Semiotics Share New Video

"M. Connolly"

Back in March, I shared with you the live performance video of Semiotics' "M. Connolly." That was part of the band's Live at the Banana Stand EP.

Today, the New Brunswick band have released the full band, electric and official video for the version of the track that will appear on their upcoming For How EP. That set is due on October 31st. The EP's title holds special meaning for guitarist and vocalist Nick Rapon whose father, Howard, passed away in March following a long battle with brain tumors.

For How consists of six songs recorded in Hopatcong, New Jersey's Barber Shop studios with Brett Romnes of I Am The Avalanche. Check out the Visual Barz-shot clip for the raucous waltz that is "M. Connolly" below, and be sure to watch for For How on Halloween.

Don Giovanni Records Free Show w/ Screaming Females, Downtown Boys, Glazer, and more, 9/12/15 (PHOTOS)

Screaming Females in New Brunswick's Boyd Park

Saturday in the Park

I got home from Philly on Saturday morning at about 2:30AM. CoolDaugther #2 had a 9AM away soccer game. We all made it over there, though. The skies looked a little threatening, but it never rained. CD2's team won big, and she even got an assist. Afterwards, we stopped for smoothies and headed home. I drank some coffee and headed to Boyd Park in New Brunswick for my second annual trip to Don Giovanni's free, end of summer / back to school showcase.

By the time I arrived, Delucy had just finished. I couldn't blame Don Giovanni for sticking to a tight schedule as the weather looked like it could turn ugly any second. Ed The Punk and Young Luke Henderiks gave Delucy positive reviews, so I'll check them out.

The rest of the day, emceed by comedian Brett Davis, followed the same tight schedule with one small exception. It was just my second time seeing Glazer, and they were as good as I remembered. All fuzzy and Dinosaur Jr.-y. After their set, there was an impromptu shred-off between one of Glazer's guitarists and 8yo bass prodigy, Lil Asmar. Asmar was the emotional favorite and amazed with a pretty flawless cover of "Higher Ground." Remember. He's 8.

Things got back on schedule with Izzy True. Her shy and self-deprecating wit permeates each of her songs. Wild Rice gave us some heavier, bluesy, psych rock. New Brunswick high schoolers, Electric Trip, turned in a crazy set of metal. That ended with a guitar being smashed to bits on the concrete slab that served as a stage.

I was interested to see how Downtown Boys' performance would translate to the park setting. Having only seen them at the packed out Don Giovanni Showcase at Knitting Factory Brooklyn, I wondered what their show would feel like in the great outdoors. They were just as stirring as I remembered, lead singer Victoria Ruiz introducing each song with a call to action. Adrienne Berry's sax honking, Joey DeFrancesco bouncing as he ripped at his tele, I swear I could feel a lump rising in my throat as I got carried along by the band's passion. "This is punk," I thought.

Once it was time for Screaming Females, most of the people sitting in the concrete bleachers of the amphitheater came down to the performance area. Screaming Females, simultaneously one of the hardest rocking and sweetest bands in the business, had been audience members for most of the day and now dove into a relentless set. I don't think it was until almost the end of the set that Marissa Paternoster even said her usual, "We're Screaming Females, and we're from New Brunswick, New Jersey." It wasn't like the crowd needed the intro. I felt a few raindrops starting just as the band wound things up.

I was struck again by the sense of community and friendship that characterizes these Don Giovanni shows. From seeing Marissa Paternoster front and center for the early sets, to the shred-off with Lil Asmar, to the reception given to Electric Trip, to Victoria Ruiz calling Marissa Paternoster her band's "little big sister" and thanking King Mike for screen printing the t-shirts that helped fund their tour, to seeing Joe Steinhardt and his wife with their 9-month old baby, the day felt almost like a family affair.

I got shots of everyone except Delucy. You can see highlights below or head to Flickr for full sets.

You can also catch Screaming Females when they headline Dark City's Halloween show at Convention Hall on October 31st. Screaming Females will be performing as X, and that bill includes lots of our good friends.

Court Tavern Re-Opening September 4th!

dollys will be playing The Court Tavern's comeback show on September 4th.

Brittney On Fire Takes Over Management

Lots of folks had their hearts broken earlier this summer when New Brunswick's Court Tavern suddenly closed. There was uncertainty about the future of the Central, NJ underground music staple; and I got the sense from people who had made the Court a second home that there was a possibility that this was it.

Today, however, brings news that The Court Tavern will re-open under the management of tireless NJ show booker / promoter Brittney On Fire. In a press release, Brittney says, "I vow to do everything in my power to keep this building 'The Court Tavern'..." The venue returns on September 4th with a show featuring Bad Case Of Big Mouth, Delsea, Centennials, and dollys.

This is big news and means a great deal to the music scene in New Brunswick. Let's hope that the re-opening sticks this time. Best of luck to everyone involved in the new Court Tavern. We're losing too many venues in New Jersey, and it's nice to be even cautiously optimistic for a change.

Notes from the Road: American Lions' Pat Moran

American Lions in Virginia Beach. Photo: American Lions Facebook

Tour Blog

New Brunswick's American Lions recently left for a tour with their friends in Semiotics. The tour will take the two New Jersey bands from New York to Virginia to Georgia to Kentucky with stops in between as they circle back to their New Brunswick home base.

American Lions drummer Pat Moran asked if I'd be willing to share some of his thoughts as he sweats his way down the coast with his buddies, and I was more than happy to oblige. Here's his first dispatch from the road, and it looks like Pat has found his first week pretty inspiring.

American Lions and Semiotics should be in Somerset, KY today. Have a great show, guys; and keep spreading that New Jersey good will.

American Lions / Semiotics on Tour, Part 1

by Pat Moran

Driving down the coast in 103-degree weather with The Sidekicks' Awkward Breeds in the tape deck. It’s enough inspiration for me to start jotting down some of the goings-on of the past week we’ve had. I’m Pat. I play drums in a band called American Lions and we are currently on a 2-week tour with our fellow New Brunswick friends, Semiotics.

Between van-battery problems in Virginia Wal-Marts, booking a last minute show with a day's notice, and just generally being the smelliest and sweatiest I’ve ever been in my entire life, the first week has been nothing but interesting. The best part has been meeting all of these creative and artistic people along the way. You can’t help but want to throw some of them in the back of the van and take them back to our little New Jersey scene where they would thrive.

If I could have people take away any sort of thought from reading this, it’d be to appreciate the musicians and talent around you in New Jersey. I feel like we sometimes forget to give everyone enough credit for what they’re doing. Whether you’ve been involved in music for a month or for 7 years, you are still a part of something bigger than yourself, and you deserve credit, at the very least, for having the guts to give it a try.

Michelle Rose: Pat The Bunny Played The Empire w/ Mikey Erg, Brook Pridemore, Teenage Halloween, Those Corn People, Toy Cars, and Eric Funn, 3/14/15 (PHOTOS)

Guest Review

Michelle Rose has contributed photos to the site before. Here, she brings us not only photos from a great New Brunswick basement show, but also her first-ever CoolDad Music review. Take it away Michelle, and thanks.

Pat The Bunny at The Empire in New Brunswick
by Michelle Rose

I spent this past Saturday in a dark New Brunswick basement packed with close to three hundred kids to see everyone’s favorite folk-punk anarchist Pat "The Bunny" Schneeweis (AZ). Pat is currently on tour with anti-folk musician Brook Pridemore (NY). Supporting them at this show were Mikey Erg, Teenage Halloween, Those Corn People, Toy Cars, and Eric Funn (PA). Brook Pridemore and Luke Henderiks of Teenage Halloween booked this killer folk-punk fueled show.

The night started the way it would end: a performance from just a man and his guitar. There were about thirty people in the basement when  Eric Funn began his set. Eric’s music is a perfect balance of catchy acoustic tunes and witty lyrics. The crowd sang along to his songs and made ape noises when needed. Eric Funn has been one of my favorite acoustic acts for a while now. The stories he tells through simple lyrics just never get old.

Toy Cars were one of the two full-band acts to play that night. Matt DeBenedetti’s vocals and acoustic guitar pair great with the rest of the band. Their mix of folk and ambient instrumentals give Toy Cars a unique sound. The boys from Belmar always have a smile on their faces and put on a great show. This band is a must see in the local music scene.

Next up were everyone’s favorite corn people, Those Corn People. The acoustic tunes of Mike Brock and Eriks Grinvalds come together to create a fantastic folk duo. Although their lyrics may be goofy, Those Corn People’s use of words tells a story. The boys in Those Corn People are by far one of the best acoustic acts currently in New Jersey.

They may be young, but the guys of Teenage Halloween certainly know how to rock the crowd. Their songs about teenage angst, troubled love, and growing up are high energy and can get anyone to move. The band was joined by their good friend Brandon Hakim who played saxophone. I was surprised by how many kids in the crowd knew every word to every song and screamed them right back into the band members' faces. The band ended their set with an awesome cover of “Blister in the Sun” by Violent Femmes. The guys in Teenage Halloween have already achieved a lot over the past year, and it doesn’t seem like they will be slowing down anytime soon.

Brook Pridemore’s songs about death rays and the Cupcake Empire are extremely catchy and fun to sing along to. After five albums, the Brooklyn artist still keeps true to his roots and does it all for the love of the music. I had the privilege of speaking with Brook after the show. He is one of the most down to earth artists I have ever met. To end his set, Brook invited his good friend and New Jersey native Mikey Erg. The two covered “Can't Hardly Wait” by The Replacements with Mikey Erg on drums.

After his song with Brook Pridemore, Mikey Erg of The Ergs! played a solo set. Once again, Mikey Erg played another killer set. The basement was packed when Erg began. The crowd sang along to all of his songs. The combination of just his voice and an electric guitar is simple yet stunning. Mikey Erg is by far one of the most talented musicians to ever come out of New Jersey. He is a friendly guy who is very passionate about his music. Each song is filled with Erg’s heart and soul.

This was my second time seeing Pat The Bunny, and I was still blown away by his talent. Pat is a very humble and down to earth person who puts all of his emotions into his music. Many of the fans I talked to that night started listening to Pat back when he was in his first band Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains. Since then, Pat has been in Wingnut Dishwashers Union and Ramshackle Glory. His first solo album The Volatile Utopian Real Estate Market is a recreation of classic favorites from over the years. Back in December, Pat released his second solo album Probably Nothing, Possibly Everything which has a more mature vibe to it. Most of the album consists of Pat reflecting on his younger self. For many, Pat’s songs about addiction, human emotion, politics, and the justice system,have become a punk anthems for the truth.

By the time Pat started his set, there were around three hundred kids crammed into the small New Brunswick basement. Pat played the perfect mixture of both old and new music. He may be an acoustic act, but Pat’s punk style quickly got the crowd pumped up. Everyone jumped around while screaming the lyrics to all of the songs Pat played. Alex Farber was lucky enough to be chosen from the crowd to sing “Your Heart is a Muscle the Size of Your Fist” on stage with Pat. The set ended perfectly with one of Pat’s newer songs “I’m Going Home." Pat is without a doubt one of the most appreciative musicians I have seen. He is truly grateful for all of his fans who have lead to his success.

All photos by Michelle Rose NJ.

New Brunswick's Osaka Aren't Going to Be Called Osaka Anymore

Not Osaka (Photo: Kat Schneider)

New Name Pending

First off, back when I went to see California X, ROMP, Casual, and American Lions at Paradise Lost in New Brunswick, I met Osaka's David Pressler. Even though we only spoke briefly at the beginning and the end of the night, David came off as a nice, genuine, caring guy who would never intentionally belittle or demean another individual or group. I, honestly, got all of that from our short meeting and subsequent electronic interactions.

So this was a bit of a head scratcher for me. Here's a statement released via Osaka's Facebook page:

It's come to our attention that some people are uncomfortable with our use of the name "Osaka" for our band. It has never been our intention to offend, insult, or degrade any people or their culture. That is why we have decided to change our name. We offer an apology to anyone who we may have harmed and invite them to share their feelings with us if they choose to do so. More news to follow.

There's been a lot of band name controversy going around lately, and some of those other names kind of make you tilt your head and go, "Really? Someone named their band that? Wow." But I'm just gonna admit that "Osaka" didn't really do that for me. That's me, though.

Anyway, the band have heard the concerns from some people and decided to go in another direction in the interest of keeping things friendly and positive. They haven't decided on a new name yet, and they've also canceled the release show for their upcoming Tamal.

I really enjoyed single "Always August" from the new record; and, just last month, Osaka released the post-punky "Transit" from that same album. It's another good one, and you can check that out while you wait for news on what's happening with the band.

Powerbunny 4x4: New Brunswick Label Back with Reissues, "Lost" Tracks, and Singles Club

Back to the Future

Jeffrey Scavone found two boxes full of CD-Rs and DATs from bands on his old record label, Powerbunny 4x4. The New Brunswick-based label released music between the years 1995 and 2001 from such New Jersey luminaries as Prosolar Mechanics, Duochrome, Aviso' Hara, and many others. Jeff decided to revive the label with three goals in mind:

• Digitize / reissue the original catalog of 13 records.

• Release all of the unreleased material that he found in his archives from the label's stable of bands.

• Form relationships with new bands through the Powerbunny 4x4 Singles Club.

Each and every band has given their permission for goals 1 & 2, and Scavone is well on his way toward achieving both.

The Singles Club is a growing 5-song per month compilation curated by Scavone and featuring active bands. Do the math, and you'll realize that the comp will be a full 60 songs by the end of the year. We're already two months in; and the Singles Club includes contributions ranging from the experimental noise of Nipple to the psychedelic Beatles-inflected power pop of The Anderson Council to the weird retro folk pop of A Halo Called Fred. Some of our old favorites here at CoolDad Music like Seaside Caves and Brooklyn-via-NJ band Sharkmuffin also make an appearance, and I hear that there may be a few more familiar names from our local scene in the coming months.

What Scavone has decided to do here is pretty amazing, and I look forward to seeing what he has up his sleeve for the rest of 2015 and beyond. In the meantime, head over to the Powerbunny 4x4 Bandcamp and have a listen to what the label has put out so far. The Singles Club comp is available as a Name Your Price download.

California X, ROMP, Casual, American Lions Played Paradise Lost, 1/24/15

MA's California X finished their tour at Paradise Lost last night.

I Did the Basement Thing

I had the best time last night.

My complaining over the last week or so has been well-documented here. I've been kind of under the weather -- just enough to be annoying, but not enough to keep me laid up at home. I'd been looking forward to this show at Paradise Lost in New Brunswick since I got the invite a few weeks ago; but, when the day came, I wavered.

"It's all gross and snowy out. I'm gonna see ROMP next week, and I'm gonna see California X two weeks from now in Brooklyn."

I sucked it up, though. Went and grabbed Chris from Speak Into My Good Eye, and we drove up to Hub City together.

Paradise Lost is a dark, low-ceilinged basement somewhere in New Brunswick. Bands perform at one end, and the "green room" area is at the other, behind the furnace. Did I mention that the ceiling is super low?

New Brunswick's American Lions started things off with a wild set of pop punk. The tight quarters caused a few cables to get kicked out at points -- something that would happen throughout the night. It didn't slow anyone down. Things were pretty packed out from the beginning.

Casual, the Flemington band I'd seen open for Screaming Females, were next; and they seemed a lot more comfortable playing to the tightly-packed basement crowd than they did standing up on stage, playing to the early arrivals at The Lanes. I liked what I heard both times and put their self-titled cassette on again when I got home.

Chris and I decided to make our way forward for California X, a band whose latest LP came out on Don Giovanni on my birthday and who Chris and I have been enjoying since their self-titled debut two years ago. We slotted ourselves in at stage left, just next to the stairs. It was way too dark and crowded for any significant picture taking, but I think I managed a few shots of California X that capture the feel of the night.

For the band's part, they played a great set with all of the fuzz and riffage anyone could want; and it was kind of amazing to see them in that environment. I'll have the experience in the back of my mind during their set at The Knitting Factory on February 7th so that I can compare.

ROMP were just back from tour. Singer / keyboardist Madison Klarer had "won" a poll conducted by the band, receiving the most votes as the band member who would wear a bike helmet for the entire set. The helmet butted up against the ceiling joists a few times, but she was a trooper.

The audience turned out in force to welcome ROMP home and screamed along with every song, causing Klarer to stop a few times and declare her amazement. Picture-taking was out as our little area filled up with friends and fans of the band making any kind of movement extremely difficult. Guitarist Lucas Dalakian pogo'd throughout the set, stopping once to take a selfie with the section of the crowd on his side of the performance area.

Again, it will be interesting to see what the vibe is like when ROMP play the Court Tavern next week with Monterey, Semiotics, Deal Casino, and Dollys. The Court Tavern is in their hometown and "basement-y," but there's definitely more room to move around. I feel like the wild expressions of love and adoration may be a little bit less up-close and personal. We'll see.

There were definitely moments last night, as I wheezed and coughed in the tight space, when I wondered about my choice to head out to the show. But, by the time it was all over, I was feeling pretty good. As we left, I heard someone say, "Wow. That was the biggest, wildest show we've had here in a while."

I'm glad I didn't miss it.

Here are some pics of the set by California X. The rest are at Flickr.

Eagle Daddy's DIY Vid

"Heaven Said No"

New Brunswick, NJ is one of this country's centers of the DIY aesthetic. Bands are loosely lumped together as "punk" more for their approach to making music than for their sound. New Brunswick bands range from hard rock to indie rock to pop to punk to post punk to everything in between and beyond; but the unifying trait is a willingness to play basement shows, to self-produce / self-record / self-release music, and to cobble together their own videos.

New Brunswick's Eagle Daddy fit that description to a "T" as evidenced by their recent video for "Heaven Said No," a track from their Rock n Roll Is Dead and I Wish I Were Too EP released back in January. I guess you'd call it post-punk. It has a sound that harkens back to an earlier time, say late-80s / early-90s. Shawn Fitzgerald's affected, melodramatic vocals only enhance that feeling.

Sarah Rudderow put together the mostly safe for work (male butt warning) video for the band. Have a look.

Full of Fancy Played Cooler Ranch with Allo Darlin' and Glazer, 10/9/14

It was too dark for real pics, but that's Allo Darlin' up top and Full of Fancy on the bottom. Trust me.

Night 1

The last time Full of Fancy did a last-ever show -- back in May of this year -- I loved it. The show was just like this really fun party where everyone there danced and had a blast. When I saw that they were playing their really for real and we mean it final three shows over three nights this weekend, I hoped to see them all.

Last night was kind of the wildcard, though. It was an early show in New Brunswick, meaning I'd have to finagle some things to ensure that I had someone to cover the cooldaughters until CoolMom got home. My inherent laziness about these things could have made me just say, "Ah, I'll see them twice down here. Why hassle?" With Allo Darlin' on the bill, making the only New Jersey appearance of their tour, though, I had to make it work. I did and I'm glad.

Allo Darlin' came all the way from the UK to kick off their U.S. tour in a New Brunswick basement. They're on the road in support of their latest LP We Come From The Same Place, and the songs from that record sound great live with all the jangle of their recorded versions. I really enjoyed Europe, their last LP; and this latest release took me kind of by surprise. I grabbed a copy of the new one on vinyl as I left. Everyone needs a little jangly pop in their lives.

Full of Fancy may have started off just a little bit rusty. Drummer Evan Kyle admitted that practicing had taken a back seat to his honeymoon. Totally understandable. Things were never anything but amazingly fun, though; and, once the trio got rolling, the whole underground space was singing along with "Basement," "Stone's Throw," "Hot Tub," and "30 Days" for the last-ever time in New Brunswick.

Glazer were the real surprise for me. I'd never seen them before, but their combination of fuzz, noise, and shredding had a pleasing Dinosaur Jr-y vibe for me. I'll check them out the next chance I get.

Everything was done by 9:30, and I was home by 10:30. Nice. So worth it.

You've got two more chances to catch Full of Fancy this weekend. They play Red Bank Rehearsal Studios tonight with like 17 other bands, and they're opening for The Muffs at Asbury Lanes on Saturday along with brick mower.

Allo Darlin' officially start their U.S. tour tonight in Brooklyn at Glasslands. They play Boot & Saddle in Philly tomorrow. Check them out if you can.

Don Giovanni Records Put on a Free Show w/ Screaming Females, Shellshag, Nude Beach, Mal Blum, and More at New Brunswick's Boyd Park, 9/20/14

Saturday in the Park

I go to lots of shows by myself, obviously. Yesterday, though, presented a great opportunity to introduce the whole family to some really good bands. Don Giovanni hosted their annual, free, outdoor concert in New Brunswick's Boyd Park. Screaming Females, Shellshag, Nude Beach, and Mal Blum were all part of the bill that also included some bands from New Brunswick High School. I'm trying to coax CD1 to join me for the all ages PUJOL / Screaming Females show at Asbury Lanes, and CoolMom has never gotten the chance to see either Screaming Females or Shellshag live.

Well, CoolMom and I both really enjoyed Mal Blum's set. I hear that Screaming Females' Marissa Paternoster is producing Mal's next record, so that is definitely something I look forward to hearing. CoolMom also had a great time during Shellshag's "in the round" performance. The cooldaughters pretty much just played on their mobile devices. They didn't complain, and they assured me that they could hear -- and liked -- everything, but I think they may have been humoring me. It's nice to feel loved anyway.

There were birthday parties and movies to go see in the evening, so CoolMom headed home with the girls after Shellshag were done. I stuck around for Brooklyn's Nude Beach and New Brunswick hometown heroes Screaming Females.

Nude Beach's sound is heavily influenced by some of the stuff I spent a lot of time with in my youth -- Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Bruce Springsteen. They own it and do a great job with it, adding a rough, maybe Replacements-y edge and a DIY vibe that draws in the younger folks. They're recent Don Giovanni signees, and their LP, 77, is due on October 21st.

Screaming Females coaxed everybody up to the front and played an intimate outdoor set that covered some favorites as well as some new songs. They sounded just as good as they have the other times I've seen them; but, this time, it just looked like they were having a bit more fun. It was a beautiful early evening in their hometown.

Things were done by about 5:45, and I headed home to meet CoolMom for dinner while the cooldaughters were out doing their evening activities. It was a really nice Saturday. I wish that CoolDaughter 1, at least, had paid a bit more attention to the bands; but she and her sister came with me without complaint and were all smiles. Baby steps, I guess.

Here are some photo highlights. You can see the rest of the pics up at Flickr.

Sink Tapes Release Free, 5-Song EP

Mattress Cowboys

In the tradition of other New Jersey bands like The Feelies and Yo La Tengo, New Brunswick's Sink Tapes pass some sounds of the past through their own filter to come up with a sound that is totally their own.

The quartet's latest EP displays influences from The Velvet Underground, the acoustic indie pop of Evan Dando, early shoegaze like The Jesus and Mary Chain, and, yes, Yo La Tengo. Mattress Cowboys provides a bit of a contrast to Sink Tapes' 2012 full-length, Please Touch, by focusing a bit on the band's quieter side.

On opening track, "A Carnival's a Sure Thing," Ricky Kuczynski vocally channels Lou Reed over distant electric guitar and keyboards. The EP's other songs are mostly acoustic, culminating in the psychedelic, short interlude of closer "Doc Botnik's House Call Band."

The 5-song Mattress Cowboys is available as a "Name Your Price" (which means FREE) download from Sink Tapes' Bandcamp page. If you've got about ten minutes and not much cash, I honestly can't think of a better use of those two resources today.