"What time is it anyway," Golden Filter singer Penelope Trappes quips a song or so in to their set at Kung Fu Necktie in Philly June 20.
"I know it's early," the Aussie says later. "So lets do this and then get some drinks."
It did seem a bit early. The Gerard-area bar had a ghost town feel to it, as the sun took forever to shadow the tiny rock club. About five people took interest to openers The Hundred In the Hands, who were already into their set by 8:30. They begged for forgiveness when their set was cut short due to technical difficulties. It felt weird when I returned to my SUV after buying their EP that their set was over before dark.
The Golden Filter is probably more used to native New York schedules, and having been tour mates of The Presets and Simian Mobile Disco, set times tend to go deep into the evening for these typical electro showcases.
Didn't matter. The Golden Filter - their stellar Voluspa LP a burning member of my iPod shuffling - had their thundering electro percussion and synth slides on full stun as they flew through a shimmering selection of deliciously deep dance grooves.
The crowd - which grew to about 30 as The Golden Filter slammed its first beat - woke up quickly as the double drum attack trembled the club floor. Kung Fu Necktie had barely chirped with the sun still shining, but by the second of third disco-tinged techno romp the trio rocketed through the sound system, observers started to twist their bodies.
A lightning-fast show-off of The Golden Filter's goods, their set got my brain frozen, as the rhythms swung from trance to bombastic electro. And while Trappes used golden-blonde bangs to hide her identity, her live presence was intriguing. She added distortion to the heavy percussion with a sample box she seemed to want to make love to.
A well set-up showing of the band's electro power. I'm already planning on seeing them a second time late Saturday night (June 26) at The Brooklyn Bowl (61 Wythe Ave. between North 11th and 12th). Tickets to that show only cost $5.
If you didn’t already hate tonight’s Sun National Bank Center (81 Hamilton Ave., Trenton) headliner for the twerp-pop mega star’s regular play-dates with Ludacris and “Karate Kid” Jaden Smith, get this - the 16 year old just spent last weekend in the Bahamas draped across Kim Kardasian righteous rump. It was at a photo shoot, and according to TV guilty please TMZ, there was a security breach that ended with Beib’s security team restraining a hug-seeking 12-year-old girl. What oil spill, right? Teen mania of Jonas Brother proportions where ever he goes, it wouldn’t be too shocking to see a fleet of shrieking Miley Cyrus look-alikes stalking the downtown arena all day as they await the singer’s arrival into town. Musically, it’s artificially-flavored R&B that carbon copies his mentor, Usher. For fans of Aaron Carter (so, sad to reference that loser. Sigh.) Show starts at 7. Sean Kingston opens. Tickets cost $31.50, $41.50 and $51.50. All-ages.
Canadian Celtic rock for traditionalists. No punk at all, which is ironic since the Toronto tour tyrant’s newest offering is called “Gutter Anthems.” The acoustic guitar, bagpipes, pan flute and fiddle that gallop nicely from track to track on the CD set up these lively rhythms you can’t help to get Irish jig-gy to. For fans of Black 47 and The Saw Doctors. It’ll be a celebration of sound when the guys headline The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) tonight – promise. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20 in advance, $25 at the door. All-ages.
A bit more crunch in the guitars and little less harmony in the vocals and this The Tom River seven piece’s post-punk flutters could pass “This Is a Long Drive …”-era Modest Mouse. They headline Asbury Lanes (209 4th Ave., Asbury Park) tonight. Show starts at 8. Elevator Art and Brick & Mortar open. Tickets cost $8. 18-plus.
Here’s a Trenton band that messes with your head. The thunderous roar of the first 40 seconds of the Trenton instrumentalist’s only MySpace offering, “Postgame Carnage Report,” appears as if its about to plow into some Unsane-type ear-drubbing. (Awesome, BTW!) Doesn’t stay that way, though. Gets erratically jazz-jam-y for a bit. Then there’s the xylophone dance. And it gets all System Of A Down heavy at the end. Thought there was Mars Volta influences in the hi-fi boyabase. Maybe Dysrhythmia, too. In hiding for a while, the foursome roll into Championship Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) tomorrow night. Show starts at 7. Dale J. Gordon (DEMO, Pats!e) opens. Tickets cost $8. 21-plus.
The Trenton rap and R&B crew headlines McGuinn’s Place (1781 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence) tomorrow night. Show starts at 9. KillaKurt, Chop Corleone, Young T, Money$ides, Yung Mush, Cap City, Ricky, D. Montana, Black Collar Biz & Carlo X, Dreams Become Reality, KV and Jesto make up the hip-hop showcase. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.
The sought after Asbury Park session specialist spent last year touring Australia with Jeff Beck. He’s known around here as an early E Street Band member and for his keyboard touches on Bruce Springsteen’s “Born To Run” album. He’s also toured with Peter Gabriel and helped assemble albums with Sting, Seal and Eric Clapton. Does mostly jazz music when playing out live – including a date at The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) tomorrow night – but if you ask nice, maybe he’ll reconstruct his piano work from Sting’s Grammy-winning “The Soul Cages” record. Show starts at 7:30. Tickets cost at $20 in advance, $25 at the door. All-ages.
Punk scene mainstay Nathan Grey is still setting fires with his current outfit, which has a new live record out on Eyeball Records. The thing is, its hard-driving melodic bite is not much different than Boy Sets Fire in that its lyrical turmoil neatly balances the uplifting bounce found in the chorus sing-alongs and punk breakdowns. Hear at bit of Social Distortion influences in the newer tracks we hadn’t heard before, but that tends to come with age. For fans of Lifetime, Gameface and Revelation Records circa 1994. It’ll be a reunion of sorts for those integral years of emo-rock’s beginnings as The Casting Out join Hollywood’s Your Favorite Trainwreak – a new band featuring Popeye from Farside and Jeff from Gameface – at The Court Tavern (124 Church St., New Brunswick) tomorrow night. Show starts at 9. Communication Redlight (The Low End Theory) and Go Falcon! play, too. NOTE: Your Favorite Trainwreak and Communication Redlight will be celebrating the release of their split 7-inch record on Devildance Records tomorrow night. Tickets cost $10. 21-plus.
The Long Islanders’ take on commercial rock ’n’ roll lends its influences to Incubus’ first couple records. The foursome storm Six Flag’s Great Adventure’s (1 Six Flags Blvd., Jackson) Live & Local Stage tomorrow night. Show starts at 6:30. Free with admission to the park. All-ages.
The tough-core tormentors’ crackling vocal drills only skins the surface of this metal band’s sickening attempt at rage-racket layering. Messy, insane and unapologetic for its turbulent transitions – getting through its callous attempt at music feels like your fighting through a barb-wired fence in your tighty-whiteys. It gets murky, musically when the guys creep into Championship Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) Saturday for an all-afternoon freak out session also featuring Triggered Impulse, A Call To Arms and The Kill Gene. Show starts at noon. The Waking Alley, Power Theory, NoN-SToP!, FreeDoom, Slutty Earth, Guerra, The Infinite Disgrace, The Disappointments and Romantic Violence round out the bill. Tickets cost $10. All-ages.
The Trenton bar rockers – think Goo Goo Dolls or Seven Mary Three - headline Brewster’s (529 Route 130 N., East Windsor) Saturday afternoon. Ripping Xray and Downcast Theory play, too. Show starts at 4. Tickets cost $10. All-ages.
The ragga-rock trio riot against the machine with a politically minded musical agenda that dips between island-influenced recordings of The Clash, The Police and State Radio and sunburn dub-steppers, Pepper. The start of a busy summer for the gang that includes gigs with SOJA and Anti-Flag begins with a headlining stop at The All Call Inn (214 Weber Ave., Ewing) Saturday night. Show starts at 9. Tropidelic opens. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.
The Philly blues band headlines The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) Saturday night. Show starts at 7:30. Tickets cost $12 in advance, $15 at the door. All-ages.
The grungy stone-rockers headline The Court Tavern (124 Church St., New Brunswick) Saturday night. Show starts at 8. South of the Bridge, Aversion and Believers In Things play, too. Tickets cost $8. 21-plus.
U2, The Killers and less trippy Radiohead songs inspire this Brooklyn rock band to make love to their instruments. That can get sticky. But makes for a perfect evening eventat Six Flag’s Great Adventure’s (1 Six Flags Blvd., Jackson) Live & Local stage Saturday night – once the dolphin show retires for the night, of course. The background electronic layers are a nice touch. Show starts at 6:30. Brooklyn buds, A Million Years, play, too. Free with admission to the park. All-ages.
The floor-punching Pennsy push-core punishers play youth-core-inspired punk rock that recaptures the pit-punching dance techniques seen in Sick Of It All’s “Step Down” video – including the “Creepy Crawly” and “Glorious Pile-on,” duh! For fans of Youth Of Today, Madball, Judge and the aforementioned Sick Of It All. The gang puts the mosh in motion at Championship Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) Sunday afternoon. Show starts at 2. Reign Supreme headlines. Sicker Than Most, Preaching To The Converted, Reptar, A Life Less Perfect, Raised By Wolves, Knuckle Up!, Faceless Hatred, Heartbeatstill and Bloodwolves open. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.
The too cute, chick-fronted mall-pop band are playing two sets for free at – get this - the Oxford Valley Mall (2300 E. Lincoln Highway, Langhorne, Pa.) Sunday afternoon. The Jersey Shore five piece just dropped its first single “Mind On Me” June 1. The gang churn out super-sweet tween rock you’d see Selena Gomez lip synch to on The Disney Channel. Also for fans of Avril Lavigne and The Summer Set. Sets start at 2 and 5. All-ages.
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The former Mad Elephants play a free show at Clydz (55 Paterson St., New Brunswick) Sunday night. Show starts at 10. 21-plus.
While Michael Jackson is dead, his spirit continues to walk the Earth through “Eat It” and “Fat” – two of Weird Al’s biggest-selling spoofs. Doesn’t laughter make the best medicine in these somber moments when we remember the anniversary of the King Of Pops final breath? Sure thang! And the rock jester’s polka-party parodies and comedic live show – cracking up The Paramount Theatre (1300 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park) Sunday night – should ease that pain a bit. Or at least tickle the funny bone once again for his “white and nerdy” fan base. Show starts at 7. Tickets cost $29.25, $45.25 and $55.25. All-ages.
The Bucks group’s heavy progressions are a conquering and metallically trampling fusion of King Crimson, Yes and Tool. At The All Call Inn (214 Weber Ave., Ewing) Wednesday night. Show starts at 9. Tickets cost $3. 21-plus
Scott Frost’s On The Beat concert listing appears in The Trentonian and at www.trentonian.com every Thursday. If your band is playing around town, email the On the Beat web line at djscott111@aol.com.
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