Live review: The Queers, The Flat Tires, Planet Piss, All Rise
The Queers, The Flat Tires, Planet Piss, All Rise - The Milestone - Aug. 25, 2011 Link to Article
"The Deal: I have wanted to see the Queers for years but it seems there has always been something that got in the way of my plans and thus, I have never gotten to go. That's why this time I was absolutely determined to make it happen, scheduling myself to be there as soon as I had seen the show was booked. Although, because of my long-term desire to see them, I didn't care too much who else was on the bill, low and behold, the line up built was fantastic — two local punk bands, All Rise and Planet Piss and another North Carolina punk fiasco, The Flat Tires. I was stoked beyond belief for a night of punk rock and the madness that would inevitably ensue.
The Good: All Rise began the night with an, as per usual, sufficient set, getting us in the mood for the night of punk ahead. Two girls, both of the band Raging Nipple, stumbled around, dancing and trying to provoke a pit as the simplistic, thrashy sounds with shrill, short screams radiated throughout the building from their vocalist's mouth, beneath his glistening, impressive Mohawk rocking back and forth with his movements. These guys seem to have developed a decent following — fans screaming lyrics at them and dancing around to the jams they were hearing. I'm glad to see they are becoming a regular act around town.
As expected, Stephen Mackey stole the show during Planet Piss. Stripped down to his underwear, with his ass hanging out and junk about to fall out of the front of his boyshort boxers, he screamed in people's faces in the horseshoe created around the stage. Exhibiting his true punk rock nature, he clearly did not give a fuck whether he was offending people or making them uncomfortable during his performance. He rolled around on the ground, dirt stuck to his ass as the band played their familiar, old school Charlotte, true punk rock. I love Planet Piss and always have. Although they don't play as often as previous days, they are a true monument of the more recent Charlotte raw scene.
The Flat Tires brought us some more that good ole' punk rock with a pit of kids rocking out, throwing and spitting beer at each other, lost in the rowdy moment. While they were more traditional and less thrash, they provided us with a nice transition into The Queers. Their overtly Dixie version of the genre emulated the early days of punk in an original form. “We're the goddamn Flat Tires and you can kiss my goddamn dick,” their vocalist yelled at the audience mid-set, causing the kids in the audience to go nuts and begin to run at each other even harder than before, creating a fandango of chaos amidst the laid back band and snarling face of their vocalist, a rabid on PCP animal ready to strike.
The Queers rocked a set that maintained all of the venue's attention throughout. As expected, they brought everyone into the big room with raised hands and heads thrashing to the high-paced, classic punk rock. The floor, absolutely covered in beer, provided slickness for tumbles and full force body slams. Everyone contributed to it greatly throughout the Queers' performance, pouring beer on each other and chucking them, creating a puddle of stale PBR. The staff stood around, keeping security as people flew towards each other and crowd surfed, sucking down the passion of live music they had glorified throughout their lives. As fans screamed lyrics with Joe Queer, the love and intensity could be felt throughout the venue, from those of us around the stage fighting off various injuries from the pit, to the person waiting in line for the bathroom. Grins were spread throughout the venue and as a result, we all experienced a firm notion of cathartic greatness, ejaculating our frustrations and energy in the best way we know possible, music we love.
The Bad: This show seemed to be the kind of night in which everyone got absolutely trashed and rowdy. I mean, I find drunk punk kids amusing, I don't know if you could say that it was bad but I suppose it was a shit storm in itself.
The Verdict: Being able to see a notorious band such as the Queers in the setting of the Milestone will most certainly stay in my musical spank bank for the remainder of my life. I couldn't have asked for more of a punk rock night, hammered nihilists throwing down, on point jams from a variety of styles within the same genre and pure release as the climax of the night. Although I get to see a sampling of punk shows, I've gotta say, this one took the cake. In some regards, I could imagine that this is how it felt to be a part of the birth of this genre, pure, utter, intended anarchy with order only provided in unavoidable situations."
Jenny Lou Bement
"The Deal: I have wanted to see the Queers for years but it seems there has always been something that got in the way of my plans and thus, I have never gotten to go. That's why this time I was absolutely determined to make it happen, scheduling myself to be there as soon as I had seen the show was booked. Although, because of my long-term desire to see them, I didn't care too much who else was on the bill, low and behold, the line up built was fantastic — two local punk bands, All Rise and Planet Piss and another North Carolina punk fiasco, The Flat Tires. I was stoked beyond belief for a night of punk rock and the madness that would inevitably ensue.
The Good: All Rise began the night with an, as per usual, sufficient set, getting us in the mood for the night of punk ahead. Two girls, both of the band Raging Nipple, stumbled around, dancing and trying to provoke a pit as the simplistic, thrashy sounds with shrill, short screams radiated throughout the building from their vocalist's mouth, beneath his glistening, impressive Mohawk rocking back and forth with his movements. These guys seem to have developed a decent following — fans screaming lyrics at them and dancing around to the jams they were hearing. I'm glad to see they are becoming a regular act around town.
As expected, Stephen Mackey stole the show during Planet Piss. Stripped down to his underwear, with his ass hanging out and junk about to fall out of the front of his boyshort boxers, he screamed in people's faces in the horseshoe created around the stage. Exhibiting his true punk rock nature, he clearly did not give a fuck whether he was offending people or making them uncomfortable during his performance. He rolled around on the ground, dirt stuck to his ass as the band played their familiar, old school Charlotte, true punk rock. I love Planet Piss and always have. Although they don't play as often as previous days, they are a true monument of the more recent Charlotte raw scene.
The Flat Tires brought us some more that good ole' punk rock with a pit of kids rocking out, throwing and spitting beer at each other, lost in the rowdy moment. While they were more traditional and less thrash, they provided us with a nice transition into The Queers. Their overtly Dixie version of the genre emulated the early days of punk in an original form. “We're the goddamn Flat Tires and you can kiss my goddamn dick,” their vocalist yelled at the audience mid-set, causing the kids in the audience to go nuts and begin to run at each other even harder than before, creating a fandango of chaos amidst the laid back band and snarling face of their vocalist, a rabid on PCP animal ready to strike.
The Queers rocked a set that maintained all of the venue's attention throughout. As expected, they brought everyone into the big room with raised hands and heads thrashing to the high-paced, classic punk rock. The floor, absolutely covered in beer, provided slickness for tumbles and full force body slams. Everyone contributed to it greatly throughout the Queers' performance, pouring beer on each other and chucking them, creating a puddle of stale PBR. The staff stood around, keeping security as people flew towards each other and crowd surfed, sucking down the passion of live music they had glorified throughout their lives. As fans screamed lyrics with Joe Queer, the love and intensity could be felt throughout the venue, from those of us around the stage fighting off various injuries from the pit, to the person waiting in line for the bathroom. Grins were spread throughout the venue and as a result, we all experienced a firm notion of cathartic greatness, ejaculating our frustrations and energy in the best way we know possible, music we love.
The Bad: This show seemed to be the kind of night in which everyone got absolutely trashed and rowdy. I mean, I find drunk punk kids amusing, I don't know if you could say that it was bad but I suppose it was a shit storm in itself.
The Verdict: Being able to see a notorious band such as the Queers in the setting of the Milestone will most certainly stay in my musical spank bank for the remainder of my life. I couldn't have asked for more of a punk rock night, hammered nihilists throwing down, on point jams from a variety of styles within the same genre and pure release as the climax of the night. Although I get to see a sampling of punk shows, I've gotta say, this one took the cake. In some regards, I could imagine that this is how it felt to be a part of the birth of this genre, pure, utter, intended anarchy with order only provided in unavoidable situations."
Jenny Lou Bement
Jenny Lou Bement
