Friday, May 15, 2009
Cream Calendar / Wow Road Trip to Memphis: A Bunch of Good Bands to Play Gonerfest 2009
Posted by Emily Bartlett Hines on Fri, May 15, 2009 at 7:05 AM
This year, we've already seen the scheduled lineups for all sorts of indie rock music festivals: Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Pitchfork. The blogosphere was abuzz, and why not? There are so many things to love about an indie rock festival. It's like a vacation where you get to see a lot of bands for a (relatively) cheap price, get drunk during the day and meet new people who might turn out to be hot. But there's one fact about indie rock festivals that you just can't avoid: They have indie rock bands at them. For some of us, that precludes the sort of joyous exuberance that should be the province of music fandom.
I know, I know, they're not all bad. But what if instead, you could see a bunch of garage, weirdo-punk, shit-fi, power-pop and budget-rock bands? Wouldn't that be even better? I think so, at least, so I was pleased to see that Goner Records just posted a partial list of who will be playing this year at Gonerfest 6. The event, "three nights of rock & roll insanity," will take place in Memphis Sept. 24 through 26, and the site vaguely assures us
that tickets go on sale "soon." Doesn't say how much passes will cost, but they were $50 last year, I think?
The biggest news is that influential Kiwi-pop/first-wave punk band The Clean will be there. Whoa! Other than that, a few I'm looking forward to seeing are: Nobunny, who play Ramones-derived loud, scuzzy bubblegum with tons of energy, wit and fresh ideas (and made No. 1 on Jay Reatard's best of 2008 list); beloved Columbus garage-punk institution Cheater Slicks; and Memphis up-and-comers Useless Eaters, who have yet to release an LP, but have already impressed me with their paranoid, raw-sound first single "Agoraphobic."
But I haven't heard all the bands on this list, so what do you think, readers? Also, this list is only partial, and Goner will probably add about 15-ish more bands by the time they're done. Watch this space for further updates! Whom else would you like to see?
Comments (14)
Showing 1-14 of 14
I was gonna say Oh Sees but then I follow the link and they're on there.
But HOLY SHIT! Compulsive Gamblers!! And I'm also psyched for Ty Segall.
I really wish the Oblivians/Gories thing was happening for more than 2 shows.
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I've only heard of NoBunny and Box Elders. I would like to see Sic Alps and Demon's Claws.
Saving the best for last...Party City USA, aka Layflats aka Lafayette, IN. The Mans, Half Rats, Ryan Pits and the Boy Toys, Sweet Sixteens, TV Ghost, The Minivans?
Damn, that looks good too! Sweet Sixteens are awesome. Any word on when the official lineup is going to be released, Layflats?
I would also like to see the Guinea Worms & Eat Skull.
I've never heard the Compulsive Gamblers, what do they sound like?
Compulsive Gamblers is Greg and Jack Oblivian and two other guys whose names I can't remember. They actually put out their first records before the Oblivians formed, but re-formed after the breakup.
To me they kinda recall Time Bomb High School-era Reigning Sound or a little harder edged Box Tops. Definitely more of a seedy Memphis soul sound. Gamblin' Days Are Over is a great one to start with.
My comment shall be itemized.
*Thee Oh Sees, Box Elders, Intelligence, Earthmen & Strangers, King Louie (Loose Diamonds), Sic Alps, Tyvek, and Eat Skull all played the last Goner Fest (and were all amazing), so I wouldn't expect too many repeats.
*I'd like to see The Hunches or The Hospitals, Mean Jeans, Jeffrey Novak's solo stuff.
*I'll be long gone from TN by the time this rolls around, but I'm gonna do my damndest to be there.
*Still pissed this gets a writeup, but the Gories/Oblivians reunion hasn't.
*Nashville needs more Memphis.
Oh, and still playing the 'bands I wish would play' game:
The Strange Boys, A F C G T, Something Fierce, Knyfe Hyts, Submarine Races, Gentleman Jesse, Mika Miko. I'm realizing now the futility of this activity.
Vote here for best Band of the Week
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