The infrequently-updated site blog, featuring a range of content including show reviews, musical musings and off-color ramblings on other varied topics.
The second iteration of Caterwaul festival took place in Minneapolis, MN over Memorial Day weekend, spanning two venues and three days/nights. The lineup is too big too list thoroughly but you can read about it here.
Headliners included Flipper (with Shannon Selberg), Chat Pile, Child Bite, VAZ, and Tongue Party. While Scene Point Blank was unable to personally attend, we did the next best thing -- we got a guest contributor to supply us with some original photos from the festival.
A thousand thank yous to the talented John Oakes for taking these shots.
For the past month, Greg Puciato of Killer Be Killed, Black Queen, Dillinger Escape Plan, and now Better Lovers, has been touring North America for his first solo tour after finishing a stint with Alice in Chains' Jerry Cantrell. With the release of Mirrorcell in 2022, Puciato had 2 full-lengths under his belt to fill his set but still managed to throw in a few surprises.
Deaf Club - Photo Credit AMH
Opening the show was solo Industrial act, Trace Amount-- a pseudonym for producer/vocalist, Brandon Gallagher. Despite people still filing in, Trace Amount still delivered a lively set to warm up the crowd. Following Trace Amount was Justin Pearson's (The Locust) latest project, Deaf Club. The band blasted into the room before the curtain covering the stage was done opening. After all these years, Pearson is as wild as ever. He never took a second to slow down between constantly jumping to the barricade to rile up the audience to even running to the back of the dance floor to shout from the sound booth. Deaf Club played a tight set which even included a cover of Nirvana's "Tourette's."
Escuela Grind - Photo Credit AMH
Rounding out Greg Puciato's support for the tour was power violence group, Escuela Grind. Katerina Economou's impeccable growl never wavered as they bounced around the stage to drummer, Jesse Fuente's blast beats. The band ended up running through an entire new EP they plan to record later this year as well ended the set with a cover of Hatebreed's, "Filth."
Photo Credit AMH
Greg took to the stage for his last show of the tour, opening with the combo of "In This Hell You Find Yourself" and "Reality Spiral." Throughout the night, he continued to play through tracks from his newest album,Mirrorcell, and tracks like "Deep Set Eyes" and "Roach Hiss" from Child Soldier -- the latter of which had Converge'sBen Koller on drums. Throughout the set, he would jump up to the crowd to sing along. When he came out for his encore, he proclaimed that they'd be doing a bunch of extra songs and some more special guests would be joining him. The first of the surprises were a couple of Black Queen songs, including "Secret Scream" and "The End Where We Start" with special guest, Billy Howerdel of A Perfect Circle. Next up were Gil Sharone and Tyler Bates to join in on their song "Now You've Really Done It" from the Dark Knights: Death Metal soundtrack. Greg ended the night with Dillinger Escape Plan's 'One of Us is the Killer." He'd been teasing the song throughout the tour, but tonight was the first night he and the band performed the entire song. Greg threw his face into the crowd for support on the vocals, spending much of the track at the barricade. The song ended and so does Greg's first solo tour. He delivered a strong performance and continues to be one of the greatest frontmen in the business. Not for one moment was he not giving his all.
I wasn't the only one to catch Greg on this tour. Be sure to check out Kevin's blog too!
Sleaford Mods
Opera House
Sydney, Australia
02 June 2023
photo courtesy of @k.a.vv
When I first encountered Sleaford Mods many moons ago, their abrasive, electronically charged minimalist punk-hop that framed their rants about the austerity of a deeply divided, modern day England and the trials of working class life felt like an indulgent lecture about the futility of modern day life.
In other words, it was irresistibly appealing.
photo courtesy of @k.a.vv
With Sleaford Mods’ idiosyncratic post-everything melange comprised in equal parts of social commentary, rapid-fire stream of consciousness vocal delivery, rowdy Northern piss-taking and all out advocacy for letting yourself go, there is something to be found for anyone who harbours a modicum of interest in punk or hip hop.
Carried by pulsating, repetitive productions of bass and drums as the main instrumental elements and set in scene by a bank of bright, flickering lights serving as an entrancing torrent of visual stimuli intensifying every angle, the rawness, intensity and immediacy of the duo incarnating within the confines of Sydney’s Opera House still feels as intact as it was when I first encountered them in an art café in London.
Much more popular but still retaining purpose by remaining politically engaged and visceral, the woefully vitriolic emissions and ostrich-esque demeanour of inimitable vocalist Jason Williamson, who manages to embody a different personality with each barked lyric as he paces the stage tweaking and contorting, flanked by beatmaker Andrew Fearn, who after pushing play on his laptop indulges in frantically flailing his arms and legs for the duration of the show, result in a seamless, endlessly energetic and engaging show that musically sits comfortably between Anarcho-punk, Britpop, Grime and dancehall, which translates effortlessly and resonates with the definingly middle-aged crowd.
photo courtesy of @k.a.vvphoto courtesy of @k.a.vvphoto courtesy of @k.a.vv
Mamma Mia! – The Musical
Lyric Theatre
Sydney, Australia
27 May 2023
photo courtesy of Sam Bisso
Memory tends to work either through the reverberation of strong emotions or through repetition, which is something that the Swedish supergroup ABBA had perfectioned ever since the quartet first incarnated more than five decades ago in Stockholm.
The fact that ABBA split up in 1982 has not changed their status as one of pop’s most triumphant acts with a sheer endless catalogue of ridiculously catchy wall-to-wall hits, proving that music is just as good a medium for all the significant feelings as written, metrical composition.
With no shortage of ABBA tributes, ABBAtars and the omnipresence of their tunes, the global musical phenomenon MAMMA MIA! has established itself as one of their more successful franchises centred around twenty-two of the most iconic and uplifting songs of the pop juggernaut.
Tonight’s Australian production features Donna Sheridan, known from her role as Miss Honey in the Australian production of Matilda The Musical, and the emerging Australian actor Sarah Krndija, who supported by an illustrious cast of talent are set in scene by Director Gary Young, sharp acrobatic choreography acts courtesy of Tom Hodgson and Michael Waters’ excellent bright sound design.
The result is an immensely contagious fun night of danceable rhythms with the storyline and symmetrical narrative being mere vessels for the music with the atmosphere that ensues being not a welcome side-effect but an integral component of the equation that provides a light-hearted forum for audiences to let their hair down.
Post-Punk pioneers, Gang of Four recently had a short run of shows leading up to their performance at Cruel World Fest in Pasadena, CA. I managed to catch the show as they rolled through The Glass House where they ran through a powerful set primarily focused on their 1979 debut, Entertainment!, with a smattering of tracks from their subsequent records through the 80s. Filling in for the late Andy Gill was David Pajo of Slint, while Sara Lee returned to take up bass duties. The chemistry between the band was great and was one of the best shows I've seen this year so far. You can check out the gallery below:
Just released in February, SPB’s featured stream for the month of March is a fierce and heavy split LP between Illinois bands Righteous Propaganda and Mycelium Cloak, out now -- released jointly by the two bands. Righteous Propaganda formed in 2016 in DeKalb and play brutal hardcore befitting of their …
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FEST 23 has announced wave 1 of its enormous lineup. This year's Gainesville, FL multi-venue festival will take place Oct. 24-26 with "big font" bands such as Propagandhi, Dillinger Four, Jeff Rosenstock, RX Bandits, Laura Jane Grace and The Mississippi Medical, Banner Pilot, Coalesce, AJJ, 7 Seconds, Toys That Kill, …
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A traveling art exhibit with a rotating group of musician related artists will tour the US, so to speak, hosting events in several states. Punk Rock & Paintbrushes began in 2007, opening for the 2025 season in Los Angeles at Eye for Sound Gallery in Los Angeles, (owned by Serj …
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Winnipeg, Manitoba punk band Lost Planet Airmen just announced a new album, Take Me Home, sharing a new single at the same time -- this one called "Forgotten Son." Bassist/vocalist Danger Dave explainss “The song follows someone who is lost at a shopping mall and is adopted by a band …
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Ska-punk bands Hans Gruber and the Die Hards and Sgt. Scag previously self-released (jointly) a split in 2021, Sgt Scag VS Hans Gruber and the Die Hards. Now, the two bands are re-recording some of those songs for a 2025 do over, which will release as an EP on Ska …
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The world gets new Knub. The Baltimore, MD band is set to released Crub, out June 20 as a joint release between Hex, The Ghost Is Clear, and Expert Work. The band previously released a demo EP and a split with Brain Cave. The new record focuses on the band's …
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Night Windows, who released In Memories last year, are back with a new 3-song EP next month. The New Jersey based indie band will release Nonsense on May 2. The band shared a single from the EP today: "'Your Phone Call' came out of nowhere and set the tone for …
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Chat Pile will play at Roadburn 2025 tomorrow. In advance, the band, label The Flenser, and the festival have teamed up to present a live recording of the band's 2023 Roadburn set, which is out now on digital platforms and will be available on vinyl as part of Flenser Subscription …
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May 23 is the release date for Resolution, a new EP from Pittsburgh, PA band Old Neon. The EP was produced by Matt Brasch, mixed by Nick Steinborn, and mastered by by Will Yip.ll Captains and Forever Came Calling) Read more Resolution tracklist: 1. Nobody’s Burden 2. Better Son 3. …
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Cleopatra Records just announced a 15-song compilation titled Anarchy on Abbey Road - The Filth, The Fury and the Fab Four, a tribute to the Beatles. It will release on cd, vinyl, and digitally. A full track listing is included below, with new takes on Beatles classics by Fear, 999, …
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Dollar Store, a band comprised of Jeff Ott (Crimpshine/Fifteen), Leda Gannon (Wire Graffiti), Harrison Joyner (Apogee Sound Club/Future Twin), and Dave Slaverave (The Boxcutters/Agonist Party), has shared their first single, "Equivocator (Chicken F**ker)," which will be on the band's new debut album next month, Gentleman Nation. The band formed in …
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Formed in 1995 and releasing a couple of EPs before breaking up, Swing Kids is featured in a new documentary (streaming below) called Reunite at The Casbah. Tragically, founding guitarist Eric passed away, which led to two reunion shows for charity. Additional 2025 shows are planned in Berkeley, CA and …
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Dark metal Cleveland band Axioma has announced a US tour, covering much of the eastern half of the country, this summer. The tour includes dates with Pelican, Fiend Without A Face (Brett Hinds), Garbage People (current members of Inter Arma, Uncle Acid And The Deadbeats), Quiet Man, Bruce Lamont, Black …
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Casual Hex shared a new single today, "The System," which will appear on the band's next album: Zig Zag Lady Illusion II on June 13 available from Youth Riot Records. The band includes Erica Miller (also of Big Bite), Jessie Odell, and Nick Anderson and play a noisy take on …
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New song "You Can Hate The Eradicator, But Don't Hate The Game" begins with a rhythmic squash ball bouncing in the court before it kicks into The Eradicator's signature pummel. It's the first single off a new EP, out this fall. The EP will release on Stonewalled, titled You Can …
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Annual NYC event Punk Island is back, moving to a new location this year at Randalls Island on Sunday June 8. The all ages, free punk party returns for its 17th iteration and is run by the Punk Island (P.I.) Collective. Preshow benefits will take place at The Pidget Pack …
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Post-hardcore band With Patience has a new full-length album out on May 9, Triptych, which was mixed by J Robbins and mastered by Bob Weston. The two names attached give a good clue as to the band's heavy, crunchy approach. With Patience previously released the Three of Swords EP. Read …
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Illuminati Hotties recruited Stefan Babcock (PUP) for a guest appearance on the new song "Wreck Your Life," also the lead single for a new LP out in about 6 weeks. The EP is called Nickel, available May 30 on Hopeless Records. Sarah Tudzin offers: There are a handful songs that …
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Long Island, NY based raw and melodic punk band Somerset Thrower just shared the new single "Never Going To Therapy," which is also the first single from the band's new record this summer, Take Only What You Need to Survive. The new record comes out on July 11 and is …
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Forty years after landing on Earth, GWAR return with a new album, The Return of Gor Gor, out on July 25 on Pit Records. A lineup of BälSäc, Beefcake, JiZMak, Blothar, and new addition Grodius of the Maximus Clan wrote the album in search of a pet Tyrannosaurus Rex, or …
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