Mike Bones
Hundred Eyes
S-S-S-Spectres
Ex Models
East River Park NYC
Jun 23 2007
sponsored by
WWWhatsup Online Pinstand
with thanks to East River Music Project and Secret Project Robot
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PUNKCAST#1169 Mike Bones Hundred Eyes S-S-S-Spectres Ex Models East River Park NYC Jun 23 2007 sponsored by WWWhatsup Online Pinstand with thanks to East River Music Project and Secret Project Robot |
| 'Chrome Hearts' |
| The opening day of the East River Music Project's 2007 concert series occurred on the Saturday of the first really hot weekend of the NYC summer, the same day as the annual Gay Pride Parade. The show was curated by Secret Project Robot and a line-up that would have done the old Mighty Robot proud had been procured, including, remarkably, the first time the full 4-piece Ex Models had played together in 3 years, and Hundred Eyes - the new band from the Tall Boys girls. First up was singer/songwriter Mike Bones, who has a record due out later in the year on Social Registry. He entertained in a self-effacing folky minstrel fashion, given edge by the fact he was strumming a majorly distorted SG. I've picked 'No Pussy Blues' - a Grinderman cover - which he was too embarrassed to announce the title of, or deliver the punchline, but sang with conviction, and his closer 'Everybody's Always Coming Down On Me'. Hundred Eyes are a thoroughly existential experience, raw and ethereal. Vanessa and Aviva are joined by Nick Ray from Vive L'American Death Ray Music, dressed today like the Grand Mufti, and Joe from Pterodactyl. Tunes range from loosely structured songs to total improvisation with Nick mashing his vocals through multiple audio effects. I've picked a piece of pure improv from early in the set and then the cathartic closer, the politically dubiously titled 'White Supremacy' - in which you can see Vanessa play sax and bass at the same time. S-S-S-Spectres, in contrast, are tightly arranged. One's heard of concept albums, but they actually came up here with the concept show - their whole set was presented as a pagan ritual, with incantations to the moon and the sun, the latter feeling particularly appropiate given the weather, and the the East River Park bandshell's history as the birthplace of 'Shakespear In The Park. Their set was even enhanced by the appearance of a pair of puckish dancers - apparently brought down by SPR to function as cupcake distributing donation magnets - who leapt and twisted spectacularly in front of the stage. Here you've got the final two songs of the set 'Victorian Gentleman With A Nervous Disposition' and 'Witches vs Wolves'. As mentioned this was a historic reunion of Ex Models. After shedding guitarist Shah and drummer Jake, the core of Zach and Shahin had moved the band in a more austere direction, if still devo-ishly quirky, that they termed 'Fundustrial'. Eventually they got so involved in the hard rhythms they added one, then two, then, ultimately, three drummers, and the shows became intensely primal. For relief, perhaps, and rejoined by Shah, they recently formed a side project - Knife Hyts - that is much more guitar oriented, verging into heavy rock. I suspect that it was this that gave them a hankering to take another shot at some of the classic Ex Models material. Whichever way it's wonderful to see Jake back in the line-up, precise and explosive as he is. I've picked three: 'You Got What I Need' - the short sharp opening shot; 'Chrome Hearts' - an absolute monster; and '32 Weeks' which, as Shahin explains, has evolved from its beginnings as a Mekons cover to something totally different and back. |
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| Clicking on the images will take you to the clips on YouTube/Google. The h.264's are iPod ready. There are seperate DVDs on each band. |
Myspace Mike Bones
Myspace Hundred Eyes
Myspace S-S-S-Spectres
www.exmodels.org
Myspace Ex Models
Lisa Corson's pix from this show
Diana Wong's pix from this show
PUNKCAST Home Page
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