Brace yourself, Boston. There’s gonna be rock ‘n’ roll all over you Friday night.

There’s a show I’d like to go to just about every night somewhere in this town. Some nights it can be tough to choose just one. Friday night is going to be impossible. Fourteen lovable Daykamp Music alumni will be taking the stage at five different area venues on October 17th. My brain is melting. What to do? Let’s see if we can figure this out together.

The last time White Dynomite and The Field Effect played together was one heck of a show.
The last time White Dynomite and The Field Effect played together was one heck of a show.

Let’s start at The Middle East Upstairs for a very good cause. Township, White Dynomite, The Field Effect and Triple Thick will be there for Crash Safely along with Animal Hospital. That’s alotta rock, with the money raised going to support The National MS Society. (FB Event)

Cask Mouse are doing it for the animals.
Cask Mouse are doing it for the animals.

Maybe you want to do good with your show-going dollars, but that show isn’t your thing? You could always head next door to TT’s for the latest installment of the Boston Does Boston benefit for the Animal Rescue League Of Boston. Cask Mouse, The Rationales, The Daily Pravda, Muy Cansado and The Fatal Flaw will be joined by Dave Crespo’s After Party at that one. (FB Event)

Doom Lover look harmless, but they'll kill you and immortalize you in song.
Doom Lover look harmless, but they’ll kill you and immortalize you in song.

If you’re caught up in the Boston Music Awards buzz and want to check out New Artist Of The Year nominee The Color And The Sound, then Church is the place for you. Bonus time! Doom Lover are on that bill, too. Daykamp Music loves them, but we secretly worry they’re plotting our demise. At least they’ll write a creepy-cool song about it. (FB Event)

Answerman eats PAs. I mean Answerman *at* PA's.
Answerman eats PAs. I mean Answerman *at* PA’s.

How about Answerman and Barricades at PA’s with Go Blank and Emergency Exit? Couldn’t fault you for that one, either. (FB Event)

Just another ordinary Gondoliers show.
Just another ordinary Gondoliers show.

If you can’t find something to like in one of those shows, there’s nothing I can do for you. Oh wait! Yes there is! You can go see Gondoliers at Cuisine en Locale with Shepherdess and Planet Of Adventure. This show is being filmed. I can’t even image what Gondoliers have up their sleeves. I can’t wait to see. (FB Event)

Crash Safely poster by Nicole Anguish of Daykamp Creative.
Crash Safely poster by Nicole Anguish of Daykamp Creative.

Bent Knee @ Church 1.10.2013

Before taking the stage for an abbreviated set, the folks in Bent Knee were implored to make their set the best four songs of their lives by an enthusiastic member of the crowd. I don’t think that person left disappointed.

Oh, it was also guitarist Ben Levin’s birthday.

Endation @ Church 1.10.2013

Endation’s set at Church got cut a bit short due to a scheduling mix-up. No matter. They packed enough wall-of-sound riffage into their set to keep the crowd buzzing all night.

The Lights Out as Queen @ Church 10.27.2012

Well, this was certainly one of the most ambitious sets I’ve seen all year. For their annual Halloween* bash at Church, The Lights Out decided to tackle the Queen catalog. Yes, they did “Bohemian Rhapsody.” All of “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Very impressive, gentlemen.

* Dubbed Hallo’Queen for this year’s event.

The Field Effect as Weezer @ Church 10.27.2012

Here are some pictures of one of my favorite live bands covering a band I used to love but disowned after they put out a record so bad it ruined my perception of the band forever. Or so I thought.

You see, Weezer and I were estranged. After Make Believe came out, I stopped listening to them altogether. I had such a distaste for that album that I couldn’t even bring myself to listen to Pinkerton. Everything seemed off. Then The Field Effect came along and reminded me how much I love some of those old Weezer tunes. I was hearing them through someone else’s ears. Sometimes you need a little distance from a bad breakup to appreciate what you had and move on.

A few days later my six year old grabbed The Blue Album off the shelf and asked me what band it was. I told him. We listened. We both liked it.

I, Pistol as Nirvana @ Church 10.27.2012

Bands pretending to be other bands: Sometimes good, sometimes bad, sometimes uncanny. Throw I, Pistol covering Nirvana in the third bucket.

I had a feeling this would be pretty good. I had never seen I, Pistol before, but I seem to recall Rick Taylor doing a Nirvana cover with Walk Of Shame when he participated in One Night Band.* I was not let down. These guys stuck mostly** to songs from Nevermind, Bleach and Incesticide. They obviously love the material and they delivered it convincingly. This was a pretty cool way to kick off the night.

* Dave Stoops did One Night Band the following year with Lesbian Frankenstein.

** Entirely? I can’t recall. I didn’t realize there would be a quiz. Back off.

Black Thai @ Church 7.14.2012

Black Thai are out to move mountains. At least it feels that way when you’re in front of the stage being pummeled by one awesome riff after another.

Hey, it could be worse. You could be Jeremy Hemond’s drums.*

* Seriously, Jeremy Hemond is a beast. A couple of days after this show I learned that he was sick with flu-like symptoms the night of this performance. The dude is unstoppable.