Category Archives: DIY

Friday Night At The Gurley House

Once again, the Gurley House in Akron, OH, has proved for a great evening of music.  There is nothing quite like seeing a show in the basement of a house that just makes it that much more personal.

Tonight I got to see four bands, some of which I have heard of and some who I have been wanting to check out after hearing about them through friends.  The result was four performances by different genre bands all of which caught my attention in various ways.

My resident pal Roscoe started off the night with an electric acoustic solo performance.  He played some of his material, some of which I really think needs to be recorded.  Seriously, it was good shit and even though he hardly plays solo shows anymore, he had no problem jamming out a few tunes.

The Ohioans followed with an acoustic set.  The last time I saw them is when they opened for Jeff Rowe in the very same basement a few weeks back.  I was really impressed by their initial set and really enjoyed the acoustic session.  If you like folky rock you need to check out this up and coming local act.  Head on over to their BandCamp page and download their  self-titled album for free and see why I dig these guys so.  Check out the track  “512”, one of my favs off the album.

Michigan’s Protected Left were supposed to be the headliners of the night, but one of the bands was running late due to a previous commitment.  The threesome had no problem shifting slots and just rocked out hard to the gathering of music loving people.  This band seriously rocked.  Mixing punk, metal, and thrash (sweet sweet thrash…), the band got all technical at times when playing reminding me of shit Strung Out likes to pull yet kept a melodic pop-punk feel throughout.   I loved this band’s sound and really hope to see them push out a full length one day.  Until then, head on over to their BandCamp page and download their 3-song EP titled Songs Of The Doomed for free.  Check out “At Least I Didn’t Cut My Ear Off” and tell me it is not catchy and just bad ass to listen to.  Not only do they play good tunes, but they are also a bunch of cool peoples to hang out with.  Really stoked I had the opportunity to meet them and see them play.  Can’t wait thill them come back to Ohio again.

The last band to play the night was a local act I had heard of through friends but had never seen (or heard) before.  The band, Cherry Cola Champions, not only has a great name for their two man act, but also pretty much blew me away with their set.  Just download the Cherry Cola Champions EP for free and see what I mean (check out “Fievel Goes Midwest”).  I honestly did not think I was going to be able to get into them after their first song, but suddenly I was hooked.  It was experimental at times and very post-hardcore.  I look forward to seeing these guys again.

So that was my Friday night.  What did you do?  Never mind telling me, I’m too tired now…  Just do me a favor and check out the bands I just talked about.  They are all free downloads and worth listening to.

Free Show!!! – Ninja Gun @ Kent, OH This Sunday!!!

So as many of you know, Broken Headphones has turned 3 years old this month.  I am so stoked to have been able to continue fueling this site with nonsence and without you, the reader, it would never have been possible.

So thanks to everyone out there that has wasted some of their life on my site.  It means a ton to me.

In a celebration of sorts, I have gotten a few bands to play a show in Kent on Aug. 28th.  That’s this Sunday for those of you who may not have a calender handy.

On Sunday night, The Stone Tavernin Kent, OH will host Valdosta, GA’s Ninja Gun with special guests Playoff Beardfrom Pittsburgh and local heros (and fellow homies) Worship This!.

I have made acquaintances with the folk/punk/country/rock Ninja Gun thanks to this site.  Jonathan Coody, the lead singer of the band, emailed me a while back thanking me for giving a review I did on their sophomore release Restless Rubes.  We have kept in touch ever since.  Mixing a bit of country and folk into rock and punk has never sounded so good.

Punk rockers Playoff Beard (love the name) hail from Pittsburgh and Kent (I know one of the members is a fellow alumni).  I wish I could say I knew more of their material, but I guess I will find out more in a couple of days.  I will be sure to fill you all in.

Worship This! are a group of good guys who I am happy to call friends.  They also have a good thing going for them as their DIY punk rock band is just awesome.  I try and not talk up my friend’s bands a lot, but I am just thrilled about their sound.  Recently the foursome opened up for Iron Chic in NYC.  That right there is bad ass.

The show is going to start around 9pm and is 21+ only.  Formerly Professor’s Pub, the Stone Tavern is in the heart of Kent located at 110 E. Main St., Kent, OH, 44242. 

This is a free show, but donations are encouraged for the touring band.

Come out and have fun.  The Stone Tavern has a great beer list and is just a fun place in general to hang at.

Who cares if the show is on a Sunday night?  Get your music-loving butts out to Kent and come see these kick awesome bands!!!

Direct Hit! – My Latest Internet Craze.

I hate the term “latest internet craze” when it comes to all those stupid, time-killing photos tons of internet addicted humans who fancy themselves comic reliefs by “planking”, “owling”, “horsemaning”, and oh, let’s not forget “cone-ing” (although I will admit it was funny the first time I saw it). 

If you have no idea what I am talking about, a.) you are lucky and b.) google them for more explanation.  It’s not a craze.  It is stupid and shame on you mainstream media for evening bringing it to light thinking any of it is funny. 

When I think of a latest internet craze, I think of something that is a little more meaningful than some douchebag laying on a curb while some other douche takes a picture of them.  Seriously, that is NOT FUNNY.  Get off the hotel sign and quit pissing me off.

Anyways, enough of my rants today.  I will tell you about the latest internet craze…  DIY bands offering up their music online (some for free).  Skipping “the man”, these DIY bands take care of it all by themselves with help of independent labels and work hard doing it.

That right there is way more interesting to me that seeing a some huge dude perch like an owl (honestly it looks like he is trying to poop his pants).

DIY bands are nothing new, but boy are they becoming more and more plentiful these days.  There are tons of websites out there (some labels and some just hosts) that host DIY bands and their music like Death To False Hope Records, If You Make It, and BandCamp.

One DIY act in particular that I have been digging lately is Direct Hit!.  Last night I downloaded their newest LP called Domesplitter that was put out by Kind Of Like Records.  I found the download on their BandCamp page after receiving an email from one of the band members self-promoting the new release (I think I was on a mailing list from downloading one of their EPs earlier on Death To False Hope Records – I am ok with that as it is not spam).  I will admit that I did not pay anythingfor the download, but I am planning on order ordering Domesplitter  on vinyl (in fact, I just did, so there! Redemption on my end!).

Milwaukee’s Direct Hit! is a pop punk act with an edge.  Domesplitter was a little heavier than I was anticipating and for that I loved it more.  This is the band’s first full length release that actually contains songs from the band’s first five EPs – an anthology have you.  Even if the album is technically not brand new material, I must say I am impressed with it.  Full of hooks and anthem-like sing-a-long opportunities, the songs on this release are down right fun to listen to.  This is a band I should have been a fan of since the beginning.

Check out their BandCamp page.  Or head over to Facebook and be a fan or if you still can tolerate MySpace… 

Here’s a couple entertaining videos for your viewing pleasure:

I love this video and may have posted it before…

Why I Love Dead Broke Rekerds…

Weeks ago I placed a healthy order of multiple vinyl goodness from Dead Broke Rekerds.  I received one order quite fast and the other was delayed and I was aware why – the company was waiting on record sleeves for the limted edition Explosivo! glow-in-the-dark LP I snagged

Today while earning my keep at the paying gig I realized that I still had not received my original order that included a copy of Explosivo! LP. 

I decided to hit up the website and try and find out what was going on as it has been a couple of weeks since I handed over my money for the goods. 

The moment I got onto the Dead Broke Rekerds website I see a post:

YOUR ORDERS ARE SHIPPING!!!Sorry for the delays but Paypal multi-order shipping was being an asshole, but rest assured all Explosivo Kickstarter orders, Pre-orders and every other order is shipping tomorrow and all through this week. Thanks you for your patience.

I did not need to send 1000 emails to find out what the heck was going on…yet.  I just thought it was cool the moment I hit up the site I found exactly what I was looking for.

I am sure the LPs will be at my doorstep in no time and I know I will continue to hand over my cash to this awesome online punk rock music store.

Nice job guys.  Keep up the good work.

DIY Punk Rockers Explosivo! Given A Second Chance…

Once upon a time there was a melodic punk/indie/rock band called Explosivo!.

Hailing from the quiet town of Long Island, N.Y., the band featured a group of guys who you can now find in acts like Iron Chic, Wax Phantom and Small Arms Dealer.  They were good, they were damn good.   

Dead Broke Rekerds described them as a mix of  “Piebald & Pantera hanging out at Guns ‘N Wankers house.”  Sadly they broke up in 2001 so finding anything by them has been quite the challenge.

Lucky for us Dead Broke Rekerds & Limited Pressing were nice enough to re-release a hidden gem of a DIY album.  Released digitally on  BandCamp (see below) as well as vinyl, it is almost like Explosivo! has been given a second chance to be heard by anyone who might have missed them long ago.

If you are a vinyl fanatic like I am hurry up and grab onebefore they sellout.  Act even faster and you might score yourself a glow-in-the-dark version that is limited to 50.  At $10 you can bet your grits I already grabbed one!  Plus the rest of the Dead Broke Rekerds store is full of awesome swag and shipping is only $4!

Want to hear some Explosivo! now?  Enjoy: