"EVERY TOWN WE WENT TO, NOBODY KNEW ME. EVERYONE WAS NICE magazine.com FOUNDER AND FRIENDLY AND Leo J. McGovern III

PUBLISHER & THOSE WHO WEREN’T— EDITOR IN CHIEF Dan Fox magazine.com WEREN’T MY PROBLEM" PG. 28 [email protected]

SENIOR EDITORbarryfest.com Welcome to the sweaty heart of summer, which also means it’s Erin Hall high touring season for bands of all stripes and sounds. Longtime [email protected] readers of ANTIGRAVITY will already know that we are huge fans of the touring lifestyle in all its forms: from the empty, PHOTO EDITOR Adrienne Battistella apathetic saloons and sketchy promoters of hostile towns, to the [email protected] well-oiled machines of beloved venues in magical metropoli; from the piss-stained carpets of punk squats, to the finest linens of La COMICS EDITOR Quinta Inn; from the pots of dumpstered vegan chili, to the most Caesar Meadows [email protected] delectable green room refreshments: olives, chocolates, cheese cubes galore! ASSOCIATE EDITORS Norah Emily It’s a monstrous truth that every band must face down at some [email protected] point: either tour, or die in obscurity. That’s not to say that being a Andru Okun [email protected] local legend isn’t honorable. And of course, there are exceptions, Elizabeth Vash Williams like the sedentary ghost ninjas in Belong. But if your band harbors [email protected] even the slightest spark of ambition—if you see yourself on the cover of a reputable magazine or cashing checks from a big-ass ADVERTISING [email protected] record label someday—better start writing some emails, gassing up the van, and taking your show on the road. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS William Archambeault One thing I love about tour is the pressure it puts on a band. It’s [email protected] the ultimate gut check. It can turn a sloppy group diamond-tight, Lyn Archer [email protected] and forge lifelong bonds between members. It can also tear a band Beau Patrick Coulon apart, like a mighty meteor splintering into a thousand pieces in [email protected] the exosphere. When Ringo Starr was inducted into the Rock and Yvette Del Rio Roll Hall of Fame (as a solo artist), he had this nugget of wisdom to [email protected] Holly Devon impart: “When you’re in the van... if you fart, own up. Because it’ll [email protected] cause hell... if you don’t own up everyone’s blaming everyone else. Emily Elhaj So we made a pact in the van: ‘OK, if we fart we’ll say it.’ That’s [email protected] what we did and that’s how we get on so well.” Likewise, Quintron Christina Igoe and Miss Pussycat—also on tour currently—have been dropping [email protected] Jared Landry “pro-tips” on Facebook, such as “gas up early and often.” Now [email protected] that’s a tip that sounds like it could’ve been learned the hard way, Morgan Lawrence which brings us to another fundamental truth: the Tour Goddess [email protected] is not to be trifled with. She giveth plenty, but she also taketh Ben Miotke [email protected] away. Just ask our friends in Sweet Crude, whose van was robbed Ian Willson recently in otherwise cuddly San Francisco. It’s a hard thing to [email protected] hear and yet it happens all the time.

SNAIL MAIL Tour is life and death—and not just for your career or aspirations. P.O. Box 2215 To those of you taking to the concrete seas, I implore: don’t let Gretna, LA 70054 romantic notions of late night, truck-stop-coffee-fueled driving binges overpower your good sense. Vans do flip over from time to cover illustration by L. Steve Williams time, and people die. There are perils and predators at every turn. photo this page of Jean Trapezoid of Gland by Kallie Watch your back—and those of your bandmates—out there. I could go on forever, but I’ll spare you my endless thoughts about life on the road; there’s plenty more in the pages to follow from the road dawgs in Donovan Wolfington, Gland, and Ekumen. So let me just say that for all the fun I had and all the experience I earned out there in the great beyond, the church bells never rang so loud in my head as they did when I returned to my loved ones— human and animal alike—and crossed the threshold of home sweet home. —Dan Fox

[email protected] FACEBOOK.COM/ANTIGRAVITYMAG @ANTIGRAVITYMAG / #ANTIGRAVITYMAG 4 * ANTIGRAVITY * JULY 2017 JULY 2017 * ANTIGRAVITY * 5 ARIES you are just over. With the sun in Symbolically, your sign is ruled by your sign through the 22nd, you STAR HUSTLER the ram. The basic idea: smash into have plenty of energy on your things until you figure them out. side, cheering you on as you make by CHRISTINA IGOE illustrations KALLIE This month, I want you to consider changes that are best for your the elephant. While everyone truest happiness. Until the 20th, understands you’re powerful, it is Mars is also in your sign, which pivotal to consider compassion and may bring stronger feelings up than CUT LOOSE connection. In small spaces, you you realize you have. Overreaction may feel too big this month. You is a word for weaklings: you are may feel like the only way out is allowed any feelings you want, at through stampede. Remember your any level you see fit. The new moon greatness, your need to protect and on the 23rd brings about a lot of nurture, and your expectation of opportunity to create new pathways care, and you will be more free. The in your emotional health and full moon on the 10th may bring up money. Get ready. some old news that makes you want to lead a pack. Make sure you know LEO where you are going. There will be two eclipses in Leo this year. One was in February, and TAURUS the next one is in August. When Venus is in your sign for the first there is an eclipse in your sign it five days of this month, which, marks a year of change, surprise every 18 months, brings such a and sometimes chaos. To have relief to your reality. So, indulge. two in your sign in one year is Get it out. Talk about it. In general, monumental in the kind of energy Taurus, it is suggested that you it gives. Yes, everyone has had a big get comfortable and get cozy at year. Yes, everyone is experiencing all times. For these five days, you a level of discomfort and change. need to focus in feeling this way But not at the same level as you, in as many parts of your life as Leo. This month, from the 21st possible. It is an opportunity to to the 23rd, you have especially connect with your best self. On the illuminating experiences. Some 25th, Mercury enters your house of themes to consider: your passion— creativity, bringing an opportunity are you involved in things that to tell your story through things make you feel like you are living at you make. If there is something your fullest potential? Identity— you have been meaning to say that do you like the image that other words don’t feel sufficient enough people are receiving of you? Finally, to express, consider making new beginnings—sometimes for a something about it. While things complete change you need to have can be lost in translation, the a marked beginning of a new phase. process of creating can feel like a Where do you want to restart? more complete conversation. VIRGO GEMINI It is a good exercise to get outside Sometimes, as Venus moves of your own personal bubble sloooowly through houses that and get ideas, inspiration, and A strange experience it is to eat too much. It usually starts when you get more than direct your energy outward, you motivation from your friends you can take of something you really like. There are varying degrees to this: some disconnect from yourself and how this month. Virgo, who are the people know exactly when they’ve had too much and stop, while others keep going to love yourself. This month, on people in your life that you have until they are in agony. In most of our lives, we learn our limitations and try not to the 5th, Venus re-enters your sign, relationships with who truly know cross over into that danger zone. But it happens. This month, with the sun in Cancer bringing gifts and messages of love you and have your best interest in a square to Jupiter in Libra, we all may collectively feel like we have over-indulged. Yes, the planets have asked us to look inside of ourselves to understand what we want. and compassion. With personal in mind? A good place to start We have been tested, broken, rebuilt, and slammed around in tides these last few clarity around being an incredible is by making a physical list, and months. At a certain point, it’s time to act in our new selves. It’s time to celebrate what brilliant light, Gemini, you should connecting with those people this is still standing, to exhale the things we have lost. With the sun in Cancer until the also prepare for the new moon on month. The exercise here is not 22nd, and Jupiter squaring it until the 12th, some of our best feelings come from fun. the 23rd. This new moon happens having a theme to follow in time We can find the light, and we need to. In our most comfortable, emotional, raw states, in your house of ideas, which will with other people, not needing freedom is a term that has made everyone vulnerable this year. This month, I want bring a swell of communication, a specific task or objective, but you to move toward spaces where you feel most comfortable having fun. I want you information, and creativity—all just spending time and absorbing to scream your feelings into songs while riding a rollercoaster and putting together a of which will connect you to an the experience fully. Sometimes, puzzle. I want you to avoid or quit the spaces that hold you back from feeling honored, emotional level and translate to without a plan, a lot can get done. celebrated, or heard. In granting your freedoms, in celebrating the basic parts of very important discoveries. As This feels actually incredibly being, I want you to hold other people up, too. Take care of someone; help them feel justice. Create peace in situations that have been rocky. Mother yourself. Mercury enters your house of home anti-Virgo to write, but your on the 25th, you may find yourself most moving experiences will On the 6th, Venus enters the sign of Gemini: tell me (everybody) about it. Get up and more comfortable than ever to come from places that are very talk about how you love, who you love, and why you love. We get so much done in our share your ideas. It is time to unveil unplanned this month. communities with stories. Sharing our feelings of compassion can move mountains some things that you have been this month. Gemini energy is special in its ability to speak to a large group and hit all thinking about for a long time. LIBRA the targets, with broad and full knowledge. This can also be a time in relationships This month’s full moon on the when arguing is a useful tool in change and growth. There can be a tendency to CANCER 9th may bring some unwanted exaggerate with Venus in Gemini—keep that in mind when telling or hearing a story. There are periods of time in our messages to you. While these lives when we need to recognize messages might be important, July 21st, Mars moves into Leo for the first time since August of 2015. This can really fully that something is over. This they could be surprising and even go two different ways: you can do things you feel truly proud of, or do things because you are worried about your pride. If you find yourself huffing and puffing over month, on the 9th, the full moon upsetting. During this time, Venus something, make sure it is worthy of your response during this time. will illuminate the things you want is in your house of adventure, to last forever—and other things so a good way to move through

6 * ANTIGRAVITY * JULY 2017 some of the difficult energy of this AQUARIUS information is to do something fun There are spiritual practices that and out of the ordinary, especially you really appreciate, Aquarius. if it involves other people. The new This could be a religious experience, moon on the 23rd is a time to call a psychic experience, or an your circle of friends together and experience connecting to the Earth. really intentionally spend time This month’s full moon asks that in groups. Sometimes, in groups, you get into it. Until the 5th, there is you can see yourself in a broader strong energy in your romantic life spectrum. While Jupiter moves to connect with someone you can through your sign, you may find really be yourself around, and who yourself searching for answers you want to be there for, fully. Use in your spirituality; the 25th is a this time wisely and organically. time to reconnect with your own Sometimes, in this transit you may spiritual truths. find that the people you have liked the most you can fully be yourself SCORPIO around, so it is a special time for Adventuring is a kind of catch- accessing the truth about who all phrase that I use often in you are best with. When the sun describing something out enters your house of long-term of the ordinary in your life. relationships on the 22nd you may Traditionally, this month should find yourself trying to understand be used for adventure, Scorpio; your place in long-term situations. you should be doing something Do you want to be doing this you don’t usually do. Travel is at forever? Motivate around the things the top of all lists related to what that don’t feel right. the planets are doing with your chart right now, but if travel is PISCES what you are always doing, staying When Venus enters your house put is advised. Change the regular, of home on the 5th, you may find something different. You TAKE CARE OF SOMEONE; experience a new energy in your have a tendency to get focused house. This is a time to consider and completely submerge yourself if you want to mother something. in everything you encounter, so HELP THEM FEEL JUSTICE. The spectrum ranges from a breezing through a few things plant to a human, and potentially might feel more exciting this CREATE PEACE IN SITUATIONS bringing any or all things into month. The new moon on the 23rd your house. So, what does it mean brings fresh ideas and inspiration THAT HAVE BEEN ROCKY. to you to take care of something in the realm of your public or someone? Are you ready to persona. Connect to the crowd. some special emotional connection the way this year’s eclipses have nurture and love something to what you need to feel more been affecting your chart. This fully? If it feels overwhelming to SAGITTARIUS yourself. Connect through getting month also brings a good amount of consider something outside of Unexpected money is coming outside, and going someplace where indulgences, and it is suggested you yourself, these energies can also for you with the full moon on the you can move. get into some of them. Promoting be fully used on you, too. The new 9th. This could be something like feeling really good as much as moon on the 23rd brings some finding a $20 bill on the ground or CAPRICORN possible, Venus will help you feel new beginnings to your work life. getting a weirdo work opportunity. You can literally plan for everything, comfortable spending time on your Changing small parts of your daily Keep your antenna open for these including understanding how you wants and pampering yourself. habits can help change big things possibilities. On the 5th, Venus are allowed to feel when you are Mercury moves into your house of in your life. This month would also starts a transit in opposition to your surprised. This month, on the 9th, advanced education on the 25th, be a good time to go see a doctor sign, which can create a little more there may be some shake-ups to which is a good time to learn more and check in with your health. clarity in your relationships and joy. what you know to be your reality about something you have been What you want, how to get it, and and path. Of course, you can handle thinking about. Taking a class or how to make it last a little longer these surprises, but giving yourself picking up a new skill is suggested is all promoted during this transit. space to feel deeply about these during this time. The new moon on the 23rd grants things will ultimately help with

JULY 2017 * ANTIGRAVITY * 7 anywhere from one to two dollars. and evolve over time. I like the soup, So, let me put that into perspective; OK? Oh, and I suspect they use REALITY BITES if you want a regular old, plain Jane, store-bought tortillas, but at least American style taco with lettuce, they use the high quality ones. by YVETTE DEL RIO illustration BEN CLAASSEN III tomatoes, cheese, guacamole, 7/10 Peasants Revolting and sour cream, that will run you a smooth $12. Oh, did you want Taco Bell habanero salsa with that? You’ll be (various locations) paying $13.75. Who wants to pay Did you know that if you soak a LET'S TALK TACOS that much for one totally lackluster, tarnished penny in a couple packets completely average-sized taco made of Taco Bell’s mild sauce, it comes with store-bought tortillas. Do you out all shiny and new looking? want a more traditional taco with 6/10 Dirty Pennies onions, cilantro, and pico? Sorry, boo—they don’t even have that as an El Pavo Real option. In the interest of not paying (4401 Broad St.) $48 for three subpar tacos, I only First things first: this place is ordered one: the shrimp. And it was very cute. I like that they eschew OK. I mean, it wasn’t bad, but it also stereotypical Mexican restaurant absolutely wasn’t worth my time. decorations (you know what I The frozen carrot margaritas are mean: sombreros and piñata DID YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU SOAK A TARNISHED PENNY IN A COUPLE PACKETS OF TACO BELL’S MILD SAUCE, IT COMES OUT ALL SHINY AND NEW LOOKING?

really good, though. Maybe go for everywhere—it’s not necessary y’all) drinks and eat elsewhere? and go for something a little more 1/10 Plain Janes restrained. It’s just lovely ceramic tiled floors, whitewashed walls with Taqueria Corona old wrought iron security bars hung (multiple locations) up like paintings (it works), and Let’s talk about Taqueria Corona’s bright, vividly colored oilcloths on decor. In addition to the piñata the tables. I find it restrained and and the random sparkly rainbow appealing, and it actually sort of lights (which I actually quite liked), looked like a restaurant that I went there are a truly overwhelming to in Merida years ago, which was A question that I get asked a lot is if there is actually good Mexican food in amount of photos of Emiliano also housed inside an old pharmacy, New Orleans. Like, dude, we’re a state away from Texas... why is it so hard? Zapata. I counted no less than just like El Pavo Real. On to the In a quest to find the best, I ate a bunch of tacos. There are so many more I twelve on one wall alone. Is the food; instead of free chips and salsa, need to try, though. Where’s your favorite? Who did I forget? owner a hardcore revolutionary? they give you spicy popcorn! I’m a A fan of agrarianism? A hater of huge popcorn superfan (RIP Oxalis, Casa Borrega for being a rubbery meat. Luckily, Porfirio Díaz? I don’t know, but if your buttered rum popcorn will be (1719 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.) the steak was very tender—and you’re looking for tacos, and really missed), so right off the bat, I was Casa Borrega is one of those “throw surprisingly tangy—but the chicken enjoy looking at images from the rooting for them. That popcorn everything including the kitchen was the clear star. It was bright and Mexican Revolution, this could is really good, and everyone gets sink up on the wall as decoration” citrusy, and generally smelled really be the place for you. Except that, their own little bowl! I tried the type places, which usually annoys appealing. I couldn’t place what it for the most part, the tacos aren’t chicken tinga, pescado frito, and al me, but it works. I’m not sure if I was, but it was definitely distinctly that great. They aren’t awful, but, pastor tacos. The most important understand the stacks of cassette fragrant. Also, they use homemade with the exception of the fish tacos, thing first—they used very good tapes, but whatever. Here, the tacos tortillas, which put them a clear cut they also aren’t anything I’d feel homemade tortillas! The pescado come three to an order, and there’s above some of the other taquerias I the need to go back for. The pulled frito, much like the fish tacos at three different types to choose tried. Casa Borrega also had the best pork was interesting; I don’t think Taqueria Corona, were Baja style. from. Because I’m a sweet talker, guacamole I tried anywhere. I’ve ever had barbecue sauce on They were also excellent. The I coaxed the waitress into letting 8.5/10 Kitchen Sinks a taco before. At first I loved the fish was delicately fried and the me try one of each: lengua, steak, idea, but the more I ate, the less I mayo was tangy and bright. The al and chicken. I’ve heard really good El Gato Negro enjoyed it. The grilled chicken were pastor were sweet and just a little things about the fish taco special (multiple locations) extra boring; they didn’t taste like spicy; I think the salsa on them has for lunch, but sadly, I wasn’t able I really don’t like to talk about much of anything. The fish tacos, pineapples in it, or at least that’s to get there on a day when they prices in my reviews, but here’s the however, were awesome. They what it tasted like. The chicken had it. Casa Borrega’s tacos are of thing: El Gato Negro’s taco pricing do them California or Baja style: tinga were good but not as excellent the meat, onions, lime, salsa, and is completely nutsy-cuckoo. Their fried fish, cabbage, onion, cilantro, as the other choices. Also, I highly nothing else variety, which is my tacos are sold as singles, and one and spicy mayonnaise. They were recommend that you try the rajas favorite! I’m an offal fan, and I taco is $5.75. OK, that’s a little sweet and tangy and the perfect con queso, an appetizer that sort usually like tongue, so I was pretty steep, but it’s not horrific.But , their accompaniment to my favorite of feels like deconstructed nachos. hyped to try the lengua tacos. definition of taco is literally just the thing at Taqueria Corona, the I know that’s a weird description, While I thought they were good, tortilla and the meat; if you want black bean soup! I know that I’m but it’s a cheese dip with roasted they weren’t nearly as good as the anything else, you pay extra for it. notoriously not a big soup head, but peppers, onion, and corn, that chicken. The chicken was better Lettuce—literally the cheapest food I really like theirs. And whatever, ends up being way heartier than it seasoned, and not as tough, which is product you can slap on a plate— I’m allowed to be a multifaceted sounds. 10/10 Peacocks strange because tongue isn’t known costs 50 cents. Other items range human being with tastes that grow

8 * ANTIGRAVITY * JULY 2017 A tasty exploration of Southeast Asian & Southern cuisine. Come get your grub on!

Lunch Monday-Friday Dinner Monday-Saturday 320 S. Broad St. @ Banks marjiesgrill.com 603-2234

JULY 2017 * ANTIGRAVITY * 9 she turned the monitor to face me and she came in with a quick sigh and said, said, “See, I told you everything was “Well honey, you know not everyone is WRITING FOR TWO fine.” I might have actually left my body cut out for that.” I can’t lie—I felt a little in that moment. There you are, little bit betrayed. Like, my own mom doesn’t by ERIN HALL illustration ERIN K. WILSON one. Heart beating 145 times a minute think I can do this? She then reminded and flexing your little feet. Not for the me of what a colossal wuss I was after first time—or, I’m sure, the last—you my only major surgery, but I protested nearly gave us a heart attack. that it was dental pain, which is a very TIME TO GET CRUNCHY unique type of pain. To which she The doctor went on to tell me that smartly responded, “Well, so is pushing if she’d had five more minutes, she out a baby.” Fair point, Dawn. would’ve found the heartbeat with the doppler. And that she could see the I began to question myself. I bought heartbeat on the external ultrasound, and borrowed books on the natural but knew that I couldn’t. Bless you, birthing process and consulted a friend Dr. Lapeyre, to the ends of the Earth, of mine who is an RN and in training for taking the extra steps not just to to be a midwife. I dug deep inside reassure me that you could see that my cynical brain and asked myself everything was fine, but for making the hardest question: “Are you really sure that I saw it with my own eyes. enough of a hippie to pull this off?” And You are the patron saint of high-strung, the answer surprised me. It may be my first-time mothers. Capricorn stubbornness, or it may be some deep universal truth my soul has After the appointment, I debated simply acknowledged, but here’s the whether I was ready to tell people, but dish: I know I can do this. My body was I didn’t think I could handle another literally built to do this. Generations month of secrecy. Also, the first upon generations of women have done installment of this column was coming this before me. Unless something goes

WHEN WE WERE FINALLY READY FOR THE ULTRASOUND, I GOT A LIBERAL SMEARING OF JELLY ON THE BELLY AND WE WENT HUNTING ONCE MORE FOR PROOF THAT I HADN’T MADE THIS WHOLE THING UP.

out, so I’d backed myself into a bit of a horribly wrong, I will not accept pain corner, really. Ergo, everyone knows medication during the birth of my now. I posted a collage: a cute picture child. But I’m also not stupid enough of my dogs in the ill-fitting Christmas to think I can get prepared for such a costumes my mom sent them last year, major undertaking alone. I’m enlisting a little knit baby hat with a gift box a posse of midwives, a prenatal yoga that announced “Santa’s Little Helper, practitioner, an immersive 12-week- arriving December 2017,” and the long couple-focused natural childbirth sonogram image, in which my then- class, a library of reading material, 8-week-old baby looks exactly like a and a bunch of hippie baby gear. gummi bear with alien eyes. Crunchtown, here I come!

I was relieved. And then I immediately SHE’S A MIDWIFE, wanted to throw up. Because if NOT A WOOD SPRITE something goes off the rails now, I get Hello again. Welcome back to the I imagine that for many women, to either A) discuss a horribly painful The practice of midwifery is pretty Wonderful World of My Uterus. this moment is ripe with joy and thing very publicly, or B) say nothing ancient if we’re being real about it. Things are moving right along and, anticipation. For me, it was pure, and then spend months individually Long before there were Maternal Fetal as this issue debuts, I am at 18 weeks hardboiled dread. The pit in my stomach telling everyone I run into that Medicine Specialists and 3-D ultrasound (food reference: a bell pepper), just grew and grew until it threatened to something went wrong. Much like machines in every mall, there were two weeks shy of the midpoint of my swallow the whole room as she searched, almost every moment of this pregnancy midwives—expert women who ushered pregnancy! This is both elating in the unable to find anything other than the thus far, I remain possessed of a new life into the world in all its messy, sense of Halfway done, woohoo! and white noise of my guts processing the simultaneous excitement coupled with bloody, wondrous glory. However, terrifying in the sense of HALFWAY? PB&J I had for lunch. I’m sure that my unbridled terror. it seems that many people’s ideas of No! There’s so much left to do! This face by that point was a mask of horror, what a midwife does is still shaped by installment covers the return—or as she quickly said, “You know what— FREAKING HIPPIES an outdated perception of them as, perhaps just the continuation—of my let’s just go to ultrasound.” essentially, mystical forest entities. battle with the anxiety monster, and a So, I was raised by a nurse. She’s said Like, am I going to have to pull the baby reflection on why we made the decision So we waited a few minutes while they for years that it’s completely insane to out myself, and will she make me eat to embark on an intentional journey set up the room and I stared at my her that women these days can “have the placenta? I’m pretty sure some of towards a natural, drug-free delivery. husband, who tried in vain to comfort a baby and calmly knit a blanket at our family members have this exact me while I met his sweetness with cold the same time,” due to the widespread impression of midwifery and I could read COME OUT, COME OUT, detachment. When we were finally use of epidurals for pain relief. This it in the nervousness present in their WHEREVER YOU ARE ready for the ultrasound, I got a liberal constant refrain in my mind shaped me voices when we told them our game plan. smearing of jelly on the belly and we to believe that natural, unmedicated Our 12-week appointment was horrible. went hunting once more for proof childbirth was the best way to go and Let me assure you that though it Well, it wasn’t all bad. But it was touch- that I hadn’t made this whole thing that relying on pain relief was, in a way, may be a bit granola for some gals’ and-go for a minute. The doc could sense up. Minutes passed and I heard and an easy out. I mean, women are tough tastes, midwife care is equal in quality my anxiety the minute she walked in the saw only static. At this point, my heart as nails, dammit. Men could never bear and safety to that of a traditional room. We chatted a bit about standard dropped into my feet and I was sure the pain, but we’re warriors! Right? obstetrician. With this in mind and things like how I’m feeling and what to that we’d lost the baby. with the determination that we were expect of the coming weeks. Then came Then I mentioned to my mom that I committed to a natural birth plan, we the moment of truth: she broke out the The doctor then suggested a vaginal planned to have an unmedicated birth made the call to switch over our prenatal fetal doppler and said, “Let’s listen to ultrasound, which took another few with as little intervention as possible. care to the midwives of the Ochsner your baby’s heartbeat!” minutes to set up. About 90 seconds in, The line was silent for a moment before Baptist Perkin Alternative Birth Center.

10 * ANTIGRAVITY * JULY 2017 We began this new leg of our journey at under that weight, so send those good the 16-week check-up. We saw Esther, skinny-girl vibes my way. the first of four midwives on staff at the ABC. We’ll see her in rotation with the I am abundantly aware of my limits— other three for subsequent visits, so technically it is recommended that I that no matter who is on call when I go gain just 11 to 20 pounds throughout into labor, it’s someone I’m comfortable my entire pregnancy based on my with and with whom I’ve spent quality pre-pregnancy BMI—and she seemed time during my pregnancy (a major encouraged to know that I had done selling point for us!) my research and was actively working towards a healthy pregnancy. As a The difference in my experience at matter of fact, I’d lost 4 pounds since the ABC versus the previous two visits my 12-week check-up, putting me with the OB’s office was significant. I back at my pre-pregnancy weight! immediately felt more comfortable. We discussed my usual diet and she The staff was warm and welcoming and gave me handclaps for 95% of it, while let me ramble on about my anxiety and helpfully pointing out that I should every little thing that I’ve let consume check my cereal ingredient list and my mind during this pregnancy. Esther if any form of sugar was one of the was patient, understanding, and good first three ingredients, to stop eating humored, even when it came time for it in order to lessen my chances of her to take a hard line with me. developing gestational diabetes (for reference: Raisin Bran and Special I had been a bit stressed out, in K are both a lie, but Kashi Go Lean particular, about having the “weight” passes the test). conversation. Being plus-size before pregnancy, I’m carrying a lot of When it came time to break out the baggage (pun not actually intended, doppler, the anxiety demons crawled but somewhat valid). Despite the fact closer to the surface, but I had that I live a pretty healthy lifestyle, promised myself that I would think science and medicine say that I’m positively and be patient with the simply a higher risk as a pregnant process. After about three minutes of woman. When it came time to talk searching, we heard a most beautiful about weight gain, Esther was very sound: the steady, rhythmic beating plainspoken, but never cruel or of our child’s heart. Behind it could be judgemental. The reality is that the heard a soft whooshing noise, which ABC is set up for low-risk patients, so Esther informed me was my blood if I gain more than 30 pounds, I will flowing into the placenta, sustaining be unable to deliver there and will my baby. In that moment, I felt so need to be accompanied by a midwife many things: relief, excitement, and— to the regular labor and delivery unit. finally—a sense that everything really Now, I can’t tell you the future, but I was going to be okay. plan to fight like hell to keep myself

JULY 2017 * ANTIGRAVITY * 11 gathered at St. Mary’s to register parties may have contributed to their opposition, not to hear a cost- the magnitude of the disaster, THE NINTH WARD IS benefit analysis. Though the Corps the Army Corps of Engineers is came in with a plan to spend the widely-believed to be responsible first half of the hearing presenting for design flaws which led to the the details of the project and devote breaching of the levees. The New the second half to community Orleans District of the Corps, the NOT ON BOARD response, the community response largest in the nation, has long held proved difficult to contain. When more resources and assets than by HOLLY DEVON illustrations RYAN BLACKWOOD the Corps’ spokesman insisted that any other district. But while flood dredging would be non-intrusive protection has officially been the In the early evening of March waterways stretching from Florida and any relocation of homes responsibility of the Corps since 30, residents of the Ninth Ward to Texas, built to accommodate would be only temporary, waves of 1965, the New Orleans District has trickled into the St. Mary of the large transport barges which fared derisive laughter rippled through been willing to sacrifice a superior Angels Church, greeting each other poorly in open water. The current the audience. When Boyett spoke flood protection system in order warmly as they slid into the pews. Industrial Canal lock was built of the potential economic benefits, to cut costs. According to a well- They came for the Army Corps in 1923, and the Corps has been he was interrupted by a woman publicized 2015 report in the Water of Engineers’ public hearing on advocating for its replacement since whose fear was that the Army Corps Policy Journal, much of the thinking the replacement of the Industrial shortly after the completion of the was not telling the whole story behind the Corps’ pre-Katrina flood Canal lock, an initial step in Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in 1949. of how the project would impact protection design was oriented the congressionally-mandated The Corps’ proposal is to replace the neighborhood, and would around the best “cost-benefit ratio.” “community mitigation plan” the existing lock with a shallow only reveal their larger plans once At times, between the most effective required of the Corps before any draft lock—900 feet long, 100 feet construction was underway. “I don’t and least expensive option, the construction can begin. As friends wide, and 22 feet deep—located on want to be nickel and dimed—I want Corps would recommend the latter, and neighbors talked and laughed, the canal between Tonti Street and to know it all in one piece,” she said, leaving some floodwalls almost half they gave little indication that Johnson Street. The project would followed by a murmur of agreement the height needed to protect the city they were preparing for battle. But require $953 million (courtesy from other audience members. The from higher category storms and no sooner had Ricky Boyett, the of the federal Inland Waterways most recurring interjection from others structurally unsound. public affairs chief of the Corps’ Trust Fund) and 13 years of Ninth Ward residents concerned New Orleans District, stepped up serious construction, which means how this project would impact flood The failures of the Corps have to the podium than the geniality of dredging the river, substantial noise protection. Boyett assured residents not been forgotten by New the atmosphere quickly dissipated. and air pollution, diverting all St. that any previous design failures in Orleanians. As Holy Cross resident In spite of Boyett’s initial attempts Claude traffic to a temporary bridge, the floodgates had been solved in and community activist Vanessa to win over the crowd with humor, and possible short-term relocation the new superior surge barrier, and Gueringer puts it, “the Corps is at the audience wasn’t laughing. As of residential properties. While this project wouldn’t pose a threat the top of the list for destroying the meeting wore on, one thing the Corps has recognized that the to flood protection infrastructure. us, for making us fight so hard for became increasingly clear: If the project would undeniably have a This statement, however, reassured the community we love. There Corps wanted to move forward profound impact on the lives of no one, as evidenced with a cry from are families who lost their lives, on the project, they had better be Ninth Ward residents on both sides the back of the room which was families who are in the Diaspora prepared for a fight. of the bridge, they hoped to convey followed by hearty applause. “After and will never come back. The at the public hearing that the everything that’s happened, why Corps has continuously caused The Industrial Canal sits at a economic benefits would more than should we trust you?” misery in this community.” critical juncture between Lake make up for the costs. Gueringer has been working on Pontchartrain, the Mississippi The losses of Katrina are still a behalf of her neighborhood for River, and the Gulf Intracoastal However, the neighbors and part of daily reality in the Ninth more than a decade, as a member Waterway, a system of inland community members were Ward. And while plenty of other of ACORN in the years following

12 * ANTIGRAVITY * JULY 2017 the storm, and more recently as If, as a consequence, there is the Vice President and Chair of a certain inevitability behind the Lower Ninth Ward chapter of proposed economic projects like A Community Voice. Gueringer the Industrial Canal lock, it is easy has advocated for schools, street to see why any gestures made by repairs, the construction of over federal organizations to include 9,000 homes, the recovery of the local perspectives come across as neighborhood’s fire station, and merely a formality. increased public transit options. Any community should be able For her, the Industrial Canal lock to decide whether the costs of replacement proposal is a slap in these projects outweigh the the face to her community, which is benefits when they are the still working to get back on its feet. ones primarily absorbing these “We have not received any benefits costs. If smaller communities from all the times that they have are given veto power, then the done damage to our community. burden of proof would be placed Not a park, not a community on developers such as the Army center, not a school, nothing. Corps. In order to convince those We had to pull ourselves up. So who would be most impacted by for them to come back to us and construction, the Corps would disregard all the things they have have to hold themselves to not been held accountable for is higher standards; superior flood just outrageous. [The lock] would protection, environmentally be a death sentence for us.” conscious designs, and evenly- distributed profits would Reverend Willie Calhoun Jr., engender community support, another community activist who making everyone equally invested has been vocal in his opposition in the larger economic structure. to the Corps’ proposal, is Instead, by overlooking the chiefly concerned about the human cost of engineering for consequences of the construction decades, the Corps’ decisions have on the levee system: “The moving led to nothing but mistrust and of the lock from St. Claude over resentment in the Ninth Ward. to the north side of the Claiborne Bridge is posing a lot of threats to THE NEIGHBORS AND “This first thing I need for you to the community. There’s no way know is, I don’t think you have they can say they’ll do that safely COMMUNITY MEMBERS anybody here that lives in these and not impact the levee system. communities that’s in favor of What they’re saying is they’re this project,” Reverend Calhoun going to play Russian roulette WERE GATHERED AT ST. told the Corps at the March with the community.” While hearing. To illustrate his point, Calhoun feels that no financial MARY’S TO REGISTER he invited anyone in the audience benefit would be worth the risk to who was in favor to stand up. No the community, he also stresses one stirred. When he asked those that from the perspective of the THEIR OPPOSITION, who were against it to stand, each Ninth Ward, the Corps’ promises person sitting in the pews of St. of economic returns seem pretty NOT TO HEAR A COST- Mary of the Angels church rose hollow. “The only benefit is to together. The unity of the Ninth the maritime industry. There is Ward has created a formidable no economic benefit—for every BENEFIT ANALYSIS. obstacle for the Corps. Hopefully dollar they spend on this project, the Corps will understand that they say they’ll get four back, but the bottleneck at the confluence bottoms are cleared of mud and more is now required of them that’s for the U.S. over 50 years, of these waterways,” says Boyett. plants to allow better navigability than force of will and Manifest not for the local community. The lock’s age has meant extensive for shipping vessels, made projects Destiny. Otherwise, this fight will Who is being endangered, and for repairs every year. Boyett reports such as the Gulf Intracoastal be divisive and volatile, and it’s whose benefit?” that the year before, the lock was Waterway possible. While dredging hard to imagine how anyone can shut down for 120 days, which must be done continually within emerge from it a winner. The Army Corps of Engineers had a devastating impact on the this shipping model to avoid believes there is hardly any other maritime economy. Since shipping buildup of sediment, in the long choice but to replace the lock. is one of the most important term, dredging has a detrimental According to Ricky Boyett, the parts of the city’s economy, for impact on river ecosystems. lock is a “working antique,” built an organization whose primary Today we are observing the toll almost a century ago by the same mandate is maximizing profit from industrialism has taken on our man who designed the Panama the waterways, it doesn’t seem like environment. In Louisiana, the oil- Canal, and “too small to handle refusing to keep the infrastructure polluted waters and rapid land loss modern cargo.” In an era where the up to date is even an option. make this impact nearly impossible shipping industry is seeing drastic to ignore. restructuring, consolidation of That New Orleans has been painted regional ports all over the world, into a corner economically is in part The high price of industrial and newly updated infrastructure a result of the Faustian bargains infrastructure can be easy to (including the recently replaced made in the 19th and 20th centuries ignore when you take the wider and enlarged locks on the Panama by industrial capitalists who view. From a federal perspective, Canal), the New Orleans port is designed and financed railroads, environmental losses are falling behind. “The location is a dams, and canals, completely outweighed by economic gains, confluence of the busiest and third shifting the human relationship to and any disruptions for those busiest waterways in the region, natural resources. The practice of living in construction zones are and the lock that’s there now is dredging, for example, where river just the cost of doing business.

JULY 2017 * ANTIGRAVITY * 13 HERE LIES DONOVAN WOLFINGTON 2011 — 2017 by WILLIAM ARCHAMBEAULT photos EMILY QUIRK

Neil Berthier

new stuff. It’s different though. It’s ways about it. This is how it’s going “It is very likely that, in one of these moments, you are going to die,” echoes a more calm I guess, but that’s not bad. to happen, no matter what.” James voice from my speakers as a Donovan Wolfington 7” spins on the turntable. [Whitten] was fine with that. In the After six busy years, the much beloved band is calling it quits. Founded in I feel like Donovan Wolfington middle of the record, Matt was doing 2011 by then-Loyola freshmen Neil Berthier and Matthew Seferian, the band has tried to do a lot of different his songs and he had wanted his songs combined the duo’s distinct (and frequently contrasting) songwriting styles things. On the last album, you had a certain way, but we only had the to cultivate a strong local and national following. However, the journey a hardcore punk tune and a slow week to do it. We’d already paid for it. Being DIY is so dumb because we hasn’t been easy. The group endured multiple lineup changes and numerous metal tune. Now, the new album has a song inspired by Kanye West. should’ve just added more time, but other complications. When they recorded their 2015 album How to Treat the That was all Mike’s doing. It was a beat we wanted to own this record and do Ones You Love, the studio’s owner died in the middle of the sessions, forcing that Mike had just made and showed to it all ourselves. We wanted to have the the band to rush their work and eventually finish the album elsewhere. In me. I said, “Do you want to just put it on rights to it (which we still do and I’m addition to their work with Donovan Wolfington, members—who now include the record?” At this point, we literally happy about it). Once we were done, bassist Alex Skalany and drummer Mike Saladis—juggled getting college gave no fucks... we went on a three month tour. We degrees with performing, recording, and touring with other projects such as were so rushed for time. The idea was Pope, New Holland, and Ize. Donovan Wolfington’s last album that we were going to have it done came out in summer 2015. This when we got back from the three Before the band departs, they are releasing a new album titled WAVES. has been the band’s biggest gap month tour so that we could mix it This album is the group’s most experimental effort yet. While past releases between releases. What has taken real quick and then start pitching it to labels. And we did that. We went featured a variety of different song styles, their latest tunes have internalized Donovan Wolfington so long to put out this album? out on this tour, but during that three these stylistic differences within the songs themselves. Each number It wasn’t supposed to be that way! month span where we went over to frantically spins in and out of different genres and tempos. This is also the We recorded it last July with James Europe with Caddy[whompus], I just first Donovan Wolfington release not to feature any songs led by Seferian. Whitten, but we were building the started to realize, “Oh shit. This isn’t studio in April and May (now it’s going to work.” That was the point in D-Wolf plans to close this chapter of their lives with one final show this fall. known as the Palace, across from the time where that thought first entered Drinking hot coffee outside in the summer rain, Berthier opened up about the Music Box). We did the Gland show my head… I remember being over death of Donovan Wolfington and why he’s not mourning. there. We try to throw shows and there and just being exhausted and Mike’s doing records out of there. But realizing how we all were and what was at that time, it was just going to be going to happen in the coming months How have you been? Girlpool show on Thursday that he’s our space. It was going to be this place if certain things didn’t happen. We Neil Berthier: I’ve been overall very opening up for. I’m just like, “Dude, where we would do this record and it were just losing money over there good: working at Gasa [Gasa], working why does Alex get to do that? I should was going to be cool because it’s super [in Europe]. When we got back, we shows, and I start bartending next just fucking do that. I should just go DIY... Around that time, I remember had done the record, mixed it, talked week. I’m writing a solo record now in and record all the instruments and Matt was working a lot. There was a about it, and everything. I had sent that I’m very excited about. I still do whatever.” I did that for the first lot of stuff where we couldn’t organize out five songs to different labels and want to do it. I still like the idea of D-Wolf record. It was me on bass for schedules. Alex was working, too. we ended up talking with a really big being in a touring band and making it one song and drums for three songs. We went in [and] not everyone even one. If there were three bigger punk happen. I was talking to Alex about it Point being: I’m sick of just dicking knew the songs. It was like, “I’ve had labels that you were talking to as a because he’s doing his solo thing and around. I’ve got to start my life and this song for four years. We’re gonna younger band, I’m sure if you just I’m playing guitar with him at that just go for it at this point. I like the put it on the record. There’s no two took a wild guess you’d probably get

14 * ANTIGRAVITY * JULY 2017 Matthew Seferian the right answer. We were talking to a Yeah. I’m stoked; I really love it. I label like that and it began a thing that think that every Donovan Wolfington divided everybody. It was something record has had some kind of strain that I really wanted to do. Everyone "AT THE END OF on it, which has been so annoying. It was questioning, “Do I want to commit shouldn’t have been that way because this much to our lives?” which is every other aspect of our band for the completely understandable, but THE DAY, THERE past six years was so fun. Working it up brought me to the conclusion of: well the way we wanted to do it was the fun then why are we doing it? We all had part, but once it came to the recording, different ideas of what this was going I was unhappy or Matt was unhappy. to be going in. I’m sick of working hard WERE NO FIGHTS." Everyone had their own take on it. to get tours and doing all this stuff, That was the idea of it—that this was especially because at that time we had and is doing records out of there all then he had songs that he wanted on democracy, run by the four of us. We’ve a bum agent who didn’t do anything the time. Matt has Pope and he has a the solo record. The ones he got for us had a million different lineups but even for us; I ended up doing everything. solo record too. I know he’s recording were great songs but when we started in those times it was kind of the same It was one of those moments where that this week because I just saw him talking with label X, he explained, way. No one just said, “Yeah. This is you think, “How long can I do this?” five minutes ago. I don’t want to take “I don’t want to lock my songs into the way it is.” I think that kind of thing It’s just not fun anymore—especially a backseat to this stuff that we’ve been something like that because it’s really led to everyone getting angry at each with everyone else’s projects and doing for so long if we’re not really all intense and I want to own these things.” other. It eventually got resolved, but I lives. All that started to develop too, into it. We’re all into playing shows and He took them off and, rightfully so; I hated the recording process for every which is not a bad thing. I’m stoked for chilling, but we can do that anyways. I, get it. I think they’re going to go on his single record. It was never fun. With everyone. We’re still really close. personally, want to take this a bit more solo record, which he’s doing right now. the last one, it was the producer dying seriously. Since then, everything has That was another discrepancy where I and having to take stuff out. The one Do you feel that Donovan been good. It was taking a look back and think we all had different ideas on how before that, we did it in the Maze; it was Wolfington breaking up is a result of thinking about where our side hustles we wanted to go into this one. On my a ragtag process. This one was, oddly you guys entering the post-college lay... I think we’re all kind of finding end, I had so many songs for such a long enough, very much in our control. Once phase of your lives? where we lay and what we want to do time that if they don’t go on there, I’m we have it in our control, there’s the Absolutely. At the end of the day, there with that. It’s been better, I think. I’ve going to snap… It was much less of a opposite [problems that come with were no fights. With the label thing, been a happier person for it. I’m not on collaborative process than the last one, that]. I’ve never liked recording for that there was a bit of a divide. There was a the edge of my seat. which I think definitely pissed people reason—there was always something bit of distrust between everyone and off too. Sorry, but I didn’t know that I ridiculous and stupid. where everyone’s loyalties lay. Some You mentioned Matt’s songwriting. was going to be so upset if these specific people seem to wonder why it even I noticed he doesn’t sing lead on songs weren’t out the way they are now. Is that why you feel that you want mattered. But it does matter, because any of the songs on this new album. I don’t really care about anything else to have more control over the solo this is our life; this is something we Could you talk a little bit about the more than it being out in the world now stuff? You talked about wanting should take very seriously. When you songwriting process for this album? so that people can enjoy it. We’re doing to record all the instruments narrowed it down, everyone started That was a weird thing. He originally it no label—DIY... just Bandcamp. yourself. to realize that we all think really had songs that were on the record, but Yeah. I don’t want to do anything differently about music and how we it was this ratio that got less and less Given the recording process and else. I don’t want to deal with any want to pursue our careers. Alex has because he’s writing for so much stuff. everything, do you feel happy with other ideas. I want it to be super raw. his solo record. Mike has this studio He had songs on the Pope record and how the record turned out? Like, here you go: this was the way it

JULY 2017 * ANTIGRAVITY * 15 was thought out, and this is the way that. You should just start projects it is. No second guessing anything. that are one thing and have a bunch of We always wanted to do that with different projects, not fit it all into one D-Wolf because that’s how you’re project.” I said, “No. That’s our thing. going to get the best product and get That’s how I want to make it.” And he everyone’s input and that makes it was totally right. He’s been right about such a group thing. That’s great but, everything for forever. He knows things on my end, it was also so straining to and is a very smart guy, so I think I’m the point that some people would be going to try that for a while. By late saying, “Let’s do it. Let’s get it done” 2017 or early 2018, I want to have some and other people would say, “Well stuff going and get some shows going let’s really think about. Let’s really for the solo thing. If that goes well, bring it home.” They are two ways of I’ll focus on that. [Then] I’ll not write looking at it and neither way is better another Ghost Boy record but write an than the other. It just depends on how Unarmed Cops record, which I really you want to do it; but when those two want to do with Brian from PEARS. It are really different, they don’t really wouldn’t be PEARS-style stuff where work together. This album was such a it’s melodic. It’d be more Trash Talk- process for me that I just want to make esque, but not Trash Talk. something and have it be the way I intended it. I just want to like it fully. How has New Orleans impacted you I really want to love it fully, but I don’t as a musician and a person? know if that is going to happen. I would not be anywhere near as well- rounded or relaxed as I am. I was born So Donovan Wolfington has decided to "YOU CAN DO WHATEVER in New Orleans East, moved up to only do one more show and that’s it? Connecticut, and came back for school I don’t know about that yet. That is at Loyola. I remember when I first got something we’ve kept up in the air. It YOU WANT WHEN YOU to Loyola, I was so pissed off and rigid. was originally going to be in July, but I was coming from that Northeast now I think we’re pushing it to the JUST FOLLOW THE RULES, hardcore punk thing. Straight Edge is fall. People leave for the summer, so it really big up there and all that type of would be nice to do that. Maybe [we’ll] stuff. Coming down here, I realized that do [Gainesville] Fest, but I doubt it. I WHICH ARE: BE NICE TO you can do whatever you want when like the Fest but I don’t want to drive you just follow the rules, which are: nine hours for one show. Part of me EVERYONE, WHEN YOU be nice to everyone, when you want thinks maybe we should do a tour. I’m something you ask for it, and follow sure we will at some point. I just don’t through with your convictions, which want to do it anytime soon, because I WANT SOMETHING YOU is oddly tougher than it sounds. That don’t really feel like it. to me is how I’ve run my life. When you go to other places, you bring that So you guys aren’t drawing a hard ASK FOR IT, AND FOLLOW type of vibe and sometimes it’s almost line and saying, “We’re breaking off-putting to people, like saying hi up... period” so much as that you THROUGH WITH YOUR to everyone on the street. People get don’t want to keep doing what weirded out by that, especially in the you’ve been doing? Northeast. I remember I was walking We’re done in the sense that I don’t CONVICTIONS" with my buddy Theo from Ovlov in want to do another record. Why put Boston and I was saying hi to everyone ourselves through that? To me, it just a second guitar player.” I was just like, night was fine because it was 40 people on the street. He commented, “Dude doesn’t make any sense. Let’s just work “D-Wolf is breaking up! Let me play and all older punks who were all, “Yeah! why are you doing that? You’re crazy” on each other and ourselves and make second guitar in your band!” [laughs] The show must go on!” The next night and I told him, “No I’m not!” It was so it something special, as opposed to He said, “What?!?!” He was one of the was like 125 people in Orlando and it weird. I like that this is a city where we having strain and conflicting ideas. I first few people I told. I don’t think I’ll was people who were actually stoked can kind of look at the rest of the world don’t see another record coming out end up playing guitar for PEARS. I was to see PEARS. Both Maura and I just from our little microcosm of cool and of the project Donovan Wolfington. I just drunk, but he said, “Tell you what, looked at each other thinking, “Fuck. I awesome stuff. Just kind of make our don’t think it’s going to happen. Tour? we are going out on this Me First and don’t want to do this again.” It was a fun assumptions and realize how we want Possible. If we do tour, I’d like to do a the Gimme Gimmes tour. We know you one-time thing, but I was really worried to fit in with that. It’s not a New York Northeast or California thing; I don’t have a van. Would you like to guitar about how people would react. But and an L.A. thing where I’m trying to want to do the full U.S. or anything like tech and drive?” I said, absolutely! At everyone was really stoked, and we sold make it. I’m hustling, bustling. I’ve got to that. I’d like to go to some places that that point, I hadn’t been on tour since a bunch of merch. It was really cool and talk to these people and do these things. we really like and then just end it... Europe. It was a solid six to seven Zach was really thankful. It was weird. No. Fuck that. just have it be what it is. I like the idea months where I was just at home You can’t fill in for Zach Quinn. He’s a of having this record be for everyone working. It wasn’t bad, but you start to tough one. I don’t know how he does Donovan Wolfington self-releases who really liked us. No song premieres think a lot when you’re home. I hadn’t it. He’s got it really down to a science, WAVES this month. For more on whatever site that some blogger been home for that long in years. especially the notes that he hits and information, check out Donovan doesn’t really care about or all the how fast he’s singing. It was tough for Wolfington on Facebook hype created around a record just to That’s probably the longest you’ve me to not run out of breath. (@donovanwolfington) and sell more records. been off of the road since you donovanwolfingtonmusic.bandcamp.com started Donovan Wolfington. Tell me more about what is next for You’ve been tour managing PEARS Absolutely. Going out on that tour was you musically. lately. How has that been going? just so fun. D-Wolf never really did a I’m going to do a solo record and I’m It’s been awesome. It’s so fun. I learned tour like that. The biggest tour we did really excited. I think it’s going to a lot with them. They were the band was with Joyce Manor, who are friends be really cool. I believe I’m going to that always brought us up and was of ours. Obviously, we look up to those call the project Ghost Boy. Then I’m always encouraging, trying to put us dudes too but it’s not Jay Bentley from going to do a hardcore project called on. They were always super cool to us, Bad Religion, where I’m just like, “No Unarmed Cops. I want to do everything and when they started to blow up, I was Control was the first record I ever one at a time. I was talking with Bryan watching, [thinking] damn, not only bought!” [laughs] It was just so fun and Funck about it. He had heard the new so proud, but thinking that it would eye-opening, especially getting to watch record before everybody because James be awesome to see that band every PEARS play to these huge crowds. Then [Whitten] does all the Thou stuff and night. Brian [Pretus, PEARS guitarist] we did the week-long tour in Florida James did our record. He heard one and I were at that Jimmy Eat World from Atlanta to south Florida. Zach song, I think “Waves.” He said, “Yeah, show at the Joy Theater. We both got [Quinn] blew out his voice and Maura man. I liked that one song until it got all in and it was me, him, and his wife. [Weaver], his girlfriend who was in metal and stupid.” I said, “Sick. Thanks He was saying, “They have a second Mixtapes, and I got to sing. We split Bryan.” He said, “Why do you do that? guitar player. It’d be cool if PEARS had Zach’s vocals for two nights. The first It’s always really dumb when you do

16 * ANTIGRAVITY * JULY 2017 JULY 2017 * ANTIGRAVITY * 17 18 * ANTIGRAVITY * JULY 2017 HALLOWEEN WEEKEND CITY PARK OCT 27-29 NEW ORLEANS

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JULY 2017 * ANTIGRAVITY * 19 Dontae Wilmore photographed by Michael Tucker UNITY

1101 First St.

600 Carondelet St.

1113 Saint Mary St.

20 * ANTIGRAVITY * JULY 2017 Pedicabaret at the Hi-Ho Lounge (photo by Avery Leigh White)

JULY 2017 * ANTIGRAVITY * 21 New Orleans Pride Weekend, 2017 (photo by Lenore Seal) New Orleans Pride Weekend, 2017 (photo by Lenore Seal) Betty White Tit Fuck (Last Show) at Poor Boys Bar (photo by Jared Landry)

24 * ANTIGRAVITY * JULY 2017 JULY 2017 * ANTIGRAVITY * 25 and women-run DIY space. It had We went to a public pool and swam super chill femme vibes and I’m so before the show. Played with some appreciative of that, especially after cutie bands; Queen Bee Dream wore playing the Cum Dungeon. We played a cowboy hat and Farra described them with a band called Grown Men and as “Twin Peaks-y” and cried while they I was so into their set. It turned out played. Switch wasn’t feeling well and to be their last show and I just was so someone at the party gave her molly, overwhelmed with luck and sadness but she still wound up asleep on the and circumstance (and I had also couch throughout most of the show. smoked a lot of weed). Our set gave She stayed in while the rest of us went us a second night in a row of someone to karaoke. I sang Kelly Clarkson. crowd surfing in a dingy basement Jean sang Alicia Keys and my love while we played, which is fun as fuck. for her continued to grow. Farra sang This was also the first night of tour I Harvey Danger, a classic and refined didn’t get shocked by the mic, which performance. A very roofied girl wound is a big deal, honestly. It makes your up being abandoned and treated like teeth feel like they’re breaking. Poor shit by the bar when they were closing. grounding or something. Anyways, we She was sick in the bathroom and the partied this night. Always nice when bartenders just wouldn’t help her at all. you get to crash at the venue. Wound It had nefarious undertones, for sure. A KILO OF KRATOM ACROSS AMERICA: up in an adorable slumber party with us Farra and Jean got her in a cab and took and Meghan who runs the venue. Next her home. The next day we met a guy day we went to City Museum which named Ivan whose band opened for Kid was definitely the coolest thing we Rock at the release of Devil Without another did on tour. It’s basically a warehouse A Cause. Ivan was also my great- filled with tunnels and slides that are grandfather’s name. elaborately-themed and decorated and organized, and you just get to climb DETROIT on shit and explore and go through GLAND: will eat burritos with yer dad trap doors; I felt like I was LARPing. at 3 a.m. I was LARPing, honestly. I was. I was like, “my dexterity is sick right now.” I Detroit is a really beautiful city that GLAND climbed on shit until I could literally is very sparsely populated, which TOUR DIARY climb no more and I almost turned into makes it seem very surreal. We drove a puddle in the middle of climbing a around the main roads with barely Gland, a van, a canal, Gland. That’s a palindrome, and we just got back from a 17-day huge spiral tube that led to a gigantic any cars or people on them, past huge tour across the Midwest and down the East Coast. Stardate: 42069. For those of you praying mantis. But I made it and took Victorian brick houses that were mostly who don’t know us, our band is called Gland, and we are a “punk” band. It’s made up a ten story slide down back to the car. unoccupied. One of these houses was of Farra Mones (bass), Jean Trapezoid (drums), Sedef “Switch” Seren (guitar), and Switch bought some water shoes and the venue we played at, Trumbullplex, me, Kallie (guitar, vocals). We are a Leo, a Sagittarius, an Aries, and a Sagittarius, was super excited about it. which is a DIY space that’s been running respectively. We like to have fun. We get along. We act bad. We read scary stories; for 24 years. I got really upset because I we’re tough. Some of us can even look under a car hood and know what all those tubes CHICAGO missed my dog. I walked around alone are. One more thing: all references to drug use in this article are just like, metaphors for feelings. OK? Thanks. (city subtitles by Switch) GLAND: no bitch left behind for a while and admired the building and the gardens and the brick walls. There Played at a very cool DIY space called was some graffiti that said “Detroit LITTLE ROCK Chasm, who we got to play with. We Situations. They had twin black cats. Rock City.” I needed to remember that, GLAND: u don’t have to feel went to an amazing convenience store Milk hooked us up with this show since all the bands we played with were embarrassed about liking us called Mr. Z’s: highly recommend if and his friend David made a million very chill—which always makes me you’re ever there. The house we played cookies—some of them with Nerds— self-conscious. But I have to remember Tour always starts out with a lot of at reeked of gross bro cum, but we which everyone agreed was confusing that people like our music and we like anxiety about leaving and forgetting endured. The pool was nowhere near and wrong, except Farra and Jean, who playing our music and that, even if things and having no idea how it’s going the stage, so the cannonball dreams both liked it. Incredible Raincoats- what we’re doing is different from the to go and did I bring enough clothes were shattered. The basement door was esque band called Vacuum played. other bands, I should not be shy about and what if I lose my voice etc. etc. labeled “Cum Dungeon” with a graphic Their singer’s name was also Kallie, it. Jean is from outside of Detroit, and But when we got to the venue, a bunch of Calvin pissing on it. Farra tagged and their bass player’s name was Tara, her mom’s childhood friend Laura came of friendly people told us they were GLAND on a weird suction dildo they which made me feel insane, cuz it was and she and I had super deep talks about excited we were finally playing in Little had in place of a shower head in the day four and I started feeling like I family and betrayal and hormones and Rock, which seemed like a good foot to bathroom. Did “girls to the front” to was dreaming everything. This show having children and depression and start on. We all immediately went into combat the dude problem and had to ran super late and we wound up just getting old—a highlight of the tour for the bathroom and Farra asked, “It’s just toss a bro out for being a creep. Warm getting drunk in a parking lot, which is me. Stayed at Jean’s childhood home, Glands in here, right?” before ripping a Bodies headlined and killed it; they always nice. I wound up with my shirt which is essentially a hobbit hole with a giant fart. A stall door opened, revealing had such a fun set. Cutie afterwards off with Jean spitting beer into my circular door and everything. She and I a stranger to us; but she was chill about told me it was the first time she ever mouth. It was the full moon in our sun stayed up til 4 a.m. looking at her mom’s the fart and wound up being the singer felt comfortable dancing at a show. signs (Sagittarius) so... yeah. This was rock collection. of an awesome band called Dog Prison. And someone who had driven far to see very fun, but my bra smelled like beer Good first show and I had a strange us told me they had something they for a solid week, and I wore it anyways. PITTSBURGH dream about Jean living on a small wanted to say to me but they were too I tried to wash it in a sink; it made it GLAND: gets lit off that sphinx tit island with a giant windmill. shy and they never said it. I felt the worse. It was a whole thing. But it was same cuz I wanted to tell them how still fun and I’d do it again. The show was not very well attended, KANSAS CITY important they were to me, but they but my friend Nicole told us that we GLAND: be the dick you wish to see left before I got to say goodbye. Had a GRAND RAPIDS could get sponsored by Kratom if we in the world great egg sandwich in the morning. GLAND: can sleep while on molly e-mailed them, so overall I’d say it was a successful night. Beautiful sunset, also. We’d been looking forward to this show ST. LOUIS My best friend of all time lives in Grand Switch, Nicole, and I went to a cemetery for a while cuz it was a POOL PARTY!!! GLAND: we have great butts Rapids, which was our main reason to find this mausoleum of a sphinx with so we had many daydreams about for passing through. Grand Rapids tits. We did molly there. Not off the tits. cannonballing during guitar solos. KC is We got to play at a house called is the best because everyone laughs Pittsburgh is a beautiful city. home to one of my favorite bands ever, Bonerville, which is a long-running at my jokes, even the Valvoline guys.

26 * ANTIGRAVITY * JULY 2017 PROVIDENCE Woke up the next day and relieved GLAND: these darkweb benzos are chill my stomach before going to Wilder’s Automotive and Racing, where they We took a whole day driving in order to sensually instructed us that we needed have a day to lounge around before our more coolant. I stared at the mechanic’s Providence show. My friend Mary who humongous hands and all he asked for plays in Gauche and Downtown Boys payment was for us to have a happy made a new band called Toxic Plants Father’s Day, immediately drying up just so she could play this show with any feelings I had developed for him. us. We spent the day before the show double featuring The Fifth Element and PHILADELPHIA Repo Man. Mary’s band was so good; GLAND: 1-225-GET-ACAB one-off bands are a real special treat. Milkmaid II and Death Bed were also Despite my horrible hangover the entire very sick. After the show we all passed way into town, we arrived to Philly in out while watching Friday. The next good spirits, excited to see our friend day, Farra mused at the diner about Michelle who just moved there from how kids having sex on a train would New Orleans. We wandered around never listen to Phil Collins, like they do South Street looking for a high hat in Risky Business. clutch for Jean and saw a lot of cool sexy stores with clothes that left the body BROOKLYN bare in very interesting spots (like, only BEER 2 MOUTH GLAND: what happened to Green Point? around the belly button... oooh baby). Lots of mesh and harnesses; I dug it. We Somebody from every part of my life all dugged it. Goddess Michelle nursed lives in Brooklyn. I saw childhood me back to health with weed and curried friends, friends from college, friends I lentils and we played one of the best had met on Livejournal, New Orleans lineups of tour. Jenny Jones World, buds—idk why they all live in this city upbeat and nostalgic punk. Ramona that is so expensive and has winter, Cordova, beautiful queer synth pop but it’s nice to see so many people in band. Headlining was Pinkwash, one place. Everyone stands still and basically the Caddywhompus of Philly looks intense while you play for them, but with a lot more Sabbath influence. WE HAD TO KICK A GUY OUT DURING OUR SET (CLASSIC GLAND) AND IMMEDIATELY PLAYED “DREAM,” A.K.A. DUDES RUIN EVERYTHING AROUND ME. but afterwards always says how into it Would have been a perfect show if they are. People in KC and in St. Louis someone didn’t grab Jean’s backpack were crowd-surfing in basements... with her wallet and phone. Got to FARRA IN BONERVILLE Buuuuuut we did get to play with this decompress at Michelle’s by petting really incredible band called Psychos her amazing dog and she accidentally Only, which was like if Andy Kaufman ordered the most disgusting pizza of all fronted a sick punx band and I really time—so gross that her dog wouldn’t loved it. Saw a cute yorkie that I even eat it. Et tu, Brutus? accidentally scared. SYRACUSE BALTIMORE GLAND: REALLY MISSING MY GLAND: well the car broke down ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ MOM TODAY

We had a situation about 55 miles Left Philly early to book it to Syracuse outside of Baltimore where Jean cuz my mom was having a memorial was reading me a scary story with a BBQ for my grandpa, which we had confusing family tree, and while trying to book our whole tour around cuz, to get the characters organized, I didn’t y’know, moms. Glad to do it, though. realize the car was overheating until Got to eat a Coney hot dog and see a smoke started coming out of the hood. lot of extended cousins who insisted Or was it a ghost??? No, it was smoke. I was famous. Yes, the glamorous Classic Gland style: everyone was just and famous life of Gland: where we nonchalant about it and we found some use our band fund to buy 30 racks of dead butterflies on the ground while Hamm’s so it’s easier to pass out on a Switch called AAA cuz she’s responsible hardwood floor. But, they’re all sweet. and was the only one with AAA. Got A lot of my childhood friends came towed into town to our friends’ cool to the show that night, which was a warehouse space. One of three “cool house venue that hadn’t been around ‘90s loft” type apartments we stayed at when I was a kid; it was definitely the this tour. How do people do it? I drank nicest basement of tour. We played 3:11 A.M. GRAND RAPIDS KARAOKE CREW a lot of tequila and forgot to eat dinner, with two amazing bands: Marco Polio, setting myself up for the only hangover who are Mountain Goats-inspired of tour, which was a fuckin’ doozy. pop punks, and Gun Candy, who are

JULY 2017 * ANTIGRAVITY * 27 banshee-fronted hardcore with a girl while he ate a cookie, and that was surrounded us; that shit was beautiful. Sadie, who started the night grilling named Kathy screeching so loud you cool. Farra revealed to us that she Asheville is definitely paradise. I veggie dogs and telling us about the could hear her above the blaring metal had masturbated in the car while we started feeling a little overwhelmed chemical that makes stinging nettles riffs, despite her mic not working. were all in it and nobody was mad. I’m about tour being over. Every town we sting. She then gutturally screamed for Gun Candy is the only band all four of actually kind of proud of her bravery. went to, nobody knew me. Everyone 30 minutes as the front person of the us bought a t-shirt from; we were all was nice and friendly and those who headlining band Uninhabitable, and obsessed. My mom, brother, step-dad, RICHMOND weren’t—weren’t my problem. My finished by talking about working at the and sister-in-law were all there. It made GLAND: a dog party is a party for dogs band was so supportive and fun and I Renaissance Faire as a teen (very cool) me happy. never get to spend this much time with and generally bullshitting with me til 3 Woof. Some shit kinda went down this them. Once we’re back to New Orleans a.m. She also is from Baton Rouge and D.C. night. I got in a situation with some it will just be back to me hanging out has a huge tattoo of a crawfish boil on GLAND: can’t do a 90 mile drive in less people who disagreed with some beliefs alone all the time, working to serve her thigh. than 7 hours I have about the police (a.k.a. ACAB). assholes and being too exhausted and And even though I was being the super traumatized to be social. Finally, for the We had a 14 hour drive back to New D.C. fuckin rules. We played at Comet nicest I’ve ever been about it, I still first time in what seems like forever, Orleans because we forgot to book Ping Pong, home to the actually had a room full of strangers telling me I feel calm and level-headed, instead an Atlanta show. It felt good driving horrible Pizzagate scandal which you that sometimes it’s a good idea to call of overwhelmingly depressed and back into the city. We listened to very should Google if you’re not familiar. the cops and that I’m an asshole. This hopeless. I got freaked out thinking romantic (cheesy) songs as we went A lot of strong and resilient political happened while I was running merch about my happiness (classic Kal Pal) over the Causeway. We dropped Farra punks in DC. I love a good lizard person and none of the other Glands were and had to sit in the car alone for a off first. I only mention that because it’s conspiracy, but there are some real there! But when I filled them in later while. Once I got over it, I was able to one of the last things we did, and I’m monsters in the world who take real they all had my back which is obviously really enjoy the show. It was packed. sad that it’s almost the end of the story. action based on some unbelievable validating as fuck. We ended the night Switch has a lot of friends here and they Jean ate a fig from the tree outside. shit. My favorite type of audience chillin’ at a cutie queerdo palace with really showed up. We had to kick a guy I got dropped off next. Said bye. It’s member was in attendance: weird one of the best road dogs we met, a out during our set (classic Gland) and strange to go back to being a singular teen with their parents! Played with 90-pound white and brindle-spotted pit immediately played “DREAM,” a.k.a. person after being in a four person pod the incredible Big Hush from DC and named Mama. Dudes Ruin Everything Around Me. for 17 days. My dog looked at me like I Steph Churra from Detroit. Had the The night ended with a dance party and was a ghost and hugged me all night. best post-show chill night at Jean’s ASHEVILLE a dude asked to grind on me. I told him friend Brendan’s house, where we GLAND: it didn’t feel good but I did it it was $20 and he told me I was in the Gland is a Conspiracy is a 7” out now ripped mad bongs and watched Missy wrong place. Joke’s on him cuz I didn’t on Community Records. For more Elliott videos for hours. A sexy dude Got to drive into the Appalachian have to dance with him. Stayed up late info, check communityrecords.org and made unbroken eye contact with me mountains while a soft and foggy rain doing dabs and talking with our hostess Facebook (@glandband666)

28 * ANTIGRAVITY * JULY 2017 GASA GASA JULY 2017

7/1 – Dave James Shirley + Jake McGregor– 9pm 7/15 – The Bowery Presents: Rooney + Run River North – 10pm

7/2 – Soltree + Loose Willis – 8pm 7/16 – Bus Driver + Sea Battle + Jonathan Brown – 9pm

7/5 – Minos the Saint – 9pm 7/17 - Real Rock Club presents: Modern Color + Narrow Arrow + Quiet – 7:30pm

7/6 – Harbinger Project– 9pm 7/20 - Real Rock Club presents: Zigtebra + KLYPH + Toonces – 9pm

7/8 – Lee Baines III and the Glory Fires – 10pm 7/21 – The Bowery Presents: Palm + Palberta + Buncho – 10pm

7/9 – Landing + Shuvuuia + Casper Blackhand – 9pm 7/22 – The Bowery presents: The Kickback + Skelatin – 10pm

7/12 – Real Rock Club presents:p Spring Fall Sea + Harbor + Maintenance– 8pm 7/29 – Big Freedia – 10pm

7/13 – A Tribute to Hank Williams feat: Gal Holiday + The Rayo Brothers – 8pm 8/1 – The Bowery presents: Nite Jewel + Geneva Jacuzzi + Harriet Brown – 10pm

located: 4920 Freret St. in Uptown New Orleans

hours: Tuesday-Sunday | 12pm to late Happy Hour specials all day, every day

JULY 2017 * ANTIGRAVITY * 29 MOBILE, AL the relatively tiny distance we had DEAD AND GONE: to travel between shows. I had to do adult things in the morning before we hit the road We got to Mobile around 8pm and A HOLIDAY WEEKEND WITH and had intentions of waking up headed straight for the Merry bright, early, and hangoverless. Widow. The sound guy asked me Sydney’s ruined that prospect for right away how long our set was. me. Actually, I had planned to stay I told him about 17 minutes and relatively sober all week leading up he asked if we could double that. to tour because staying relatively We cannot. Come to find out there EKUMEN sober on tour is an impossible is only one local act on the show Ekumen is a band comprised of post-quarter-life-crisis adults. Adam plays guitar; proposition for me, and I wanted and they want to play their set 30 AuraLee sings; Chuck plays guitar; I (Ian) play drums; Josh plays bass. If we have to start out with a clear mind and minutes before the show was listed our way (and we probably won’t), you’ll never see our names in print again. We limber body. Turns out doing so to actually begin. In my 18 years of play music evocative of the late ‘90s post-hardcore scene, music that we loved when before tour is equally impossible. playing punk and punk-ish shows, angst ruled everything around us and we definitely weren’t going to live past 25. Still, I got work done all day and I have never once played one that We are named for a concept within a post-technological science fiction book series Chuck grabbed me at my house started even close to on time, so to from the ‘70s, specifically the Hainish Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin. In a word, we are around 5 p.m., band in tow, and we hear tell and be a part of a show that antiquated. One might even say post-antiquated. “Tour” was three days long. headed out to Mobile. Ten minutes was to begin well before the stated into the car ride, Adam let us know time felt quite literally unreal. The NEW ORLEANS was a blast from the past—coming he was going to have a baby in fundamental laws which dictate my from the present—for all. November. He had replaced our old reality have been forever unmoored. We appropriately began our little guitarist a few months back, who adventure into outdated nostalgia Siberia was in full effect and also had a baby shortly after joining This band was VCCR, a three piece opening for Parasites, a pop-punk three dudes were kicked out of the Ekumen. Coincidence? Hard to say, of folks decidedly older than us band that has been doing what they bar before midnight for reasons really. Trying to have a baby? Come playing a grungy, metal-tinged sort do since 1985. The lead singer, Davey unrelated to one another. One of be our guitarist maybe. of female-fronted Misfits worship. Parasite, basically talked the whole them was an old coworker of mine Their set was about 20 minutes time about how much he hated and Josh’s who tried to get behind Chuck’s van consists of four long, and would have been really everyone he’d ever played music with the bar; one threw a stage monitor captain’s chairs and our band fun if anyone had been there. over the last 30 years. It was very onto the floor then whined about consists of five members. I know Instead, the only person standing inspiring and shone a bright light on it; and one tried to get in for free all y’all DIY cool kids tour in a for the band was a 70-something what it might be like to keep on doing and then drunkenly railed outside van with two bands and a dog for cowboy of a man with buck teeth this thing that we do 15 years from against gentrification and white 45 days at a time and it’s totally and moves like Ian Curtis. We later now. We also played with Stacks, people for the next hour. Fair fine, but we are old and we are not found out the band played early who we share a practice space with, enough, but he was definitely you. We had a beach chair wedged because the drummer had a “real” and who happen to be my next angry drunk and looking for a between the two back seats, which “paid” “gig” at 10:00 that night. We door neighbors. They ripped their fight for the sake of a fight and it was a fantastic idea and certainly never found out who that dancing Gainesville Fest ‘07-evocative tunes was not a great scene. We left said beat sitting on the floor, but more cowboy was. to the delight of all. Local weirdos scene with friends and lovers for a than two hours on that thing was Name Calling did their emo-tinged, nightcap at Sydney’s. untenable, so there was much seat We were asked to play our set at pop-punk nostalgia fest thing too. It rotation over the weekend, despite 11:30, so I went for a walk around

30 * ANTIGRAVITY * JULY 2017 Friday night downtown Mobile, aesthetic, we as a band look like which happened to be hosting a extremely normal humans, but comic-con that weekend. The trap- amidst the floral dress, spray tan, blasting, shiny-rimmed cruisers and pastel polo crowd, we looked contrasted nicely with the Victorian like superfreaks. The people were steampunk pedestrians. I got kind and tried not to stare. The food back to the venue around 11:00 was decent. to find zero patrons, but at least five bartenders hanging out, doing TALLAHASSEE, FL rounds of shots every few minutes. Tony DePalma is a long-standing We eventually played to a handful of show booker and all around good- humans, every one of whom seemed doer of the Tallahassee DIY scene, to genuinely appreciate our art. and also a dear friend of Josh’s. We Minutes after we completed our headed for his house upon arriving set, many more handfuls of people in town, just long enough to put on poured into the bar, lamenting some swimwear, then headed back their having missed the show and out to an apartment complex pool. lumping second-hand praise upon This illegal jaunt started as a cozy us. It was all right. gathering of seven, but quickly grew to a full-on 20-person, Sepultura- We were told before playing this blasting, Tecate-chugging pool show that The Merry Widow has party. Tony made a Facebook post an amazing green room/apartment about the whole thing, specifically upstairs for touring bands, available asking that nobody under 30 attend. to all who travel and play. When They didn’t listen. Kids these days, we arrived we asked about this as THE SOUND GUY ASKED ME RIGHT amirite? humbly as possible, and witnessed AWAY HOW LONG OUR SET WAS. I many mumbles and furtive glances The neighbors did not complain, at between employees when we did so. TOLD HIM ABOUT 17 MINUTES AND least not with their mouths. Many There would be no room for us. We came out and stared at us hard from figured initially that this was because HE ASKED IF WE COULD DOUBLE the balcony, but it’s not like they we were undeserving, just as we were were going to use the pool anyway. undeserving of playing alongside any THAT. WE CANNOT. local acts at a reasonable hour; but it After the beer ran out, we headed turns out they’d recently converted would recommend them to anyone, heartfelt word they emoted. As soon back to Tony’s house (which, the room into an Airbnb and it was of any age, who finds themselves as the band was done, all of those incidentally, he owns, by way of presently occupied. travelling long distances through gangly, strange, swoopy-haired his being a lawyer for the state of the early summer South in an air creatures fell back into the night, Florida, because he is an adult) Fortunately, we are adults condition-less van. Afterwards, but I was left with a nostalgia for my and had a nice afternoon barbecue. and through his job Chuck nobody perspired even a little bit the own senselessly heartbroken youth AuraLee ate a cheeseburger with occasionally gets free hotel rooms. whole rest of the ride to Valdosta. that, well, made me feel really old. pepperjack cheese on it, which she We slept at a Quality Inn and it is allergic to, and promptly threw up was fine. In the morning, Chuck The house we played at had We played a fine set to a decent for the third (and last) time on tour. went for a jog. I meditated by the previously been owned by a crowd filled with humans of all ages Josh’s long ago ex-girlfriend made pool, we all took showers, and retired professor who loved to who seemed to thoroughly enjoy it. a surprise entrance to the barbecue failing to find any decent coffee play the organ in the main room Local act Prison Daddy closed out and trapped Josh in a web of in town, hit up a Starbucks on our of the house while having sexy the night with a noisy and drunk- inescapable awkwardness for hours. way to Valdosta, Georgia. underwear parties. He stabbed and as-hell, beautiful punk set. Actually murdered his young lover in a bout their bass player, Joel, was sober We also met Farmer Phil, an VALDOSTA, GA of methamphetamine madness, and because he’s been sober for a couple odyssey unto himself and a now his house is a punk house of of years, being an older gentleman wonderful mirror from which we This was Saturday morning on sorts. The professor had designed with a clinical imperative to not can observe our pretensions and Memorial Day weekend along the the house specifically for playing drink. I know this because he put us expectations of social acumen in the fringes of the Gulf Coast, and as his organ in said main room, so the up for the evening. tiny punk, weirdo, hipster universe. such, the road to Flora-Bamian acoustics were actually fantastic for This man was a facsimile of ideals, glory was saturated with Sons of the a house show. Joel and Jessica own a dream a two-dimensional painting of a Confederacy revving their Harleys, house, set on two acres of woods. DIY everyman, replete with every Ford F-350s laden with Trump We were playing a show—with five Joel works construction and Jessica manner of tool on the utility belt stickers, and a few good-looking touring bands and two local acts— is a librarian, and they can afford that held up his dirty Carhartts. He families just looking for a mean tan. that actually ran very smoothly. a dream house set on two acres of wore suspenders too. I refused to let It was one way to start the day. We missed the first band, but woods. If I didn’t love my life and him know that I too, was a farmer, caught these two hardcore acts I had heard of Valdosta before, I because to have to talk to him about On our way into Valdosta we made from El Paso that were touring would maybe want theirs. They had anything of substance seemed an a little side trip to Madison Blue together and shared a few members, an amazing graphic novel collection impossible proposition. I may never Spring State Park, just inside Sabrewolf and Barbarian. Each and a very sweet dog. Before they see a fish so far from water again in Florida. On our way to this little band was a perfect archetype of two bought the house, the former owner my lifetime. piece of paradise, we took a wrong different sorts of hardcore music, of the home had willed it to her turn down a red dirt road littered and the musicians were young, cats upon her passing—cats who We got to the Wilbury around with Confederate flags, rusted truck sweet and bright-eyed. After them, lived out the rest of their lives with 7:30, and the door guy actually beds, and trailers. We were for a Northbound played and brought minimal human intervention. The came to us, outside, to present us moment convinced that Madison me directly back to 10th grade. I house went on the market only with our drink and food tickets. Blue Springs was a lie intended to guess these guys are part of this trve after the last cat went to the great This never happens; nothing like trap and end the likes of us city- emo revivalist movement I keep scratching post in the sky. this ever happens. Food tickets slicker-antifa-queero folk, but hearing about, because as soon as definitely never happen. Obviously, we turned around and quickly they started playing, a bunch of Joel and Jessica took us to Sunday I was immediately smitten with discovered the true springs. They awkward teenagers appeared from brunch in this Church-centric town. were very cold and quite blue. I the shadows and sang along to every On the spectrum of punk weirdo cont'd on page 41

JULY 2017 * ANTIGRAVITY * 31 Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, chosen for the album art of this mixtape, “Fake Loathe” and “Soulseek” seem cut from the same cloth of soul music in a broader sense. A highlight of the record is “Jenna’s Interlude,” which is painfully short clocking in at a scant 1:15. The smooth keys lay the foundation for (we presume) Jenna to deliver the timeless and sultry lyrics “Old fashioned love, coming around my door / good old fashion love, where have you been?” The Isley Brothers may be curious which demo from Harvest For The World was used to make this cut. Blunt’s non-linear career CKY is ​often mysterious, lo-fi, ​and varied. THE PHOENIX However, he and his collaborators are (ENTERTAINMENT ONE) making ​incredibly innovative music using synths, samples, and organic After an eight-year hiatus, CKY has instruments. Perhaps the best thing released The Phoenix, their first studio about Hotep is that it’s free for stream effort since 2009’sCarver City. Feuds, or download. The future is now and false reunions, and botched lineup ARCADEA a bass-heavy assault, furious sax Dean Blunt is providing the soundtrack. changes have marred the last ten SELF-TITLED parts, and aggressive vocals. Remains —Emily Elhaj years of the band’s history, resulting (RELAPSE) continues in this vein, opening with in the expulsion of frontman Deron him shouting “Tell me what remains / Miller, with lead guitarist Chad I Maybe I’m just a perfect portrait of Numbers not a name” over a hypnotic Ginsburg taking his place. The result “hipster metal,” but I’ve never been piano loop and a thick distorted is, unsurprisingly, something different. impressed by Mastodon. It follows, bassline. While B L A C K I E is often While Miller brought the anger and then, that Mastodon drummer compared to Death Grips, whose work cryptic lyrics that they became known Brann Dailor’s role in Arcadea was he predates by half a decade, Remains for, the new iteration brings plenty of somewhat off-putting to me. Promises is a strong body of work that is distinctly frustration of their own. The eight- of psychedelic, sci-fi synth shredding B L A C K I E’s own. Following his 2014 track album plays like a half hour-long kept my attention, though. Arcadea’s release, Imagine Your Self in a Free diss track, with only two songs of the rock’n’roll space odyssey draws from and Natural World (which include two bunch not being clear and direct attacks the galactic taproot that commercial 16-minute long songs) on Miller. Ironically, the riff play is less appropriations of heavy psych/prog B L A C K I E has opted for a shorter, aggressive, and the songs as a whole depend on, bringing to mind spacey more direct approach. “Return to have a groovier edge. The chunky riffs synth pioneers like Giorgio Moroder, Control” combines a relentless that made CKY stand out are still here, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Rodion G.A., thumping piano and drum machine but they’re buried under a more mature and Vangelis’ work with Aphrodite’s beat. The intensity of his voice as he and less aggressive musical tone. Child. Combining this with the metal chants “I know / I know / You’ve lost BIG THIEF Ginsburg has called this album the pedigree one should expect from control” channels the fierceness of early CAPACITY successor to 2002’s Infiltrate.Destroy. Relapse, there’s a lot for fans of Torche, Bad Brains. —William Archambeault (SADDLE CREEK) Rebuild., but when compared to the rest Genghis Tron, and S U R V I V E (and by of their discography, it feels more like extension the Stranger Things score) to Following last year’s Saddle Creek the prologue to something else than enjoy. Arcadea’s metal roots pack the debut Masterpiece, Big Thief’s follow- a new studio record. Backstory and guitarless album densely with effects- up is an album that cruise-controls context aside, it’s a good album with warped vocals, berserk Moog riffs, like ​Tom Petty and ​paints ​narratives a lot of merit—even for fans that were and expansive martial atmospheres, that ​vividly ​burn through your brain hoping for another I.D.R or Volume superheating the self-titled album like Springsteen​.​ Recorded on a farm One. Tracks like “Wiping Off the Dead” far beyond any ambient or new age in ​upstate New York with engineer-​ and “Head for a Breakdown” prove that placidity. Arcadea synthesizes the producer Andrew Sarlo​, the band not only do they remember how to be cosmic grandeur of the Milky Way into sounds tighter and more inspired CKY after all these years, but they’re flowingly out-there interpretations than ever. Capacity ​sounds like a band strong songwriters even without of humanity’s conflicts and—by at their best and Adrianne Lenker ​ Miller’s creative input. —Jared Landry adhering to a classic sci-fi lyrical and is in her prime, masterfully crafting instrumental vocabulary—wisely never earnest songs. The title track rattles on breaks from its hyperactive, futuristic a waltzing train car, howling through character. Arcadea thankfully avoids the terrain of this record. This album being another “weird” vanity project really moves, with lyrics as picturesque by dedicating itself to an immersive, BLUE IVERSON (DEAN BLUNT) as a goddamned Dorothy Allison novel. bombastic take on space rock rather HOTEP There are dark but honest topics on than leaning on Dailor’s presence. This (SELF-RELEASED) this beautiful record: death, abuse, and is aided by varied vocals, such as those longing are presented in a very human on “Neptune Moons” and “Motion One may not be familiar with the name and bare form. “Watering,” with its of Planets.” Arcadea is very faithful Blue Iverson. The East London-based dissonant guitar line (not unlike How to its theme and may recall some of producer-musician also goes by Dean It Feels to Be Something On-era Sunny Mastodon’s butt rock-isms, but it’s Blunt, but was also one part of Hype Day Real Estate) contains one of the ultimately a fun, heavy-space-metal Williams with Inga Copeland and yet most striking stories. In fact, each ​track adventure offering both hooks and far- also a third of the group Babyfather. feels like a short film with complete out pastiche. —Ben Miotke In any case, the Hyperdub roster portraits of ​the characters. Those member has taken ​this nod to Bey and who enjoy Jessica Pratt, Radiohead, B L A C K I E Jay’s baby girl for his nom de plume ​on Neil Young, or Jana Hunter will enjoy ENDON REMAINS Hotep. Largely instrumental, Hotep is this album’s many notes that make a THROUGH THE MIRROR (SELF-RELEASED) a brilliant display of grimy soul. The complex, instantly enjoyable, beautiful (HYDRA HEAD) inspirational smoke from the room chord. One of the best records of the Last October, B L A C K I E (“All Caps, that Massive Attack or Tricky used to year. —Emily Elhaj Hydra Head’s glory days as perhaps With Spaces,” says his bandcamp occupy lingers on tracks like “Brown the purveyor of heavy experimental page) pummeled New Orleanians with Girl.” Finger pops, layers of synthesized music may have passed, but albums an early taste of Remains material at strings, and clean guitar all play like Through The Mirror seem to a sweaty Siberia show. Performing together to create a meditative—albeit a erase that gap. While the U.S. has on the floor with a massive sound bit over-decorated—track. While gazing bands like Full of Hell and The Body system, he bashed the crowd with at the black and white image of Lauryn weaponizing extreme strains of rock

32 * ANTIGRAVITY * JULY 2017 with electronic noise, Japan’s Endon seems compellingly and dangerously post-American. Through The Mirror is viscerally “post-” and so deeply transformative of extreme music forms that “catastrophic” may be as perfect a descriptor as “music.” Endon’s annihilation of form first evokes Hanatarash’s perilous electronic noise, then Zeni Geva’s brutal noise rock. At this point, their sound explodes with bleak doom metal grandiosity, semi- organic post-rock beauty, shattering post-hardcore, and no wave-damaged rock reminiscent of some of the most impactful acts in underground Japan. HIGH FUNCTIONING FLESH Similarly cutting-edge Western CULTURE CUT sounds that come to mind are Wolf (DAIS) Eyes, Daughters, pg. 99, and Loma Prieta on IV. Through the Mirror By their third LP, Los Angeles industrial is iconically cacophonous, heavy, dance duo High Functioning Flesh angular, shred-y, and grooving. Like could feel redundant. Their brand of Hanatarash, Endon is a bane of event techno-inflected EBM immediately organizers and audiences for earnestly conjures Portion Control, Front 242, conjuring danger. Through The Mirror and Cabaret Voltaire, while just as is probably the safest exposure to their perfectly capturing the more broadly truly daunting (and possibly cathartic) recognizable cinematic atmosphere of sound. —Ben Miotke cyberpunk clubs. To me though, their evocative consistency demonstrates that the cultural wounds that released this anti-authoritarian mixture of punk, industrial, synth pop, and techno in the ‘80s have not healed. And HFF simply offers the 21st century the same dancefloor catharsis originated by their aesthetic forebearers. Susan Subtract’s vocals snarl with the same oppositional critique of deeply alienating modernity, and are structured by bandmate Gregory Vand’s rupturing electronic rhythms, earworm synth melodies, and insistent, mutated samples. Every track arrives as a sleek, crafted invitation to dance in active spite for the pervasive hegemony. Even for the GLAND duo’s stringent consistency, Culture IS A CONSPIRACY Cut’s eight tracks stand on their own. (COMMUNITY) High Functioning Flesh completes this perfectionist immersion with Local femme superheroes GLAND have their retro music videos and—judging a new 7” and it’s going to make your by their set at Saturn Bar last year—a summer worth living. Their second satisfying live show. The video for release and follow up to Neurotica has Culture’s emblematic opening track even more fuzzed out surf punk riffs, “Talk About,” provides total access to syrupy melodies, and powerhouse their aesthetic as it perfectly serves the drums. The first track by itself should single’s cold groove. If you’re into dark, be enough to help you forget about danceable synth or just long for that that crush who left town to go hiking in bygone electropunk moment, Culture Alaska, or went on retreat in northern Cut reaffirms that High Functioning California, or hopped a freight to their Flesh may be the most prolific and mom’s air conditioned condo in New genuine purveyors of electronic body York while you had to sweat it out and music operating today. —Ben Miotke keep it real here at home. Lyrically covering themes on self love, dropping HIKES out, taking revenge, and reptilian LILT existentialism, IS A CONSPIRACY (COMMUNITY) offers multiple punk rock strategies for better living and survival in this When Austin, TX group Hikes decided dreary political/social climate. For to follow up their self-titled 2014 this release, Kallie, Jean, Switch, and album, they took a leap. Instead of Farra create a blend of musical flavors recording in Austin again, the group more satisfying than your favorite daq flew all the way to Tokyo to work under or snoball on a July afternoon. Never the guidance of Takaaki Mino, of the mind the herbal remedies this summer; famed Japanese math rock band Toe. if you really care about self care, go out While traveling such a long distance to and get this record as if your happiness record may initially seem absurd for a depended on it. It actually might. smaller band like Hikes, Lilt speaks for —Beau Patrick Coulon itself. Opener “Granddad” kicks off with a high-energy combination of sharp guitars and rattling percussion before morphing into a dreamy soundscape. Self-describing their music as “math folk,” Hikes combines the intricacy of math rock with the mellow nature of folk. On “Onset,” Nathan Wilkins sings

JULY 2017 * ANTIGRAVITY * 33 and the often-esoteric interplay of the two voices on Shadow is noticeably more suited to the similar relationship between their two guitars. Fans of out-there contemporaries Spirit of the Beehive, Guerilla Toss, and Caddywhompus, pay attention. Palm plays Gasa Gasa on 7/21. —Ben Miotke

that he’s “never been too fond of all this city noise that wells up in me.” Despite being recorded in one of the world’s biggest and busiest cities, Lilt feels void of the aforementioned city noise. On “Habit,” Wilkins and Will Kauber spin together hypnotizing guitar melodies that gracefully float in the air. Ultimately, the four-piece cultivate an atmosphere of total calm. —William Archambeault SHAME SECOND HAND SHAME (SINGLE COLOR FIELDS)

Tyler Scurlock has been busy since Sun RAISING BERTIE Hotel disbanded two years ago. Just DIR. MARGARET BYRNE in the past year, he’s released one of (KARTEMQUIN FILMS & New Orleans’ best synthpop albums BETI FILMS) with Sharks’ Teeth; showcased his melancholic-yet-sunny voice and guitar Raising Bertie creates a beautiful, six craft on the minimalist shoegazing year-long portrait of three African Keeping’s Ruin Value; and now rejoined American boys surviving their with Shame to offer a sweet, sullen dose circumstances from adolescence to of self-described “fuzzfolk.” Second adulthood in rural Bertie County, Hand Shame establishes this sound as a North Carolina. This documentary cavernous jangle pop, bringing to mind captures the complexity of the plight of Cleaners from Venus, the Wedding the African American experience with PALM Present, and—for a dedication to regards to employment, education, SHADOW EXPERT ambiance—Neu!. More contemporarily poverty, family, and individuality. (CARPARK) but with differing polish, it seems like It follows three boys—Reginald Shame will appeal to fans of Alvvays “Junior” Askew, David “Bud” Perry, When Palm debuted on Exploding in and Pope. Triangulating Scurlock’s and Davonte “Dada” Harrell—through Sound Records with Trading Basics musical exploration of the sociology disappointments, struggles, and in 2015, I was blown away. Years of of religion most present in Sharks’ victories. Bertie County’s population “post-punk revival” had mostly led Teeth and the organic personability is 80% Black, with scarce opportunity the indie crowd to Joy Division and of Keeping, Shame avoids being just and little excitement. There are also 27 Gang of Four, but Palm arrived with a Tyler Scurlock project due to his prisons within 100 miles of the county. a genuine, engrossing indie rock bond with bandmates Spencer Darr, Margaret Byrne directed this award- conjuration of one of my favorite Zachary Meredith, and Phil Stafford, winning documentary with help from post-punk moments: This Heat on which manifests both in their songs executive producer Jermaine Cole, Deceit. By evoking Sun City Girls as and in peeks of affable studio banter. also known as rap artist J. Cole. An well, Palm had some resemblance with This bond ushers them from the tight, intimate, heartbreaking, and emotional Deerhoof and Sonic Youth but still halting opener “Twice” all the way journey, Raising Bertie serves to inform maintained an umbilical connection to the more undulating, sprawling the audience of the harsh reality of to these ‘80s experimental post-punk jam “Piano,” which closes the album, poverty, lack of education, and the icons. Shadow Expert retains the keeping all five tracks flowing, catchy, Black experience in America. At one shattering, flowing, and mathematical and emotive. Local DIY space/former point in the film, we’re shown how guitar rock of Trading Basics, This coffeeshop Breezy’s manifests as a fifth a video of one of former President Heat, and Sun City Girls, but simplifies member for bringing Shame together Barack Obama’s speeches resonated away from occasionally overwhelming and providing a homey and artistic with the boys and their struggle to atmosphere. This Heat exemplified a atmosphere that is essential to the face the odds of success in their slow- dire, queasy Cold War paranoia, Sun charm of the EP. Though a short album, paced lives. Obama stated, “There is City Girls indulged in a dis-easing anyone looking for the most summer no excuse for not trying,” serving as prog/punk cosmopolitanism, and bummer atmosphere in indie pop and reminder to the boys that they have the Trading Basics brought discordant plenty of droning reverb, pop hooks, choice of rising above or succumbing to instrumentation from these two and introspection should feel at home their circumstances. Raising Bertie is worlds into Palm’s to form a dark, with Second Hand Shame. —Ben Miotke screening at the Zeitgeist Multi- avant indie pop that sometimes felt a Disciplinary Arts Center and PBS will little too queasy and random. Shadow also premiere the documentary on Expert tones this challenging discord August 28. —Morgan Lawrence down enough without diminishing the severely damaged, yet still beautiful guitar pop tradition that sets Palm and their influences so far apart. Another significant development is a new balance between vocalist/guitarists Eve Alpert and Kasra Kurt. Trading seemed mostly sung by Alpert, but Shadow sees Kurt more prominent

34 * ANTIGRAVITY * JULY 2017 JULY 2017 * ANTIGRAVITY * 35 7pm; A Motown Monday w/ DJ Shane Thursday: 7/6 Love (NO COVER), 10pm d.b.a.: Brother Tyrone & the Checkpoint Charlie: Murphys Law, Mindbenders, 10pm ($5) 7pm; Shark Attack, 11pm Hi-Ho: Bluegrass Pickin’ Party, 8pm; Circle Bar: Gina Leslie, 7pm; No Instant Opus Improvised Series, 10pm Movement w/ DJ Ham Sandwich (NO Saturday: 7/1 Sunday: 7/2 Maison: Chicken & Waffles, 4pm; COVER), 9:30pm Aurora Nealand & the Royal Roses, Hi-Ho: Yung vul, 10pm Bar Redux: De Lune Deluge | Ghost Banks St: Winslow, 1pm; Banks 7pm; Vegas Cola, 10pm Howlin Wolf: Comedy Gumbeaux (FREE) Coast, 9pm Street’s Got Talent hosted by Ron & One Eyed Jacks: Blind Texas Marlin Maison: The Good For Nothin’ Band, Checkpoint Charlie: Blues Boy Tina, 4pm (front lounge), 8pm 4pm; Sweet Substitute Jazz Band, 7pm; George, 7pm; The Ubaka Brothers, 11pm Bar Redux: Alex Bosworth | Diako Dysfunktional Bone, 10pm Chickie Wah Wah: Alejandro Escovedo Diakoff, 9pm Tuesday: 7/4 SidebarNOLA: The Tom Paines, and the Burn Something Beautiful Band Circle Bar: Micah McKee & Friends 8:30pm plus Pat Puckett, 8pm ($30) + Blind Texas Marlin, 7pm; Country Checkpoint Charlie: Jamie Lynn d.b.a.: DinosAurchestra, 7pm; Cyril Night w/ DJ Pasta (NO COVER), 10pm Vessels, 7pm; The Unnaturals, 11pm Friday: 7/7 Neville & Swamp Funk, 11pm ($10) d.b.a.: The Palmetto Bug Stompers, 6pm Circle Bar: Carl LeBlanc, 7pm Gasa Gasa: Dave James Shirley, Jake Gasa Gasa: Soltree, Loose Willis, 8pm Hi-Ho: Fresh Music Group + E.G.M.G. Checkpoint Charlie: Domenic, 4pm; McGregor, 9pm Hi-Ho: The Rip-Off Show - Sunday Lifestyle Presents Dappa + Don Striking Copper, 8pm; Jonathan Brown Hi-Ho: Close Me Out, 7pm; Tradition, 11pm Edition, 6pm; NOLA Comedy Hour Flamingo, 9pm Band, 11pm House of Blues: BIZ MARKIE: The Biz Open Mic, 8pm; Essence of Indie + A. Maison: Slick Skillet Serenaders, Circle Bar: Natalie Mae, 7pm Easy - A Daytime House Party (21+w/ Levy & Friends, 10pm 4pm; Gregory Agid Quartet, 6:30pm; d.b.a.: Hot Club of New Orleans, 6pm; ID), 1pm ($13); GRITS & BISCUITS: A Howlin Wolf: Hot 8 Brass Band ($15); Smoking on Some Brass, 9:30pm Glen David Andrews, 10pm ($10) Dirty South Set, 10pm ($18); Jet Lounge - In The Den: Grace Askew, 7pm ($5) One Eyed Jacks: Chris Trew’s French Hi-Ho: Sam Friend, 9pm; RELAPSE Festival Edition in The Parish, 11pm ($10) Maison: Swingin’ Jazz Brunch with Quarter Comedy Night (front lounge), 8pm 80’s & 90’s Dance Party with DJ Matt Howlin Wolf: In The Den: The Chance Bushman & The NOLA Scott, 10:30pm SoundCLASH presents: Granny’s 7th Jitterbugs, 10am; Tasche and the Wednesday: 7/5 House of Blues: FREEDOM: Live Boy - Release Show, 9pm ($5) Psychadelic Roses, 4pm; Luneta Jazz Tribute to George Michael & Wham!, Maison: Chance Bushman & The Band, 7pm; Higher Heights, 10pm Banks St: Free BLT’s & Major Bacon, 10pm 8pm ($11) Ibervillianaires, 1pm; Leah Rucker, One Eyed Jacks: Silencio Brings the Bar Redux: Nightmare Alley | Scarlet Maison: New Orleans Swinging 4pm; Gregory Agid Quartet, 7pm; The Soundtracks of David Lynch to New Street, 9pm Gypsies, 4pm; Eight Dice Cloth, 7pm; Essentials + Raw Deal, 10pm Orleans with special guest Bionica, 8pm Checkpoint Charlie: T Bone Stone & the Groove Faction + Ashton Hines & The Siberia: ANTiSEEN | DonkeyPuncher | ($10 advance / $12 day of show) Happy Monsters, 7pm; Soul Spider, 11pm Big Easy Brawlers, 10pm Liquor & Lies, 10pm ($8) Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Soul in the Circle Bar: The Iguanas, 7pm One Eyed Jacks: DJ Soul Sister Three Keys (Ace Hotel): The Groove: Horn: NOLA Edition V1 hosted by Elle Gasa Gasa: Minos the Saint, 9pm presents Soulful Takeover, 10pm ($10) NOLA Edition ft. Xavier BLK, DJ Wally Varner ft. Natasha Diggs, D.Prosper & Hi-Ho: Progression Music Series, 9pm Tipitina’s: Tipitina’s Foundation Sparks & more, 10pm more, 10pm Maison: Dominic Minix Quartet, 4pm; Free Fridays Concert Series Feat. New Tipitina’s: Big Freedia and Tank The New Orleans Jazz Vipers, 6:30pm; Orleans Suspects + John Mooney, 10pm & the Bangas + Alfred Banks w/ Monday: 7/3 RnR Music Group, 9:30pm CoolNasty, 10pm One Eyed Jacks: Vixens & Vinyl Burlesque Saturday: 7/8 Banks St: Piano Showcase, 7pm; Dance Party (front lounge), 10pm Montague, 9pm Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Helen Gillet Bar Redux: Joshua Benitez Band, 9pm Circle Bar: Phil the Tremolo King, +1 wsg Carlos Grasso, 9pm Checkpoint Charlie: Phil the Tremolo

36 * ANTIGRAVITY * JULY 2017 King, 4pm; Kenny Triche Band, 7pm Circle Bar: Roselit Bone + Guts Club, Final Round!, 8pm ($10 in advance / 7pm ($5); Justin Bobby is BobbyRock!! $12 at the door) + Gushers + Enoch Ramone + more tba, SidebarNOLA: Will Thompson & 10pm ($7) Justin Peake duo, 8:30pm d.b.a.: New Orleans Jazz Vipers, 7pm; Mississippi Juke Joint Night w/Lightnin’ Wednesday: 7/12 Malcolm & Stud Ford, 11pm ($10) Gasa Gasa: Lee Bains III & The Glory Banks St: Free BLT’s & Major Bacon, 10pm Fires, 10pm Checkpoint Charlie: T Bone Stone Hi-Ho: Brown Improv, 7pm; & the Happy Monsters, 7pm; Kenny Tradition, 11pm Claiborne, 11pm House of Blues: Bad Girls of Burlesque Circle Bar: The Iguanas, 7pm; Dark & - in the Parish, 8pm ($21) Shiny S.I.Night - Goth, Industrial-Dance Maison: Chance Bushman & The & Erotic Thrillers (NO COVER), 10pm Ibervillianaires, 1pm; Luneta Jazz Civic Theater: Welcome to Night Vale, 8pm Band, 4pm; G and the Swinging 3, 7pm; d.b.a.: Tin Men, 7pm; Walter Wolfman Brass-A-Holics + Soul Company, 10pm Washington & the Roadmasters, 10pm ($5) One Eyed Jacks: Roselit Bone with Hi-Ho: Progression Music Series, 9pm Esqueleto & Blind Texas Marlin, 9pm ($12) Maison: Willie Green Project, 4pm; Siberia: Alex McMurray: A Free Early The New Orleans Jazz Vipers, 6:30pm; Show!!, 6pm; Zydepunks | Cauche Mar The Resident Aliens, 9:30pm | Dirty Rotten Snake In The Grass, SidebarNOLA: James Singleton 10pm ($8/10) Trio, 8:30pm Tipitina’s: Cyril Neville’s Swamp Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Kettle Black, 9pm Funk, 10pm Thursday: 7/13 Sunday: 7/9 Banks St: Dummy Dumpster | Banks St: Winslow, 1pm; Banks Street’s Headwoundz | Trampoline Team | Got Talent hosted by Ron & Tina, 4pm Tomb Of Nick Cage | Morons | The Bar Redux: Junco Partner, 9pm NoShows | US Nero, 7pm Circle Bar: Micah McKee & Friends Checkpoint Charlie: Quattrosonic, + Blind Texas Marlin, 7pm; Country 7pm; Darby’s Sheiks of Arab, 11pm Night w/ DJ Pasta (NO COVER), 10pm Circle Bar: Gina Leslie, 7pm d.b.a.: The Palmetto Bug Stompers, 6pm d.b.a.: Deltaphonic, 10pm ($5) Gasa Gasa: Landing, Shuvuuia, Casper Gasa Gasa: A Tribute to Hank Williams, Blackhand, 9pm The Rayo Brothers, Gal Holiday and the Hi-Ho: NOLA Comedy Hour Open Mic, Honky Tonk Revue, 8pm 8pm; Noelle Tannen, 10pm Hi-Ho: Chapter Soul, 10pm Howlin Wolf: Hot 8 Brass Band ($15) Howlin Wolf: In The Den: Comedy Maison: Swingin’ Jazz Brunch with Gumbeaux (FREE); Blac Youngsta plus Chance Bushman & The NOLA Rasta Leo & YR Butta, 8pm ($28) Jitterbugs, 10am; Heather Halloway Maison: The Good For Nothin’ Band, & The Heebie Geebies, 1pm; Meghan 4pm; Aurora Nealand & The Royal Stewart, 7pm; Higher Heights, 10pm Roses, 7pm; Dysfunktional Bone, 10pm Siberia: The SUPERSUCKERS | TBA, SidebarNOLA: Joe Cabral & James 10pm ($12) Singleton duo, 8:30pm SidebarNOLA: Harry Hardin & Andre Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Little Bohren duo, 9pm Cosmicana with Greazy Alice and South Jones, 9pm Monday: 7/10 Friday: 7/14 Banks St: Piano Showcase, 7pm; Lillii Lewis Band, 9pm; Montague, 9pm Checkpoint Charlie: Domenic, 4pm; Checkpoint Charlie: HG Breland, 7pm Blue Garou, 7pm; Miss Molly Simms, 11pm Circle Bar: Phil the Tremolo King, Circle Bar: Natalie Mae, 7pm 7pm; A Motown Monday w/ DJ Shane d.b.a.: Linnzi Zaorski, 6pm; Mainline Love (NO COVER), 10pm Brass Band, 10pm ($10) d.b.a.: Brother Tyrone & the Hi-Ho: RELAPSE 80’s & 90’s Dance Mindbenders, 10pm ($5) Party with DJ Matt Scott, 10:30pm Gasa Gasa: Cobalt, Aseethe, Bruce Howlin Wolf: In The Den: New Lamont, 9pm Creations Brass Band, 8pm ($8) Hi-Ho: Bluegrass Pickin’ Party, 8pm; Maison: New Orleans Swinging Instant Opus Improvised Series, 10pm Gypsies, 4pm; Eight Dice Cloth, 7pm; Maison: Chicken & Waffles, 4pm; The Nightowls + Brasszilla, 10pm Aurora Nealand & the Royal Roses, 7pm; One Eyed Jacks: Caddywhompus The Sierra Leone Experience, 10pm with AF the Naysayer plus Sharks’ One Eyed Jacks: Blind Texas Marlin Teeth, 9pm ($12) (front lounge), 8pm Tipitina’s: Tipitina’s Foundation Free Parasite Skate Park: Flesh Born | Maw Fridays Concert Series Feat. Brass-a- | Kalvin, 7pm ($5 suggested donation) Holics + Motel Radio, 10pm SidebarNOLA: Jesse Morrow Trio, 8:30pm Saturday: 7/15 Tuesday: 7/11 Checkpoint Charlie: The Pallbearers Checkpoint Charlie: Jamie Lynn + Vomit Spots + Midnite Prowler & Vessels, 7pm; The Hoy Pollo, 11pm more, 8pm Circle Bar: Carl LeBlanc, 7pm; Una Circle Bar: Richard Bates, 7pm Walkenhorst (NO COVER), 9:30pm d.b.a.: New Orleans Jazz Vipers, 7pm; d.b.a.: Treme Brass Band, 9pm ($5) Little Freddie King, 11pm ($10) Hi-Ho: Terra Terra, 9pm Gasa Gasa: ROONEY, Run River Maison: Kala Bazaar Swing Society, North, 9pm 4pm; Gregory Agid Quartet, 6:30pm; Hi-Ho: TV Pitchers, 7pm; Tradition, 11pm Midnight Love Band, 9:30pm House of Blues: Bustout Burlesque, One Eyed Jacks: Hell Yes Next 2: The 8pm ($22); Alt 92.3’s Breaking Ground,

JULY 2017 * ANTIGRAVITY * 37 8pm ($8); BAMBOLEO: Latin Club Wednesday: 7/19 Night, 11:30pm Howlin Wolf: In The Den: Madisons Banks St: Free BLT’s & Major Bacon, 10pm plus Mr. Universe, 9pm ($8); Oh! You Checkpoint Charlie: T Bone Stone & Pretty Things: an Immersive Theatrical the Happy Monsters, 7pm; Jimi & the David Bowie Experience, 9pm ($15-$25) Fountains, 11pm Maison: Chance Bushman & The Circle Bar: The Iguanas, 7pm Ibervillianaires, 1pm; Dinosaurchestra, d.b.a.: Tin Men, 7pm; Walter Wolfman 4pm; New Orleans Swinging Gypsies, Washington & the Roadmasters, 10pm ($5) 7pm; Ashton Hines & The Big Easy Hi-Ho: Progression Music Series, 9pm Brawlers + Higher Heights, 10pm Maison: Ashton Hines Quartet, 4pm; One Eyed Jacks: Andrew Duhon with The New Orleans Jazz Vipers, 6:30pm; McGregor plus Fishplate, 9pm ($12) Brasszilla, 9:30pm Rare Form: Fat Stupid Ugly People One Eyed Jacks: Moshe Kasher | Escuela | Killer Hearts | The Cops | & Natasha Leggero: The Endless Before I Hang | The Unnaturals, 5pm Honeymoon Tour, 8pm ($25) Siberia: Meschiya Lake | Sabine Three Keys (Ace Hotel): SONO McCalla | Matt Edens, 6pm presents The Shape of Jazz To Come ft. Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Calvin James Singleton and Mike Dillon, 9pm Johnson & Chapter Soul, 10pm Tipitina’s: Meschiya Lake presents: the Thursday: 7/20 lilBIG birthday bash: JBoy makes 40! Feat. Trixie Minx, Craig Klein of Bonerama, and Checkpoint Charlie: Shawn Williams, the Nola Chorus Girls, 10pm 7pm; River Dragon, 11pm Circle Bar: Gina Leslie, 7pm Sunday: 7/16 Hi-Ho: DJ Pr_ck, 10pm Howlin Wolf: In The Den: Comedy Banks St: Winslow, 1pm; Banks Street’s Gumbeaux (FREE) Got Talent hosted by Ron & Tina, 4pm Maison: Roamin’ Jasmine, 4pm; The Bar Redux: Marc Belloni | P.H. Fred | New Orleans Swinging Gypsies, 7pm; Beth Patterson, 8pm Dysfunktional Bone, 10pm Circle Bar: Micah McKee & Friends One Eyed Jacks: Where Y’acht, 8:30pm + Blind Texas Marlin, 7pm; Country ($12 in advance / $15 at the door) Night w/ DJ Pasta (NO COVER), 10pm d.b.a.: The Palmetto Bug Stompers, Friday: 7/21 6pm; Tom Leggett Band, 10pm ($5) Gasa Gasa: Busdriver, Sea Battle, Bar Redux: Phil The Tremolo King & Jonathan Brown, 9pm The Eclectic Ensemble, 9pm Hi-Ho: NOLA Comedy Hour Open Mic, Checkpoint Charlie: Domenic, 4pm; 8pm; Stripped into Submission, 10pm Notel Motel, 7pm; Willy Locket and the House of Blues: Loumuzik Live - In Blues Krewe, 11pm The Parish, 9pm ($15) Circle Bar: Natalie Mae, 7pm; Alligator Howlin Wolf: Hot 8 Brass Band ($15) ChompChomp w/ DJ Pasta, Matty -n- Maison: Swingin’ Jazz Brunch with Mitch (NO COVER), 10pm Chance Bushman & The NOLA d.b.a.: Meschiya Lake & the Little Big Jitterbugs, 10am; Eight Dice Cloth, 1pm; Horns, 6pm; Morning 40 Federation, The Russel Welch Quartet, 4pm; Leah 10pm ($10) Rucker, 7pm; Higher Heights, 10pm Gasa Gasa: Palm, Palberta, Buncho, 10pm Hi-Ho: RELAPSE 80’s & 90’s Dance Monday: 7/17 Party with DJ Matt Scott, 10:30pm House of Blues: NOLA ROCKS ft. New Banks St: Piano Showcase, 7pm; Rebel Family, Akadia, The Other LA, Montague, 9pm and more, 8pm ($8); Members Only, Circle Bar: Phil the Tremolo King, 11:30pm ($10) 7pm; A Motown Monday w/ DJ Shane Howlin Wolf: In The Den: “Stoked” Love (NO COVER), 10pm NOLA’s Best Comedians (Free) d.b.a.: John Boutte’, 7pm ($10); Maison: New Orleans Swinging Brother Tyrone & the Mindbenders, Gypsies, 4pm; Slick Skillet Serenaders, 10pm ($5) 7pm; Soul Project + Ashton Hines and Hi-Ho: Bluegrass Pickin’ Party, 8pm; The Big Easy Brawlers, 10pm Instant Opus Improvised Series, 10pm Tipitina’s: Tipitina’s Foundation House of Blues: Delta Rae plus Liz Free Fridays Concert Series Feat. Longley, 7pm ($16) Walter “Wolfman” Washington + The Maison: Chicken & Waffles, 4pm; Fortifiers, 10pm Aurora Nealand & the Royal Roses, 7pm; RnR Music Group, 10pm Saturday: 7/22 One Eyed Jacks: Blind Texas Marlin (front lounge), 8pm Checkpoint Charlie: Buddha’s Band, 4pm; Soul Spider, 7pm; Slade & the Tuesday: 7/18 Wasters + Pigpen, 11pm d.b.a.: New Orleans Jazz Vipers, 7pm; Checkpoint Charlie: Jamie Lynn Brass-a-Holics, 11pm ($10) Vessels, 7pm; Voodoo Wagon, 11pm First Unitarian Church: Thou | Cloud Circle Bar: Carl LeBlanc,7pm; all the Rat | False | Moloch | Silver Godling, colors of the dark -presents- The Poppy 6pm ($15) Field (NO COVER), 9:30pm Gasa Gasa: The Kickback, Skelatin, 10pm d.b.a.: Treme Brass Band, 9pm ($5) Hi-Ho: The Rip Off Show, 7pm; Hi-Ho: Cary Hudson, 8pm Tradition, 11pm Maison: Quicksand, 4pm; Gregory Agid House of Blues: 2017 New Orleans Quartet, 6:30pm; New Legaxy, 9:30pm Beatles Festival: Concert for Sgt. SidebarNOLA: Loren Pickford & Dave Pepper, 8pm ($22); House of the Young: Easley duo, 8:30pm #SONEWORLEANS, 10pm ($12) Tipitina’s: Louis Prima Jr. and the Joy Theater: HennyPalooza, 5pm ($50) Witnesses, 9pm Maison: Chance Bushman & The Ibervillianaires, 1pm; Luneta Jazz

38 * ANTIGRAVITY * JULY 2017 Band, 4pm; Smoking Time Jazz Club, 7pm; Walter Wolfman Washington & House of Blues: The Alarm, 8pm 7pm; FuFu All Stars + Gene’s Music the Roadmasters, 10pm ($5) ($20); Members Only, 11:30pm ($10) Machine, 10pm Hi-Ho: Progression Music Series, 9pm Maison: New Orleans Swinging Siberia: Domino Sounds Presents: Maison: Kaya Nicole Band, 4pm; The Gypsies, 4pm; Shotgun Jazz Band, 7pm; Prince Pauper & Guest Spinning New Orleans Jazz Vipers, 6:30pm; The The Grid + No Good Deed, 10pm Vinyl Records, 6pm; MORNING 40 Steve Lands Kota Band, 9:30pm Saturn Bar: Casual Burn | Room 101 | FEDERATION | HAPPY TALK BAND | Three Keys (Ace Hotel): The Healing Mabs, 9pm ($5) KING JAMES SOLO (A Benefit: Bernard Room with Michaela Harrison & Siberia: Cave Of Swimmers | TBA, Pearce Heart Transplant), 10pm Friends, 9pm 10pm ($7) Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Siberia: The Whistles & The Bells | The Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Clashback HOUxNOLA with CoolNasty feat. Jack Rocketboys | TBA, 10pm ($8) with Yung vul +sg, 9pm Freeman +sg, 9pm Tipitina’s: Tipitina’s Foundation Tipitina’s: Unicorn Fukr, 10pm Thursday: 7/27 Free Fridays Concert Series Feat. Rory Danger & The Danger Dangers + Khris Sunday: 7/23 Checkpoint Charlie: The King Snakes, Royal & Dark Matter, 10pm 7pm; Shock Patina, 11pm Banks St: Winslow, 1pm; Banks Street’s Circle Bar: Gina Leslie, 7pm; The Saturday: 7/29 Got Talent hosted by Ron & Tina, 4pm Holograms +more TBA, 9:30pm ($5) Circle Bar: Micah McKee & Friends d.b.a.: Little Freddie King, 10pm ($5) Checkpoint Charlie: Anthony Oscar, + Blind Texas Marlin, 7pm; Country Hi-Ho: Alfred Banks + $leazy EZ + Stefan 4pm; Ocean Disco, 7pm; J Monque’D Night w/ DJ Pasta (NO COVER), 10pm Rene + Ciel Rouge (Hip Hop), 9pm Blues Band, 11pm d.b.a.: d.b.a. 17 year anniversary Howlin Wolf: In The Den: Comedy Circle Bar: Mod Dance Party w/ DJ WELCOME TO NIGHT celebration w/Happy Talk Band & Gumbeaux (FREE) Matty, 10pm tba, 6pm ($10); The Palmetto Bug Maison: Dinosaurchestra, 4pm; d.b.a.: Meschiya Lake & the Little Big VALE Stompers, 7pm Kristina Morales & The Bayou Shufflers, Horns, 7pm; Corey Henry & the Treme WED JULY 12 - CIVIC THEATRE Hi-Ho: NOLA Comedy Hour Open Mic, 7pm; Dysfunktional Bone, 10pm Funktet, 11pm ($10) 8pm; Whiskerman, 10pm Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Soundbytes Hi-Ho: Wait, What? Comedy, 8pm; ROONEY Howlin Wolf: Hot 8 Brass Band ($15) with PJ Morton & Friends, 9pm Tradition, 11pm SAT JULY 15 - GASA GASA Maison: Swingin’ Jazz Brunch with Siberia: MEN WITHOUT HATS | House of Blues: Bad Girls of Chance Bushman & The NOLA Naughty Palace, 10pm ($15/20) Burlesque - in the Parish, 8pm ($21); Jitterbugs, 10am; The Russel Welch BAMBOLEO: Latin Club Night, PALM Hot Quartet, 1pm; Kala Bazzar Swing Friday: 7/28 11:30pm ($12) FRI JULY 21 - GASA GASA Society, 4pm; G and the Swinging 3, Howlin Wolf: In The Den: Mia 7pm; Higher Heights, 10pm Checkpoint Charlie: Domenic, 4pm; Borders, 8pm ($8) THE KICKBACK Moonshine Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Ruby & the Rogues, 7pm; The Hubcap Maison: Chance Bushman & The SAT JULY 22 - GASA GASA Taste with Nicole Lynn Foxx & The Kings, 11pm Ibervillianaires, 1pm; Leah Rucker, 4pm; Moonshine Players, 7:30pm & 10pm Circle Bar: Natalie Mae, 7pm Smoking Time Jazz Club, 7pm; Soul d.b.a.: DinosAurchestra, 6pm; Wake Company+ RnR Music Group, 10pm NITE JEWEL Monday: 7/24 of the Flood feat- Papa Mali & Reggie Siberia: Lauren Ogelsby and Friends: TUE AUG 1 - GASA GASA Scanlan, 10pm ($10) Songs We Wrote In Highschool, 6pm Banks St: Piano Showcase, 7pm; Hi-Ho: RELAPSE 80’s & 90’s Dance Three Keys (Ace Hotel): La Noche Montague, 9pm Party with DJ Matt Scott, 10:30pm Caliente with Muevelo ft. Margie ADAM TORRES Checkpoint Charlie: HG Breland, 7pm THUR AUG 3 - GASA GASA Circle Bar: Phil the Tremolo King, 7pm; A Motown Monday w/ DJ Shane BRICK + MORTAR Love (NO COVER), 10pm WED AUG 16 - GASA GASA d.b.a.: John Boutte’, 7pm ($10); Brother Tyrone & the Mindbenders, 10pm ($5) KAP G + JR DONATO Hi-Ho: Bluegrass Pickin’ Party, 8pm; FRI AUG 18 - GASA GASA Instant Opus Improvised Series, 10pm Maison: Chicken & Waffles, 4pm; DOWNTOWN BOYS Aurora Nealand & the Royal Roses, THUR SEPT 7 - GASA GASA 7pm; The Resident Aliens, 10pm One Eyed Jacks: Blind Texas Marlin (front lounge), 8pm NOLA QUEEN OF BURLESQUE FEST Tuesday: 7/25 SAT SEPT 16 - CIVIC THEATRE Checkpoint Charlie: Jamie Lynn Vessels, 7pm; Chi Town Nick & the CHRIS ROBINSON Blues Hustlers, 11pm BROTHERHOOD Circle Bar: Carl Leblanc, 7pm SUN SEPT 17 - CIVIC THEATRE d.b.a.: Treme Brass Band, 9pm ($5) Hi-Ho: High Profile Drag, 10pm House of Blues: Spose: The Good Luck FRANKIE ROSE With Your Life Tour + Shane Reis + SUN SEPT 17 - GASA GASA God.Damn.Chan, 7pm ($12) Maison: Jason Danti, 4pm; Gregory Agid Quartet, 6:30pm; Skeeter Leg, 9:30pm THE COURTNEYS Neutral Ground: Big Hush | Post Pink THUR OCT 5 - GASA GASA | Treadles, 7pm ($5 suggested donation) SidebarNOLA: Albey Balgochian, VAGABON Simon Lott & Rob Cambre, 8:30pm SAT OCT 7 - GASA GASA Wednesday: 7/26 NICK HAKIM TUE OCT 10 - GASA GASA Banks St: Free BLT’s & Major Bacon, 10pm Checkpoint Charlie: T Bone Stone & the Happy Monsters, 7pm; Zombie GRIZZLY BEAR Mafia + The Green Mantles, 11pm SUN NOV 12 - CIVIC THEATRE Circle Bar: The Iguanas, 7pm; Don Babylon + The Noise Complaints, FULL LIST AND TICKETS AT 10pm ($5) d.b.a.: Washboard Chaz Blues Trio, BOWERYSOUTH.COM

JULY 2017 * ANTIGRAVITY * 39 Perez and Brent Rose, 9pm The Saint: Tikioke, 9pm, FREE Tipitina’s: Papa Mali, 10pm Siberia: Trivia Night, 8pm Spotted Cat: Andy Forest, 4pm; Sunday: 7/30 Meschiya Lake & the Little Big Horns, 6pm; Aurora & the Royal Roses, 10pm Banks St: Winslow, 1pm; Banks Street’s Got Talent hosted by Ron & Tina, 4pm WEDNESDAYS Circle Bar: Micah McKee & Friends + Blind, 7pm; Country Night w/ DJ Pasta Allways Lounge: Bustin’ Out (A Music (NO COVER), 10pm Series), 10pm d.b.a.: The Palmetto Bug Stompers, Banks St. Bar: Major Bacon & Free 7pm; Kate Bush Tribute feat- Beth BLTs, 10pm Patterson, Benny & Chris Hare & more, Carrollton Station: Standup Comedy 10pm ($10) Open Mic, 9pm Hi-Ho: NOLA Comedy Hour Open d.b.a.: Tin Men, 7pm; Walter Mic, 8pm “Wolfman” Washington & The Howlin Wolf: Hot 8 Brass Band ($15) Roadmasters, 10pm ($5) Maison: Swingin’ Jazz Brunch with Dragon’s Den: DJ T-Roy Presents: Chance Bushman & The NOLA Dancehall Classics, 10pm, $5 Jitterbugs, 10am; Eight Dice Cloth, 1pm; Hi Ho: Teacher Appreciation Night, 6pm Roamin’ Jasmine, 4pm; Brad Walker House of Blues: Jet Lounge, 11pm Quintet, 7pm; Higher Heights, 10pm New Movement Theater: Dean’s List, Siberia: NUKE | Savage Master | A 8pm; Chris & Tami, 9:30pm Hanging, 10pm ($8) THURSDAYS Monday: 7/31 Allways Lounge: Bingo! w/ Vinsantos, 6pm Banks St: Piano Showcase, 7pm; Dragon’s Den: Adventures of the Montague, 9pm Interstellar Bboyz: Ghetto Funk, Breaks, Circle Bar: Phil the Tremolo King, Bass, Hip Hop, Funk and more, 10pm 7pm; A Motown Monday w/ DJ Shane Howlin’ Wolf: Comedy Gumbeaux, Love (NO COVER), 10pm 8pm (Live in the Den) d.b.a.: John Boutte’, 7pm ($10); Maple Leaf: Johnny V. Trio & Special Guests Brother Tyrone & the Mindbenders, One Eyed Jacks: Fast Times ’80s 10pm ($5) Dance Night, 10pm Hi-Ho: Bluegrass Pickin’ Party, 8pm; Instant Opus Improvised Series, 10pm FRIDAYS House of Blues: August Alsina - DRUGS Tour, 7pm ($29) La Nuit Comedy Theater: Open Mic Maison: Chicken & Waffles, 4pm; Stand-Up , 10:30pm Aurora Nealand & the Royal Roses, New Movement Comedy: The 7pm; New Creation Brass Band, 10pm Franchise, 9pm One Eyed Jacks: Blind Texas Marlin (front lounge), 8pm SATURDAYS

Hi Ho: DJ Soul Sister presents WEEKLY EVENTS HUSTLE, 11pm La Nuit Comedy Theater: MONDAYS ComedySportz, 8pm New Movement Comedy: Go Ahead, Ace Hotel (Lobby Bar): Family Affair, 9pm. 7:30pm; The Megaphone Show, 10:30pm Allways Lounge: Redbeans & Rupaul Playhouse NOLA: The Magna Carta Mondays, 7pm Comedy Show, 8:30pm Banks St. Bar: South Jones & Free Red Beans & Rice, 9pm SUNDAYS d.b.a.: Glen David Andrews, 10pm, $5 Dragon’s Den: Service Industry Nights Allways Lounge: Swingin’ Sundays with DJ Pr_ck (Free Dance Lessons, 8pm; Live Band Hi-Ho Lounge: Bluegrass Pickin’ 9pm-12am) Party, 8pm Checkpoint Charlie: Acoustic Open New Movement Comedy: Mic Night w/ Jim Smith, 8pm Knockout! 9:30pm Dragon’s Den: Church: Dubstep for Spotted Cat: Sarah McCoy, 4pm; the Masses, 10pm (Upstairs) Dominick Grillo and the Frenchmen Hi Ho: NOLA Comedy Hour hosted by St. All-Stars, 6pm; Kristina Morales & The New Movement, 8pm the Bayou Shufflers, 10pm [1st & 3rd House of Blues: The Sunday Gospel Mondays]/The Jazz Vipers, 10pm [2nd, Brunch, 10am 4th & 5th Mondays] Howlin’ Wolf: Brass Band Sundays with Hot 8 Brass Band, 10pm (in the Den) TUESDAYS Maple Leaf: Joe Krown Trio New Movement Comedy: School Ace Hotel (Lobby Bar): Selectors at NIght, 7pm; Beta, 8pm Ace, 8pm Three Keys (Ace Hotel): Saints & Banks St. Bar: NOLA County, 8pm Sinners Sunday Swing, 12pm Carrollton Station: Acoustic Open Tipitina’s: Cajun Fais do do featuring Mic, 9pm Bruce Daigrepont, 5:30pm Café Negril: John Lisi and Delta Funk, 7pm d.b.a.: Treme Brass Band, 9pm, $5 Dragon’s Den: Punk Night Gasa Gasa: The Progression Series, 9pm Howlin’ Wolf: LIVE IN THE DEN: In the Den: Comedy Beast Maple Leaf: Rebirth Brass Band Preservation Hall: The Preservation Hall-Stars featuring Shannon Powell

40 * ANTIGRAVITY * JULY 2017 I KNOW ALL Y’ALL DIY COOL KIDS TOUR IN A VAN WITH TWO BANDS AND A DOG FOR 45 DAYS AT A TIME AND IT’S TOTALLY FINE, BUT WE ARE OLD AND WE ARE NOT YOU. cont'd from pg. 31 the place because free things are that I got way into. AuraLee and I heartwarming. The venue itself was chatted with one of the guitarists very pleasant to behold as well. It at the end of their set; she was had a large back patio lit up with super bummed because the band Christmas lights and an airstream was breaking up after the summer. for a kitchen. If MTV’s Spring Break College was over and everyone had followed Mumford and Sons except her was leaving Tallahassee. into the future, it would have filmed She will be in other amazing bands. in a place like this. That is to say, if She is still so young. there was a place meant to make us feel old, this was it. The show was headlined by Emperor X, an absolutely perfect The crowd here looked to be combination of The Mountain made up almost entirely of college Goats and Dan Deacon. Apparently undergrads, but I felt none of the he’s a pretty big deal but I’d never pain of being an old millennial in a heard of him. After our set, he told young millennial’s den that I have us that a rock band hadn’t made known so well since I was 26. In him feel anything in years, but we all truth, this pain has probably had honestly moved him. I was faded only because we have not very grateful for his compliment been sleeping on the dirty floors of as well as his age adjacency to us strangers’ basements, but instead (he was born in 1979), but I could on the cozy beds and couches of our not say that his music moved me friends. It makes all the difference, back. Those kids though, it was like and it makes being old OK. seeing Northbound all over again. They sang along to every word, fists This show was all dream pop, pounding chests and necks bulging synth folk, and us. Before our set, out feeling. That was moving. snickering young adults could be heard in every corner whispering We started talking about going to that a hardcore band was going to sleep around midnight and did play, ironically spin-kicking into the something about it around 3 a.m. air and “picking up change” as they We had to get going early because did so. When we actually played, Josh needed to be at work early not one penny was picked up from on Memorial Day to cook some the ground, as the audience was barbecue at The Joint. Memorial paralyzed with rapture throughout Day is a busy time for barbecue. our set. Seriously. It was weird. We thought everyone would go “On paper this should have been awful, outside when we played, but the but it definitely wasn’t.” kids loved it. Way to not make us feel old and alienated and totally —Josh “Soda” Eaton ruin the premise of this entire tour, Memorial Day 2017 Tallahassee. Jerks. Ekumen will be playing Banks St. We were sandwiched between a Bar on July 17th and Gasa Gasa on band that sounded like a mashup August 6th. For more info, and to between Smashmouth and Shania hear their self-titled demo cassette, Twain, and a young man with a go to ekumen.bandcamp.com voice and some pre-recorded synth sounds. I cannot recall their names and while they were sweetheart humans, they were not at all for me, musically. Our viscera did not mesh with their saccharine, but we shared a stage all the same.

A Fourth band, Cough Drop, played some intensely emo-laden surf rock

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