Trash Fest at Miramar Theater October 23 with Three On Fire

I remember playing a benefit concert for the members of Milwaukee's Three On Fire. Ironically, their house had caught fire, and they lost everything. That was 20+ years ago. Three On Fire will be performing a reunion show during Trash Fest at the Miramar Theater this Saturday.

Trash Fest is an annual event that draws from Milwaukee's finest musicians. There are real bands and bands that just get together for one night on the bill. This year Trash Fest headline acts include Aqua-Knots, Pissofficer, VSO, and the Nervous Virgins. Doors open at 7:30.

Miramar Theater and Latest Flame Records Presents Fu*k Face

Latest Flame Records and the Miramar Theater join forces on July 10 for a show that has been fifteen years in the making. I'm talking about Fuck Face from Milwaukee. They broke up a long time ago, but the fire never went out. As luck would have it, there was a full length album waiting to be released. The band never put the record out after a contract dispute, coupled with a bit of band infighting. Would the masses enjoy this record so long after it was put down digitally?

So far, the only crazy Fuck Face review started out like this: "..Fuck Face is easily in the top5 strangest musical experiences I've been given during my seven year span as a music critic." The AV Club Fuck Face review added: "Fuck face lived to pound skulls and flay minds with a crushing ensemble of guitars, bass, three drummers ."

Yes, these eight men and one woman have put down some miles between the summer of 1995 and the upcoming tour. Will Fuck Face have what it takes to live up to the hype? I caught up with two members and asked that question directly. Dave S. the singer, and Danny K. the band's guitar player both agreed that the preparation for this mini-tour started three months ago. "I feel like we could have gone on the road after the first month of rehearsals" said Dave. "We have one drummer here in Milwaukee, and he's playing all the parts as best he can until the other three fly in." Yes, the band members have scattered to the four corners of the world. Ok, perhaps they have scattered to two corners of the United States, and one corner of Europe to be exact, but the mere fact that three of the four drummers have agreed to take time out of their lives to come to old Milwaukee tells me that they will be prepared.

Fuck Face plays Chicago July 9, at Quenchers, July 10 Miramar Theater, July 11 at Crunchy Frog in Green Bay. From there, the band will scatter once again. That's the way it should be. No long, drawn out, cobbled together remakes for these guys. See this band.

Latest Flame Records Releases Fuc*Face Disk

Latest Flame Records, a Chicago label that ferrets out some of the best music in the Midwest has dug up a truffle. FuckFace performed from 1991 to 1996. The lineup included members of Die Kreuzen, Boy Dirt Car, The Crusties and more. They made music that fell into a category all their own. I know that some bands would love to be called unique, while others just want to be just like (fill in the blank.) Fuc*Face had up to four drummers on stage at once. On top of that, there was Karl, the metal percussionist. His job was to provide the uppermost notes that humans are capable of hearing. There were no snares, cymbals allowed on stage so Karl was the man that brought the crunch to life. He did that by banging on a veritable scrap yard of steel, aluminum and the like. Heck, he could get a good sound out of a folding chair if need be.

Backing this drum core was a pair of guitar players, a bass player and Dave the "singer." Dave used his vocals to pull you down so deep into the water, that you thought you would never come back up to the surface again. Yes, Dave would also smash his masked face with a metal rod, but it was alway in time with the music.

Fuc*Face will be performing a three city tour this July. This is in support of their new self titled disk. FuckFace recorded a full length CD in 1996, it was due to be released that same year, but issues with the label killed the deal. Latest Flame heard it through the grapevine that there was a FuckFace disk waiting to come to life, and they jumped on it. From there, the former members felt that it was important to back up the release with a few show. This will be no easy task, as the the members of FuckFace are scattered over continents.

The tour starts in Chicago, and ends in Green Bay. This is a third coast tour. So far the reviews of the Fuc*Face disk have been positive, save for the young lady who considered it to be one of the "top five strangest things she's ever had to review." If you know Fuc*Face, even that comment is a positive. Fuc*Face performs at the Miramar Theater Milwaukee July 10.

Lemon Lounge hosts Binky Tunny show December 3rd in Milwaukee

I know this is a short notice post, but you might want to head on down to Lemon Lounge on Oakland Avenue in Milwaukee. Lemon Lounge is right next to the Miramar Theater, which is across the street from the best Middle Eastern Restaurant in Milwaukee. Whoa, that's a wild way to give you directions to the Binky Tunny show.

Anyway, Binky Tunny has their new disk available. The disk is aptly titled Black Sheep Chronicles. It's all about love, love lost, keeping your man in check, using a gun if necessary to keep your man in check, the wants and needs of any modern rock and roll woman, and more! That's also a wild way to describe the Binky Tunny CD, but hey, this is my blog.

Ok, to recap, Lemon Lounge, Binky Tunny disk titled Black Sheep Chronicles, Miramar Theater, Middle Eastern Restaurant, Milwaukee night out. Woo!

ACDC Bradley Center Show Delayed

Brian Johnson has had some serious stomach problems as of late. They finally got the best of him, and as a result, the Milwaukee show at the Bradley Center has been postphoned. For their age, these guys tour pretty hard. When I look at their tour schedule, I do see days off inbetween four and five show runs, but still, that's enough work to take a toll on the body.

Tickets for that AC/DC show will most likely be honored for the new date. Doctors working Brian Johnson over said that he needs rest. It's not about his throat, it's about his stomach.

As for a local plug, I'm heading down to the Miramar Theater this Saturday night. My wife loves ska music, and she has a patient who plays in the band The Invaders. They play with Mustard Plug, Deals Gone Bad, and Car Full of Midgets. Show starts at 8pm.

I practiced a gig in Bill's studio last month, and on the way out of his space, he played some raw tracks to a rockabilly band he is recording. He used two microphones for the drums and it sounded killer! I have been trying to recreate that sound in my own studio, as best I can. Granted, I only have a pair of Oktava large condenser microphones, but we will see what kind fo sound I can get.

Sacred Order, Milwaukee punk from the 1980's

Way back when, there was this great Wisconsin punk band named Sacred Order. I say way back when because the original line-up featuring Jay Tiller, Mike Podolak, Chip, and Beezer were the top-end Sacred Order. Chip moved on to The Crusties, Jay Tiller started Couch Flambeau, leaving Beezer and Mike to rotate other mates into the mix. Damien Strigenz, and Don Nelson moved into Sacred Order in the later years. Those are the guys you will hear on the 2004 Last Rites DVD/CD from WMSE and Push Button Gadget. I don't know what line-up will be on the stage at The Miramar Theater on November 10th, but I am certain that it will crush.

Prog rock anyone? Mirmar Theater Milwaukee

"The Miramar Theatre will host the first annual MARS Festival (Milwaukee Art Rock Showcase) and it will feature international groups Hamadryad of Montreal and Karcius from France, top-selling bands on indie label Unicorn Records.
Milwaukee's own Dimension X will debut their new album, "Implications of a Genetic Defense." An eclectic mix of prog and art rock will fill 13 hours of music with Wisconsin bands Far Corner, Strange Land, Quark Quintet, Aziola Cry, and Orphonic Orchestra also headlining.
Action will also take place on a second stage with Engine of Earth, and soloists Kurt Michaels, Sean Gill, Julie B., Drew Rittgers and more. From Quark Quintet's eerie instrumentals to Dimension X's heavy prog there will be something for every rock taste.
Performances will begin at 11a.m. and continue past midnight. This is an all- ages show with a separate bar open to those with proper ID." - from Onmilwaukee.com