Its time for Club Club You’re Dead dead again! Its kind of confusing that CCYD hasn’t gotten as gay as its going to be this month considering its put on by some gay guys in a gay bar with a gay ass label that features (mostly) gay bands. But, somehow, we’ve managed.
That’s about to change. This month we have HUNX from Gravy Train!!! trying to butch up his act with Oakland proto-punkers Bare Wires and Puce Moment which features Gary Fembot from Sta Prest/Feelings on a Grid and our very own Elton Tom. Puce Moment’s set is also an official entry into the over forty gay man’s beauty contest this month (a recent review of Puce Moment – “I like this band, they make me feel middle aged instead of just old!”), so older men you’ll need to step it up!
2/4 @ The Stud (399 9th St)
Hunx and His Bare Wires
Puce Moment
Alexxxis of THINGNITE drag performance
Over Forty Gay Beauty Contest!
Doesn’t that make you sweat with anticipation? Or does it make you uncomfortable and remind you of a night out with HUNX? Or both!
It does for us! A while ago we went down to LA, possibly to spend time with Hard Place and possibly try to raise capital for a feature length film we’re working on called “Lesbians of the Embarcadero!”. While we were there, BRIDEZ were playing at The Smell with Hunx and His Punx and the show was a lot like that video above. We never blogged about it because blogging is totally 2008 but, PIX! IT HAPPENED!
The World Famous offices have been filled with laughter over the past few days since we saw these two reviews pop up in Still Single: Vol. 5, No. 1 by Doug Mosurak over at Dusted Magazine.
First a review of the BRIDEZ seven inch:
Cruddy no-fi rock aping Royal Trux but getting stuck somewhere in between Be Your Own Pet and bratty trust-fund kids slumming it. Singer Liza Thorn was once in So So Many White White Tigers, a decent enough band that should have stuck around for longer, for they were far more interesting than either track presented here. If you were DYING to hear some rock music, like you were about to expire due to dehydration and this record was the antidote, then I suppose you’d have an excuse to jam it. Not me. What did anyone hear in this that made them think “hey, I’d better press this up?”
And now the review of the Hard Place/Passionistas split EP:
Bay Area split single combines harmless, innocuous, passable bedroom pop by teen neons, the Passionistas, with the tacky, slick electro-crap of Hard Place (the poor man’s Ssion, maybe a homeless man’s Sparks). Never would there have been a point in my life where I would have considered purchasing such a record as this, so if you think like I do, best to bail out, now.
At World Famous we believe that Love and Hate are two sides of the same coin and a review is good whether it moves you to sing its praises or to spew bile all over the place. In fact, we love a bad review, and these were particularly entertaining (seriously, we may refer to Hard Place as “the homeless man’s sparks” from now on). Thanks Doug!!
We mentioned that Love and Hate were two sides of the same coin, so here’s some very nice reviews from our friends over at Aquarius Records
First the BRIDEZ seven inch:
Bridez front woman, and the cover star of this here 7″ single, is none other then Liza Thorn, who was responsible for unleashing a thrilling and damaging whirlwind of fierce energy here in the Bay Area with her previous band So So Many White White Tigers. While Bridez is a much more song based endeavor, there is still that reckless energy and dirty quality to their songs that makes this such a fun, fiery and righteously sleazy debut. We hear healthy doses of Pussy Galore, early Hole and the early recordings of The Runaways. Bringing a much needed element of danger and drunken passion to fucked up rock n’ roll. So good!
Now the Hard Place/Passionistas split EP:
The Passionistas have been gaining some well deserved attention here in SF with their super catchy and colorful pop hooks, dipping their musical toes into both power pop and glam, providing the missing link between Big Star and Sparks. Speaking of Sparks, Hard Place open their side of this split with a very Sparks influenced and triumphant sounding pop nugget. There’s a very early ’80s larger-than-life, arena-ready aesthetic to their sound, yet it’s delivered with such earnest spirit. We suspect there is some Van Halen, Andrew W.K. and maybe even a Jefferson Starship record in their collections. We lean a little towards The Passionistas on this split, but pop enthusiasts will find lots to like on both sides of this little piece of wax.
Also, the folks over at The Bay Bridged liked “Righter’s Block” block by The Passionistas enough to include it in their monthly mix, so be sure to check that out as well.
But why rely on reviews? Take a listen below and make up your mind yourself. If you like it, the records are available from Aquarius or can be ordered directly from us:
“It was with a heavy heart that we finally made the decision to turn off the lights, but because of increasing operating costs and flat revenues it simply no longer makes sense for us to keep Fuzz.com running. We offer our heartfelt thanks for being a part of it, and we’d like to give a special added thanks our avid, core users — true music fans who made Fuzz their home-base, and created a real sense of community.”
You might be thinking “Scott Walker, how is he World Famous in SF? I thought that dude was British”. Well, he’s not, he’s from Ohio. However, our friend Stephen Kijak (and one time San Francisco resident) made a film about the man and tonight is the long overdue San Francisco debut.
We’ve seen the movie and its really great, its a must see if you’re a fan and if you don’t know who Scott Walker is then you should do yourself a favor and check out this film and learn about one time sixties pop group heart throb turned visionary (and reclusive) composer/avant guard genius. Check this review for, perhaps, something a little more impartial: http://movies.nytimes.com/2008/12/17/movies/17scot.html
Stephen will be present at screenings of the film this weekend both in San Francisco and Berkeley and there’s an opening night party at the Casanova Lounge (527 Valencia St, San Francisco) hosted by Aquarius Records and Noise Pop.
Showtimes:
Opera Plaza, San Francisco
Friday Jan 23 at 7:10 & 9:45
Shattuck Cinemas, Berkeley
Sat Jan 24 at 5:15 & 7:30
Aaron should start a speed dating course, because I’ve seen him work with ruthless efficiency (even if, hilariously, he doesn’t realize it).
The other night, Aaron was at the Phone Booth for a little bon voyage party before Andrew left on on a four month European vacation (leaving the Passionistas bassless). A nice boy mistook Aaron “NO HOMO” Sunshine as a fellow homosexual. This boy came over, phone number in hand, and politely introduces himself. I look over to see this situation unfolding and as the boy is trying to hand Aaron the phone number Aaron says very matter of fact, “Keep it, I won’t call you” and goes back to talking to us. I’m laughing. The boy walks away shocked, probably a little put off, and completely unaware that Aaron is neither gay nor the queen bitch of a roving band of bitchy queers.
