JANUARY HARDCORE IRRUPTIONS: ILLINOIS//INDIANA

CHICAGO

JAN 3 - TECHNODROME

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NW INDIANA

JAN 2 - CHESTERTON

JAN 4 - SCHEREVILLE

JAN 5 - THE ONE YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR

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CHAMPAIGN ILLINOIS

JAN 4 - DEATH TOWER

JAN 8 - DEATH TOWER

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SPRINGFIELD ILLINOIS

JAN 3 - BLACK SHEEP

JAN 6 - BLACK SHEEP

LAUGHBOY

It's fun to watch a band develop their sound in the live realm. When I first started seeing Laughboy play, their songs were masked by opaque, blunt-force hardcore noise overload common to many young bands. Over the course of a couple years' worth of shows, a unique sound started to take shape. They've been billed as 'cosmic' or 'psychedelic' hardcore, and those descriptions seem apt enough on this cassingle released by Spotted Race. The three short songs contain frantic vocal howls cast amongst psychedelic guitar reverb, buttressed by a murky low end that hits like an asteroid collision. Whether on tape or on your computer, the songs have the raw, shitty hardcore fidelity you all know and love. Have a listen to the a-side, which personally I can't get enough of:

On April 13 Laughboy will be playing the Midwest Zine Fest aftershow with fellow C-U locals Chain's Gang and Unnerve. Like the Fest itself, the show will be at the Urbana Independent Media Center. Show starts at 8:00, fb details here for those who seek them.

nothing like being with bitter fools

Kowabunga! Kid - Surf Witchery b/w Wolf Luv CS [2012]

Since I saw these wolf luvvers the other night, I thought I should share their tape with you. As you can probably tell from the cover, this was released for the occasion of All Hallow's Eve. The title track is the tale of a witch who surfs in the moonlight, set to a mid-tempo hardcore beat sure to have you stomping across the room. On the other side is a instant-classic murder ballad about a wolf who solves the problem of unrequited love by killing all the friends of his beloved. On this release K!K incorporate black metal howls into hook-laden, lo-fi pop tunes so intuitively I'm still scratching my head in confusion. Throw this on when the moon gets full and see what happens.

Listen/download here. This tape is part of a Halloween Cassingle series, released in conjunction with southern Illinois bands Lumpy & the Dumpers and Trauma Harness. All good! Lumpy's tape features a cover of fellow Bellevillers Max Load, whom you might remember from a Killed By Death Compilation (#17?). Check them all out at Spotted Race.

Kowabunga! Kid - Kowabunga! Kid CS [2012]

Kowabunga! Kid are a crowd pleaser here in the C-U. When these guys start playing, mouths turn to smiles and feet tap maniacally. That's about the best way I can describe Kowabunga! Kid's sound; it's punk-tempo power pop with sunny words that recalls the likes of Beat Happening or twee bands. The fi is low but the sound is clear, with jangly guitars and chordful bass melodies. And they make their songs dense with things to make you like them. My favorite K!K song is probably 'Crybaby,' with its classic doo-wop keyboard line and gorgeous female vocals. If you do not feel better immediately after hearing this than before, you may just be beyond saving.

K!K put this tape out just a few weeks ago I believe. I got mine already but you can get a copy at one of a couple out-of-town shows they're doing.

Kowabunga! Kid bandcamp

Easter - Demonstration [2011]

On Sunday Mr. J.H. Christ regains consciousness in a dank, cavernous tomb. "Oh my Dad, what happened this weekend?" he thinks. "I must have been pretty hammered for two days to go by like that. I think we had a good time on Friday ... shit." Looking through his hands and feet, he exclaims, "I really got hammered." So he crawls out of the cave on his holy hands and knees into town to find some falafel to try and keep down. His twelve friends came by later to see if he was still passed out, but he had Risen.

So happy Easter to ya, heathen. This band's name is Easter, which is why I'm posting it today. Here is a sixteen-minute demo EP that Kyle down here in Champaign made last year. It's some really good Calvin Johnson-inspired stuff. I think he recorded everything on here himself, but Easter has been playing shows around town as a full band. The sound is unapologetically poppy, but has nonetheless spurred some frenzied moshpits. Have a listen for yourself -- it's as sweet as the chocolate eggs you're scarfing down today.

Easter bandcamp