My father lives (and hoards) in rustic ol’ Rochester NY. Not much would pull me to this bygone home of the great hunter and Kodak founder, George Eastman, but the fact that my pops is there. Well, there are also some pretty rad artists, Lea Rizzo being one of them.

We begrudgingly shelled out a door fee for a not-so-awesome bar called Bug Jar where her work is currently installed. A little further exploration and her art led me to Sweet Meat Co. a Rochester art collective, not too shabby! Just wanted to share this with you… maybe there is a reason, other than my father’s 3246 beer signs, 392 lawn mowers and 7000+ “I LOVE MY KITCHEN” plaques to visit this slice of Americana.
Lea Rizzo’s installation remains on view through June 6
Bug Jar
219 Monroe Avenue
Rochester, NY

Getting older is a real bitch, and it’s something that most of us don’t think about until you start noticing that hangovers really can last all day, falling off your skateboard hurts now, and coffee truly is the source of all productivity.  We also don’t think about our seemingly indestructible   heroes and icons getting older as well, and if there is one person who epitomizes the image of indestructible, it’s Henry Rollins.

If you’re reading this I’m assuming you know who Henry Rollins is, but for arguments sake lets say you don’t and I’ll give you a brief introduction.  Henry Rollins was born in the year 1961 in the Glover Park area of Washington, DC.  After discovering punk rock with his long time friend Ian MacKaye, he spent most of his time being stabbed by various items, spit on, and fighting his own audience as he sang for Black Flag.  Maybe he didn’t fight every audience, but this was known to happen from time to time; as I said, indestructible.  There was a very interesting and unexpected turn of events that led to him being asked to sing for Black Flag, but we have an interview to get to so look it up on your own time.  Seriously, look it up, it’s a great story!  Henry Rollins, then Henry Garfield, found himself moving to LA after joining Black Flag in 1981 which is where he has been ever since.  LA has afforded many opportunities for a punk from DC like a recent role on Sons of Anarchy in addition to his other accomplishments, which are many.  After Black Flag he had a successful career as front man of The Rollins Band, acted in numerous movies, started his own production company (2.13.61), has been an author, currently has a radio show, and a new partnership with National Geographic.  It’s not just LA that has afforded these opportunities though, Henry himself has a presence about him, a sense of strength and discipline that I believe to be evident whether you have met him or not.  He gives off an aura of indestructible power, control, and focus.

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Photo Credit: Car Party

Car Party is a band from outside of Baltimore who formed only just about a year ago. They released a new single on April 3rd called Dollar Signs which you can buy on iTunes. You can go see them live when their tour finishes up in Philadelphia on April 22nd at the Legendary Dobbs on South St.

Why did you guys pick the name Car Party?
Taylor: I live in the middle of nowhere, we say that we’re from Baltimore but it’s like 45 minutes from Baltimore. So we would just take these joy rides out to Baltimore just for sight-seeing and stuff. It eventually became this thing called a car party so we were trying to think of a name for the band name and it was just like let’s go on a car party and think about it.

What’s it like working with Ace Enders?
Chris: It was really good. He kind of formed what we are as far as even the smallest tones and stuff. He really catered to Mike’s voice since he heard something that was different so he thought we should sort of revolve around that. He has a creative mind so he worked really well with us.

I know you guys formed after Taylor posted on craigslist but how long did it take for you guys to become a band?
Taylor: I guess technically a year. I found Mike first, him and I are the original members. Jim, we found like seven months ago.
Jim: No, it was this time last year. It was April.
Taylor: Are you serious? No, it was after cause we recorded in May. Our first show with you was in June.
Mike: About a year.
Taylor: And Chris came from another band, he was the only person I didn’t find on craigslist. We were playing shows with him and was like this is what we need.

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Photo Credit: Brittany Boyce

June Divided is a four piece band from Philadelphia that oddly enough I had never heard of until I decide to go to SXSW (even more odd since I have quite a few friends in common with them) They will be releasing their full length this spring/summer that they’ve currently been working on since being back from SXSW. They currently have out a cd called The Other Side Of You which is available on iTunes. They’ve been playing various shows along the East Coast this week in Delaware, Pittsburgh and even Philadelphia of course. Be sure to check out the Warped Tour site to find out what dates they will be playing. Also, if you ever see them at any of their favorite Philly bars be sure to say hello to them, they’re all super nice.

What’s your favorite Philly place since you guys are from there?
Lenny: Favorite place to play? Or just eat?

Eat, play, whatever.
Chris: Grey Lodge, Monks
Keith: Uh, there’s gotta be a place that we love. Where do we love?
Lenny: We just had Buffalo Wild Wings before we came here.
Chris: We don’t love that though. Yeah it’s not that great.
Lenny: I had a fun time.
Keith: I’d say the Grey Lodge.
Chris: Yeah we love our beer.

Favorite experience so far at SXSW?
Melissa: We played at Fuel for Music Gorilla and that was at like midnight on Wednesday and it was awesome. It was this tiny ass little it wasn’t even a stage it was just us basically crowded on top of each other. Somebody bought me a shot, the bartender was like somebody bought this for you.
Guys: We weren’t sure what to expect.
Melissa: I haven’t had that much fun playing a show in a long time. It was awesome, I love those kinds of shows.

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CHECK OUT PHOTOS FROM FRIDAY NIGHTS OFWGKTA @ Electric Factory 3/23/12

Last night Odd Future played the Electric Factory in Philadelphia and I went along to afford Ronnie’s pics some commentary. And before you think I’m going to give these kids any lyric/music critique, just know that I couldn’t understand a word they said, because A) it’s a hip hop show (indie hip hop to be correct) and B) I knew nothing about Odd Future except for a few enticing sub-designed posters plastered on the side of an abandoned bodega accompanying those “John Doe, put a chip in your kid so they aren’t murdered without you being able to find their corpse ads”.

I am just going to report back on the energy, vibe and comments from the 55-year-old clinical psychologist I happened to be standing beside. I will also enlighten the world with the drunken brilliance of a wheelchair bound self coined “Eddie Murphy”.

Odd Future is a collective of kids (17-22?) from LA, skater punks (according to old guy), some are lyricists, some musicians, some aren’t musicians at all, but together they make up (OFWGKTA – Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All) and you can look up their names and sub groups and become addicted, if you aren’t already, on your own time. I just know their fans are young, mostly white and love these guys with the kind of intensity and passion their parents would sell their nuts to see.

Two of the performers flung themselves around stage with broken arms (one was “ring leader” Tyler) while the rest hopped and danced and pumped and stage dived (circa 1995). The crowd throbbed somewhat rhythmically with the music, while mini sea swirls and channels emerged as one body bounced off another into another until the small movement became a cataclysm, shifting the kids back and forth, under the smaller watchful eye of the older, legally drunk, 2^nd floor. At the front Sarahs, Beverlys, Shannons and Hillarys made certain their hair was perfect and that they managed sexy glances upwards in between winces as their rib cages crushed in upon themselves from the sheer ecstasy of the mob at their backs.

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Every March SXSW takes over the city of Austin, TX to host some of the BEST live music, films, parties, people and so much more. This year Vans and Austin’s very own, Nice Kick, decided to join forces to bring you Vulcanized Vinyl. The shop’s  grand opening was Friday, March 9th with a party @ Lodge on 6th street. Unfortunately, we were not down at SXSW yet, so we were unable to make it to the party but you can check out some photos HERE. Not only was the store part of the SXSW Vulcanized Vinyl experience, but Vans also hosted a premier for No Room For Rockstars, the Warped Tour documentary, on Tuesday, March 13th with a special performance by Pennywise (Photos HERE). This was followed up by the Vans Showcase on Wednesday the 14th. We were absolutely thrilled to score some passes to this show. After flying the 666 miles from Philadelphia to Chicago, then from Chicago to Austin, I was STOKED on getting to see this the first night we were at SXSW. The Showcase included FIDLAR, Penneywise, Jimmy Cliff, The Sword & Cage the Elephant. SOOOOOOO, needless to say, Vans had A TON of awesome stuff going on at SXSW this year.

Vulcanized Vinyl was one of those pop-up shops that was extremely well done, in all aspects, from concept to completion. We walked into 313 ½ E. 6th Street  through, what looked like 2 old garage doors that open into the space. The entrance was covered with Vans colab show posters and hanging bare bulb socket sets suspended from a heating vent from above. The combination of raw wood, cinder blocks, pallets and damask wallpaper reminded me of when I did display work for Urban Outfitters. This, with the combination of shelves lined with Vans Classics, California models, tees, tanks, and accessories and a limited edition Vulcanized Vinyl tee backed by classic vinyl and some rock memorabilia (for lack of a better word) gave an awesome feel to the space. The space itself was not too big in size, but needless to say, worked out very well. Everyone that was working the space was super friendly and made the vibe of the room extremely chill.

Check Out full article and Gallery after the Jump

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Photographs by Joe Norris

Even though it was SNOWING in October here in Philly, the Bravissimo Burlesque crew kept it hot enough for everybody Saturday at Wineo at 4th and Poplar streets.

Every last Saturday of the month since January 2010, producers Miss Rose and Lil’ Steph have been titillating audiences at the No Libs establishment with their sensual vaudevillian performances.

For Halloween, Miss Rose’s favorite annual performance, we were treated to three pants-tightening sets of acts by Miss Rose and Lil’ Steph. Their multiple routines ranged from Mad Science to Beetlejuice, Pinkie Special, the master hoopstress, the sensual seductions of Iris Explosion and the Evil Dead Boylesque performance by Bretzo.

The night was MC’d by Philly’s favorite dead guy–Mr. Dead Guy–and his duo of evil puppets, Baby Cheezewits and Scabby.

Bravissimo Burlesque performs the last Saturday of every month at Wineo. Check it out, and be sure to say hi to Jeffery while you’re there.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM Bravissimo Burlesque – Halloween Edition 10/29/2011

This interview was conducted the day after Rival Schools new record, Pedals, came out. We discussed the 10 years of lag time in between records, what it’s like playing together again after such a long time and the release show here in NYC. Enjoy it!

OOPM: Being that you guys have so much history as a band, even before Rival School, has it been easy after so much time to be able to come back together and feel like a band again?

Walter: It gets easier all the time, when we first got to playing again together we did a tour in 2008 and we kind of played around in Europe, we played the United States as well and that was really the first thing of seeing what it felt like to play together and play those old songs and get a sense of where we left off. With the album out now you know, we played last night in New York, it was a big show, sold out, all our friends were there and it just felt really great, and this tour we just did in the states was just excellent. So now I feel that much more solid. The cool thing about a band is that it’s always evolving, or I want this one to be that way.

OOPM: How did the reunion shows back in 2008 and 2009 come about?

Walter: We essentially broke up the band, but we didn’t so much say that we broke up the band, we wanted to leave it open to sort of do something in the future. I guess you call it a hiatus is what people call it, but we weren’t really sure that we’d ever do it again. So, over the years we’d get together every so often to try to write songs and see how it was going and it just got to where in 2008 Sam called me and was like, “hey dude, if we’re gonna ever do this it’s gotta be now, it’s been 10 years.” Doing the tour and getting out and playing was always with the intention of making an album to follow up United by Fate. As great as that album was to us and as important as it is to us, having not followed it up was kind of like something hanging over our heads, at least for myself anyway.

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If you know anything about punk rock, well, anything beyond The Clash and the Sex Pistols, then you know who Crass is and how influential they were to the punk rock movement. The movement itself was important, especially to those who were immersed in it, but Crass also had a profound effect on the direction of the movement as their content targeted political ideas, icons, and practices. Needless to say this also made them quite a controversial band, but in the end that’s kind of what punk rock is all about. If you’re not being controversial and pissing off the powers that be then you might as well be a boy band, right? Crass also spearheaded the DIY culture of punk. After having issues getting a The Feeding of the 5000 pressed because of, you guessed it, controversial material, they started their own label and put out the record along with numerous other releases. Well for those of us who missed the good old days when Crass was still playing shows we now have our chance. Steve Ignorant is about to embark on his “Last Supper” tour playing Crass songs from 1977-1984. The tour starts in NYC on March 10th! Before hitting the road we were able to talk with him about the upcoming tour. You will find all tour dates posted at the bottom of the interview. Enjoy!

OOPM: How does the political world of today compare to what you were speaking out against when you were singing for Crass 30 years ago?

Steve: Not that much different. When Crass were in our hay day, we had an arch enemy who was called Margaret Thatcher who was in league with a guy called Ronald Reagan, and they were sort of easy targets at that time, certainly for us English things were really really really bad. Then a few years ago we got supposedly a new labor government in which was run by a younger man, and I think that everyone thought that him being younger and not from the war generation that there would be new ideas and a new approach to politics and that didn’t happen. Now what we’ve got is another young guy who think the same as Margaret Thatcher, so the whole thing has gone around in circles. It seems now-a-days that people are better off when in fact they are not. I would say it’s exactly the same, there is a new nuclear industry trying to be started in this country, so off we go again. READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP »»