Punk! [#604]
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Punk! [#604]

There’s a humongous festival happening at Tempe Beach Park in Tempe, Florida, on the 4th of April. Why do I keep plugging these huge overseas events? Because some of the line-ups are just too incredible to not at least mention, and are totally worth contemplating, especially if you like to travel. The line-up for this particular shindig needs to be seen to be believed: Rancid, NOFX, The Offspring, The Vandals, For Today, The Used, A Day to Remember, Chiodos and many, many more. Yowsa!
So, where do punk rockers meet their significant others these days? With gig attendances dwindling, we’re interacting less and less with each other now. I myself am relatively newly single and ready to mingle, and while checking out dating and hook-up apps, I’m surprised at just how normal-slash-plastic everybody looks. Have I ever stumbled across a profile pic of somebody with a mohawk or buzz cut? Nope. Sure, there’s the occasional silly emo kid with a lip piercing, smudged black eyeliner and silly hair, but ew. No thanks. I could never date somebody whose idea of good music is Asking Alexandria or somesuch nonsense.
Frenzal Rhomb are heading our way! Saturday, January 24 sees them demolish the Barwon Heads Hotel as part of their Victorian Steroidosonic tour. For those of you who haven’t figured it out, it’s a dig at those steroid-crazed muscle Mary’s that go to Stereosonic every year. It’s a dance music festival. Learn about it. Or not.
Murder by Death drops their newie, Big Dark Love, on February 3rd via the Bloodshot Record’s label.
Filmage, the story of the Descendents, is finally available on DVD after wowing them at film festivals throughout the world last year! That’s all you need to know – go get your copy now!
There’s nothing punk rock about acoustic guitars. There, I said it. This hipster poser trend of beards and bands that sound like Missy Higgins cranked up to 11 can kindly GTFO. I love Bruce Springsteen as much as the next guy, but he certainly isn’t punk rock.
Huge congrats to New Found Glory’s Chad Gilbert on his engagement to Paramore frontlady Hayley Williams. Mazel!
It’s hard to believe that it took 38 (count ’em, thirty eight!) years for the Ramones’ self-titled debut album to go Gold in the United States. You’d think a band as legendary and influential as the mother-loving Ramones would have a string of platinum records a mile long.
The Adolescents and Russian band The Svetlanas have a split 7ʺ EP on the way, featuring two songs from each of them. The Adolescents offer up ‘Fukushima Lemon Twist’ and ‘Forever Summer’, while the Svetlanas give us ‘Tales from the Alpha Brigade’ and ‘Step Back’.
More next issue, kids. In the meantime, stop being jerks and be cool to each other!
By Christopher Cruz