It’s that time again already? Jeez Louise, let’s dive right in, shall we?!
Remember the Taste of Chaos tour that used to make its way around the world each year? Sure you do. It even came to Australia a few times, and featured some of the hottest punk/emo/screamo/metalcore bands of the era, including The Used and My Chemical Romance. Anyways, after an extended hiatus, the brand is coming out of retirement for one last hurrah. And by one last hurrah, I literally mean one. One show. Total. In San Bernardino, California, on the 3rd of October. The line up is a bit of a corker, too: The Used, The Movielife, Jimmy Eat World, All American Rejects, Thrice, Saves The Day, Story of the Year, Glassjaw and Dashboard Confessional. Blimey! I’m no emo kid, but I’d be there with bells on. You all know how partial I am to Saves The Day and The Movielife!
That said, I’d probably still pick It’s Not Dead over Taste of Chaos. I hype a LOT of festival line ups, but this one is just too RIDICULOUS to even be true: Agent Orange, DxIx, Manic Hispanic, CJ Ramone, The Descendents, Pulley, Sham 69, TSOL, Pennywise, NOFX, Riverboat Gamblers, Swingin’ Utters, Devils Brigade, Goldfinger, The Vandals, Left Alone, Total Chaos, Reel Big Fish, 7 Seconds, Less Than Jake, Lagwagon, Anti Flag, H2O, Bouncing Souls, The Briggs, Strung Out, Fishbone and many, many more. Are you SHITTING me? Jesus H. Christ. And THIS one, too, is taking place in San Bernardino on Saturday October 10 at the San Manuel Amphitheatre Festival Grounds. I just may have to move there!
Speaking of Taste of Chaos (a little earlier on, remember?!), Sunday August 30 sees one of their alumni, Motion City Soundtrack, return to Melbourne for a one-off show at 170 Russell (formerly known as Billboard). If you like quirky, synth-driven emo pop along the lines of Regurgitator, get along and dance your freakin’ brains out!
The punkest looking, whitest rapper EVER, Machine Gun Kelly, rocked it at the BET (Black Entertainment Television) Awards last week in Los Angeles. Dude was looking super skinny, though. His new girlfriend Amber Rose is clearly not feeding him very well. Either that, or she’s hiding his food in that big-ass booty of hers! Google her. This chick has the craziest dimensions! And that’s coming from a gay guy!
Melbourne merch heroes Stack The Cards are going into the retail industry, opening a store at the Campbellfield Market. If you dig punk and rockabilly/greaser fashions, you may need to make the journey out there to take a look! It’s kind of like Off Ya Tree. Only not!
Don’t forget! Skinpin (NSW), Strawberry Fist Cake (Melbourne), The Half Pints and In The Esky rock the Bush Inn on Saturday July 18! Rad!
Also back on this year- two killer home-grown punk festivals- Up The Punx (venue TBA) on Saturday October 24, and Nevermind The Warp’d Tour on Saturday December 5th at the Brunswick Hotel. Can’t freakin’ WAIT! Expect line ups to be announced in coming weeks, so keep checking back here each issue for the skinny, because you’re gonna hear about it here first!
More next time, kids! Love ya’s!
Written by Christopher Cruz