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Tonight: Bethlehem Steel

Celebrated indie rockers Bethlehem Steel celebrate the release of their new self-titled album with a show tonight at Mohawk Place. The follow up to their much-lauded full length Party Naked Forever shows the band is continuing to evolve and hone their sound. With their loud, fuzzy punk ethos and cathartic lyricism, the band has become a mainstay of Brooklyn’s thriving indie scene. This release also showcases the addition of guitarist Christina Puerto, whose tasteful lead work fills out the band’s already established textures. The true standout on this record as always is lead singer Becca Ryskalczyk, whose soaring vocals continually ground the band. Her ability to seamlessly transition from a contemplative, reflective tone to suddenly channeling anger and frustration is thoroughly compelling. While a far cry from her days as a singer-songwriter, Ryskalczyk has an innate ability to captivate listeners, which is only highlighted by the outstanding musicianship of the[...]

Andrew Jackson Jihad w/Cheap Girls, Dogbreath at the Waiting Room (6/17/14)

Patrons arrived to “good news” on signs plastered near the entrance. The Waiting Room had a new owner. But because of that, the venue had to apply for a new liquor license. Thankfully, the no alcohol rule didn’t impact most of the young patrons who came to start a wave-like mosh pit for the headliner Andrew Jackson Jihad. Lansing’s Cheap Girls made notable Buffalo shout outs to Mohawk Place and local band Failures’ Union. Dogbreath won the award for best merch of the evening with a variety of colorful friendship bracelets, which this writer imagined were made to pass the time in the tour van. Written and Shot by Taryn Alper

Tonight: Andrew Jackson Jihad

Folk-punk duo Andrew Jackson Jihad, consisting of Sean Bonnette and Ben Gallaty, surely have a way with words. The first line that struck me from the group was “There’s a rapist and a Nazi living in our tiny hearts.” Even though the initial reaction is to sit back and protest—“I am certainly not a Nazi,” the underbelly of the statement means that we all can be evil, we all have the capability to damage and create chaos. Such is the vein that most of the songs AJJ runs along. They’re critical masters. In the song “FWP (Fuck White People)” they take a political dig at the larger representation of the good old USA “First they take the land, then they take the soil, and with their bloody hands, they dig for oil.” This past May, AJJ released Christmas Island, an album that featured a more orchestral sound. Lyrically, Sean Bonnette didn’t stray[...]

Andrew Jackson Jihad – Christmas Island

Andrew Jackson Jihad is the type of group that can make you want to laugh and cry at the same time. Their lyrics are undeniably witty and hit you with a punch, and after settle in with a pinch of reality. Christmas Island, their latest album-length release, is both cryptic and hard-hitting. Lyrically, the words resonate on a dual plane, touching on the beautiful and the ugly. Musically this album stands in line with their previous work, exploring more accompaniment but still following suit in a folk-punk tradition. “Temple Grandin,” the opening track, sets the tone for the rest of the work. Sean Bonnette’s voice comes off sounding more broken and exasperated than usual as he chimes the words, “open up your murder eyes and see the ugly world that spat you out.” It’s set in a lo-fi stage without bleeding together the separate components. In the backdrop, the organ[...]

Just Announced: Andrew Jackson Jihad & Cheap Girls

If you were at the Hold Steady show last week at the Town Ballroom, you know first hand how commanding Cheap Girls are. The boisterous indie-rock trio was just announced to be linking up with folk-punk outfit, Andrew Jackson Jihad, for a surely rousing night at the Waiting Room on Tuesday, June 17th. AJJ will be touring in support of their latest records, Christmas Island, set to drop on May 6th. Tickets go on sale this Friday, April 18th, for $15 in advance, $17 day of.