March Madness Starts Here

Winter is dying down, Roc city punks, and it's time to start creeping out of hibernation, shaking off those cobwebs, and getting ready for the concert season to arrive.  We think there's no better way to kick off our own version of March Madness by packing the upcoming weekend with local music.  Clear your schedule all weekend long, because you don't want to miss a minute of these recession-friendly shows. 

Friday the 5th
If your preferences tend to aim more towards reggae, ska and dub, get down to Dubland Underground for an extremely eclectic mix of sounds.  Look forward to a chill Friday night with bands including Two Ton Ska, Reviving Ivory, and headliner Jatas.  Tickets will only set you back the price of a beer.

Saturday the 6th
It's déjà vu all over again if you were at the German House over Thanksgiving vacation.  But, if you are a fan of down-home Rochester kids making sweet, sweet rock music and the sound of screaming 15-year-old girls, this is your show.  Headliners The Sunstreak welcome back Mochester, Avenue You, and This AM Static as openers.  Tickets are $10 through Ticketmaster, or the respective bands.

Sunday the 7th
This is the show I'm most looking forward to, if only to take notes on up-and-coming Roc talent: Vanity Strikes, Yesterday's Heroes, Every Last Thursday, Whitecliff Drive, 441 and Oh Cassandra.  $12 at the door for this Battle of the Bands DVD release party at Water Street buys you access to see some hot bands that range from pop punk to metal, some of the members still in high school.

Bring on the freakin' weekend!

Ok Go Crazy

Alternative rockers Ok Go have once again created an absolutely eye-catching music video to herald in their new single This Too Shall Pass. Like the treadmill choreography of Here It Goes Again, the video has the type of imagery that keeps you watching and saying WTF?

The band, with assistance from members of Syyn Labs, used the concept of a Rube Goldberg machine which is hardly innovative. However, theirs is less streamlined and more destructive than ones we've seen in the past, and we love the messy outcome, as well as the indie sound of the song itself. Enjoy:

#MusicMonday

This Twitter #MusicMonday is brought to you with a royal theme. The origin of my first name means "crowned one" (which I like to remind people of ALL the time.) so let's kick off this work week with some music fit for a King (or Queen):

Nightingale, Saves The Day
The Queen and I, Gym Class Heroes
Royal Oil, Mighty Mighty Bosstones
You Were Right, Badly Drawn Boy

Going the Distance

Olympic season is upon us and with the adrenaline pumping athletics comes the heartbeat of music behind it. As a former part-time jock, I lived my in-season life with headphones on to get amped for tournaments. So, with the need to keep energy and spirits high, is it any wonder that hardcore Canadian rockers Alexisonfire were tapped to play live at the Olympic venue?

The New York Times ran a cool interactive article featuring 5 Olympic snowboarders from different nations sharing biographical video snippets. Besides "First Trick," the one category struck a chord with us was "Riding to a Soundtrack." Though most interviewed admitted their eclectic tastes on the mountain, it was classic rock lover Shaun White that we most aligned with. Aside from his penchant for AC/DC and Iggy Pop, here's our suggestions for the Winter Olympics 2010 soundtrack:

Delirium, Motion City Soundtrack
Sugar, System of a Down
Survival of the Fittest, The LeVar BurTones
Here We Go Again Kids, 7 Seconds
Girlfriend's Ringtone, Vice Grip
We Shall Overcome, The OC Supertones

Fall back down

My many, sincere apologies for falling off the face of the earth. I have been working through a personal incident from late January and am trying to claw my way back into regular posting. Fear not though, as there is a bitchin' spring concert lineup taking shape, and my punk-ass will get back in gear soon. Dedicated to my support system: