Tag: punk

JetLag RocknRoll: Osaka Travel Guide

Revel in the sights and sounds of Osaka, Japan, with Kenji Kodama (of longtime Osaka record label Time Bomb Records) and the King Brothers, rock’n’roll madmen from neighboring Nishinomiya who’ve been banned from Osaka nightclubs on more than one occasion. Map should appear at the end of the page but can also be accessed here.

DO

  • Gawk at the three faces of the Tower of the Sun (Taiyou No Tou), erected for the 1970 Japan World Exposition.
  • Explore the odds and ends of Misono Building.
  • Step back in time at Shinsekai (“New World”), a neighborhood that has been revamped very little since it was built in 1912.
  • Embark on daytrips to other parts of the Kansai/Kinki region, such as Kyoto and Nara.

EAT

  • Yakiniku (grilled meat) and sushi in Tsuruhashi, Osaka’s Korea Town
  • Takoyaki (battered balls of octopus) at Hiroshi’s Takoyaki, next to Lub Lab recording studio in Nihonbashi.
  • Seafood, vegetables, and other Japanese staples at izakaya-style Ajisai

SHOP

ROCK

DRINK

FEATURED BAND PERFORMANCES (in order of appearance)

King Brothers at Earthdom, Tokyo
The Gypsies in Osaka
Don Matsuo at Hard Rain, Osaka
White Mystery at Hard Rain, Osaka
Momo & Jeho at Corner Stone Bar, Osaka
Juggling Dub’s at Namba Mele, Osaka (courtesy of Ben Knights)
Foodie at Namba Bears, Osaka (courtesy of Itaru Shiozaki)
The Wimpy’s at Namba Bears, Osaka (courtesy of Beccee Takeuchi)

JetLag RocknRoll: Chicago Travel Guide

Chicago musicians Jered Gummere (the Ponys, Bare Mutants), Alex White (White Mystery), Nobunny, and Chris DeArcangelis (Mama) take you on a rocknroll tour through the Windy City, sharing their favorite sights, restaurants, bars, record stores, clubs, and more. Respectively, they’ve lived in Chicago since 1996, 1985, undisclosed, and 1984.

DO

  • Drive south down Lake Shore Drive towards Chicago’s dazzling downtown skyline.
  • Explore the city via the convenient and ubiquitous network of “L” trains.
  • Soak up the scene at Lake Michigan.
  • Wander around downtown and stop in extra-divey dive bars such as Rossi’s (412 N. State St.).
  • Get inspired (and a cheap lunch) at the Art Institute of Chicago (111 S. Michigan Ave.).
  • Order a drink to go with your view at Cindy’s (12 S. Michigan Ave.).
  • Sign up for a wild and wacky time on Chic-A-Go-Go!, a public-access TV dance show.

EAT

  • Hot dogs, Italian beefs, and cheese fries in a taco shell bowl 24 hours a day at Susie’s Drive Thru (4126 W. Montrose Ave.)
  • Hot dogs at Byron’s (1017 W. Irving Park Rd.)
  • Seasonal contemporary cuisine at Lula Cafe (2537 N. Kedzie Ave.)
  • Vegetarian and vegan fare (with real vegetables!) at Ground Control (3315 W. Armitage Ave.)
  • Hearty cuts of meat in a classic Chicago steakhouse at Gene & Georgetti (500 N. Franklin St.)

SHOP

ROCK

DRINK

FEATURED BAND PERFORMANCES (in order of appearance)

Nobunny at SF Eagle, San Francisco
The Ponys at Empty Bottle, Chicago
White Mystery at Do312’s Rock ‘N Roll Market, Chicago
White Mystery at Hard Rain, Osaka, Japan
Mama at Empty Bottle, Chicago
The Rubs at Logan Square Auditorium, Chicago
Wreckless Eric at The Owl, Chicago
Shannon & the Clams at Logan Square Auditorium, Chicago
Bolzen Beer Band at The Radler, Chicago
Nones at Bric-a-Brac Records & Collectibles, Chicago

AT EMPTY BOTTLE

Platinum Boys
Football
White Mystery
Redd Kross
Davila 666
Cozy
Roky Erickson
Real Kids

AT THE HIDEOUT

Yonatan Gat
Cochino y Los Pistoleros
Lady Parts with Kelly Hogan and Nora O’Connor
Coyote Riot

AT COLE’S

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Pearl Earl

JetLag RocknRoll: Tokyo Travel Guide

Legendary Tokyo rockers Seiji (Guitar Wolf), the 5.6.7.8’s, and Fifi (Teengenerate, Firestarter, the Tweezers) take you on a tour of their sprawling hometown, stepping off the beaten path to share their favorite restaurants, bars, record stores, clubs, and more. Map should appear at the end of the page but can also be accessed here.

DO

  • Step back in time at Asakusa, home to shrines, temples, and tasty food vendors. Stop by Marubell to browse their collection of photos of old Japanese movie stars (burobaido).
  • Experience a re-creation of old-timey Tokyo as well as countless bowls of ramen at Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum.
  • Stroll and eat your way through Yokohama Chinatown, the largest Chinatown in Japan.
  • Soak up the unique atmosphere of American military base towns such as Fussa.
  • Explore the dark, narrow paths of Harmonica Yokocho (Harmonica Street) and its warren of shops, bars, and restaurants.

EAT

  • Many different styles of ramen at the Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum. Seiji recommends Sumire’s rich Hokkaido miso ramen in particular.
  • Soba and kakiage at Yabusoba in Kanda
  • Classic ramen, fried rice, and Chinese fare at Mintei in Shimokitazawa
  • DIY okonomiyaki (savory Japanese pancake/omelet) at Mari-ya in Kichijoji
  • Yakitori (skewers of grilled chicken) and other staples at Iseya in Kichijoji
  • No-frills ramen at Taiyo in Koenji

SHOP

  • Disk Union (specifically the branches at Shibuya, Shimokitazawa, and Kichijoji) for used and new records
  • Harajuku (unique clothing and accessories)
  • Shimokitazawa (clothing, novelty items, books, records)
  • Koenji (vintage clothing, books, records)
  • Nakano Broadway (manga, toys, clothing, cosplay accessories, records, guitars, antiques)

ROCK

DRINK

  • Ebisu in Nishi Ogikubo
  • Poor Cow in Shimokitazawa

FEATURED BAND PERFORMANCES (in order of appearance)

Guitar Wolf at Earthdom
Fifi & Boogie Hiroshi at Poor Cow
Fifi with The Fadeaways at UFO Club (courtesy of Yukiko Ono)
The 5.6.7.8’s at Shelter
Electric Eel Shock at Earthdom
Melt Banana at Shimokitazawa Basement Bar (courtesy of Pete Slovenly)
Cracks at Earthdom
Peter Pan Speedrock at Earthdom
The Fadeaways with Seiji Guitar Wolf at UFO Club (courtesy of Yukiko Ono)
Tina Lucchesi with Fink & The Thunderroads at Shelter
The Thunderroads at Shelter

At UFO Club

Toyozo of The Fadeaways with The Mellvins (courtesy of Atushi of Gorilla*/Pop’n’Roll Records)
Guitar Wolf (courtesy of Ameku)
The Fadeaways (courtesy of Yukiko Ono)
The Mellvins (courtesy of Yukiko Ono)

At Heavy Sick

Supersnazz
Eddie Legend A Go-Go
The Titans

At Poor Cow

Runaway Boys
The Sex

The Many Faces of Burger Boogaloo 2016

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The fourth edition of the Burger Boogaloo at Oakland’s Mosswood Park once again brought together a motley crew of music-loving folks. When we weren’t capturing the action at the Dirty Mouth amphitheater and the Tassel Castle stage (relive the magic of Day 1 here and Day 2 here), we snapped some shots of the people who performed, worked, and attended. Check out the hot dog costumes, dirt-smeared faces, portapotty kisses, and other summertime fun our cameras caught.
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Burger Boogaloo 2016: Day 2 Recap

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The Burger Boogaloo‘s second day of summertime fun at Oakland’s Mosswood Park continued with musicians like Seth Bogart, Shannon and the Clams, and the Dwarves exploring the Dirty Mouth amphitheater and King Khan and the Shrines and the Flamin’ Groovies ruling the Tassel Castle. Legendary filmmaker John Waters offered priceless band commentary and said the sweetest things about Shannon of the Clams, while off-color comic Tony Clifton received mixed reactions for his schtick. (For a recap of Day 1, head here. Check out the many faces of Burger Boogaloo here!)

Here are some of our favorite still and animated moments from the action-packed day, including the Fadeaways’ backflip off their drum set!

POONTANG WRANGLERS

We missed their red flannel pajamas in the Dirty Mouth but caught them performing an impromptu downhome set with their washboards and other humble instruments.
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BUCK BILOXI & THE FUCKS

Lo-fi punk disasters from New Orleans.
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DEATH VALLEY GIRLS

This LA quartet pounced on the Tassel Castle with their Sharpie tattoos and self-described “doom boogie.”
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SODA BOYS

These St. Louis punks fired up the Dirty Mouth with sparklers, Roman candles, and catchy lo-fi punk.
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THE FADEAWAYS

This Tokyo trio delivered a dynamic, partially airborne garage-punk set punctuated by high jumps, amp diving, and a backflip off their drum set.
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GIORGIO MURDERER

Absurdist synth punk from New Orleans featuring members of Buck Biloxi and Static Static.
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FLAMIN’ GROOVIES

The Shake Some Action team of Cyril Jordan, Chris Wilson, and George Alexander were joined by Roy Loney for a hit-laden set that spanned the band’s storied career.
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THE DWARVES

The crowd went wild for punk classics such as “Drug Store,” “Fuck ’em All,” and “You Gotta Burn,” and one guy even broke his leg in the pit. It was oddly heartwarming to see several people immediately form a protective circle around him, scoop him up, and carry him out to safety.
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TERRY & LOUIE

Former members of the Exploding Hearts, Terry and Louie cranked out their power-pop gems as well as Exploding Hearts delights such as “Modern Kicks.”
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SHANNON & THE CLAMS

John Waters’ touching introduction about these Oakland sweethearts kicked off their shimmery set.
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KING KHAN & THE SHRINES

These multi-instrumental maniacs threw an unhinged dance party complete with provocative costumes and a collective kneeling moanfest.
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SETH BOGART SHOW

Seth Bogart set aside alter ego Hunx for this steamy, one-man electro show set against a backdrop of fun, specially made videos and male and female go-go dancers.

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Burger Boogaloo 2016: Day 1 Recap

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Total Trash Productions and Burger Records proclaimed 2016 the “summer of filth” and brought back the Pope of Trash himself, John Waters, to host the Burger Boogaloo. Now in its fourth summer at Oakland’s family-friendly Mosswood Park, the Boogaloo weekender has become somewhat of an annual pilgrimage for budget rockers, goners, and garage punks around the world. Meet-and-greets by B-movie babe Traci Lords and schlocky off-color comic Tony Clifton (yes, that one!) added extra spice to an already sizzling line-up of rock’n’roll trailblazers. (If you missed out on previous incarnations, you can look back on 2015 here, 2014 here, and the second day of 2013 here.)

Each day saw 12 bands divided between two stages (Dirty Mouth amphitheater, Tassel Castle stage) and this year we somehow managed to catch each one, although we were sad to miss some of Waters’ delightfully bawdy band introductions. Here’s a recap of the first day, which includes the return of the Mummies, the Trashwomen, Thee Oh Sees, and The Thunderroads’ graceful amp dive. (Here’s Day 2. Check out the many faces of Burger Boogaloo here!)
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THE OKMONIKS

This San Francisco quartet kicked off the festivities with Farfisa-infused garage-pop confections such as “Not That Good” and “Teenage Timebomb.”
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PSYCOTIC PINEAPPLE

Berkeley’s zany party rockers shared the stage with a giant dancing pineapple.
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AMPLIFIED HEAT

This Austin trio channeled Lemmy Kilmister’s bluesy side.
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YOUNG FRESH FELLOWS

Seattle goofballs, including the Fastbacks’ Kurt Bloch on guitar, bounced through their poppy set. Their drummer, who wore a bulky white spacesuit, somehow defied both gravity and heatstroke.
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INTELLIGENCE

Angular post-punk by Lars Finberg and friends
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ANGRY SAMOANS

Metal Mike and his cohorts riled up the pit with ’80s punk staples such as “My Old Man’s a Fatso” and “Inside My Brain.”
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REAL KIDS

The Boston legends had trouble hitting the high notes on anthems such as “Solid Gold,” “Do the Boob,” and “All Kindsa Girls” but their fans were singing along so loudly they probably didn’t notice.
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LYRES

Tokyo upstarts The Fadeaways backed up Jeff Connolly’s garage-rock screamers.
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THE THUNDERROADS

These Tokyo garage punks’ third consecutive Boogaloo appearance featured their now-legendary amp dive.
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FINK WITH THE THUNDERROADS

Fink of Teengenerate joined The Thunderroads for classics such as “Mess Me Up,” “Dressed in Black,” and “Let’s Get Hurt.”
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THE TRASHWOMEN

Bay Area surf queens rocked the tonsils off the Dirty Mouth.
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THEE OH SEES

John Dwyer, double drummers, and enthusiastic fans shredded the Tassel Castle.
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THE MUMMIES

With the help of a bonafide marching band, the Bay Area’s bandaged budget rockers surfed to their exclusive stage atop their mummie-mobile, an old ambulance emblazoned with their handiwork. They cranked out crowd favorites atop the mummie-mobile and, on occasion, a sturdy Farfisa. As far as we know, the only casualty at the end of their raucous set was a sunburst guitar.
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JetLag RocknRoll: San Francisco Travel Guide

San Francisco musicians Blag Dahlia (the Dwarves), Shayde Sartin (Sonny & the Sunsets, the Fresh & Onlys), and Sammy and Helene (the Okmoniks) take you on a rocknroll tour through San Francisco, sharing their favorite sights, restaurants, bars, record stores, clubs, and more. Respectively, they’ve lived in San Francisco for 30, 17, and 7 years.

DO

  • Step back in time with vintage arcade games and toothpick dioramas made by Alcatraz prisoners at Musée Mécanique (Pier 45), tucked amidst the touristy chaos of Fisherman’s Wharf.
  • Fill your pockets up with quarters for pinball-palooza at Free Gold Watch (1767 Waller Street), a silk-screening shop that’s home to dozens of machines.
  • Pull on your walking shoes and explore North Beach, Chinatown, the Mission, the Haight, the Richmond, the Sunset, and San Francisco’s other colorful neighborhoods.
  • Clamber around the ruins of the Sutro Baths (Point Lobos Ave) and dare to venture into the nearby Goonies– style cave.
  • Escape to the towering redwoods of Muir Woods (1 Muir Woods Road, Mill Valley).

EAT

  • Indian pizza at Zante Indian Pizza (3489 Mission Street)
  • Authentic German sausages, schnitzel, and more at Schmidt’s (2400 Folsom Street)
  • Organic California cuisine served until 1am at Nopa (560 Divisadero Street)
  • Artful sushi and Japanese fare at Tsunami (1306 Fulton Street)

SHOP

  • Thrillhouse Records (3422 Mission Street)
  • Rooky Ricardo’s (448 Haight Street)
  • Grooves (1797 Market Street)
  • Valencia Street (boutiques, bookstores, record stores)
  • Chinatown (souvenirs, firecrackers, novelty items)
  • Haight Street (vintage clothing, record stores, Loved to Death)

ROCK

DRINK


RECOMMENDED HOTEL

The stylish, mid-century Phoenix Hotel (601 Eddy Street) is where touring bands such as the Black Lips, Joan Jett, the Jesus & Mary Chain, and the Damned stay when they’re passing through town. The heated pool is a plus and often the focus of splashy events.


FEATURED BAND PERFORMANCES (in order of appearance)

The Dwarves at Thee Parkside, San Francisco
Sonny & the Sunsets at Midsummer Studios, Emeryville
The Fresh & Onlys at The Chapel, San Francisco
The Okmoniks at Hemlock Tavern, San Francisco / Stork Club, Oakland / Thee Parkside, San Francisco

At Hemlock Tavern

Ultimate Painting
The Teutonics
Hard Left
The Ogres

At The Knockout

Nobunny
Vicky & the Vengents
The Atom Age
DJ Daniel Segura
DJ Russell Quan

At Thee Parkside

Giuda
Davila 666
Traditional Fools
King Tuff
Personal & the Pizzas
Mean Jeans
The Rantouls

At Bottom of the Hill

Gooch Palms
Guantanamo Baywatch

JetLag RocknRoll: East Bay Travel Guide

East Bay musicians Shannon & the Clams, Tina Lucchesi (Trashwomen, Bobbyteens, Cyclops), and Jesse Townley (Blatz, Gr’ups, Criminals) share their favorite haunts in Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville, Alameda, and Albany. Collectively, Shannon & the Clams have lived in Oakland for over 30 years, while Tina has called Oakland home for 15. Jesse has been a proud Berkeley resident for nearly three decades.

 

DO

  • Catch the panoramic view from Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science (1 Centennial Drive, Berkeley).
  • Explore the post-apocalyptic landscape of the Albany Bulb, aka Albany landfill (1 Buchanan Street, Albany).
  • Spend a day at the races with $1 beer and hot dogs at Golden Gate Fields (1100 Eastshore Highway, Berkeley).
  • Hike through redwoods and around a funeral pyre and pyramid at Joaquin Miller Park (3590 Sanborn Drive, Oakland).
  • Get lost in Tilden Park‘s 2,079 acres of natural beauty.
  • Catch a film at one of the East Bay’s many movie theaters (Grand Lake Theatre, New Parkway Theater).
  • Stroll around Lake Merritt to watch some peeps, pups, and ducks.
  • Tune in to UC Berkeley’s radio station KALX (90.7fm).
  • Tool around town on a bicycle.

 

EAT

  • Japanese-style fried chicken and side dishes at Aburaya Japanese Fried Chicken (380 15th Street, Oakland)
  • Authentic Laos/Thai/Cambodian cuisine (Tina highly recommends the rice ball salad) at Champa Garden (2102 8th Avenue, Oakland)
  • No-frills diner food with some vegetarian options at Broom Bush Cafe (2725 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley)
  • “Honest, awesome, Mexican food” at Juan’s Place (941 Carleton Street, Berkeley)

 

SHOP

 

ROCK

 

DRINK

 

FEATURED BAND PERFORMANCES (in order of appearance)

Shannon & the Clams at Starline Social Club, Oakland
Shannon & the Clams at Great American Music Hall, San Francisco
Tina Lucchesi with Thunderroads & Fink at Shelter, Tokyo
Cyclops at Shelter, Oakland
Cyclops at White Horse, Oakland
Blatz at 924 Gilman Street, Berkeley (footage courtesy of Shayne Stacy)

At 1-2-3-4 Go! Records, Oakland

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Radioactivity
Synthetic ID
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All Dogs

Rule of Thirds at First Church of the Buzzard, Oakland (footage courtesy of Alejandro L. Flores)
Healers at Life Changing Ministry, Oakland (footage courtesy of Alejandro L. Flores)
Weather Warlock at The Church, Oakland (footage courtesy of Alejandro L. Flores)

At Stork Club, Oakland

The Shanghais
Little Queenie
Teenage Sex

At White Horse, Oakland

The Mantles
Swiftumz

At 924 Gilman Street

Melted!
Genuine Parts
Jakob Danger
Dinosaurs
The Side Eyes

Jello Biafra at Forbidden Island, Alameda