Babysitting Calamity Booking

I am happy to introduce you all to Cut The Cord – acoustic punk Mondays at the Middle East corner bar.

I’m at the Middle East right now, watching Jim McSweeney open the night with his song Small Gods. I’m trying to figure out when and how SBAP will be joining him. He always makes a fun entrance.

Also on stage tonight will be yours truly, plus Roach from The Murder, and we’re looking forward to a very special cameo from Joe Riot (Chanticlear, Pay ‘N Blood). Should be a great night all around!

Next week is a big show, too. We have Amy Griffin (Darkbuster, The Raging Teens) playing for us, as well as The Midnight Crows (feat. members of The Murder) and The Lady and Her Felon (feat. members of The Swaggerin’ Growlers), plus the first night of George Pratt’s residency! All in all, should be a spectacular start to August. Come in out of the heat. As always, every acoustic Monday is FREE.

That’s right, kids, today is the big day! The Swaggerin’ Growlers are performing publicly at Boston City Hall Plaza for the Cuervo Games 2010!

From the Cuervo Facebook event page:

CuervoGames is an epic new live competition coming to a city near you. Saturday July 24th we will be in Boston.

Be sure to check out the Games, and our free live music acts throughout the day. Its going to be epic!

Performing Live:

John Brown’s Body 9 PM
http://www.johnbrownsbody.com/

Rival Sons 7 PM
http://www.rivalsons.com/

The Swaggerin’ Growlers 5:30 PM
http://theswaggeringrowlers.com/

Stereo Telescope 4:30 PM
http://www.myspace.com/stereotelescope

It’s 10:18 pm, I’m sitting at the front table of the Middle East corner bar listening to Sharkfish. The band is comprised of Gwen and …crud, ZI can’t remember his name. I’ll find it out. He plays rockabilly looking slim hollow body, great tone, little reverb, little delay. She plays ukulele. They both sing. Right now they’re covering Moon River and they sound great. I love hearing really different voices blend.

The room has emptied out from the mildly late dinner crowd to almost just folks who have come out for the show, or maybe just to duck out of the rain into the first inviting place they saw. Either way, the lights are dimmed, and the atmosphere is as nice as the cool breeze that the rain brought tonight.

As I look at the people around me, I can guess at why they’re here. The three ladies at the next table over, one late twenties, one mid- to late thirties, and one probably a generation older. They stayed from dinner when the music started and even though it’s probably a little too loud for them, you can see the youth in all of their eyes. That moment of being cool by placement, and by recognizing something special.

Brit and Jaclyn and the boys are obviously here for Squallie – well, maybe Jaclyn partly for Squallie, Ska too. You can see the other bands, their friends, finding something new, catching up. Some just look at the stage, completely focused on the music. I’m torn, listening and writing at the same time.

Ok, so, wow. I feel like I’ve been on tour with all of the shows that have gone on in the past week! It’s been a crazy time, and I’ve loved every bit. Right now, I’m typing this while listening to brand new Not Quite The Interstate at Alcoholic Acoustic at The Middle East corner bar. We also had sets tonight from members of 4 Point Restraints and from yours truly. =)

Jonas says we only have two more songs until he covers Kelly Clarkson, which is both exciting and scary.

We have some big shows coming up, including The Swaggerin’ Growlers playing publicly at Boston City Hall Plaza and in Central Sq.

More soon!

Ok, so I’ve actually just arrived home from Scum of the Earth night, but I wanted to finish talking about last night’s show at the Middle East.

So, when we left off, our heroes were goners for sure. The evil Nasty McSkeevy had them tied to the…..wait, wrong post. The last post ended talking a little about the Radicals. They are definitely a band I’m looking to book more often.

The third band to play last night was SlackJaw, a 4-piece punk outfit based in Rock City Falls, NY. On their MySpace, they list their influences as: Street Dogs, Everybody Out!, Bouncing Souls, The Pogues, Social Distortion, NOFX, The Queers, Tha Ramones, The Young Dubliners, Flogging Molly, DropKick Murphy’s, Dark Buster, The Ducky Boys, Blood For Blood

Definitely a lot of Boston music in there, and I’ll tell you, they fit in really well on a Boston bill. I first met this band earlier in the year when The Swaggerin’ Growlers went out on a mini-tour (call it 2 out-of-town shows in 2 days) with The Furiousity. On the second show of the trip, we played Gloversville, NY with SlackJaw and our good friend Dead Aces (Albany, NY). It was a crazy show, random black metal bands set up on one wall of the bar, playing between sets. Not a ton of kids there, but definitely some, and they got into it. Anyway, SlackJaw killed it that night, and we invited them to Boston whenever we could work it out.

It didn’t take too long. SlackJaw just finished up a new CD called “Fed Up”, and the show at the Middle East was the first show of a month long tour they’ve booked to promote the CD. If you missed your chance to pick one up on Tuesday, they will be back to Boston within a couple of months, and you will have word of it here.

The night closed out with The Furiousity. I have loved this band from the beginning, but they have become much more cohesive since they started a couple of years ago. They have gotten past that new band smell into a close-knit group of musicians. There were a couple of rough spots in their set, but they had everyone dancing. Their energy sticks to you like gum in your hair, but in a good way, and that’s what makes seeing them live so much fun. Here’s a sample: they closed out the night with a cover of Joan Jett “Bad Reputation”, then one of their own songs “25 Can’t Drive”, a humorous song about still not being able to drive at 25 years of age.

Ok, my laptop’s about to die on me, and I need some sleep. I’ll try to write more tomorrow.

UP THE PUNKS

So, in keeping with having fresh content here, I’m in the back of the Middle East upstairs by the merch tables and electrical outlets. The Radicals are onstage playing their last couple of songs. I can see Nikki and Allie dancing in circles, holding hands.

Awful Man started the show tonight with a 20 minute set that left me wanting more, in a good way. Awful Man are a very new band, featuring former members of Witches With Dicks. They play an upbeat semi-melodic punk that reminds me of some of my favorite East Bay bands minus the ska, plus a little harder edge. The lyrics seem mostly personal, with some social commentary, mostly tongue in cheek. I’ll let you know more about it once I have a lyric sheet. What I can tell you is that this was an energetic set by some guys that have obviously been playing music together for a while and who are obviously all good friends. It sounded great and put me into a great mood. I got an advance copy of the tracks they’ll be releasing on an upcoming tape, and I am hooked. Once I get permission, I’ll post something for you guys and gals to soak up. Awful Man are based in Allston.

The Radicals are finishing up their set with the Time Warp. =) It’s kinda funny how often I’ve heard this song in the past few weeks randomly. Haha, they just stopped the song to teach a couple of the audience members how to actually do the Time Warp.

The Radicals are a 3-piece band based in Salem, MA. Their drummer does lead vocals on a lot of their songs, which, being a drummer myself, I know is tough as hell. But he does a great job at it – enough that I was looking around trying to find who was singing when their set started.

Now it’s just about set change time, with SlackJaw setting up, the The Furiousity. Good times all around. I’ll see if I can figure out how to get a few pics posted here on the site. Also, I have everything going up on my Facebook page. Just look for Chestnut Growler, you’ll find me.

More later…..

Hey all!

So, I’m trying to keep this a bit more steadily updated, so you folks can be in the know. Here’s the skinny on this week.

Tonight, Monday, July 5th
Alcoholic Acoustic Mondays @ The Middle East corner bar
Lenny Lashley
The Old Edison
Luke & Niki

10 pm – FREE!

Tuesday, July 6th
The Middle East upstairs

Slackjaw (upstate NY punk rock!)
The Furiousity
The Radicals
Awful Man

8pm Doors, 18+

Wednesday, July 7th
Scum of the Earth Wednesdays at McGann’s Pub

Division of Hate
Solo Saxx
1 TBA
cnut DJ’ing the best punk

Friday, July 9th
Dire Literary BBQ

Out of the Blue Art Gallery, back yard
106 Prospect St
Cambridge, Ma

$8 donation covers
Plate of food at 6 PM
Music at 7 PM with the Old Edison
Readings at 8 PM

Featured authors/readers

Michael Schiavone has been writing professionally since 2000. A graduate of Dickinson College and Motorcycle Mechanics Institute, Michael has worked as a stockbroker, a web content editor, a bartender, a teacher, and a lot in between. Currently he works as an Emergency Medical Technician and a Day Trader (read: gambler).
After spending many years in San Francisco and Santa Fe, he’s now returned to New England where he lives on Cape Ann with his wife, son, and three dogs. When not writing, Michael practices mixed martial arts (gets his ass kicked) and obsessively cleans his house.

His first novel, Call Me When You Land, is forthcoming from Permanent Press in 2011. His story collection, You’d Be Crazy Not to Love It Here, is represented by Barbara Braun Associates, Inc.
Currently he’s at work on his next novel, Drive-Thru Redemption.

George Wallace Based in New York and a regular on the performance scene, George Wallace — author of eighteen chapbooks of poetry — tours nationally and internationally to read his work at cafes, universities and festivals. A trained musician as well as a master poet, he has performed from the Bowery Poetry Club to Carnegie Hall, from the Beat Museum to Woodstock, from Boston to Fort Lauderdale, and from the Dylan Thomas Centre to Shakespeare & Co, Paris and Cindy Sheehan’s 2005 protest encampment in Crawford Tx. He appears frequently in the United Kingdom from Cornwall to Cumbria and London to Liverpool, and has read in Italy, Ireland, Denmark and Greece. And he’s appeared at many festivals across United States, from the Woody Guthrie Festival, Lowell Celebrates Kerouac, Howlfest and Kenneth Patchen Festival to the Insomniacathon in Lexington, Kentucky. Praised for the ‘Whitmanian breadth’ of his voice, and his distinctive merger of bop prosody and surreal commentary, recent years have seen Wallace on stage in collaboration with musicians or on the card with them — a list that includes David Amram, Thurston Moore, DJ Spooky, John Sinclair, Paul Winston, Joan Baez, Steve Earle and Levon Helm. Among his associations are such Beat, Post-Beat, Progressive and Alternative figures as John Cassady, Steve Dalachinsky, Ira Cohen, Peter Max, Charles Plymell, Janine Pommy Vega, Andy Clausen, Antler, Bob Holman, AD Winans, Donovan and others.

Chestnut Growler reading from How Punk Rock Saved My Ass.

Punk Rock Saved My Ass

Our newly published anthology. A world wide collaboration of authors influenced by the cultural storm called “Punk Rock.” For some it was a shelter from youthful angst, for others, an artistic outlet, or a way to rage, but all agree that it changed their lives forever. This book comes from the voices of bakers, computer geeks, performance artist, poets, writers musicians, parents and more. You’ll never listen to a punk rock song again the same way after you read Punk Rock Saved My Ass.

Saturday, July 10th

TT the Bear’s Place

Altercation Recording Artists
Born To Lose
The Swaggerin’ Growlers
Glitter & Lies (AKA The Designer Drugs)
Wicked Whiskey

That’s right, folks! Babysitting Calamity Booking is happy to announce that we have been given a month of Mondays again. This time we’re taking over Monday nights in May at the Middle East corner bar.

FREE!!!!

Monday, May 10th – Olde Boy, Not Quite The Interstate, Jima

It’s a night of Southie acoustic anthems and heartbreak as Olde Boy (The Swaggerin’ Growlers, The Old Edison), Not Quite The Interstate, and Jima take to the stage.

Monday, May 17th features Jonny Swagger (The Swaggerin’ Growlers), The Lady & Her Felon (The Swaggerin’ Growlers, Faulty Conscience) and Rory! (The Old Edison).

FREE!!!

You can expect some old tyme music, some favorites, some new stuff, and as always, a great free night of entertainment.

Monday, May 24th – Y’all ready for this?

Squallie Greenthumb (this guy needs no introduction)
All the Animals (the best acoustic band you haven’t heard yet)
Red Lanterns (Great acoustic performer I found through the Midway Cafe)

Monday May 31st – End the month out right!!! FREE acoustic alcoholic madness at the Middle East corner bar.

The Lady & Her Felon (Chestnut & Annie from The Swaggerin’ Growlers. Love and crime, you’ll love it!)
Catherine Joyce & Friends (You must see this set!)
The Pity Whores (Wormtown punk in a whole different setting. These guys can and probably will out drink you!)

Don’t miss it!

Hello all! Just a quick note to update, a full post comes later.

New shows will be going up by early next week. We are happy to announce that we have Alcoholic Mondays at the Middle East corner again in May. Lineups are pretty close to set in stone for all dates – get ready for some new faces to go along with your favorites.

Also, we have several great punk shows in the works, with the Middle East upstairs and the Midway Cafe both included in the fun.

See you at the next show!
cnut

We’re happy like a plant turned to the sun! It’s confirmed, we have 4 Monday night acoustic shows coming up in March at the Middle East corner bar. You’ll see some familiar faces and hear some new voices. All shows are free and begin at 10, unless we can get them to let us start earlier. Your trek out on Monday will guarantee you some tunes, a place to drink, and folks to drink with. And really, who of us doesn’t need a couple beers and some good music after the horrors of Monday?

We’re still nailing down one or two slots, but so far what we’re looking at is as follows.:

Monday, March 1st – Chestnut & Julian (Faulty Conscience), Jim McSweeney & Dan Persons – This show was a lot of fun
Monday, March 8th – Joey Riot, The Lady & Her Felon, Midnight Crows
Monday, March 22nd – Olde Boy, Caitlin Ford, The Lady & Her Felon
Monday, March 29th – Sonny Jim, Dan Persons, Jonny Swagger on the corner plus Chaser’s birthday at the Upstairs

All of these shows are FREE. There are also free events going on next door at TT the Bear’s on most of these nights also, so double up!

Alcoholic Acoustic sets will start at 10 pm on the Middle East corner stage.

See you there!

*Edit: I filled in the rest of the scheduled acts above. All information is current.*