Photos: The Super Vacations / Gary War at the Zodiac

Last weekend featured a plethora of dope shows, from the epic Floristree matinee, to the Baltimore Afrobeat Society, to the Jesus Camp Sunday Mass(ive). Saturday night the Zodiac sported two fine groups of SHDWPLY fame, and man did they bring it.

Gary War and The Super Vacations both rocked pop songs of the faded and warped variety, and proved just as good live as they are on record. The Super Vacations seem to have perfected jaded surf pop, and I for one am heavily anticipating their 2010 full length with SHDWPLY. Look for more on these guys here in the coming months, and cop the Henry 7 inch if you haven't already done so.

Peep below for the full photo set of The Super Vacations and Gary War at the Zodiac.


Photos by Valerie

Clusterf*ck: Shows in Baltimore this Weekend

This weekend isn't so much a clusterfuck, as their seems to be a pretty clear path of adventures to choose. These particular adventures also happen to be some of the raddest in awhile.

Friday night, I suggest kind of sort of taking it easy. There's a lot ahead of you, and burning out too quickly this weekend will result in failure. However, with a 25 piece band covering Fela Kuti tunes for the masses, this might prove difficult.

The Baltimore Afrobeat Society is holding their yearly event at the H&H, dubbing it this year the "Fela Anikulapo Kuti Dance Party". This is always a great event, and provides plenty of an ass-shaking good time. The event is kindly asking for 10 bucks, and the show starts at 11. Sleep in late after this one, as Saturday will provide a full day's worth of awesomeness.

Saturday is the epic throwdown at Floristree, with four of Baltimore's biggest bands on one bill. Double Dagger, Ponytail, Videohippos, and Ecstatic Sunshine will all melt faces in grand fashion. This is a rare matinee show, with doors opening at 3 PM and the show starting at 4 PM.

Each band will perform two sets, with video intermissions in between each set compliments of Mark Brown, Evan Devine, Matt Porterfield, and Robby Rackleff. This show has absolutely zero potential of sucking, and might prove to be one of the more epic lineups of 2009. Double Dagger even promised a taco cart in an email yesterday... a taco cart people!

After having your mind completely blown all afternoon, head to the Zodiac to continue adventuring. SHDWPLY heavyweights, The Super Vacations, will be in town with labelmates Gary War. More on their new jams here, and opening will be the always entrancing Lands and Peoples.

If you are still alive after Saturday, and man will you hope you will be, this Sunday proves not just to be the day of rest. Jesus Camp (megachurch in Hampden) is throwing their first big big show, with Future Islands, Javelin, Grandchildren, Mark Brown, and 400 Cloaks (Meredith Moore, Andrew Burt). This lineup is stacked from start to finish, and should prove worth heading out on a Sunday. Javelin is responsible for one the best remixes on the new Future Islands remix 12 inch by Free Danger, and the rest should keep it more than interesting as well.

And then, sleep.

The Super Vacations - Henry 7 inch / Zodiac on Saturday

The Super Vacations sport a knack for conquering their brand of East Coast garage surf pop, as their 2008 debut record on SHDWPLY still frequents my turntable. Dudes are back with a 7 inch on SHDWPLY Records, and also have another LP in the works you can look for in 2010.

You can catch The Super Vacations at the Zodiac this Saturday night. They are booked with label mates and Whartscape alum Gary War, and also with local dream folk outfit Lands ands Peoples (grab their set from Soft Fest). Tracks from Henry and more after the click.

The Henry seven inch features 4 songs, with "Henry" and "The Void" rounding out side A, and "Ten Second Freakout" along with "The Paradise" on side B. The tracks all show progression up against their 2008 full length, but still the same fuzzy likability. Think early early Built to Spill crossed with Dick Dale, and some 13th Floor Elevators thrown in the mix for good measure.

These are faded surf rock tunes soaked in waves of melody and drenched in raw sound. The song structure has become more focused, and the production even beefed up a bit. Drunken guitar chords paired with warped and faded vocals are still at the forefront, but have more purpose. I am most certainly anxiously awaiting the next LP.

Stream "The Void", or download this one and "10 Second Freakout" via No Conclusion.

After the monster of a matinée show at Floristree on Saturday, hit up the Zodiac.

Random Whartscape Spotlight: Gary War

This year's Whartscape mostly focuses on artists from around the 'hood, but also welcomes those from round yonder as well. Gary War fits the yonder category with perfection, as his origin seems to go unknown.

Permanent residence or not, Gary War is a ridiculously busy entity. Dude's got a bunch of tapes and vinyl already released with Shdwply and Sacred Bones, and more on the way with Woodsist.

It seems apparent that his nomadic behavior reigns true in both physical space and aural recordings. His debut full length dropped on Shdwply last year, titled New Raytheonport. Completely drenched in lo fidelity neo-pop, this LP was one of my favorite releases of last year that for the most part went completely overlooked.

Ariel Pink helped produce New Raytheonport, and it's incredibly easy to tell. Like Pink, Gary War's ability to write psychedelic dream-tone jams seems to flow effortlessly. This collection of synthy lounge tunes is truly unique, and feels as if it could have come out of three different decades...all at once.

You can download the album for free or buy it (recommended) over at his blog, along with a bunch of other releases of his. Gary War plays Whartscape during the day on Sunday at the MICA parking lot.

PC Worship: NYC Stone Age

Justin Frye hails from both the psychedelic echoes of Gary War and the tribal chaos that is Teeth Mountain. His own project is dubbed PC Worship, of which he just dropped NYC Stone Age via SHDWPLY Records.

With plenty of contemporary lo fi choices at your disposal, some of the best as of late have come from the SHDWPLY label.

My personal favorite was the The Super Vacations debut LP, but PC Worship is creeping its way up there. Surely a grower, the album boasts sonic noise paired with varying blends of off kiltered neo-psychalelia.

The LP was recorded from 2006-2009 in Brooklyn on a four track reel-to-reel tape machine. Plenty of fuzz throughout, Frye dabbles in frenetic free jazz, woozy folk, and shades of psych pop. The record is limited to 200 or so copies, all with hand made silk screen white covers, and unfortunately looks to be way sold out. However, you can download the entire thing for free right here.

Gary War

SHDWPLY Records is home to must-hear Baltimore, Virginia, and other more nomadic artists alike. The label has dropped some seriousness as of late, and plans on continuing to do so. I already gabbed about The Super Vacations and Teeth Mountain's LPs, but indeed there is more.

Gary War rocks the psych post punk whatever with more vocal echoes and guitar bliss than you can shake a stick at. His debut record, New Raytheonport, is out now on SHDWPLY and Disaro. He's also got a single dropping in the fall on Sacred Bones.

From what I've heard off the label's promo, more good things are in store for the future. Check out some Gary War tunage for now below, and check back for more new stuff.

The Super Vacations & Teeth Mountain

Everybody loves vacations. Especially super ones. And if everyone loved gritty lo-fi pop music, that would be cool too. The Super Vacations provide songcraft reminiscent of Dennis Wilson filtered through production similar to Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti. Signed to SHDWPLY RECORDS, they share the same label as Gary War and Teeth Mountain.

Balitmore's Teeth Mountain have also just released an LP, which the first 100 were released on limited edition blue vinyl. Not just pretty on the outside, the tribal electro soul beated record surges effortlessly. I missed them at whartscape, but plan to document live coverage asap.

With age, I'd expect to hear more from me about all 3 artists. Buy their debut albums here or here right now. Hopefully another triple-billed tour is in the works.