Cambridge

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We all wrote off Ben Weasel, right? After what happened at SXSW 15 years ago, we thought it was all over for him. His band quit on him, he put out a statement actually TAKING the blame for something he did, and all the punk rockers started disassociating with him, including his label. After all this time, I still don’t know how to process it. It’s a low point for everyone involved for sure, and it’s something Ben Weasel has...

I don’t go to a lot of comedy shows anymore, and it’s a bit surprising to realize that because I used to really be in it. Not performing it myself (I’m not crazy), but watching comedy specials, listening to comedy albums, going to open mic nights, going to improv shows, etc. I even went all the way to the village and UCB to catch the cutting edge of comedy. That cutting edge was a little too sharp. Maybe I outgrew...

Photos by: Tyler B...

I’ve got a love/hate relationships with the Spits. I love them because they’re one of the best bands out there right now. Terribly underappreciated but making some of the most fun and accessible punk music of all time. I hate them because last time I saw them live at the Brighton Music Hall, the crowd got so rowdy behind me that, somehow, in all the insanity, some guy flailed his arms over my shoulder, grabbed my glasses, and knocked them...

Seeing a good opener can be a cathartic experience. Sometimes it’s interesting, and you check them out when you go home, but most of the time it’s forgettable. I can count on one hand when an opener has blown me away, and I don’t even need all my fingers. When I caught the last few songs of Die Spitz at an OFF! show years ago all I could think of is how loud it sounded. Then, watching them put their...

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I grew up on the New Bomb Turks. Getting into punk rock, I was a frequent listener of the Fat Music and Punk-O-Rama compilation CDs. What a deal! 20+ songs from different bands for $4! I remember those days fondly and how I would skip to my favorites. The New Bomb Turks were on these comps but, strangely, never made an impact. Come to think of it, I can’t believe these guys were ever an Epitaph band. Did you know...

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Give it up for Tim Heidecker. The man is a dynamo that won’t stop. Constantly on the move, Heidecker always has a project he is working on: from sketch comedy, to his podcast (or “show” as he likes to call it), to his standup, to legitimate acting, to his music. Not that I’m a music snob, but I never knew if Heidecker was making joke music or “real” music — you know, for the sake of writing good songs, or...