. Weekend warriors Triggered Impulse, Sicker Than Most, NoN-SToP!, Esquilax, Kill The Evidence, Slutty Earth and We All Have Day Jobs open. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.
The snot-pop punk rockers Saves the Day with their Lawrence Arms Saturday night at The All Call Inn (214 Weber Ave., Ewing). Show starts at 9. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.
Jed Steadson & The Kumas
Advertised as an ’80s group reforming for its final show Saturday night in the Mill Hill Basement (300 S. Broad St., Trenton) – it sounds like a scam or at best a super group hiding behind an alter-ego. Feeling here is that the Jac guys are behind it. Of course, in the basement anything can happen and it usually rocks. Show starts at 11. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.
The bong-blasting panty raiders spike the eggnog when ho-ho-hoing-it-up at the NYC’s hardcore heathen’s annual Xmas booze-beat-down at John & Peter’s (96 S. Main St., New Hope, Pa.) Saturday night. Show starts at 9. Tickets cost $15. 21-plus.
The husband and wife folk and bluegrass duo star at the Fez Head’s Holiday Party at The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) Saturday night. Show starts at 7:30. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.
The Jersey City rockers’ slow-diving guitar flutters atmospheric ambience resonates like a weightless Hum mashed up with a mellowed Sunny Day Real Estate and drifting Modest Mouse. The five-piece, which played The Warped Tour in ’07 and South By Southwest in ’08, is about to drop its third record, “If Anything Should Happen.” They’ll headline The Court Tavern (124 Church St., New Brunswick) Saturday night. Show starts at 8:30. (Damn) This Desert Air, Last Days of Empire and A Version open. Tickets cost $10. 21-plus.
The barking debates about race relations and self-described “neo-revolutionary musical statements” off these Long Islander metal truth speaker’s 2005 debut “Children of God’s Fire” further proved hardcore fellowship will always cross tribal boundaries. Case in point: hip-hop visionary MF Doom’s versatile vaudeville vocal prose sounded pretty tight over the crew’s crashing guitars and drums on “Verse Vs. The Virus.” The guys – whose venomous wordplay puts a spin on typical tough-core idioms – open for Death Do Us Part at Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) Sunday afternoon. Show starts at 1. Down the Block, Back and Forth, The Goodnight Armada, Pullin Me Back, Heartbeat Still, Remember My Face and Double Or Nothing round out the bill. Tickets cost $10. All-ages.
Often picked to support Blink 182 or Less Than Jake through the better part of the ’90s, the Bethlehem bunch made a few transformations in 11 years – shifting from its early juvenile pop-punk stage to a more mature, indie-rock sound reminiscent of The Pixies in the time before their break up in 1999. Known at the beginning for their goofy in-between song banter and because the bass player often hit the stage in a karate gi, Weston booked a few reunion shows in 2006 - releasing a live album recorded in 2008 at Maxwell’s in Hoboken. On Sunday night, they’ll return to the Trenton area – headlining The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) with Husker Du’s Grant Hart. Show starts at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.
The city rock legend and an all-squad of the area’s top musical talents celebrate its 10th year helping “Trenton’s helpless and neediest” with his annual Christmas benefit concert at the Trenton War Memorial’s Patriot Theatre (1 Memorial Dr., Trenton) Wednesday night. Local rock luminaries including Lisa Bouchelle, Paul Plumeri, John Bushnell and Joe Zook often show up at this events. Show starts at 7. Tickets cost $20 for adults, $10 for children under 12. All-ages.
Scott Frost’s On The Beat concert listing appears in The Trentonian every Thursday. If your band is playing around town, email the On the Beat web line at djscott111@aol.com.
The funk busters – a Relix Magazine Jam-off award winner whose slick “Power Soul” slams led to regular gigs for on the hipster hip-hoppers (Lauryn Hill) and jazz-jammers (Soulive, John Scofield) circuit – close out the ’09 Trenton2Nite season at The Phoenix (120 S. Warren St., Trenton) tomorrow night. Heralded for their live energy and big-stage presence, the band’s crossover success included a spot on garageband.com where their song “Don’t They” holds the record as the all-time No. 1 posted funk song. The free performance starts at 5 p.m. All-ages.
The city neo-soul singer sweet jazz style swings from bebop to Broadway at the Trenton Marriott (1 W. Lafayette St., Trenton) tomorrow evening. The free performances starts at 5. All-ages.
The songbird’s kick-up the holiday spirit with its own seasonal classic flair at Gallery 125 (125 Warren St., Trenton) tomorrow. The choir - which features Lawrence High grad and Miss America contestant Gianine Teti – has a collection of Christmas Carols prepared for its free 5:30 p.m. performance. All-ages.
The fiery prog-punks heat up McGuinn’s Place (1781 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence) tomorrow night. Show starts at 9. A Clever Con open. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.
The punk-metal high schoolers shred The Shogun Skate Shop at The Quakerbridge Mall (Route 1, Lawrence) tomorrow night. The free show starts at 9. All-ages.
The Delaware pop-punk’s harmony-driven vocals and hard-line break-downs will remind most of “Tell All Your Friends-era” Taking Back Sunday. The trio plays Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) tomorrow night with Cheat To Win, Down Struck, The Paper Jets and Grind City. Show starts at 9. Tickets cost $8. 21-plus.
Bonnie Raitt once called this ’70s folk icon, “my Eric Clapton.” In fact, the country singer cover of Smither’s “Love Me Like a Man” has been a staple of her live years since the two started working together in 1972. Since, Smither – set to play two 50-minute sets at The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) tomorrow night – is touring in support of his 13th CD, “Time Stands Still.” Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20 in advance, $25 at the door. All-ages.
Jongleurs - who use accordion, trumpet, ukulele and mandolin in mixing its Tzingane, Rajasthani and Romani folk, flamenco and Cake-like alt-rocks – star in the free Metromix Sip, Shop & Rock Holiday Party at The Grand Arcade (1300 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park) tomorrow night. Show starts at 6. The crew also headlines The Trash Bar (256 Grand St., Brooklyn, NY) with Generation Welfare and Sit Down Baby at 8 p.m. Sunday. Tickets cost $6. The Asbury Park show is all-ages, the New York concert is 21-plus.
Remember Cheap Trick and Dramarama? Add a little Weezer and Smithereens and you’ll get a grasp of what these Jersey rockers – playing Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) Saturday – waste away an afternoon. Show starts at noon. Fuel The Fire, Scissors in a Cupcake, Nobody Yet, Nuclear Shakedown, Just Enough, Foul-Play! and Bio-Feedback round out the bill. Tickets cost $10. All-ages.
A quick listen of the melodic-punk physics of Dag Nasty’s Pete Cortner’s current outfit and it’s easy to imagine what the legends were bound to morph into after 1987’s “Wig Out At Denko’s.” Cortner picked up the vocals duties just as Dave Smalley (Down By Law) left to study abroad. And it was during that post-Minor Threat era of the DC hardcore scene where harmonies and a slower pace confused pit punishers when many pinpoint the beginnings of the emo-core evolution. Some of the quick-changing vocal whacks on The Gerunds – hitting up The Mill Hill Basement (300 S. Broad St., Trenton) on Saturday night with The Undertones’ “Teenage Kicks” in their arsenal – will remind punk historians of classic All and Bad Religion. Show starts at 9. Radio Exiles (Garden State Soul, Silver Dollar) and Mean Streets open. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.
The Connecticut slime-corer’s scare tactics include the stalking doom-metal crawl of Pig Destroyer and malevolent creeping-death effects of Neurosis. The group, which features the old singer of Cable, pummels the speakers at Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) Saturday night. Show starts at 9. The Waking Alley, Feast On the Deceased, Beyond Dishonor and Maegashira play, too. Tickets cost $8. 21-plus.
The Doughboy’s Mississippi-blues side track goes Southern backwoods on The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) Saturday night. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.
According to Internet reports, Grateful Dead survivors Phil Lesh and Bob Weir are digging up early material like “King Solomon’s Marbles” for their two-set showcases these days. It doesn’t get too heady through, as “Touch of Grey” is not a forgotten cog to the jams – going on forever and ever at Convention Hall (1300 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park) on Saturday. Ratdog’s Jeff Chimenti (keys) and Jay Lane (percussion), Duo’s drummer Joe Russo and Dark Star Orchestra’s John Kadlecik (guitar) round out the lineup. Show starts at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $55 and $65. A $10 after party at the Stone Pony (913 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park) at midnight features Dead cover band, Splintered Sunlight. The Further show is all-ages. The after party is 21-plus.
The profoundly political gospel to the Philadelphia-burbians’ working-class folk-punk nicely counter-balances the passive energy of the tandem’s acoustic strums. Sounds extra cool on their rendition of Hot Water Music’s “Jack of All Trades.” Hopefully the cover makes the cut when the guys perform in The Mill Hill Basement (300 S. Broad St., Trenton) Sunday night. Show starts at 9. Dale Gordon (Pats!e, DEMO) and Ship Wreaks play, too. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.
The Brooklyn beatnik’s psychedelic ranges tend to jump from shoe-gazing Jesus & Mary Chain to Zombies-style ’60s surf-rock and early ’80s British post-punk. Fans of A Place to Bury Strangers, John Spencer Blues Explosion, The Ramones’ Beach Boys covers and chicks in go-go boots playing tambourine would dig the foursome – headlining The Wonder Bar (1213 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park) Tuesday night. Show starts at 8. Invincible Gods, Future Future and Bedroom Girls open. Tickets cost $2. 21-plus.
The dramatic guitar builds, rhythmic-yet-electronic break downs and beastly vocal prose found in this South Jersey metalcore act emit an Acacia Strain-meets-Converge vibe. The band opens for Rose Funeral (Metal Blade Records) at Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) Monday night. Show starts at 5. Local hardcore killjoys In Wake of the Plague, Embracing the Chaos, Total Ruination, Within the Black and Foraminis round out the bill. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.
Scott Frost’s On The Beat concert listing appears in The Trentonian every Thursday. If your band is playing around town, email the On the Beat web line at djscott111@aol.com.
“Mary and the Storm,” the most spun track on the Boston horror-punk’s MySpace Page, gets all misty-eyed in a Morrissey digging ditches in the pouring rain with Jigsaw vibe. Prefer the shadowy imagery, organ spine chillers and devilish Carney temper in “Terror in the Haunted House.” The trio, who’ll make friends out of AFI and Misfits fans, get all gloomed-out from an acoustic angle at Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) tonight. Show starts at 8. Trenton’s Cryptkeeper Five - who’ve toured and shared a 7-inch with Blitzkid- are also on the bill. So is Keys to the Cadillac, Johnny B. Morbid, The Zombie Mafia and Edenstar. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. 18-plus.
The Mill Hill rockers, whose sound collisions are like a The Clash and Replacements martini with whisky instead of gin and no vermouth, aid in the sales of “New Moon” Scene It? Games with an acoustic set at the Hot Topic at the Neshaminy Mall (Route 1 and Bristol Road, Bensalem, Pa.) tonight. The former Philos and Frantic are set to record a couple tracks at Ozone Studies in the coming weeks and recently tossed in some extra punk firepower for the recording with the addition of Dim from The Rape Babies on guitar. Show starts at 6. Social Collision teal yellow and purple plaid woven shirts are on sale for $13.98 - with the price of Marvel Wolverine half-mask Beanies falling to $3.98. All-ages.
DEMO
The stony noise-punks (Pats!e, Towers Open Fire) get warped at The All Call Inn (214 Weber Ave., Ewing) tomorrow night. Fans of The Cows, Melvins and strangling hamsters with your bare hands - what up! Show starts at 9. Maxim 77 and Phantasm open. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.
James’ big sis – and folk icon in her own right – “shoop shoops” into The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) tomorrow night. Taylor’s top pop hit came out of her acoustic rendition of Ruby Clark’s “It’s in His Kiss” – a duet with brother James that peaked on the Billboard charts in 1977 at No. 49. Show starts at 7:30. Uncle Monk - a bluegrass duo featuring the last surviving Ramone - co-headlines. Mitch and Amy from The Rip Chords play, too. Tickets cost $25 in advance, $28 at the door. All-ages.
Bumba
Shorties better watch - this golden-grilled Long Island rapper’s intoxicated, down-south flow, sex-addictive boasts and booty-banging beats have been known to find the G-spot. His freestyle fellowship drives into The All Call Inn (214 Weber Ave., Ewing) Saturday with some bump in the truck. You’ll dig if you stay fly in a Three 6 Mafia way. Show starts at 9 p.m. The crew includes Madlights, Cap City D Montana, Young T, Killa Kurt and Money$ide. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.
The cover boys are barely turning 30 and already understand the healing-power of music. At four charity concerts held in Hamilton, Lawrence and Delran, the band’s knack for drawing people for the good of a cause, helped raise more than $12,000 for their friend’s medical bills and organizations like the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Nice guys never finish last, right? Even those only playing songs you know at McGuinn’s Place (1781 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence) Saturday night. Show starts at 9. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.
Bruce Springsteen’s personal pick for the keyboards on “Greetings From Asbury Park” makes a rare local appearance at The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) Saturday night. The Asbury native, while not considered a founding E Street Band member since he wasn’t on the 1972 tour, Sancious is a crucial cog to Springsteen historians with his studio mastering on “Born To Run.” He’s also a well sought after session and live musician for his piano and guitar work – having hit the road with Stanley Clark and Peter Gabriel and production gigs with Jeff Beck and Sting. In fact, Gabriel once referred to Sancious as a “musician’s musician.” Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $15 in advance, $20 at the door. All-ages.
The Asbury Park shoegazer’s instrumental Muse-y mood-music leads a path of sonic drool a la Isis and Red Sparrow into Asbury Lanes (209 4th Ave., Asbury Park) Saturday night. Show starts at 10. Armsand Sleepers and American Dollar open. Tickets cost $6. 18-plus.
GWAR’s beefy bassist – also from Porn Flakes – steers the savage guitar slaughters for this Toledo speed-metal trio headlining Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) Sunday. The barking vocals and thrashing guitars sounds like they come from the kingdom of the dead. Slayer fans take note. Show starts at noon. Total Ruination, After the Genocide, NoN-SToP!, Triggered Impulse, The Judas Syndrome, The Perfect Getaway, The Abstract, Strychnia and Among the Forgotten round out the bill. Tickets cost $12 in advance, $14 at the door. All-ages.
According to Internet reports, it was this folk-punk’s dusty vocal grumbles and true-to-life road songs that shined the brightest among the iconic figures that made up Chuck Ragen’s (Hot Water Music) Revival Tour. The Indiana native – whose bluegrass-singing father, Bob, is known for his association Allison Krauss’ award-winning discography – penned two albums with Ragen, before hitting the road with Avail’s Tim Barry. And it was on that tour of indie-punk giants where Lucas’ Midwestern twang garnered much attention. On Sunday night you can catch a smoke break with the pleasantly plaid rocker, while absorbing his unique brand of post-punk Americana, at the Mill Hill Basement (300 S. Broad St., Trenton). Show starts at 9. Mike Hale (Suburban Home Records) and Chris Pinto (The Frantic, Minnesota’s Calling) open. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.
Scott Frost’s On The Beat concert listing appears in The Trentonian every Thursday. If your band is playing around town, email the On the Beat web line at djscott111@aol.com.
Shakira just keeps on getting hotter. But now On The Beat's into her Spanish fly. What's the world come to? Well, it was her appearance on Saturday Night Live - and the vision of her straddling those speakers with rump hugging tights that got our juices flowing. And now we have some electro mixes for you to download - one that should show up on the next Meatballs mix tape. Let us know which is the best, and we'll include it in the mix.
Pretty excited to hear new robot love-making tunage from Hot Chip. The new record, One Life Stand, comes out in February with a tour following. That means an almost certain Coachella appearance. Hopefully this time around they'll be on the main stage were the sound and sights are better than the dance tent. They'll probably end up in the tent though as usual, in the spot held last year by Presets and not during the day where it's way too hot to do it, do it, do it now. Better lights are in order, too. And that's what night brings to the Indio mega fest.
The songs leaked so far so pretty good. Will remind you of the smooth sounds off The Warning, rather than the electro abrasions of 2008's Made in the Dark. Both are awesome albums nonetheless, so One Life Stand is expecting to be just as radical.
So stoked! Just got the unlikeliest of presents in my inbox. A Lee "Scratch" Perry song for me to drop here On the Beat. It's off the Grammy-nominated "Repetance" album and it's got all types of Christmas spirit to it. Something tell us, Mr. Perry isn't much of a Baby Jesus fan. Wanted to also get the word out that Bob Marley's former recording buddy is hitting New York's Highline Ballroom on Dec. 13. The Eagles play the Giants that night, so On the Beat will be in front of his tube expecting another G-woman stomp. Should be an awesome show ... and hopefully Lee keeps his pants on, because it's going to be cold that day for sure.
80's basted by djscott111 That's right, here's a sneak peak of Deejay Non-Chalant's "Meatballs: 8-ighty-8" Mix Tape. It's only '80s flips, remakes and remixes. Is good, too. The Philly mix meastro will give out free copies of the mix tape to the first 25 people who walk into McGuinn's Place (1781 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence, NJ) Wednesday night (Nov. 25) for our Pre-Thanksgiving "Basted" party. Admission is $1. Sets start at 9 p.m. And he's going the whole night .... so if you girl likes to party all the time ... then Non-Chalant's "Basted" party is where you ought to be.
Track listings are below. Enjoy.
Accepted in the ’80s – Calvin Harris
Tribute to Billie Ocean – Jesse & Crab
Doogie Howser B-More – Snack & C’Mish
Oh Yeah! (Remix) - Yello
My Girl Likes To Party All the Time (New Judas Vs. Top Billin’ Mix) – Eddie Murphy
1999 (Remix) – Prince
Taking in Your Sleep - Romantics
Take Me Home Tonight – Eddie Money
Video Killed The Radio Star (DJ Krames Remix) – The Buggles
Set On You (Remix) – George Harrison
Don’t You Forget About Me (Simple Minds) – Steel
50 Ways (XXX-Change Mix) – Paul Simon
Stevie Nicks Mix – You Know the Chorus
Running – Information Society
Josie B-More – Outfield
8675309 - Tommy Tutone
Hit Me With Your Best Shot – Pat Benatar
Tom’s Diner (Remix) – Suzanne Vega
Control (D Ramirez Version) – Joy Division
Enjoy the Silence (Ewan Pearson Remix) – Depeche Mode
Confusion - New Order
Little Lies (SF DJ Edit) - Fleetwood Mac
Betty Davis Eyes (Baby Take It Down Remix) - Kim Carnes
Sweet Dreams (Eurhythmics) – Rod Lee
Sunglasses at Night (A-Trak Remix) – Cory Heart
Hip To Be Square (Bird Peterson Remix) – Huey Lewis & The News
Send Me An Angel (Real Life) – Rave Lab
Forever Young (Hammel Mix) – Alphaville (Beware of Gayness)
New Years Day (Remix) – U2
Truffle Shuffle – The Rapture
While it seems Peaches has gone soft serve with "I Feel Cream" - one of On the Beat's top records of the year by the way - maybe there's room for a new diva to take the electro-clash reigns. Enter Kap Bambino - a sythn-scream duo from France that'll bring the grrrl back into trash-core techno. The gang just dropped their first single "Batcaves" (video down below) on the states this week. "Lezard" comes off the band's yet-to-be-released, "Blacklist," LP.
The Faux Four are said to be an authentic representation of The Beatles’ live show – or what could be envisioned as their live sets had the Brits continued to tour after “Revolver” dropped in 1966. In fact, it’s the never-before-witnessed performances of post-Beatlemania records that’s earned the marveled-by-Broadway cover boys – coming together at the Sun National Bank Center (81 Hamilton Ave., Trenton) tonight - rave reviews over the years. Show starts at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $35, $45 and $50. All-ages.
"When you got a real type of thing going down, getting down,” you call in this captain of interstellar funk to the party to turn that mother out. Then before you know it you’re shaking your groove thang with the naked guy and getting funk-da-fried with a scruffy old dude in an adult diaper. Got the dog in you? Then it’s the Patriots Theatre at the War Memorial (1 Memorial Dr., Trenton) where you’re going to get busy tomorrow night. Dr. Funkenstein hits the stage at 7:30. Tickets cost $35, $45, $55, $65 and $75. All-ages.
The Hamilton cover band “cry the midnight hour … more, more, more” with intoxicated, biker-babalicious leads. Nice! Its like Shirley Manson and Billie Idol hammered from a Rock Band binge. The group will have a few other rock-pop hits – from Carrie Underwood to Melissa Etheridge - up its sleeves when headlining McGuinn’s Place (1781 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence) tomorrow night. Show starts at 9. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.
The Jersey Shore crust-metal murderers who haunt like the Evil Dead fronting Social Decay headline Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) tomorrow night. Show starts at 9. Crasher, Bil Doe and the Reacharounds and The Communion round out the bill. Tickets cost $8. 21-plus.
The Trenton rocker’s smooth mix of white-boy soul, jazz and sexy R&B prompts the ’70s funk ass shaking typical of Average White Band and Tower of Power shows. Currently working on a new CD, the gang will try out new jams on The All Call Inn (214 Weber Ave., Ewing) crowd tomorrow night. Show starts at 9. Little John and DJ Bounce open. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.
The North Jersey power-pop rhythm addicts, whose sunny melodies spark memories of cheerful alt-rock radio stalwarts The Lemonheads and less bleak R.E.M., open for The Doughboys at The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) tomorrow. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.
Ventura Boulevard
Thousands run down this dream of being the next Tom Petty. These Jersey Shore copycats – headlining The Stone Pony (913 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park) tomorrow night – just cover Tom Petty instead. Show starts at 7:30. The Young Guns and Private Stock open. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.
Years Spent Cold-Abandon all hope
The tough-core titan’s full-blown chaos, rap-represented name-drops and manic metal mechanics tips its cap to underground hit-mongers Floorpunch and Biohazard. The machine-gun drumming and beasty vocals will certainly induce massive mosh-pitting and self-satisfactory chest-bumps Saturday afternoon at Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton). Eulogy Records. Show starts at noon. Wisdom In Chains, Sicker Than Most, C.S.S. and Roger Klotz open. Tickets cost $10. All-ages.
The Hamilton rocker’s power metal gets abrasive in its spazzy choruses, but like Coheed & Cambria are able to maintain a melodic middle ground in the vocals and gifted guitar dancing during the most dramatic parts. After a summer tour and spot start at this summer’s Warped Tour, the guys return to their home away from home – Brewsters (529 Route 130, East Windsor) – on Saturday with a revised lineup and fresh tunes with a certain psycho-circus feel to them. Show starts at 2 p.m. A Clever Con, Audacity, Political Party Crashers and Shadowplay round out the bill. Tickets cost $8. All-ages.
The Philly playas like to fit their progressive-rock bulge into leather pants. Would remind you of The Mars Volta, until the Faith No More-fashioned metallic carnival-funk and slick turntable cuts kick in. And for that, it’s not so hard seeing the big-city invaders sharing the McGuinn’s Place (1781 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence) stage Saturday night with Lawrence ska-martians, Karma Bat!, who in itself sounds like a zombie Gwen Stefani whose gone batty on a Tilt-A-Whirl. Show starts at 9. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.
A swig of country swing and a beer-bong of Americana-sozzled rock ’n’ roll gets these mountain men - hitting up Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) Saturday night - to the barnyard jamboree on time. Also for fans of Kings of Leon and My Morning Jacket. Show starts at 9. The Bad Notes, Sunchild & the Moonlight Flux and Vose round out the bill. Tickets cost $8. 21-plus.
The Westbury, N.Y.-natives are skate-punk straight down to their high-top Vans. Like you didn’t make that assumption based on their name alone? There’s some speed-metal break downs mixed in, too, so fans of Underdog and JFA should take note. But the guys – hitting up The All Call Inn (214 Weber Ave., Ewing) with 14 Points on Saturday – primary inspiration comes from old Bones Brigade videos and Steve Caballero’s ’80s punk pack, The Faction. You know that’s sound making a huge comeback these days in the punk underground, right? Show starts at 9 p.m. Take Today and Ominous Black play, too. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.
The ’80s despondency in the Dream Syndicate singer’s lyrical depression on “The Day of Wine and Roses” will remind you of post-punk icons, Joy Division. Wynn – headlining The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) on Saturday - to cheer up on the grunge-rocking solo tip through the ’90s with a notable duet with Concrete Blonde’s Johnette Napolitano, but is known now for his work with R.E.M.’s Peter Buck in Seattle’s The Baseball Project. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.
The New Brunswick noise-rock trio offers up Grace Slick-meets-Kathleen Hanna fem-punk eruptions for Boss Hog followers. Also fun for fans of psychedelic riot-girlie outfits under the Bikini Kill umbrella and old school Sonic Youth. The Hub City sensations headline Asbury Lanes (209 4th Ave., Asbury Park) on Saturday. Show starts at 6 p.m. Full Fancy, No Connection, Sick Fix, Black Kites and Human Failures open. Jersey punks The Kanamits will also come together for the first time in a while. Tickets cost $8. All-ages.
The Frantic’s second incarnation will rip it up, break it up and shake it up again! Split for about a year ago to concentrate on separate projects ranging from a tour with The AKA’s to running amok in local super groups Honah Lee and Minnesota’s Calling, the Trenton rockers - whose British Invasion-inspired rebel yells encompass elements of Superdrag, Arctic Monkeys and Blur – will return to its original stomping grounds for a free, one-night only reunion show in The Mill Hill Basement (300 S. Broad St., Trenton) Wednesday night. Hopefully it’s not the last time seeing crew reformed. Show starts at 8. Honah Lee and DJ Johnny Utah are also on the bill. 21-plus.
The glam-rock legend from the New York Dolls promises to “explore the more soulful side of singing” when headlining the Patriot Theatre at the Trenton War Memorial (1 Memorial Dr., Trenton) Wednesday night. Show starts at 7. Tickets cost $25. All-ages.
Deejay Non-Chalant
The Philly mix masher puts his Crookers remixes on the back burner to fire a barrage of b-more-backed ’80s music at McGuinn’s Place (1781 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence) for the biggest party night of the year. Outfield’s “Josie?” Check! Eddie Money? Got it. “It’s Tricky?” Oh, yeah! Eddie Murphy’s “My Girl Likes to Party All the Time?” You better believe it! First 25 people get a free copy of the “Meatballs: 8-ighty-8” mix tape. Sets start at 9. Tickets cost $1. 21-plus.
The Bucks band’s smoke-stained roots-rock and complex drum-jams radiates a groovy Dispatch vibe. Also fit for fans of The Police, Bob Marley and Sublime. The guys headline The All Call Inn’s (214 Weber Ave., Ewing) free pre-Thanksgiving bash Wednesday night. Show starts at 9. Avra opens. 21-plus.
A little trivia. What Trenton-born trombonist starred in The Stylistics’ horn section for its 1973 world tour? The same jazz giant whose solos were featured in Kool & the Gang’s “Joanna,” and whose trio headlines The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) Wednesday night. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.
The Neptune singer’s self-described “pop-noir” exemplifies the gloom found in PJ Harvey with the glee of Jenny Lewis. Her berceuse jazzy numbers also have a Norah Jones feel to them, but in the Grammy winner’s recent edgy-but-beautiful reincarnation. Atkins headlines the Stone Pony (913 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park) Wednesday night. Show starts at 7. River City Extension and Sikamor Rooney play, too. Tickets cost $16.50 in advance, $18 at the door.
Scott Frost’s On The Beat concert listing appears in The Trentonian every Thursday. If your band is playing around town, email the On the Beat webline at djscott111@aol.com.
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