Alive Naturalsound Records: Alive Naturalsound records

Showing posts with label Alive Naturalsound records. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

RADIO MOSCOW - 250 Miles

Monday, November 22, 2010

ALIVE NATURALSOUND RECORDS 2011 CALENDAR - LTD. EDITION!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Alive Naturalsound HOLIDAY BUNDLES!

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

PAUL COLLINS TO KICK-OFF WEST COAST TOUR IN SUPPORT OF "KING OF POWER POP!"

PAUL COLLINS (THE NERVES, THE BREAKAWAYS, THE BEAT) KICKS OFF WEST COAST TOUR ON SEP. 22ND IN SUPPORT OF HIS NEW STUDIO ALBUM KING OF POWER POP! OUT NOW ON ALIVE RECORDS

PAUL COLLINS BEAT 2010 WEST COAST TOUR DATES

09.22 SAN DIEGO, CA / THE SODA BAR (W/ BAJABUGS / JUNGLE FEVER)

09.23 FULLERTON, CA / BURGER RECORDS (EARLY ACOUSTIC IN-STORE PERFORMANCE)

09.23 FULLERTON, CA / THE CONTINENTAL

09.24 LOS ANGELES, CA / THE REDWOOD BAR (W/ THE CHOPSTICKS [from Japan] / BOULEVARD BEAT / THE NUEROTICS)

09.25 SAN FRANCISCO, CA / THE HEMLOCK (W/ SHARP OBJECTS / THE PLEASURE KILLS)

09.26 CAMPBELL, CA / HOUSE PARTY

09.28 CHICO, CA / MONSTROS PIZZA (W/ KEPI)

09.29 SACRAMENTO, CA / THE HUB (W/ BOATS / THE POONTEENS)

10.01 PORTLAND, OR / THE EAST END (W/ WELCOME HOME WALKER / BLUE SKIES FOR BLACK HEARTS / MIDNIGHT CALLERS)

10.02 SEATTLE, WA / THE FUNHOUSE (W/ TRIPWIRES / LA SERA)

FEEL FREE TO POST THIS MP3 OF PAUL COLLINS’ SONG "DO YOU WANNA LOVE ME?" FROM HIS NEW KING OF POWER POP! ALBUM:

http://www.pavementpr.com/1.mp3s/PAULCOLLINSDoYouWannaLoveMe_.mp3

Here's what people are already saying about Paul Collin's King of Power Pop:

“... Collins bangs-and-crashes his way through thirteen high-octane slabs of outright power pop majesty, a baker's dozen, if you will, of sugar-coated sonic delights. Leave it to the commoners of the blogosphere to endlessly debate Paul Collins' status in the power pop firmament; as for this humble rockcrit, given the uniquely high quality of tuneage on King of Power Pop!, with nary a duff track among the thirteen, I say give him the crown. He's earned it with better than three decades of uncompromising loyalty to the power pop aesthetic.” - REV. KEITH A. GORDON / BLURT MAGAZINE

"Collins doesn't fornicate around here - he just whips out nugget after nugget of catchy, melodic, chiming guitar pop with two guitars, bass and drums. The assertion in the album title may seem over the top, but after spinning King of Power Pop a few times, you'll find it difficult to disagree." – MICHAEL TOLAND / THE BIG TAKEOVER

“Paul Collins was one of the pioneers of the power-pop genre, playing with bands such as Nerves, the Breakaways and the Beat. Now, he returns to his roots with the release of the aptly titled King Of Power Pop! on August 24 via Alive Records. “Do You Wanna Love Me?” basically defines power pop, with revved-up beats and garage-rock vocals complete with a harmonica.” – MAGNET MAGAZINE

"His new album is called The King of Power Pop and it takes guts to go with that title, but Collins has the chops to back it up." - WASHINGTON POST

“… solid, punchy, thoroughly enjoyable rock and roll. King of Power Pop! is a fun, fast-moving record and a welcome return for an artist who has long deserved to break out of cult status.” - MUSIC TAP

“Collins has cut a handful of fine records since the breakup of the Beat, but King of Power Pop! is the first one in ages that captures the tough, upbeat sound of his most memorable work, and it proves the man hasn't lost his touch for writing tight, hooky tunes with killer hooks and energetic guitar figures. Collins' voice is a little rougher than it was in his salad days, but he makes that work to his favor, giving the songs a touch of defiant swagger even when he's sounding sweet and heartbroken, and when he and his lead guitarist Eric Blakely lock in, this sounds like the perfect follow-up to the Beat's classic albums for Columbia, bursting with tuneful vigor and rock & roll passion (and arriving a mere quarter-century after the fact). Paul Collins might not be the King of Power Pop, but if there was an elected President of Power Pop, an album this good would certainly sweep him into office; it's fun, raucous, thoroughly enjoyable rock & roll from one of pop's greatest unsung heroes.” - MARK DEMING / ALL MUSIC GUIDE

“…a tough, rocking genre gem.” - STEVE WILSON / KANSAS CITY FREE PRESS

“With just the right level of sweetness to rasp quota, Paul Collin’s voice has never sounded better… in addition to being a modern day troubadour with a power pop heart, Collins is also a tasteful ol’ f**ker.” – TERRY HERMON / BUCKETFULL OF BRAINS MAGAZINE / UK

“Touring in support of his brand new release, The King of Power Pop, expect an evening of sweaty rock and roll, sharp hooks, and tight choruses culled from his decades-long career.” – BRIGHTEST YOUNG THINGS

“…slightly twitchy and supremely tuneful.” - KENNETH PARTRIDGE / SPINNER

“Anyone who loves The Nerves EP and The Beat's albums (particularly the debut) should grab a copy of this one ASAP."

“ - HYPERBOLIUM

“King of Power Pop! sure-footedly hearkens back to the classic Beat/Nerves formula: big, British Invasion hooks ramping down the grimy, '70s Sunset Strip.” – FLAVORPILL/CHICAGO

“…. awesome, solid stuff!“ – RADIO K / MINNEAPOLIS

"This album is like the Beach Boys and The Beatles partying with The Replacements and the Ramones. It’s a feel good bunch of songs that are much welcomed in a time when there’s so much negativity in the world today. So is Mr. Collins the King Of Power Pop? Maybe. Maybe not. But either way, this album is definitely up there with the best of them." - LONG GONE LOSER MAGAZINE / AUSTRALIA

“… a vintage collection of new power-pop straight out of 1979. Packed full of infectiously punchy pop tunes, Collins new album is proof that if you're patient and wait long enough, eventually the public taste will come back to you. – DENIS ARMSTRONG / OTTAWA SUN

“As one of the founders of the legendary Nerves, Paul Collins now performs with Paul Collins' Beat (formerly just The Beat) and has continued to rock the pop scene harder than anyone out there.” – THIRD COAST DIGEST

KING OF POWER POP! is the new studio album by PAUL COLLINS, one of the originators of the high-energy sound known as Power Pop.

Paul got his start in the late seventies as the drummer for the legendary NERVES, (with Peter Case and Jack Lee), later forming THE BREAKAWAYS with Peter Case, and finally starting The BEAT (aka PAUL COLLINS BEAT) in 1979.

KING OF POWER POP!, his third record of this decade is a complete return to his roots - to power pop, the sound he helped create and popularize, a sound that has seen a resurgence in recent years, a sound that is here to stay!

"For me this is the record that connects the dots, from The Nerves to The Breakaways to The Beat to today… this is the record that puts it all together!" - Paul Collins

Produced and engineered in Detroit by Jim Diamond (Dirtbombs, The Go, White Stripes, to name just a few), KING OF POWER POP! also features Eric Blakely on guitar and backing vocals, Diamond on bass, and Dave Shettler on drums (SSM, The Sights). Motor City guests include Wally Palmar of the legendary power pop hit-makers THE ROMANTICS, as well as pop icon Nikki Corvette of NIKKI & The CORVETTES. The catchy cover art is the work of legendary artist BILL STOUT.

FOR MORE INFO ON PAUL COLLINS:

http://www.alive-totalenergy.com/x/?page_id=1592

http://www.thepaulcollinsbeat.com

FOR MORE INFO ON ALIVE RECORDS:

http://www.alive-totalenergy.com

FOR MEDIA AND INTERVIEW REQUESTS:

Tony Bonyata

Pavement PR

p: 262.903.7775

e: bonyata@wi.rr.com

http://www.pavementpr.com

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

WHITE NOISE SOUND

In this day and age of ironic and increasingly obtuse band names, a band like White Noise Sound is refreshing. Like the heyday of generic foodstuffs, what you see on the label is exactly what you get here (…) WNS has been influenced by earsplitting bands from both sides of the Atlantic, including Velvet Underground, Suicide, Jesus And Mary Chain and of course the aforementioned Spacemen 3. – MOKB
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We’re absolutely loving this sonic blast of intense, hypnotic pyschedelic rock from Welsh sextet White Noise Sound. It comes from their debut self-titled album and it is no surprise to discover the band had assistance with the record from no less than Pete Kember (Spacemen 3, Spectrum etc.) and Cian Ciaran from Super Furry Animals.
Lead track is "Sunset" and from just one listen you can see these boys could be destined for seriously big things in the spaced out world of stoner rock. Blending corrosive feedback, pulsating krautrock rhythms, floating vocals and wall-of-sound guitars, the track builds and builds into a perfectly judged ear-shattering, blissed out climax. Thoroughly recommended. – The Mad Mackerel
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This aptly named band manages to get all kinds of drone going, and then revs into a full-on pop song when you least expect it. A world of music is created here that exists at the corner of Krautrock and Shoegaze, with field trips to Psych and Garage. Timely and timeless. – Pirate Cat Radio
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If you’re gonna (essentially) cover Spacemen 3’s "Revolution" in 2010,
good god this is the way to do it. – Arthur

Monday, September 6, 2010

RADIO MOSCOW, MONDO DRAG upcoming tour dates

With a powerful, crunching Sabbath-style chords and fiery solos that earn the right

to be called Hendrixian, Iowa power trio Radio Moscow plants its flag firmly

in the territory where psychedelic rock, cranked-up blues, and metal meet. -- The Onion

RADIO MOSCOW UPCOMING TOUR DATES

Sep 13 @ Elbo Room - San Francisco, CA

Sep 14 @ Prospector – Long Beach, CA

Sep 15 @ ZanZilla – Ventura, CA

Sep 16 @ Spaceland – Los Angeles, CA

Sep 17 @ Rogue - Scottsdale, AZ

Sep 18 @ Launchpad - Albuquerque, NM

Sep 20 @ Emo’s - Austin, TX

Sep 21 @ Nightmare – Dallas, TX

Sep 23 @ Czar Bar - Kansas City, MO

Sep 24 @ Yacht Club - Iowa City, IA w/MONDO DRAG

Oct 1 @ DG’s Taphouse - Ames, IA w/MONDO DRAG

Oct 3 @ Replay Lounge - Lawrence, KS

Oct 4 @ 3 Kings Tavern – Denver, CO

Oct 5 @ Burt’s Tiki Lounge – Salt Lake City, UT

Oct 6 @ Neurolux – Boise, ID

Oct 8 @ East End – Portland, OR

The band displays the usual plumage on New Rituals – distortion and feedback, hazy melodies, a dreamlike atmosphere, acoustic ephemera. But despite treading well-worn ground, the Draggers make it sound fresh, rather than hackneyed – likely the virtue of having no scene to get lost in. Muscular and melodic, Mondo Drag kicks out the new/old jams. – The Big Takeover

MONDO DRAG UPCOMING TOUR DATES

Sep 9 @ The Lift – Dubuque, IA

Sep 10 @ Middlewest Fest – Dekalb, IL

Sep 11 @ PJ’s Lager House – Detroit, MI w/OUTRAGEOUS CHERRY

Sep 12 @ Now That’s Class – Cleveland, OH

Sep 13 TBA Pittsburgh, PA

Sep 14 @ Golden West – Baltimore, MD

Sep 15 @ The Grape Room – Philadelphia, PA

Sep 16 @ Union Pool – New York, NY

Sep 16 @ Beyond Beyond Is Beyond, In-Studio – NY, NY

Sep 18 @ Pianos NYC – New York, NY

Sep 19 @ Loft Party – Washington DC

Sep 20 @ Strange Matter – Richmond, VA

Sep 21 @ The Cut – Atlanta, GA

Sep 22 @ Springwater – Nashville, TN

Sep 23 @ The Comet – Cincinatti, OH w/JOHN LEG

Sep 24 @ Yacht Club – Iowa City, IA w/RADIO MOSCOW

Sep 25 @ The Hideout – Chicago, IL

Oct 1 @ DG’s Taphouse – Ames, IA w/RADIO MOSCOW

PAUL COLLINS King Of Power Pop! reviews

Collins doesn’t fornicate around here – he just whips out nugget after nugget of catchy, melodic, chiming guitar pop with two guitars, bass and drums. The assertion in the album title may seem over the top, but after spinning King of Power Pop! a few times, you’ll find it difficult to disagree. – The Big Takeover

————————-

Leave it to the commoners of the blogosphere to endlessly debate Paul Collins’ status in the power pop firmament; as for this humble rockcrit, given the uniquely high quality of tuneage on King of Power Pop!, with nary a duff track among the thirteen, I say give him the crown. He’s earned it with better than three decades of uncompromising loyalty to the power pop aesthetic. – Rev Keit A. Gordon / Blurt

————————-

Collins has cut a handful of fine records since the breakup of the Beat, but King of Power Pop! is the first one in ages that captures the tough, upbeat sound of his most memorable work, and it proves the man hasn’t lost his touch for writing tight, hooky tunes with killer hooks and energetic guitar figures. Collins’ voice is a little rougher than it was in his salad days, but he makes that work to his favor, giving the songs a touch of defiant swagger even when he’s sounding sweet and heartbroken, and when he and his lead guitarist Eric Blakely lock in, this sounds like the perfect follow-up to the Beat’s classic albums for Columbia, bursting with tuneful vigor and rock & roll passion (and arriving a mere quarter-century after the fact). – Mark Deming / AMG

————————-

(Paul Collins) new album is called King of Power Pop! and it takes guts to go with that

title, but Collins has the chops to back it up. – The Washington Post

————————-

In his liner notes for his newest album, Paul Collins describes King of Power Pop! as “the record that connects the dots, from The Nerves to The Breakaways to The Beat to today”. This may be one of the most accurate assessments I’ve ever read an artist make of his own work. The record has a distinctly nostalgic feel in the best possible way, sounding both fresh and familiar at the same time. On the first listen, you almost feel as if you’ve heard these songs before. This isn’t a criticism of Collins’ originality. It’s a tribute to his ability to craft solid, punchy, thoroughly enjoyable rock and roll. – Music Tap

————————-

Recording in Detroit with Jim Diamond producing, Collins sounds as if he’s fresh off the end of a tour with the Beat – his voice a tad ragged but still thrilled by the glories of power pop. He charges hard into the bluesy “Do You Wanna Love Me?” and cuts the difference between the Beatles and Everly Brothers on the opening “C’mon Let’s Go!” His lyrics haven’t yearned so dearly and his voice hasn’t sounded this unbridled since he sang “Rock ‘n’ Roll Girl” and “Walking Out on Love” thirty years ago. Collins and Eric Blakely’s guitars rumble and sting, Jim Diamond’s bass and Dave Shettler’s drums propel, and the vocal harmonies and backings capture the joy of a summer’s night cruise with the windows down and the radio up.

Shettler adds tympani to “Many Roads to Follow,” and with the duet harmony sung at the top of Collins’ and Blakely’s ranges, they conjure the deep teen emotions of the Brill Building. Given his track record, it’s not really surprising that Collins still has great albums in him, but that he so effortlessly reaches back to the sounds he helped coin in the mid-70s (and whose invention he details in “Kings of Power Pop”), and it’s inspiring that he finds such satisfying ways to use the wear in his voice. Particularly noteworthy is how easily he matches Alex Chilton’s gravelly tone on a cover of the Box Tops’ 1967 hit “The Letter,” and how beautifully he covers the Flamin’ Groovies’ “You Tore Me Down.” The heartbreak of his original “Hurting’s on My Side” is rendered in the sort of ragged-voiced emotion John Lennon shouted out in 1964. Anyone who loves the Nerves EP and the Beat’s albums (particularly the debut) should grab a copy of this one ASAP. – Hyperbolium

Thursday, January 7, 2010

ALIVE RECORDS 2009 RECAP

ALIVE RECORDS 2009 RECAP
For those who missed some of this year’s releases on Alive, here they are, along with a few brief reviews. Thanks for the support and Happy Holidays!

COMING in 2010 : T-MODEL FORD "The Ladies Man," MONDO DRAG "New Rituals," The PLIMSOULS "Live! Beg, Borrow & Steal,"HACIENDA "Big Red and Barbacoa," and more!

1. OUTRAGEOUS CHERRY "Universal Malcontents"
"This glammed out, rocking piece of plastic is the best yet by the venerable Detroit rockers fronted by local freak Matthew Smith. They re-package the British glam and the us power-pop in an unexpectedly fun release that will make your feet stomp and your body move." – The Little Lighthouse.

2. HENRY’S FUNERAL SHOE "Everything’s For Sale"
"The raw power of a punk blues duo, driven by passion has been captured in its entirety. Everything’s For Sale certainly carries the heavy punch that you would expect from any Alive release and of course Henry’s Funeral Shoe wear their influences on their sleeve. This is a band that proves the nu-blues movement in the U.K is very much awake and raising the bar." – Blues In London.

3. RADIO MOSCOW "Brain Cycles"
"With a powerful, crunching Sabbath-style chords and fiery solos that earn the right to be called Hendrixian, Iowa power trio Radio Moscow plants its flag firmly in the territory where psychedelic rock, cranked-up blues, and metal meet. Radio Moscow updates an old-school style with pure passion and a refreshing lack of irony." – The Onion.

4. TRAINWRECK RIDERS "The Perch"
"Upon listening to the lush and lucid ‘Chug Along’, the crux of Trainwreck Riders’ The Perch – a seemingly endless story of American expedience – one is instantly comforted by their close association with San Fran bedfellows Two Gallants. A sonic union that finds them sharing similar free-roaming ideals, and an approach that sees TR’s singer Pete Frauenfelder’s as less of a wayward son and more an aged teller of troubadour tales." – Shindig!

5. BRIAN OLIVE "s/t"
"The heart of industrial America – The Motor City, The Rubber City, The Blue Chip City, The Glass City – have all been a breeding ground for the outlaws of new millennium blues. An unofficial brotherhood of musicians played the same dingy clubs, stirred up a similar media buzz, and over the past decade, each has slowly gained national appeal. Detroit’s White Stripes hit the airwaves first, followed by Akron, Ohio’s The Black Keys, and finally, members of the Cincinnati-based Greenhornes joined Jack White for The Raconteurs in 2007.
Then there’s the elusive Brian Olive. Under the stage name Oliver Henry, he served time for panhandling on street corners, he once wooed Meg White, and most importantly, he was the under-rated multi-instrumentalist for two seminal bands, The Greenhornes and Toledo’s Soledad Brothers. Oddly enough, he was right in the thick of the blues-rock resurgence when he went rogue, changed his name, and started a solo career.
That newfound focus has led him to a hippie-like horizon, awakening listeners with a psychedelic sunrise full of fuzzy happy sunbeams. Olive’s new sound doesn’t come as a surprise – his background in piano and saxophone finds him better suited for soul shakedowns than the sad sack of blues he left behind. His debut solo album is an abrupt departure from that former self. The self-titled record is more gypsy pop than garage rock, more of a 60’s love-in than a nod to Howlin’ Wolf." – The Waster.

6. NATHANIEL MAYER "Why Won’t You Let Me Be Black?"
"This is a sadly posthumous follow up to Mayer’s excellent ‘Why Don’t You Give It To Me’. It collects more tracks from the same sessions, juxtaposing Mayer’s gruff warbling baritone with a psychedelic soul-rock backing. It’s in fact a bit more consistent in sound than the predecessor, there are no detours into funk or reggae. The album is nothing but dark bluesy echoey distorted laments on love, money (mostly lack of it), and drugs. And that’s pretty much all I want from it, because it does those things so damn well." – Steady Bloggin’.

7. NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR HALLUCINATIONS "V.A."
VINYL ONLY. Limited edition LP 12 song compilation on PURPLE VINYL featuring rare and/or unreleased tracks plus cool psych/punk artwork. Track listing : The BLACK KEYS Can’t Find My Mind/BRIAN OLIVE Jubilee Line/THOMAS FUNCTION Relentless Machines/HACIENDA She’s Got A Hold On Me/OUTRAGEOUS CHERRY Anymore/BRIMSTONE HOWL Atomic Love/BLACK DIAMOND HEAVIES Leave It On the Road (Again)/ RADIO MOSCOW I Just Want To Make Love To You/BUFFALO KILLERS Don’t You Ever Think I Cry/TRAINWRECK RIDERS Tomorrow’s Gonna Change It All/LEFT LANE CRUISER Ol’ Fashioned/HENRY’S FUNERAL SHOE Don’t Lose The Rhythm.

8. LEFT LANE CRUISER "All You Can Eat!!"
"From the greasy slide-guitar-and-drum-pummeling intro to opener ‘Crackalacka’, you either jump in and let Left Lane Cruiser take you on a hell-raising hayride or plain get out of the way because Freddy J. Evans IV (guitar/vocals) and Brenn ‘Sausage Paw’ Beck (drummer/’trash’/vocals), a powerhouse duo out of Fort Wayne, Indiana, are roots-music revolutionaries who take no prisoners on their second outing for Alive Records. Following 2008’s Bring Yo’ Ass to the Table, All You Can Eat assimilates the Mississippi Delta blues laid down by guys like Big Joe Williams and Son House and cultivates it into a country punk’n'blues speedball. It doesn’t get a lot better than this. – PopMatters.

9. The NERVES "Live at Pirate’s Cove, Cleveland OH 1977"
VINYL ONLY. "Following-up ‘One Way Ticket’, the 30-years-awaited retrospective by under-recorded L.A. power-pop legends The Nerves, Alive unearths a Cleveland gig from an era when unsigned, un-promoted bands rarely hit the road. If the trio seem singularly energetic on this 12" vinyl, it’s because they were staying with Pere Ubu’s hospitable David Thomas, and playing two shows at Pirate’s in the flats, one with Ubu, the other with the barely-known Devo. Not bad! It’s highlighted by closing classic ‘Hanging On the Telephone’, and notably, an original Nerves version of their killer ‘Walking Out On Love’ with leader/guitarist Jack Lee." – The Big Takeover.

10. BRIMSTONE HOWL "Big Deal. What’s he Done Lately?"
"Having already earned their garage-band stripes over the course of four albums and incessant touring, Brimstone Howl has returned no worse for the wear with album number five. Like past records, ‘Big Deal. What’s He Done Lately?’ is a vitriolic mix that goes down like a dollop of axle grease and razorblades. As such, give Brimstone Howl another medal for Big Deal. They’ve earned it." – The Agit Reader.

11. The BREAKAWAYS "Walking Out On Love/The Lost Sessions"
"As Collins notes in the liners, ‘this is the sound of pop on the streets of Los Angeles circa 1978, no money, no deals, just the burning desire to make something happen in a town without pity.’ Case (Nerves/Plimsouls) and Collins (Nerves/Paul Collins’ Beat) approached these sessions with the unbridled passion and total dedication of musicians without masters – no label, no audience, no radio stations, no managers or agents, just the muse of pop music. The recordings may be fuzzy in spots, but the invention is clear as a chiming bell." – Hyperbolium.

12. BLACK DIAMOND HEAVIES "Alive As Fuck/Live Masonic Lodge, Covington KY"
"This album finds the Black Diamond Heavies with their eye on the prize and the pedal to the metal, giving the crowd amped up and energetic versions of songs from both previous studio albums including ‘White B*tch’, ‘Take a Rid”, and ‘Fever in My Blood.’ The band sounds tighter than ever, John Wesley Myers’ voice is as mean as a pole cat, and the groove seems to be growing into its own beast as Myers and drummer Van Campbell continue to spread the word of what might possibly be the best live band in the world. Alive As Fuck is the perfect stocking stuffer for those who love blues, punk, and just plain old rock and roll in its rawest form." – Disc Exchange.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Alive interview on the DEEP BLUES site

Alive Naturalsound interview on the DEEP BLUES site

Sunday, February 15, 2009

SXSW 2009 - Alive showcase

ALIVE SHOWCASE @ SXSW
Wednesday, March 18th @ Headhunters, 720 Red River St (8th St Entrance)
with HACIENDA, THOMAS FUNCTION, TRAINWRECK RIDERS,
OUTRAGEOUS CHERRY, LEFT LANE CRUISER, BLACK DIAMOND HEAVIES
+ special guests