12" Vinyl
I remember seeing Downtown Boys listed as one of the bands playing the Don Giovanni Records showcase back in 2015. At the time, I had no idea who they were or what they sounded like. After their set, during which singer Victoria Ruiz performed her first crowd surf and drummer Norlan Olivo was hoisted above the crowd while standing on his floor tom, I stood there with my mouth open and a lump in my throat.
The band filled Knitting Factory with passion, rage, and exuberance all simultaneously. Their songs, delivered in a mix of Spanish and English, railed against institutionalized oppression and gave a voice to many voiceless segments in American society. It was the punkest thing I'd ever seen. Since then, I've seen Downtown Boys a few more times, and my reaction has always been the same as that first night.
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| Downtown Boys at Knitting Factory Brooklyn in 2015 |
Today, Downtown Boys announced that they will be reissuing their self-titled 2012 debut album on 12" vinyl via Buffalo's One Percent Press. Originally self-released on cassette and CD-R, all handmade by the band in their hometown of Providence, RI, this collection has been out of print for several years.
Recorded in a Providence, RI basement with the band's original lineup, it's an early document of some of the ideas that would eventually result in 2015's Full Communism for Don Giovanni Records and the band's spot on that Knitting Factory stage. Among the 10 tracks are live set staples like "Rich Boys" and "Haz Algo" along with covers of "Maldito" by Mexico's Jessy Bulbo and "Poderimo Rok" by Pekinška Patka from the former Yugoslavia.
You can stream Downtown Boys over at the band's Bandcamp page and order the vinyl over at One Percent Press.
Downtown Boys are on tour this summer. It's a tour that will bring them to Asbury Park's Convention Hall on September 17th as part of Don Giovanni's New Alternative Music Festival. You don't want to miss them.
Downtown Boys on Tour
June 24 - New York, NY - Market Hotel
July 3 - Providence, RI - Aurora
July 7 - Cleveland, OH - Mahall's
July 8 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
July 9 - Chicago, IL - West Fest at Empty Bottle
July 10 - Detroit, MI - El Club (matinee show)
July 23 - Denver, CO - Summit Music Hall
August 4 - Boston, MA - Middle East
Aug 24 - Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel
Aug 27 - New York, NY - Afropunk Festival
Sept 8-10 - Raleigh, NC - Hopscotch Festival
Sept 17 - Asbury Park, NJ - The New Alternative Music Festival
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