Star Spangles Play Club Midway Next Week + Live Radio Show Posted

The Star Spangles are like the Energizer Bunny - they just keep going and going. I don't think the band is bringing in the crowds that they used to but the Star Spangles are still a great live act. The band is playing a show at Club Midway on October 30th with The XFrames and Another Saturday Night. Tickets are only $8.00

For anyone who hasn't heard the current lineup of the band or the new CD "Dirty Bomb", here is a link to a 7-song recording of the band performing live in the studio for FM 107.1 The Peak's Next Concert. The set is an interesting mix of tunes from the first two CDs along with two yet-to-be-recorded tracks.

Links:
Star Spangles MySpace page

Int'l Shades Live @ Northsix, Brooklyn, Nov. 24, 2006

Int'l Shades (or IS as they are sometimes called) took the stage after The Star Spangles. The band has been around since 2002 but they play this side of the river way too infrequently often.

For anyone who hasn't seen Int'l Shades, last year Time Out NY said this about the band:

"Int'l Shades is the sort of band NYC needs more of - kind of an odd thing to say about a decidedly untrendy quartet of veterans (including Bob Bert, once of Sonic Youth and Pussy Galore, and Mark C of Live Skull.) But when musicians who've been around the block (and not just clockwise, either) set down rough-edged melodic rock songs, their assured nature rips the white belt off the local scene."

Since the Time Out piece was written, the band has added Alexa Georgevich on keyboards and vocals which gives the band more of a Fall like sound (but the band doesn't succumb to any of Mark E. Smith or Brix's excesses).

IS has one release (CD/LP) out on Cass Records. I haven't heard this release but if it is anything like the band's current and past live shows, it is worth picking up.

Star Spangles Live @ Northsix, Brooklyn, Nov. 24, 2006

It was Summer 2003 when the Star Spangles held their release party at CBGB for Bazooka, their first release on Columbia Records. At that time, critics either loved or hated the band (there was no middle ground) and it looked like the band was going to break big. For whatever reason, the band severed their ties with Capital, the long awaiting follow up to Bazooka was never released and the band faded from the scene.

The band has now regrouped with a new rhythm section (Nick and Joey are gone -- new members are Chris and Todd) and opened for Genesis P-Orridge's Thee Majesty at Northsix on Saturday night. The band is in great form and it is good to see them back in action. According to the band's MySpace page, the long delayed second record is "comin soon".

I was at the front of the stage when the band finished its set and picked up a copy of the setlist. The last song of the set, "I Don't Want to be Crazy Anymore", is the perfect power-pop song that ranks up there with anything by Cheap Track or The Plimsouls.

Star Spangles set list from show @ Northsix, Brooklyn 11/24/06