May 20, 2010

On the Beat May 20-26

NYC hardcore legends Killing Time headline The Court Tavern Saturday night. The Independents
A caldron of grease lightning and groovie-ghouling horror punk gets these South Carolina rockers doing the graveyard dance at The Court Tavern (124 Church St., New Brunswick) tonight. Inspired by The Ramones’ three-chord throw downs, the band’s 18-years of ’50s-inspired pop will remind locals of Trenton icons, The Cryptkeeper Five. Also for fans of The Misfits and the infamous “Hot Rod Herman” episode of “The Munsters.” Show starts at 8. The Hub City Stompers headline the show. Decrepit Youth play, too. Tickets cost $8. 21-plus. The Ewing rockers have “killing” the scene since 1999 with a sadistic brand of punk-core that falls somewhere in the speed-metal spectrum between System of a Down and GWAR. They have a new record out, too, and headline the Mill Hill Basement (300 S. Broad St., Trenton) tomorrow night. Show starts at 9. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus. The Hopewell rockers join The Sourland Band at McGuinn’s Place (1781 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence) for a few cocktails tomorrow night. Show starts at 9. 21-plus.

The melodious splendor and jangle pop feel of Mick Chorba’s (The Dipsomaniacs) alt-country band’s brand new CD, “Three Nights,” would have fit perfectly in the Chapel Hill scene of the mid ’90s, but with Uncle Tupelo controlling its export into college radio. It has a left of the dial feel, too, you’d find in later R.E.M. and humbled, reality-based lyrics that showcase Chroba’s quit-witted humor and musical imaging. What’s always great about The Successful Failure’s records is that they never try too hard to change the world. Instead, the songs paint this pretty picture of middle-class normality that along with the record’s hearty portions of Cash-y cowboy hop-alongs, induce images of a simpler time for the American music industry when there was room on the radio for “shite-kicking” rock ’n’ roll trailblazing. For fans of Ben Folds, Superchunk, Wilco and Superdrag. The official record-release party for “Three Nights” is set for The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) tomorrow night. Show starts at 7:30. Hamilton’s Keith Monacchio, who opens, added some country twang to his new record, “The Long Evening,” which meshes well with The Commons singer’s typical contemporary pop/blues resonance. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.

Honey Spot Blvd

“The Whore,” an intriguing track found of the Trenton coffeehouse-pop foursome’s MySpace page, takes a shot at the nation’s infatuation with the Hollywood starlet – exposing the evil cycle of the mainstream media that praises young girls only until they’ve been numbed by the attention and can be called sluts without a peep of uproar. Pretty power stuff, and nicely cocooned by the poetic and musical aura found in the works of Paula Cole, Tori Amos and Fiona Apple. Also for fans of Shawn Colvin and Dar Williams. The foursome will join a slew of music happenings at The City of Angel’s Rockfest at Tall Cedars Picnic Grove (245 Sawmill Road, Hamilton) on Saturday. Show starts at noon. Bands ranging from pop punk (Reckless), jam-prog (Red Sea Affair) and country (Sherry St. John) fill the lineup of music. Cruel School Children, Darkwater, Driven, Garden State of Mind, A Clever Con and Street Corner 5 round out the bill. Tickets cost $15, $10 for students. All-ages.

Taking The Tide

The Columbus sound-collision combatants sway between terroristic tough-guy throw downs and weepy melodies that translate into a metallic hybrid of Hatebreed and Thursday. The five-piece headline Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) Saturday afternoon. Show starts at noon. Local Demise, A Call To Arms, The Goodnight Armada, FreeDoom and NoN-SToP! round out the bill. Tickets cost $10. All-ages.

The Timid Roosevelts

The female-fronted, Bordentown-based, avant-punk indie-rock-pop trio – think Kim Deal’s shy Pixies solos but with a more sinister poetic sass – headline a free show at Brewsters (529 Route 130 N, East Windsor) Saturday afternoon. Show starts at 3. The Stewart Dolly, Brandon C, Pandemonium and Don’t Mess With The Wizard play, too.

Mouth Of Wilson

The Trenton rockers, who’ve been tuckered down lately working on a new album, headline The All Call Inn (214 Weber Ave., Ewing) Saturday night. Show starts at 8. The Royal Blues open. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.

"Carcinogen" by Dinosaur Eyelids

Dinosaur Eyelids MySpace Music Videos

Dinosaur Eyelids

The Hub City sludge rockers’ 2009 CD “Winter Solace” layers stone-bashing grooves and classic bone-saw instrumentation into a grunge-slop potion of Kyuss, Mudhoney, Black Sabbath and Nebula. There’s some psychedelic swamp boogie in the musicianship and flutters of Kurt Cobain (“Carcinogen”), Doug Martsch (“White Lies”), Neil Fallon (“Waves”) and Gavin Rossdale (“Know How to Die”) in singer Evan Staats’ vocal sliming. The guys headline Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) Saturday night. Show starts at 9. Law, Mayday Underground, Rebel Inc. and Erase the Past round out the bill. Tickets cost $8. 21-plus.

Grandaddy

The area cover band use songs you know – and even some you despise but you dance to anyway because the girls are dancing and you’re eager to score and you know getting jiggy to bar bands is an acceptable way to rub up on some classy ladies – to raise money for the Cranbury/Plainsboro Little League at Brewsters (529 Route 130 N, East Windsor) Saturday night. Show starts at 9. Tickets cost $10. 21-plus.

Killing Time

The New York City legends are once again leaving their fury-filled death punch bruise on the east coast hardcore scene with “Three Steps Back” – a record that, thankfully, remained in its stripped down form of punk wallop. As the millennium approached a lot of these classic hardcore bands had disappeared and there was fear the pounding sound that defined by that era in underground music would either lose its edge to emo or totally be wiped out by the saturated fusion of screamy metalcore. Well, Killing Time - headlining The Court Tavern (124 Church St., New Brunswick) Saturday night – had called it quits in 1998, but then toured Asia and found that there was still an audience that salivated over the true-life, politically-minded and street-wise-spiritual energy of those NYC-style hardcore bands. Anyone who ever practiced their dance moves to Sick Of It All’s “Step Down,” H2O’s “Spirit of ’84” or Gorilla Biscuit’s “Start Today” could really sink their teeth into “Three Steps Back.” Show starts at 9. Legends of the scene round out the bill, including sets from Vision, Torchbearer, The Somerville Town Drunks and Voice Or No Voice. Tickets cost $10. 21-plus.

Hands Up!

Unapologetic and speaker damaging in its fear-inducing metallic approach, these New York City hardcore throwbacks insight karate kicks with a smash-mouth-style that pays homage to The Cro-Mags, All Out War and Madball. So if you like running in a circle and screaming into the microphone, learn the lyrics on their MySpace page, and then go and get your dance on at Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) Sunday afternoon. Show starts at 2 p.m. All-ages.

Rad Bromance

The man-scaping, knuckle-pounding, beer-ponging, girl-scoping, all-boy Lady Gaga parody band “likes tickle-tortures while watching the Knicks.” And you’ll be able to read the Philly fly-boys flamboyant poker faces at The Stone Pony (913 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park) Sunday afternoon. Show starts at 2. Clash of Influence, Hollywood Kills, Lost Intentions, Oval Portrait, The PTC and The DIYs play, too. Tickets cost $10. 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 webline at djscott111@aol.com.