: 2010-04-25

Dead To Me open for Against Me! at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park tonight.

If Joe Strummer and Kurt Cobain collaborated on a record with NOFX and Bill Stevenson production, its byproduct would sound something like the ball of energy that is this San Francisco band’s new disc, “African Elephants.” Featuring former members of One Man Army and opening for Against Me! at The Stone Pony (913 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park) tonight, DTM’s sophomore effort swishes through nearly ever sub genre known to punk rock. For instance, the album opener, “X,” gets smoked out on a dub-y, Clash-esque ragga vibe, while the next track – the grungy number “Blue” – slimes by as if it was the hidden prize in at the bottom a bottle of Nirvana’s “Bleach.” The joyous angst and sarcastic humor in the words fits nicely among the FatWreakChords lineup and it’s easy to find tracks that sway between working-class punk in an Off With Their Heads feeling and the melodic paths found in Alkaline Trio and even The Replacements. If there’s one punk-rock record to buy right now, it’s “African Elephant,” for reelz. Show starts at 6. Money Brother plays, too. Tickets cost $13 in advance, $15 at the door. All-ages.

Senium

The Ocean County noise-core addicts hired Steve Albini to produce its “Such Progress” album, due out this summer. The hire makes sense with Senium’s grungy, rhythm slices, screechy vocal pummels and musical meshing of Nirvana, Shellac, Unsane and Sonic Youth. “Second Rate,” the least spun track on the band’s MySpace page, blindly listened upon could easily be confused with an “In Utero” b-side. The trio headline The Court Tavern (124 Church St., New Brunswick tonight. Show starts at 9. Late Night, The Black Clouds, The Sex Zombies and The Dead & Gone round out the bill. DJ Stereojinx spins between sets. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.

Hangman’s Cry

The Philly head bangers have spent the last 10 years rocking out to a fusion of oversexed, high-energy ’80s glam and British invasion heavy metal found in Judas Priest and Motorhead. This past March the guys did its cock-rock strut along the Crocodile Rock stage in Allentown, Pa., in their Brett Michaels gear while opening W.A.S.P. Strutting at a smaller scale of sorts is set for Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) tomorrow night, where the guys will headline a show with 3X3 and Release. Show starts at 9. Tickets cost $8. 21-plus.

First Highland Watch

The bag-piping-pipers get their rock ’n’ rolling drone-on at The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) tomorrow night. Show starts at 7:30. Tickets cost $12 in advance, $14 at the door. All-ages.

Total Ruination

The Riverside death metalers have a new CD of unembellished breakdowns, unholy guitar annihilations and grisly vocal infections set to contaminate the already damaged ears of their hardcore minions. The record hits the streets officially with a celebratory show at Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) on Saturday afternoon. Clips found on their MySpace page would suggest the Burlco head-bangers melded more thrash elements into their already barbaric song structures. Show starts at noon. Tickets cost $10. All-ages.

Detension

The hardcore legends and City Gardens regular stompers back in the ’80s reunite for one-time only at The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) Saturday night. Show starts at 7:30. Vision - another killer hardcore outfit from that era who never really called it quits – open. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.

Hub City Stompers

The chubby-chasing ska-scamps released their new CD, “Ska Ska Black Sheep,” last week. It was recorded at Version City Studios and has this new-wave-era zest to it for Madness and Bad Manners fans. The guys will have six new songs of “ska-punk-hardcore-dub-reggae” – and six self-proclaimed “wicked dubs” - in their holsters and ready to blast out when headlining Asbury Lanes (209 4th Ave., Asbury Park) Saturday night. Show starts at 8. Joe Coffee & Razorblade Handgrenades, Somerville Town Drunks and Guns On the Run open. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. 18-plus.

Swashbuckle

The Trenton pirate-metal plunderers’ thrash-and-smash vessel dropped anchor recently for a few days of hometown pillaging after spending most of 2009-2010 ravaging Europe with Vader, Heaven Shall Burn and Dark Tranquility. However, the hardcore hornswaggles only crack Jenny’s tea cup for a short while as there’s more booty to capture and grog to engulf in the high seas of heavy-metal debauchery. A no-quartering, nation-wide tour with Hypocrisy - which eventually lands back in Europe in September - begins Tuesday with an afternoon hometown throw down at Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton). Show starts at 4. Hypocrisy won’t be taking in any Trenton pork roll that day, but Blackguard and Triggered Impulse will be there to open up. Tickets cost $12 in advance, $14 at the door. All-ages.

The Red Elvises

Although based in California, the surf-rock Soviets were such a sensation in Russia they were asked to play the Moscow Live8 alongside the Pet Shop Boys. That’s pretty big for a strictly independent band. And now they got a couple of Santa Monica babes on keyboards, accordion and bass in the band to intoxicate the listener with their sensual and go-go-flavored eye-batting. The band makes its second trip to The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) Tuesday night. Show starts at 7. Tickets cost $22 in advance, $25 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.