Video: Hollywood - "(Scary) Cemetary"

Baltimore's jaded-garage party kids Hollywood are back in action with a new LP, and they just dropped a video to prove it. Looks like Halloween came early this year, guys.



"(Scary) Cemetary" is from the forthcoming Stunts LP, and the video was directed by Evan Devine. The new album is due out on Big Neck, and will be commemorated with a release show upstairs at the Ottobar on August 28 with Roomrunner, and Lady Piss.

Tonight: King Tuff, Hollywood, Heavy Cream

Tonight the Golden West has  fun one with King Tuff coming to town. He'll be joined by Baltimore's always awesome Hollywood, along with Heavy Cream and The Bam Bams.



This show starts at 10 PM tonight, costs $7, and you can RSVP here.

Photos: The Spits, No Bunny, The Points, Hollywood

Last Thursday night The Spits roared into town, giant red-eyed skull and all, and played Sonar with Nobunny, The Points, and Hollywood. This show was a great party in every regard, with killer sounds to accompany the antics. Nobunny are always a good time as you can see from the photos, and The Spits' version of sludged-out no-wave punk rock was fantastic as well.

Valerie shot the whole affair, and you can peep the full set below.

The Spits




Nobunny




The Points


Hollywood



Photos by Valerie

Tomorrow: The Spits, Nobunny, Hollywood @ Sonar

Tomorrow night Sonar's got a killer one that's pretty much guaranteed to be a rootin' tootin' good time. Baltimore welcomes the The Spits, Nobunny, and The Points to town, and pairs them all with our favorite blaze-rock band Hollywood. This monster of a show is brought to us by Unregistered Nurse.

The Spits are from Seattle, and have been making nu-wave drenched punk music for about ten years. Their catalog is extensive and certainly worth checking out, with four self-titled full lengths out on multiple labels. They are known for putting on a hell of a show, and should prove to be a healthy closer for the evening.

Last time Nobunny came around, things like this happened...





Enough said. Get convinced to go even more with videos after the jump.

Clusterf*ck: Shows in Baltimore this Weekend

poster by Nolen Strals

Another weekend in Baltimore, and another overly healthy portion of shows to attend. My apologies for the sparse content this week, as I've been obsessing over getting the Friends Records website ready. Looks like we're launching it Monday, so look out for some fresh sights/sounds to come then. But for now, this weekend rules...

Tonight the Golden West features Gunslingers and Liturgy. In a weekend chock full of really loud things, this one will help get you nicely prepared for what's to come. Gunslingers refer to themselves as "massacre-rock" and are from France, while Liturgy are fairly inventive dark metal from New York. Also awesome and from New York, A Place to Bury Strangers are in town tonight opening up for The Big Pink at Rams Head.

Friday night, Ruintown hosts the DNA Test Fest pre-party with Pfisters, Twin Stumps, The Chickens, Mother Sun Flower, and more. This one's $5 or free with purchase to Test Fest the following night at Sonar. Also Friday, the Fiery Furnaces are at the Ottobar.

Events and happenings for Saturday and Sunday after the jump.





DNA Test Fest III is Saturday, going down in two rooms at Sonar. There are alot of bands playing, and many of which don't come through these parts too often. The hype for this show has been across the boards on a regional and national level, and many kudos to Fan Death for making it happen. Highlights include, and are not limited to, Lamps (above) Pissed Jeans, Twin Stumps, Sightings, Psychedelic Horseshit (above), Neon Blud, and yeah... lot's more.

Over at Floristree Saturday, Josh Dibb is back in town and is now referred to as Deakin again (as opposed to Deacon when he played at the Ottobar on New Years). He'll be joined by The Present, Ecstatic Sunshine, Vows, and Salamander Wool. And lastly, for the more conventional songwriting type, Caleb Stine is at the Golden West with Among Wolves and Noble Lake.



And this weekend's grand finale, a rager of a release party at the Hexagon Sunday night with Double Dagger, Sick Weapons (above), Hollywood, and Dope Body. Bring cash for this one, because you'll surely want to grab Masks, Birthday Gift, and Some Stunts. I spoke with Ellie of Sick Weapons a few weeks ago, and it'll be good to see them after their run around the states.

And, sleep.

Photos: Vincent Black Shadow & Hollywood @ Golden West

Last Friday the Golden West offered some freak rock on the cheap, with local psych scorchers Vincent Black Shadow and garage cave brawlers Hollywood both playing some rock songs. Chrissy was there to capture the action, and you can check out her full photo set of the evening after the click.

Hollywood




Vincent Black Shadow





Photos by Chrissy

Clusterf*ck: Shows in Baltimore this Weekend

This weekend is the first clusterf*ck of 2010, and likely to be the first of many here in Baltimore. While there are a hefty amount of musical things to choose from, schedules don't get really cluttered until Saturday night.

Saturday night also plays host to a football game, as the Ravens battle a team that stole football from Baltimore just a month after I was born. Man, was I one pissed off little dude.

Find out what else is up in the city that reads this weekend after the click.

The highlight of Friday night is in Hampden, where the Golden West is offering "Freak Rock on the Cheap". For just three dollars you get three great rock bands, including Vincent Black Shadow, Hollywood, and Pilgrim. Not a bad way to spend three bucks on a Friday, and all three bands should be sure to get your ears nice and blasted.

Another option Friday night is at the Ottobar. Psych rock is bountiful with Bad Liquor Pond, The Flying Eyes, Whoarfrost, and Deaf Scene all sharing the bill. This one starts at 9 PM and is all ages.

Height with Friends is at the Hexagon Saturday night, and as if his supporting cast wasn't already strong enough the bill also includes Moss of Aura, Food for Animals, Mickey Free, and American Folklore. Look for some super exciting things to come from Height with Friends in 2010, as I'll have some info on this for you in the coming months.

Also Saturday, you can catch Dope Body and Sick Weapons at the Penthouse Gallery. Both acts are quickly becoming among some of our favorite live bands in Baltimore, and this show should prove to be a good time. If you need your eardrums damaged at an even higher level on Saturday, hit up the Zodiac to catch the dark metal Brooklyn band Liturgy.

Sunday night also has a good one at the Penthouse Gallery, as Jason Urick and Ecstatic Sunshine help you wind down after a fun weekend. This is their tour send-off show, before they head up to NYC and onward to tour Europe together.

Photos: Hollywood, Internet Explorers, and more

Hollywood, Internet Explorers, Liquor Store, and Highest Power all rocked the Hexagon Tuesday night, presented by No Rave. Hollywood's next show is at the Golden West with Vincent Black Shadow, one of the many bands you'll find at Aural States Fest II. Valerie attended this Hexagon show, and took photos that you can peep after the click.

Internet Explorers


Highest Power


Liquor Store


Hollywood



Photos by Valerie

Photos: Hollywood at the Golden West

Photos by Chrissy Abbott

Hollywood lit up the Golden West last Thursday, and Chrissy walked down the street to take pictures of it. She dug them again, and so did I at Hampdenfest when they were one of the day's highlights. Unfortunately, yet also fortunately, I was at the Windup enjoying Air Waves and The Art Department. Click below for the full Hollywood set.

Look for some photos soon of the show the same night at the Windup Space, as Valerie and I were in attendance. Chrissy took some real nice shots of Hollywood, view all of them below, and be sure to check these guys out next go 'round.

Photo Review: Hampdenfest 2009

Photos by Chrissy

Hampdenfest 2009 went down Saturday, and even with mother nature giving her version of a mist tent all day long it was a grand ol' time. This is easily the best neighborhood festival Baltimore has to offer, always displaying a diverse array of quality music.

Sick Weapons (photo set below) are quickly becoming one of my favorite local live acts, and seem to get tighter each time I see them. They were an intriguing crew to catch in the family-friendly environment, and had to build some new tweaks into their set. In particular, there was a new horn section made up of Ellie Beziat's fist which substituted for curse words. I think it helped to bring in a wider audience, as I even witnessed a five year old pulling some nasty breakbeat hanstand twirls in cadence with the raging guitars.

The photo set up top is of Vincent Black Shadow's excellent performance. These guys have been pretty fantastic the last couple times I've seen them, and Saturday's jaunt in the dreary overcast setting proved no different. Their persistent mastery of psychedelic punk continued heavily last weekend, and checking them out with Monotonix down in DC October 13th would be worth heading south down the BW Parkway.

Hollywood were also pretty stellar on the Roland Ave stage. Dude's all ripped it pretty heartily, as they thrashed some gutter rock riffs that kept things nice and dirty. Hollywood's got another show coming up at the Golden West on the 24th. Buzzing guitars were certainly a theme of this year's Hampedenfest, and I'm all for more of it next year.

Below are the other flash galleries, but click here for links to Sick Weapons' set and Hollywood's set. Both of which are also shot by Chrissy.

Hampdenfest 2009 Schedule

Hampdenfest is back, and the music lineup is chock full of some of the city and region's finest. The festivities go down this Saturday, September 12th on the Avenue.

Festival organizers did a great job picking out bands this year, and with three stages there are some tough decisions to make. Imperial China and Vincent Black Shadow both play at 3 PM, and choosing between these two face-melters should prove difficult.

So hit up the Brewer's Art stand for a Resurrection or two, and watch some great live music this Saturday for free. Full schedule below:

ATOMIC BOOKS STAGE (36th & Falls Rd)
11AM - (marching through the festival) Barrage Band Orchestra
12PM -Ambuvega
1PM - Witch Hat
2PM - Sick Weapons
3PM - Imperial China
4PM - Caverns
5PM - The Jennifers
6PM - Al & The Kaydas

THE ROLAND STAGE (36th St. between Roland & Elm)
12PM - Baltimore School of Rock
1PM - Rosemary Stretch
2PM - Hollywood
3PM - Vincent Black Shadow
4PM - The Snowmen
5PM - Middle East
6PM - Caleb Stine

CHESTNUT STAGE (36th & Chestnut)
12PM - DragonSong
1PM - Surroundings
2PM -Desert Boys
3PM -The Mishaps
4PM -Sick Sick Birds
5PM - The Degenerettes
6PM - TT Tucker & The Bum Rush

Aural States Fest

The Aural States Fest is this weekend. Friday night @ Sonar feautures some of Baltimore's finest: Arbouretem, Wye Oak, and Small Sur. The 2 staged event also boasts Caverns, Imperial China, Lo Moda, Hollywood, Pleasant Livers, Andy Abelow, and Cannot Be Stopped. Hot damn.

All for only 10 bucks, its a pretty ridiuclous and diverse bill all around. Get there early enough on Friday and you might get a free goodie bag with CDs, MP3s, and merch. The fun continues Saturday night at the Whole Gallery with CEX and Craig Sopo.

Click here for free MP3's of the bands.

Reptilian's Physical Presence is Extinct

Longtime local record slinger Reptilian Records is shutting down shop January 18th. With the new location never quite taking off, the record shop is forced focus efforts digitally.

In a recent press release, Chris X claims "Major changes, tectonic shifts, secret machinations, and evolution revolution are taking place!" The record label and book publisher will be still be in tact, while the online store is beefed up so the kids can download songs to those new-fangled iPod thingamajigs.

Hit the store up for a blowout sale January 18 that will be capped off by a show at the Ottobar that boasts Sick Weapons and Hollywood.