Numbskull Presents: Swingin' Utters, Sharp Objects, & Union Hearts @ The Blue Lagoon Friday 6/8/12

Swingin' Utters
Punk Rock

San Francisco

Man, these days everyone with a chipped tooth and a bad haircut says they’re street punk. It’s almost gotten to the point where it just seems like gimmickry, like being bi-polar or good looking. But once in a while, a dude who works in a warehouse gets together with a truck driver and makes shit kickin’ punk rock songs so ball-smashingly radical that they end up getting the guys from Me First and the Gimme Gimmes and One Man Army to help ‘em sing, and the end result is everybody’s favorite San Francisco institution that isn’t completely riddled with glory holes, the Swingin’ Utters. I know what you’re saying: what the fuck am I doing reading a Swingin’ Utters bio in 2011? Sure, they’re pretty much the trailblaizenist band that ever decided to put grandpa’s banjo and spittoon next to the marshall full stacks and the booze, but what have they done lately? Well, I’ll tell you, you impudent young whippersnapper. They’ve recorded Here, Under Protest, the single best album of their already award winning career (handsomest ballsack on a punk, 2001-02 [Darius]) and that’s saying something. It’s, as Ron Burgundy would attest, a pretty big deal.

It’s a big deal because the Utters have been kicking ass since even before 1995’s The Streets Of San Francisco, which was so good that it got them signed to Fat Wreck Chords (back when that was a hard thing to do [Heyo!]), got them the attention of pretty much everyone that listens to good, aggressive music, got them on the Warped Tour and even won them a Bay Area Music award or two. Now, I know what you’re thinking, and sure, awards shows can be a self congratulatory blow-a-thon, but when a bunch of vagabonds like the Utters stroll in drunk wearing Dickies and tee shirts and stagger out with some awards, to the chagrin of all the dipshits, well, that’s pretty cool, right? Of course. So what happened then?

Well, they put out a ton of great records, including A Juvenile Product of the Working Class, Five Lessons Learned, Dead Flowers, Bottles, Bluegrass, and Bones, an eponymous record, and a veritable shit-ton of EP’s and live stuff, toured relentlessly with such little-known bands as Rancid, NOFX, The Damned and Dropkick Murphys, sold over two hundred thousand records, annexed the golden voiced Spike Slawson of Me First and the Gimme Gimmes fame on bass and vocals, convinced Jack from Dead to Me and One Man Army to start playing guitar and singin’ too, and suddenly, on Here, Under Protest, the Utters have found themselves with this insanely stacked, Voltron-esque lineup, boasting a goddamned reckless cavalcade of vocal ability. That’s right, man. The Utters are bringin’ THREE FUCKING LEAD VOCALISTS to the table, and three vocalists that all could (and do) front amazing bands of their own. It’s like if Velvet Revolver was good or if the Backstreet Boys had stayed an oi band. Look, we’re getting off the subject. The point is, the Utters are back with their first full length in eight years, one that features Spike and Jack singing alongside Johnny and Darius for the first time in, uh…ever, and one that is going to kick the dicks of the Oi/Streetpunk scene like only a bunch of dudes with shitty jobs, axes to grind, beers to drink and a history of defining and putting out the best records of the genre can do.

Here, Under Protest is fourteen tracks of the Irish/Oi/streetpunk sound that you’ve come to expect from the Utters, and it’s also their best record. Look, all bios say that the musicianship is great and what you’ve become accustomed to is now being brought in bold new ways and then some, but this time, we’re talking about the Swingin’ Utters, and you already know how awesome they are, so let’s fuck the pretense, and close by saying that despite the smug, ‘eye on the exits’ title of Here, Under Protest, these dudes show no signs of slowing down after a staggering twenty-one years of doing it. So here’s a toast to the best new record by the best classic band in recent memory. In the words of my grandpa “To our wives and girlfriends! May they never meet!” Hey, whaddaya want? These are the Utters and it’s been eight years since their last record. Drink up! Don’t be such a dildo.

Sharp Objects

Punk Rock/Italian Pop

Bay Area

2 guys from The Bodies, 1 guy from The Briefs, and a guy from Puerto Rico.

Union Hearts

Fearless Sound

Sacramento

Union Hearts started in the mid to late summer of 2011.Formed by Hanover Saints frontman Brian Hanover.After a few practices a few changes and songs written eventually landed shows with great acts as The Copyrights,7 Seconds,Hoods,Lemuria,Phenomenauts,Kepi Ghoulie Electric,Dirty Filthy Mugs,etc Union Hearts shows that its versatile without any barriers.Pushing to play the most honest,intense music as the forefront or purpose with so much fun to boot.This is new,this is now.Hope you dig it!!! It's only just begun !!!Get Strange!!!

Members of Hanover Saints, Charles Albright band, and many others!!!

The Blue Lagoon

923 Pacific Avenue

Santa Cruz, CA 95060

RSVP ON FACEBOOK

BUY TICKETS

DarkDriveClinic & Silent Pictures @ The Blue Lagoon Sunday 6/10/12

DarkDriveClinic

Alternative / Electro / Industrial

Oslo/San Francisco

The new project from producer John Fryer (Nine Inch Nails, This Mortal Coil, Cocteau Twins) and vocalist Rebecca Coseboom (Stripmall Architecture, Halou)

DarkDriveClinic is the new project from producer John Fryer and singer Rebecca Coseboom.

John Fryer has virtually defined several genres with his production work; like the ethereal ambient Cocteau Twins and This Mortal Coil of 4AD, the industrial rock sound of Nine Inch Nails, Stabbing Westward and Gravity Kills, the modern day sound of Gloom Pops, HIM, and Lacrimas Profundere, and has dipped into Bone Yard Blues with Ledfoot.

Never confining himself to one style, John has

- Produced, engineered and mixed The Schools Spellemannspris' Norwegian Grammy-nominated album “Espionage”

- Mixed the US breakthrough album for Jesus Jones, “Doubt”

- Produced Cradle of Filth’s “Midian” Album, HIM & Nine Inch Nails' multi-platinum selling albums

- Mixed or remixed White Zombie, A-Ha, Anthrax, Sarah McLachlan and Ashbruy Heights amongst many others.

John's newest project, DarkDriveClinic, is a collaboration between John and singer Rebecca Coseboom. Rebecca is also a member of Stripmall Architecture, and has been called "a female front woman with an incredible voice” (CMJ). "Her voice flutters around your head like a silky scarf and the whole is like a sonic manifestation of a romantic swoon…” (The Stranger, Seattle).

DarkDriveClinic is currently recording their debut album of eclectic dark alternative music, which is due out in 2011

At an impressively young age, John Fryer already had his name on the sleeves of some of the most influential records of the past 30 years by artists like Depeche Mode, Cocteau Twins, Fad Gadget, and solo projects by Wire members Graham Lewis and Bruce Gilbert. Then, in 1984, he found himself one of just two constant members of the legendary 4AD collective This Mortal Coil, whose “Song To The Siren” has been described by David Lynch as being “high on my list of all time most beautiful songs” (the director tried for years to get it into one of his films and finally succeeded with 1997′s Lost Highway).

It was in those days, working out of Blackwing Studios, South London, recording and producing other people’s songs, that John began following the noise in his own head. While working on albums that are now considered to be genre- and era-defining recordings, he started formulating his own project. Ideas expanded and multiplied until they spilled out from between the seams in his head, though it would take years for him to bring them fully to life.

Over the years, as John moved from project to project, he carried these songs with him. While putting his indelible signature on This Mortal Coil’s records (and nearly every other seminal 4AD records release, as well), Nine Inch Nails’ “Pretty Hate Machine”, the biggest albums from Jesus Jones and Love & Rockets, Cradle of Filth and HIM’s “Razorblade Romance”, he was also perfecting the sonically powerful arrangements of his own tracks. Then, in 2010, he at last found the final element he needed.

John had always imagined finding a female vocalist for these songs, but not just anyone. Having worked with Cocteau Twin Elizabeth Fraser, Sarah McLachlan, Kristin Hersh, Jarboe, Diamanda Galas, and Allison Moyet (to name but a few), he had extremely high standards. Her voice had to be ethereal and delicate but it also had to be emotive, powerful, and heartbreaking. After announcing on Facebook that he was looking for a singer, John almost instantly connected with Rebecca Coseboom who, strangely enough, he had also heard about from an old friend of his wife, Hanna. The triangle of fate was sealed.

It had to be Rebecca – from San Francisco band Stripmall Architecture – who had spent many years and hours listening to much of John’s catalogue. She has been called “a female front woman with an incredible voice” (CMJ). The Stranger in Seattle said “her voice flutters around your head like a silky scarf and the whole is like a sonic manifestation of a romantic swoon…”. Shortly after their online meeting, they began sending emails and files back and forth between Oslo, Norway and San Francisco, USA. In late 2010, the two holed up in the studio to finally add vocals to the tracks that John had been refining for years. What resulted is the first DarkDriveClinic album, “Noise In My Head,” is available on CD from Metropolis Records in the US and Danse Macabre Records in EU and Germany. Vinyl release on Green Fuse Records is expected in Q2 2012.

Silent Pictures

Alternative / Experimental / Rock

Stanford, California

Featuring members Mellow Drunk, MA'AM, Sky Parade, Boyskout. 1878 Eadweard Muybridge and his remarkable technical skills produced the first-ever silent pictures and proved that a running horse has all four feet off the ground.

Silent Pictures first EP and Films were recorded and edited by Alexander Mann whose music career started in 1989 in the Bay Area with little known UK Manchester influenced group Valeria and later project Your Precious You (named by BJM guitarist Travis Threlkell.) From early 1991 through later 1990's he began hanging out in the San Francisco Shoegaze scene opening for such bands as the Rosemarys, Yo La Tengo and Brian Jonestown Massacre to name but a few... After living some years abroad in Asia Alexander Mann joined San Francisco's Mellow Drunk and recorded on 2 of 3 of the band's full length CDs and a handful of E.P.s. He also co-wrote and recorded on all 3 Boyskout records. In 2008 Alexander began recording under the name Silent Pictures often working with many of the same musicians he has worked with in different projects. Silent Pictures mission is a blend of live performance and cinema both new and old, a tribute to great musicians, painters, modern artists and directors and of course Eadweard Muybridge. Thank you for your attention and support... A.Mann

In 1878 Eadweard Muybridge and his remarkable technical skills produced the first-ever silent pictures and proved that a running horse has all four feet off the ground.

Press:

From 2008 - 2012, members of San Francisco bands Mellow Drunk, Dora Flood and Boyskout as well as Los Angeles bands Sky Parade and Gene Loves Jezebel began recording music under the name Silent Pictures.

The band is composed of Alexander Mann (Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keys, Drums), Rene Love (backing vocals, electone), Cynthia Shiraev (farfisa, casiotone) Russell Freeman (projectionist) , Leigh Gregory (lead guitars), David Alexander (Guitar), Steven Dietrick (drums), Joel Patterson (drums), andTommy Dietrick (Bass). I have been aware of them for some time - and they obviously have an affection for Louise Brooks, Clara Bow and silent film.

The Blue Lagoon
923 Pacific Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA 95060

RSVP ON FACEBOOK

The Mystery Spot, Watson, & Christopher Kelly @ The Blue Lagoon Wednesday 6/6/12

The Mystery Spot
Rock And Roll

Santa Cruz, CA

Watson

Christopher Kelly

Folk / Soul / Acoustic Rock

Felton, CA

The Blue Lagoon

923 Pacific Avenue

Santa Cruz, CA 95060

RSVP ON FACEBOOK

*FREE METAL SHOW* Forgotten Gods, Granted Earth, & Thirty9FingerS @ The Blue Lagoon Friday 5/25/12

Forgotten Gods

Heavy Stoner Rock

San Jose, California

Hailing from the SF Bay Area comes a band with no expectations of being the next big thing. The main goal is create some heavy ass shit with the experience that comes with years of being in bands and writing music. Forgotten Gods is a band formed by random strangers found through Craigslist in the summer of 2011.

Granted Earth

Post-Metal/Sludge

Monterey, California

Hailing from Monterey Bay, California, post-metal sludge band Granted Earth was founded in April 2009 by Jon Ugale (drums/vocals), Rebecca Ugale (guitar), and Mallory Mickel (bass).

Thirty9FingerS
Metal
Santa Cruz

Thirty9FingerS is an aggressive, and strangely incomparable, heavy metal band, with a relentlessly intense live performance. Their desire to be a positive outlet for metal heads and music lovers, sets them apart in the metal scene. Their influences are widely varied, giving them their unique sound, and their story is one of triumph over tragedy, which gives them their unique name.
Aaron on Drums, Ritchie on vocals and guitar, and Jen on bass and vocals, and Steve on lead guitar

The Blue Lagoon

923 Pacific Avenue

Santa Cruz, CA 95060

RSVP ON FACEBOOK

Arden Park Roots, The Decoyz, & Take 1 @ The Blue Lagoon Friday 6/29/12

Arden Park Roots

Reggae/Rock/Dub

Sacramento, California

“Arden Park Roots” is a reggae/rock/punk band based out of Sacramento, CA. Awards include "Best Album 2008" by the Sacramento News & Review, Sacramento Music Awards "Sammies", 2008, 2009, 2011 and the 2009, 2010 SacShows awards for best reggae band.

The Decoyz

Reggae/Ska/Punk

Santa Rosa, California

Craigslist brought us all together. Craig should really start a record label. We've been making fun music for a year and a half now and we've become family in the process. We've taken all of our influences as individuals and blend our styles together for a sound that goes down smooth. We love supporting our musical community, we're not in competition with anyone.

We've only just begun.

If Sublime and Pepper had a love child, but they let Unwritten Law and The Expendables raise it, we would be that child. We play music because we love it and because it loves us back unconditionally. We've created The Decoyz because the everyday grind is bland and tasteless, boring and we don't particularly enjoy having day jobs. We fit well with an array of genres and musical styles: All types of reggae, ska, hip hop, punk rock, acoustic reggae and rock, etc. We're always experimenting to evolve our sound, we'll try anything at least once!

We've been privileged to perform alongside many talents artists. Local, regional, national and international acts like Kevin Never Talks, Counter Culture, Trevor Lyon, Highest Intention, Ancient Mystic, Sky I w/ Inner Riddim, Ras Indio, Skunk Funk Soundsystem,Hollow Ln., Prezident Brown, Jr. Toots, Wisdom, Arden Park Roots, Rocker T w/ Fyah Squad Band, Mendo Dope, Mystic Roots, Dj Ignite and more!

We really just want to enjoy ourselves and spread some good cheer. Surround ourselves with good people and good music. The journey is more worthy than the destination and we're always up for an adventure.

Take 1

Reggae/Ska/ Rockers

Boulder Creek, California

Take 1's music is a blend of many styles. With influences ranging from Bob Marley to Black Sabbath, there is no keeping this band in a box. The rhythmic and soulful saxaphone playing of Brian Valdivia is a very unique and notable feature. HIs smooth melodies are perfectly complimented by the strong and steady grooves played by Marcus Thayer on the drums, Jon Golling on the bass and Yeshe Jackson on guitar. You might get into the strong rhythm and think you've got them pinned as a reggae dance band... but then they completely transform into a high energy ska or punk group that plays with amazing precision. The flow of the music keeps things interesting to say the least. But beyond just being fun to listen to, Take 1's music creates an atmosphere of positivity and acceptance, where people are free to enjoy the good vibes.

The Blue Lagoon

923 Pacific Avenue

Santa Cruz, CA 95060

RSVP ON FACEBOOK

Parasitic Ejaculation, Euphoric Defilement, & Abhorration @ The Blue Lagoon Monday 6/25/12

Parasitic Ejaculation
Brutal Death Slam
Santa Cruz, California

Euphoric Defilement

Brutal Death Metal

Los Angeles, California

Abhorration

Redondo Beach
Brutal Death Metal

The Blue Lagoon

923 Pacific Avenue

Santa Cruz, CA 95060

RSVP ON FACEBOOK

THE BACKUP RAZOR 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY PARTY & FREE PUNK SHOW w/ Benedict Arnold, Trashkannon, & Losing Teeth @ The Blue Lagoon Monday 6/11/12

The Backup Razor (thebackuprazor.blogspot.com) will be celebrating their 5-year anniversary with a free show June 11th, at The Blue Lagoon, in Santa Cruz with support from Benedict Arnold (bapunk.com), Trashkännon (reverbnation.com/trashkannon, http://www.blackcat-records.com), and Losing Teeth. 

The Backup Razor (Santa Cruz, CA) is preparing to enter the studio to record the third installment in their four-album release “In Times of Triage”. April and May saw a tour with Reno, Nevada’s Vampirates (vampirates.org), with more dates planned for June and July.

Benedict Arnold (St. Louis, MO) is on tour in support of their second full-length release “We’re All In”, and also recently finished several Eastern U.S. dates with Vampirates (vampirates.org). Catch them this June:

6/8             Double Down Saloon – Las Vegas, NV

6/10            Doll Hut – Anaheim, CA

6/11            The Blue Lagoon – Santa Cruz, CA

6/14            Shea’s Tavern – Reno, NV

6/20            Ypsilanti Crossroads – Ypsilanti, MI

6/22            Otto’s Shrunken Head – New York, NY

6/23            247 Green – Somersworth, NH

Trashkännon (San Jose, CA) self-produced and released their first LP, “Shit For Brains” in 2010, and the album saw a 2012 vinyl release through Black Cat Records.

Losing Teeth (Watsonville/Santa Cruz, CA) our area's newest punk rock power trio, Losing Teeth (watsonville/santa cruz) opens the show.

The Backup Razor

Punk Rock

Santa Cruz, California

“With many groups including The Avengers, The Nuns, Mutants, The Offs, and the Dead Kennedys having built thriving careers out of northern California, the Bay Area is no stranger to Punk Rock. Abundant in arts and culture, it makes sense that local geography continues to birth an unstoppable, underground movement abundant in Punk. Included in the mix is Santa Cruz’s “The Backup Razor”, an eclectic group fueled by a love for “what they do” and propelled by a mission to keep the local music scene alive. Front-man Jesse Williams is the voice behind the band, supported by Nick Hardesty on guitar, Jonathan Mumma on drums and Jeff Badagliacca on bass. Driven by a genuine passion for expression, TBR has a resume that would put some of the most tenured bands to shame. Sharing stage with literally hundreds of artists and myriads of venues, the rebel quartet has become an established entity across the region as a member and driver on the local scene…”

Benedict Arnold
Punk Rock

Saint Louis, Missouri

In March of ’03 Rod Night was the only punk rocker in a small town until Floyd Flannigan and Travi Scum arrived. They came from Alaska and wanted to start a band. Benedict Arnold was born. It was Travi on drums, Rod on guitar and Floyd on Bass. They floated around St. Louis playing guitar on the streets and causing mischief. Eventually Benedict Arnold found its way into a punk house and of course wrecked it from basement shows and massive parties. All seemed well until the night of December 1st, ’05. Travi was tragically killed in a car wreck shortly after a Benedict Arnold show.
Rod and Floyd forged the broken pieces. Together with the help of Ricky Retardo, now their drummer, the guys continued to create potent punk rock. News of the band spread to cities like Chicago, Detroit, and Milwaukee. The guys quickly found themselves touring the nation. While rocking out at a dive bar in Southern California Benedict Arnold met Gunn and he had a round of Sailor Jerry waiting for them. Several bottles later it was unanimous that Gunn join the group on six-string. This band is a wild, whirlwind of adrenaline and antics. Keep your eyes and ears open for the menace known as Benedict Arnold

Trashkannon
Punk Rock

San Jose, California

We are The Kannon. forged from the scum of the South Bay music scene we vomit tasty licks and spit pure evil into the ear canals of the unwitting masses!

Losing Teeth

Punk Rock

Santa Cruz, California

we are LOSING TEETH, formed late 2010, 3 old school punkers/metalheads from watsonville/santa cruz, that play a loud raunchy hard hitting hybrid of numerous punk and metal influences shared over the decades. got a gig or party you'd like us to play, let us know.....

The Blue Lagoon

923 Pacific Avenue

Santa Cruz, CA 95060

RSVP ON FACEBOOK