Killing Horse Records One Year Anniversary Show

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Friday Nights have become a night I normally work. I’ve taken over a bar in Jersey City, and that’s a bunch of fun, but it means that I’m busier working lately than I am getting out for shows. I say all that to say this, when Mike Sylvia of Killing Horse Records hit me up to come out for the KHR one year Anniversary Party I had to accept. I changed my schedule around and made sure I was off for what was sure to be a night built with me in mind. The line-up looked killer: Ben Franklin, No Pasaran!, Invisible Lines, and Secret Country. Couple that with the fact that in the two plus years I’ve taken over the mantle of Rocker Tycoon (The day an old wizard in a cave had me utter the magical words FUCK YEA!) I’ve never been to Maxwell’s in Hoboken. I know, lecture me if you must, laugh at my ignorance, but it’s been my mission to cover rock in places that the coverage is most needed. Hoboken is covered quite widely. That said, Killing Horse deserves a post over at RT, so here it is. Photos and words… all in one spot for your rocking convenience. I’ll keep this simple and give you my thoughts as I wrote them at the show.

If Minor Threat‘s Ian Mackaye did drugs you’d have something close to Ben Franklin. Punk anthems, slow jams but mostly strong catchy rock. You can’t help but sing along to. Recently they added Adam Copeland (Guitar, Vox) of Black Water fame. Billy(Vox, Guitar) Eddie(Vox, Bass) and Sarah (Drums, Vox) There’s a lot more happening here, and it still throbs and pulses. Some new songs made their way into the set. I can’t wait til Urgency comes out. Title track is an evolved Ben Franklin. They ended the set with their classic history tale Fren Banklin, always a crowd fav. It was likely the best version of the song I heard to date… I might write a verse for them to include, or maybe just storm the stage and grab a mic and talk about Ben Franklin’s important role in the Maniac Mansion sequel Day of the Tentacle.

No Pasaran! should really be called We Don’t Waste No Fucking Time. They barely slowed down in-between songs to get the lead out. Eric (Guitar/Bass, Vox) Tom (Drums) and Romel (Vox,Guitar) are a well oiled machine. They are on a mission, like Arnold in the Predator: to kill it. And kill it they do. It’s no bullshit basement rock at it’s most striped down and raw. They pummel striked through their set squeezing in every thing they could. You gotta respect that, even the second they stopped to switch around a few things was filled with Eric’s pen-ultimate middle set talk, “Uhh… Witty Banter, Inside Joke and Shout out to friends.” One thing I totally love about these guys is that they are here to rock. They don’t even halt for applause.

I said it before and I’ll say it again: Invisible Lines is driving music. Long stretch getting it done 80’s movie montage driving music. To what end probably to kill vampires or fight the high school bully… it doesn’t really matter. This band makes the journey the most important part of the movie. Being a Buddhist, this concept totally appeals to me. And makes me feel like the Road Warrior (who is securely not a Buddhist, if you’ve seen the films, to which I’m pretty sure the Passion of Christ is a prequel).  But I digress, their e.p. Wise Up has been recieving some serious buzz, I emplore you to get your hands on it.

Inbetween sets I spent my time bullshitting with Adam Copeland and Gonul Askoy (Gonul & What Army). The topics ranged from brown liquor, Dr. Who and Karaoke. Beers were drained and the Secret Country loaded in. Full on Country get-up big band style. There was plenty hooting and haltering. Yan Izquierdo (Violin/Mandolin) Joe Hart (Lead Guitar/Vocals/Trumpet) Tim Siegle (Bass) Eric Mason (Guitar/Lead Vocals) Jay Monaco  (Acoustic Guitar/Lead Vocals/Harmonica/Tambourine/Ukulele) Matt Siegle (Drums/Vocals) make up the band.  That’s a lot of rock on one stage… I couldn’t imagine having to be their roadie.