“Hailing from the greater New England area and brilliant states Connecticut and Massachusetts. Picking a central location was tough as to where three members are from Thompson, Ct and one is from Princeton, Ma. But for the sake of centralizing a point we will say Thompson,CT. But their collective hearts are kept at the Kelley house as to where that is where most of the noise, eating, and movie watching is done. Thank you to all the Kelley household as to incredible willingness to sacrifice the compromise of calm silence.

Comprised of pessimists and optimists Francine… began with long time high school friends Joshua and Kayoum writing in guitar class in January of 2004 after the demise of old band The Hometeam. Going through the breakup of the band brought out an eclectic sound as to where Kayoum who had not previously played guitar in The Hometeam picked up the instrument as well as putting forth vocals for the band. After getting a few pieces together and showing promise and drive the tracks were brought to Robert Kelley also a former member of The Hometeam. Laying down percussion on the tracks brought the music to life and it was time to find bass to finish out the sound. Rounding out the low end for the band was original bassist Matthew Collari who you may catch around Marlboro doing carpentry and metal. After recording at audio excellence with Anthony Brodeur and Brian Silva Francine… continued to write and work on their intoxicating live show. Which you must catch to fully “get” where the music comes from. After the release of their debut ep work was focused upon more writing and playing the live circuit. In preparation for a hopefully big 2005.

But due to time constraints Matthew and Francine… parted ways on loving terms. Starting off the winter by filling the shoes of former bassist Matthew was picked up by Eric Lee Strout brother of Joshua and Kayoum [not by blood for Kayoum, just by convenience for the two]. Eric joined the band in the beginning of winter and has picked up fast as all our proud internally and excited to complete the new lineup.

The band looks forward to the next year being well to them and looks for some steps in direction of first tours and full length albums come summer time. So wish them well as they do you. Francine… looks to the future with optimism and pessimism and hopefully some of you can come for the ride on the way there.

P.S. Remember Francine… loves you more than your parents.” (-myspace bio)

Check out their music on myspace

-Lalz

Wednesday, February 1. ICC, Allston MA. All Ages. Doors at 6:00. Mass Live Events presents: I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody’s Business (Featuring Ace from the Early November), Owen(Mike Kinsella of Joan of Arc, American Football) and b.c. camplight.

Feb 3. Saugus VFW. All Ages. Doors at 7:00. $5.00. Plan B with Headline, Saving Alcatraz, local tough guy, and one-less

Feb 3 Central Congregational Church (North Attleboro MA) 5:30. A Loss For Words, The Northwood, Therefore I Am, Faraway, Fordoes Me Quite, 34 Spoons

Feb 3. Gloucester Art Space. All Ages. $5.00. 5PM. 80 PROOF, theRANSOM, Trummel, Polarity, and Whisper a Dare

Saturday Feb 4. ICC Allston MA. All Ages. Doors at 5:00. Mass Live Events presents: SOME GIRLS (members of American Nightmare & The Locust) DAS OATH.

Feb 4 Romans (Tiger’s Den) $10. 7PM. CRIME IN STEREO, THE NEON HOOKERS, VANDELAY, CAUGHT UP, THE STRIP, THE CHASE IS ON

Feb 8. UMASS Lowell’s Fox Hall. Shipwreck with: In Remembrance, Harder The Fight, Sink In, more. ALSO Lannen Fall, Hepburn, Pennyred, The Drop Antenna.

Feb 10. umass lowell vpac (3rd floor). $5.00. Bigwig, The Prozacs, McClane, Chicago Typewriter, + 1 more TBA

Saturday February 11 ICC Allston Ma. All Ages. Doors at 5:00. Mass Live Events presents: THE HOPE CONSPIRACY, PAINT IT BLACK plus more TBA

February 11 Axis (Landsdowne st, Boston) All Ages. $15.00. State Radio (CD release) and Plan B

Feb 16. Harper’s Ferry. Paper presents: On The Surface + More

Feb 17 All Ages. $5.00. Doors at 8:00. 80 PROOF, Headline, The Munchies, Local Tough Guy

Saturday, February 18.Club Lido (Wonderland T stop, Revere). All Ages. Doors at 3:00. Mass Live Events presents: BOLD(x-youth of today) Triple Threat(x mouthpiece) Righteous Jams

Feb 21 Beverly American Legion - ALL AGES. $7. Doors at 6:00. Lannen Fall, Ice Nine Kills, A Hero Next Door, Fallen From The Sky (JMB Records), Why Versus Rome, DKLIMB (Hand of Hope Records)

Feb 24. Romans (Lion’s Den) in Brockton MA. In Remembrance and more TBA

February 25. 32 Main Street, Melrose. All Ages, $10.00. Sin City Bookings presents: Waking Judea, Juliet In Plague (ex. Where I Left Her Head), Prior To Burial, Make Your Move

-Lalz

Lover Left You Bleeding:

Vanna:

The Number 12 Looks Like You:

-Lalz

I’m still trying to set my head straight after tonight’s show at the ICC church in Allston. The line up included Lover Left You Bleeding, Verbana Darvell, Vanna, and the Number Twelve Looks Like You.

Lover Left You Bleeding is a “post hardcore” band from the Boston area. To be completely honest, I’ve never been a fan of LLYB. They put on an all right show, and I don’t personally think that their music is anything special. I guess I should give them credit for more than an all right show. The guitarists definitely give their set a little bit of flavor. Verbana Darvell is another “post hardcore” band, but they’re from Providence, Rhode Island. Front man Blaine started off by apologizing if he offended anyone (he was wearing an I Love New York shirt) because he didn’t realize he was “playing in Boston tonight”. While this was going on there was a girl in the back who appeared to be tuning her electric violin. Interesting. Suddenly, there was an extremely bright light facing the unsuspecting (and now unhappy) crowd. They began to play. They sound much better recorded than they do live, although that isn’t saying too much. I almost felt like they were trying to rip off Every Time I Die (vocally speaking), but they couldn’t quite do it. The violin added in (only in one song) made it sound a little more like a train wreck. I did however like the added effect of the lightshow and the brief use of the smoke machine. By the end of their set I almost felt like I was into it.

Vanna (Epitaph) took the stage. Despite being to many Vanna shows in the past, this was my first time seeing them. I previously reviewed the music posted on their myspace account for BLM, and I wasn’t a huge fan of the new song, but hearing it life made me want to like it…and at some point, I just may. Vanna has a lot of energy and they are pretty well put together. Musically, they were tight. They had a decent pile on during Dead Language for a Dying Lady. All in all, the crowd was very into the set; Vanna was in fact the first band that anyone really seemed to be into.

When The Number Twelve Looks Like You (from Bayville, New Jersey) was setting up, I’ll admit that I was nervous. I had been talking to a friend of mine, and he basically told me that Number Twelve is one of those bands that leaves you feeling like you don’t know what to think. When they started playing all I could think was “well this is definitely a new experience”. I absolutely wasn’t feeling it at all. They have this grindcore kind of sound, and I never could understand how kids just sat there and listened to that. Despite my dislike for the sound of the vocals and the thrashiness (there is no better word for it; sorry) of the music, I have to admit that they put on an excellent show. As the set went on I started thinking about the time an acquaintance of mine said he was tired of making intelligent music because no one understood it. Number Twelve’s music got better as the set went on. I wouldn’t necessarily say that they are a talented band, or that they’re a good band. I think that they have talented musicians that have a lot of potential to do a lot of great things. The guitars started getting a more technical, metal type of feel to them. One of the things I really liked about their set was the way the vocalists fed off of each other. There was a point when it appeared one vocalist was on his knees on the floor facing the other vocalist, who was holding himself up with one hand on the stage wall. They looked just as pained as they sounded. As I said before, I don’t think I would call Number Twelve a great band, or even a good band, but I do think that their show is worth seeing. Afterwards, I really just felt like “what just happened”, and I really wasn’t sure what I thought directly after. I still may not be entirely sure.

For more Mass Live Events shows check out their myspace.

I want to thank Reena and Eric of Mass Live Events for putting me on the guest list to this show, Jon Burke for helping me get there and back, and Vanna for being supportive of BLM.

-Lalz

Endway is a four-piece rock band. While they definitely have the pop rock sound to them, they don’t have the high-pitched voice most bands of that genre seem to carry, and their live show is something you definitely need to experience. With appearances on MTV’s The Real World and The Inferno II, this unsigned band seems to be doing pretty well for themselves.

Check them out on Myspace and Purevolume

Photo by Krysti

“Black My Heart are the new face of Boston Straight Edge Hardcore. Five guys came together in late 2003 much like any other band, out of boredom. What became of this grouping is one of the most raw & crushing Hardcore bands to come out of the northeast in years. With fast paced aggression giving way to devastating breakdowns, Black My Heart provides an energetic live performance impossible to ignore. The band’s youth has allowed an un-jaded honesty to permeate their music. Just recently made part of the Eulogy Family with plans to tour extensively throughout the U.S and Canada, Black My Heart won’t let anything stand in their way. The Full Length: “Before the Devil” displays Black My Heart with a new artillery of songs, relentless and more crushing than before. This is raw, pummeling Hardcore that will resonate with fans of Bury Your Dead, Throwdown, On Broken Wings, and Until The End.” -Myspace Bio

-Lalz

These are some pictures from the On Broken Wings/ In Remembrance show at the United Methodist Church in Woburn on January 20th. Sorry that they’re so big. All Photograph’s were taken by Krysti. Special thanks to Matty Rides for chillin with me in the back during OBW’s set.

In Remembrance:

-Lalz

Last night the United Methodist Church held a show featuring With No Remorse, The Neon Hookers, JAWS!, One Dead Three Wounded, In Remembrance, and On Broken Wings. Arriving late, I missed WNR, but I made it in time to see the Neon Hookers. The set went well, though there was little response from the crowd. Following TNH, JAWS! set up.

JAWS! is a band from New York, who apparently sat in traffic for hours to play the show; only to put on a terrible performance and cause trouble amongst the local kids. One of the kids that they brought with them slapped an innocent fifteen-year-old two-stepper in the face, causing Black My Heart front man Wheeler to intervene. Which led to adults at the show to intervene, followed by a swift beating from On Broken Wings front man Jon Blake to the New Yorker who started the trouble. Three cruisers arrived and remained outside for the majority of the show.

After much delay, One Dead Three Wounded put on an energetic show. The crowd was totally into it, and it was obvious that the band members were as well, judging by the smiles on their faces (strangely enough) while they were performing. In Remembrance followed with just as much energy, and one of the biggest responses from a crowd since members Brian O’Rourke and Keith Gentile came back from touring with Black My Heart. IR’s front man, Nick McElwain, took the stage looking a lot like a local hick with his flannel, fake mustache (matching O’Rourke’s real one), and “I Love Fucking” trucker hat (all of which were removed throughout the set). The performance went well for both the band and the audience. Finally, On Broken Wings took the stage. Blake made an announcement that included calling the New Yorkers out for un necessary violence towards other kids at shows and how that isn’t what it’s about. As always, everyone got really into the show, which makes perfect sense because OBW is easily one of the best local hardcore bands to see in Boston. They are however, also pretty dangerous to watch. One kid was hurt amongst the mosh and was taken to the hospital to have his minor injuries treated.

Despite the fights and injuries, the show was excellent overall.

Upcoming show:

January 22 American Legion, Nashua, NH. All Ages: Shattered Realm with Black My Heart, Only Revenge, Strength for a Reason, and Bring Your Own End.

For more info, check out Nashua Shows

-Lalz

The Cadence is an Emo/Indie band from the Boston area. While they’re a good band, it is very obvious what their influences are. From the start of both “Cross Your Fingers” and “A Hindrance to the Inquisitive” I immediately thought of The Receiving End of Sirens (Triple Crown Records), who is also a Boston local band. Everything about the Cadence, from the guitars to the vocals, sounds identical to TREOS; which certainly isn’t the worst band to sound like. The Cadence has their own touch with creative, catchy lyrics that are sure to make the AIM away messages and profiles of scene kids everywhere. They’re as clever as they are relatable, with music behind them that you can really fall into. After going to a couple of the Cadence’s shows, it’s safe to say the live performance is as captivating as their music, and they definitely deserve the attention that they get (and then some).

The Cadence is currently unsigned, and they are looking for a dedicated drummer.
Check them out on Myspace and Purevolume

-Lalz

The newest thing to do on Thursday nights in Boston is to make the trip to Harpers Ferry (Allston) to take part in the events put on by Paper. The idea is that it’s the coolest of the cool, without trying so hard. You too can become a “local celebrity”. The best part? They give away free items from Chanel.

Upcoming events:

JANUARY 19th We are bringing you dancey rock beats to pop pills and fuck strangers to, with a live performance from THE GLASS out of Brooklyn, New York.

JANUARY 26th We have the closest thing to hip-hop/punk as you will find. DESPOT (def jux)… this night will kill

Learn more about Paper and their events on Myspace.com

-Lalz