Punk! #617

Agent 37/Bad Drunk Count bass ace Zach Watson has vowed to shave his beloved (not to mention much loved!) beard to raise money for The Cancer Council. There’s gonna be a huge show at the Eastern Hotel in Ballarat on Friday August 28th, with live performances from The Shorts, Joe Guiton and the Suicide Tuesdays, possibly Bad Drunk Count and more bands to be confirmed. $10 gets you in, and that money goes right to The Cancer Council. How awesome is that?! Raffle tickets will also be available on the night, and there’ll no doubt be some awesome prizes. Super, super cool! This is the sort of shit punk rock USED to be about, and no doubt still could.
The utterly amazing SNFU (Canada) are headed our way for a string of Australian shows next month. Go to the Drunk Promoter’s Facebook page for details. I’ll be at the Bendigo Hotel show (in Collingwood, not Bendigo, I keep having to say that!), but there’s a show happening in Frankston, too! Special guests for all shows Wolfpack.
Have you guys seen the video Melbourne drunk punks Strawberry Fist Cake made for their killer new track ‘Drinkin’ Tonight’? It has tonnes of drinkin’ in it! It’s soooo fun! Go watch it now!
Hellcat Records band Time Again are getting back in the saddle, with an all new line up and new record in the works. Definitely one of the most underrated street punk bands out there. Please check them out if you haven’t already.
Time to rant about something uniquely Australian: tour supports. Do tour promoters have any idea how to put a line up together? I’m pretty sure they don’t. This is a country where The Spazzy’s opened for Marylin Manson and Ratcat opened for the Psychedelic Furs. A country where emo/screamo bands end up supporting old-school punk bands on their Australian tours, instead of, I don’t know, ACTUAL punk bands. This doesn’t seem to happen anywhere else in the world. In the US, punk bands play with punk bands. Hardcore bands play with hardcore bands. Pop punk bands play with, you guessed it, pop punk bands. Mixed bills are great for festivals, don’t get me wrong, but when you’re stuck in a small venue, waiting to see a punk band you’ve idolised since your childhood, the last thing you want is to endure two support acts who sound NOTHING AT ALL like the headliner you’re there to see. And local bands, before clamouring for a spot on a tour, ask yourself if you’ll COMPLIMENT the bill…or stand out likes dogs balls!
Hanging out for that movie Suicide Squad? The official three minute trailer is now available online after making its debut at San Diego Comic-Con. Looks frickin’ fantastic, I gotta admit! Jared Leto does a pretty good Joker.
Y’all know that Pennywise (celebrating the 20th anniversary of their incredible About Time album) and Anti Flag are touring the country together in September, right? One Vic show, at 170 Russell (once known as Billboards!) Monday September 28. Supports TBA.
Speaking of Pennywise, the guys are currently on tour across the US, opening for the legendary Danzing.
More next time, kids- try not to freeze to death in the meantime!
Written by Christopher Cruz