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Notes from the Underground

By Michael Mechanic

No Crusties, No PC:
Local jokers offend those sensitive Berkeley punx

Exploding Crustaceans figured they were in with Berkeley's Gilman Street. They'd played there twice, including a cool gig with Swingin' Utters last fall. But the PC punx have problems with the Crusties' latest, Silence the Penis. Those incendiary shrimp are basically perverts, but it's all pretty much innocent fun. Singer Matt Koumaras says the main bone of contention was their song "Hobbit Pussy."

"I tried to explain to them it was like a perverse dungeons and dragons fantasy, not meaning any harm," Koumaras says. "I told them we could skip that song when we play there or change the title to 'Midget Penis' or something." Gilman member "Hawk" then admitted there were several problem songs and requested a lyric sheet. Matt says he sent the lyrics--along with a threat to open up a Select Soda brewery next door and book bands that "aren't afraid to speak about genitalia." The Crusties haven't heard anything since. "So we're banned from Gilman. That makes us pretty punk!" Matt says.

Lonely Night

Geez. Where were the people at Palookaville's No Use For a Name show last Thursday? Maybe they went to the Raiders game! (Hey, loosen up, I'm just kidding. It was probably the steep cover.) Anyway, No Use publicly capped on me for the nonsense I wrote about them a few weeks ago, which I guess I deserve. Goofy ska band Neosoreskin didn't bring a drummer for some reason, and instead recruited drummers from the audience for each song. The first brave soul was a girl named Sara, followed by Good Riddance drummer Sean Sellers, then Mock guitarist Mike Lofano (better stick to guitar, homeboy!). I even had a go, and, just my luck, they started playing songs that changed parts every five seconds--yikes!

Head Case-O-Matic ran through their grungy pyrotechnic set, then officially announced that they're moving up to SF. Trumpet player Tess is doing the grinding now (they assault a steel oil drum with a metal grinder, creating a percussive shower of sparks), but he needs more practice. I like the grinder best when it's used more sparingly--though intensely--at the right moments. Young punk band Lost Cause opened the show, playing pretty enthusiastically considering there were only about 20 people watching at the time.


Photo by Tom Audisio

All Fall Down: Infighting topples Stench into the realm of nostalgia.

New Blood

Damn! I take one week off from the column and look what happens! Shlep loses its drummer and Stench splits up due to internal debates over punk-scene correctness. I guess they really needed me after all. But now who am I supposed to rip on ... the Willies?

What's Your Plether?

Plether Productions has a new holiday play that Pipeline employees might dig. In their 1993 play, Santa and Lights, Santa found his job threatened by the birth of a new messiah to a heroin addict. St. Nick failed to save the newborn, who was choking on the umbilical cord, which led to last year's The Satan Clause, where a reluctant third messiah fails miserably in his messianic duties and is torn apart and eaten by his disciples. One can only wonder what these amateur playwrights have cooked up for The Santa Virus, which takes the stage on Dec. 28 at Santa Cruz Hotel, on Dec. 29 at What is Art? and on Dec. 31 at India Joze. All shows start at 9pm.

Upcoming

Creature plays SC Hotel on Wednesday (Dec. 20). The Champs play the Redroom on Dec. 29 with The Glacier and Merry Go Round. Spaceboy plays the Redroom on Dec. 30 with Woodpecker and Lost Goat. On New Year's Eve, the Inciters play at the Redroom, and It, Riff Raff, Creature and Political Silence do an all-ages show at Jade St. Community Center in Capitola. Permagrin plays the Redroom with the Whistle Pigs on Jan. 4. What is Art? is starting an open mic every Wednesday night (last Wednesday of each month is women only).

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