MUSACK Rocked us with Another EPIC Carnival
But are you Fred Armisen frontin’ with The Go-Go’s cool?! photo by kim moenich
FOMOoC. Or FOMO-oC. Are you familiar with the acronym? Because I have a terminal case of it and probably need an intervention. Fear Of Missing Out on Concerts. I had a sudden attack last week and pulled the trigger on buying not just the Musack Rocks Carnival ticket, but also a plane ticket completely across the country to LA. I had JUST spent five days driving back from Vegas to North Carolina, after working five shifts in a row (60 hours), getting off in the morning and literally racing to the airport, flying to Jersey to see Dropkicks and Bad Religion, flying back to Vegas, packing my car, and hitting the road. I wasn’t going to go to Musack this year, because of everything I just wrote above, but, at the last minute, FOMOoC struck, and I had no choice.
For those who don’t remember, this is the same annual event where I filmed Tim Armstrong and Jesse Michaels reuniting two years ago. Musack Rocks is a non-profit organization created by Donick Cary, the Emmy-winning TV producer and writer, from such shows as David Letterman and The Simpsons. Cary, originally from Nantucket Island, became deeply concerned after a string of teen suicides occurred in his hometown back in 2009. Wanting to find a way to help, Cary created Musack Rocks, a charity dedicated to helping kids through music, the impetus he credits with saving him and his friends during their high school years. Since its inception, Musack Rocks has grown to providing instruments and music lessons from Nantucket to Alaska, North Carolina to Los Angeles, and now to Haiti, El Salvador, and Australia, with numerous places in between. The main fundraiser, the Musack Rocks Carnival, has been ongoing since 2011, and has brought huge names like Tom Morello, Jack Black, Kathleen Hanna, RZA, Ad-Rock, The Go-Go's, No Doubt, Fred Armisen, Rancid, and so many more.
This was my third Carnival, and I am so incredibly glad I didn’t pass on it. The Freeze, an OLD school Boston hardcore band who formed in 1978, were the openers. While I knew about the band, mostly because they are East Coast HC icons, I wasn’t really familiar with their work. Even though theirs was only a thirty-minute set, I was honestly blown away. I could easily have rocked out for another two hours. They played classics like “I Hate Tourists” and “This is Boston, Not LA”, both of which brought chuckles, given the circumstances. But their set left everyone, myself included, wanting more.
The next band had come onto my radar about a year ago, and I’ve been dying to see them ever since. Dead Pioneers, based out of Colorado, are fronted by Gregg Deal, a Native American artist and story-teller. Members include Abe Brennan (the new frontman of RKL), Lee Tesche (also of Algiers fame), Josh Rivera, and Shane Zweygardt. Their songs address issues facing Native populations in America, as well as brilliant critiques of the American colonial system. Dead Pioneers is the loud, angry music we need to fuel the coming Revolution, and I am so here for it.
While I had heard of Black Lips, I can’t honestly say I am familiar with their music. But this was Zumi Rosow and Cole Alexander from Black Lips, performing as their alt-rock two-piece, Crush. Crush is a neo-dark wave trip through the warped minds of Zumi, who plays the saxophone, and Cole, guitar. Their brand of trippy, catchy goth rock brought an interesting contrast to the two previous hard-hitting punk/hardcore acts, and I was mesmerized. If you are into that sort of thing, I highly recommend catching them if they come your way.
Crush kept us on our toes, even if they didn’t stay on theirs… photo by kim moenich
What can I say about Wolves Of Glendale?! Oh sweet jesus, so so much! PLEASE go see these guys and listen closely to the incredibly witty, absolutely pulled out of their asses lyrics that will have you rolling on the dance floor. Not only are these guys hella hilarious, but they are truly incredible musicians. Ethan, Eric, and Tom have songs that will make you pee in your pants and voices that will make you swoon. They were first noticed by Kyle Gass of Tenacious D, who showed the Wolves to Jack Black. The boys then open for Tenacious D on NYE in 2022 in Vegas. And yesterday I saw them in a commercial on Hulu! They were a perfect fit for the Carnival, playing a few originals before being joined onstage by the equally hilarious Fred Armisen. Armisen then performed some of his classic hits from Saturday Night Live, and the crowd went nuts. It was truly one of the best parts of the night!
Ya’ll know I’m an 80’s gal through and through, so to get to see Robyn Hitchcock peform live was a huge treat. I was rocking out to his hits when he suddenly brought the amazing David J (of Bauhaus and Love and Rockets fame) onstage, and I nearly died! Lol Tolhurst, the original drummer and founding member of The Cure, played drums for the show, and my New Wave heart was bursting. They played an excellent collection of songs from The Soft Boys, Love and Rockets, Egyptians, and more. All us Gen X’ers were singing our hearts out!
Next up was the main reason I was there: Lynval Golding and Hannah Hu, backed by The Aggrolites, singing songs from The Specials. This was essentially the same show I saw and wrote about at Punk Rock Bowling, but I simply couldn't miss it. With Terry Hall now gone, and Lynval getting older, I feel compelled to see him perform every chance I get. And this performance did not let me down. The emotions in the crowd as Lynval took the stage were palpable, and I saw several men (older than me) openly crying. We all recognized this amazing moment for what it was, a glimpse back in time at a band that had, for many of us, been the start of it all. And while you could tell it was emotional for Lynval as well, he made sure to keep our spirits up, dancing onstage with Hannah, making faces at Jesse Wagner, and cracking jokes every chance he got. The Aggrolites absolutely killed it, and Hannah’s voice was perfection. This was the reason I flew across the country, and it was definitely worth it.
We’ve all come to know and love The Linda Lindas over the last few years, but I have to tell you about the new kids on the block who are going to steal your heart and kick your ass! Sister Sister, a punk rock foursome from Cali, are here to stay, and to take the scene by storm. They have some great songs like the Pizza song and one about Gossip, but it’s so much fun to watch these girls totally rock the stage. They are so amazing that the one and only Riot Grrl founder Kathleen Hanna joined them onstage to cover her songs “Suck My Left One” and “Rebel Grrl”! I honestly wasn’t prepared for the raddness that their performance brought into my life, but they left me with a huge smile on my face. I made sure to let their moms know after the show how incredible they are and how much I look forward to their success.
Where do I even begin about what happened next?! I mean it was rad enough that we were going to get an intimate performance by ¾ of The Go-Go's (Jane joked that Belinda was off playing a Chucky Cheese in France, hehe), but no one was prepared for what was about to happen. As the ladies struck the first chords of “Vacation”, they were joined onstage by Reno 911 legend Lt. Jim Dangle, who somehow managed to sing every word while acting well outside his jurisdiction. At one point, he came up to me, grabbed my arm, put his leg on it, and played his leg like a guitar. I was trying to balance my phone that was videoing, my heavy camera I was using to take photos, and a beautiful cowboy boot all at the same time. Certainly was a moment I will never forget!
Kay Hanley, from Letters to Cleo, sang my favorite Go-Go's song, “This Town”, and I told her afterwards that she was absolutely perfect. I completely freaked out! Margaret Cho (who knew she could sing, but man, she’s good) crushed “Head Over Heels”, and 90’s darling Lisa Loeb performed “Our Lips Are Sealed”. Kathleen Hanna kicked it old school with The Go’s (the band minus Belinda) by performing the S&M classic “Fun With Ropes” and a Charlotte Caffey original that she wrote pre-Go-Go's, “Don’t Talk To Me”. Fred Armisen backed the band on bass for the entire set.
As if that unreal cast of singers wasn’t enough, Jack Black then came running on to the stage for the finale, “We Got The Beat”, which morphed into an Ozzy tribute of “Paranoid” halfway through. To say we all lost completely lost our minds is an understatement!
Why Belinda, how you’ve changed!!! Jack Black singing with The Go’s. photo by kim moenich
As I mingled with the bands afterwards, chatting up Jane Wiedlin (with whom I occasionally chat on IG because she is amazing!) and Sister, Sister, I inwardly thanked myself for spending the money I really didn’t have to have an experience that I really needed. Buy the ticket. Go to the show. Have the moments. We only get one chance at this life, and I am determined to fill it with amazing nights liked this. Thank you, Donick, as always, for giving so much to so many. Oh and Happy Birthday!
