Blog del Jalapeño

A Place To Bury Strangers | Photo Gallery

Ask anybody who has ever heard of APTBS and chances are they’ll tell you they either love ‘em or hate ‘em (e.g., read some of these comments). Personally speaking, I’m in the former group. Seriously, it’s hard not to enjoy watching somebody throw their guitar around while playing and destroy their strings. Their music is LOUD and distortion-heavy, so if you prefer your rock on the quiet and/or poppy side then listen elsewhere. Last time I saw them was on a tiny stage at SXSW during a day party - their show translated even better this time on a big outdoor stage at night with the addition of strobes and psychedelic projections. These dudes are semi-old, so it’s cool to see them still able to tear up a stage.

>>Read previous - APTBS @ SXSW

King Khan & the Shrines | Photo Gallery

There were a lot of firsts tonight… it was the first concert of the summer at the Seaport, it was King Khan & the Shrines‘ first ever show in the US, and it was the first show I had attended in a looooong time. King Khan is a crazy ass mofo on stage. Even though he spilled nearly the entire contents of a bottle of beer on me (more importantly, my camera) and practically hocked a loogie on me, it was worth it - besides, my camera is already semi-busted anyway. This was the kind of show that makes all the photogs moist. Already an international sensation (like David Hasselhoff, he’s huge in Germany), he’s bound to blow up in the States after a fairly extensive summer tour. Sure, it’s campy and over-the-top, but King Khan, et al give you a badly needed dose of soul injected directly in yo ass - a very welcome alternative to the current wave of popular indie rock mediocrity.

DOWNLOAD:
King Khan & the Shrines - No Regrets | mp3
King Khan & the Shrines - Welfare Bread | mp3

I know I’ve been M.I.A. for a while, but I’m hosting another bad ass giveaway courtesy of mi amigos at FILTER Magazine. The prize pack up for grabs includes a CD and vinyl copy of Elvis Costello’s latest LP Momofuku, a Momofuku stencil (with which you can use to vandalize gated retirement communities and golf courses), and a poster. To enter (US residents only), e-mail your name, address, and contact number to me at info[at]oliverlopena.com by Monday, June 30th. You’ll get bonus point consideration if you use the word “Momofuku” creatively in a sentence. The winner will be notified by e-mail on (or around) July 1st. No worries, I promise not to spam you. Come on… don’t you want a little taste of the glory? See what it tastes like?