Midwest/Mid Atalantic Madness #2

By Maryam Hassan

Hello again. Brandon Gepfer and Maryam Hassan went trawling various parts of America to find some awesome music. Maryam still isn’t quite sure where the Midwest begins and ends (thanks Mike Boren for that!) but it’s all good. Here are six picks from the Mid-Atlantic and the Midwest that you should check out now…


MARYAM

A lot of people I know really dig that early 00’s pop punk vibe and get really stoked over reunion tours. Groezrock was announced recently and each year the have the Macbeth stage where you can vote for bands to play. LIGHTS OVER BRIDGEPORT were one of those bands and I was digging their EP. It made me feel like I was 20 years old singing with feeling again (being old has made me feelingless).


Next up we have CHICKEN HAPPEN. Not only do they have a band name I really enjoy but they play the sort of garage punk/rock and roll that takes me back to the 90’s (I’m reminiscing a lot today, perhaps it’s to do with getting older). I was sold on this because of the brilliant little bass riff at the start of ‘Dirty Underwear’.


Lastly this month we have VELOCICOPTER. They are playing a few days after I get back to Chicago and I’m pretty stoked to head down to that show on the 28th. There’s something about this sort of punk goes grunge thing that I love and think is going to translate really well live. It’s dirty sounding and raw but you can still dance to it. Ticks all my boxes.


BRANDON

Skinny Dip – Quakertown, PA

Skinny Dip is a new band from Quakertown, PA that kind of has the grunge aesthetic of this decade, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. They rock a little like Basement and Superheaven. I was tipped off to this band from an email after my last entry on Punktastic. The EP plays like a demo but there is great potential and if these tracks were properly recorded, this would be really enjoyable listen. Nevertheless, I recommend this band and would definitely listen to the song ‘Atlas.’


Puddle Splasher – New Jersey

I love to give New Jersey a hard time. But, I really don’t have anything to joke about when it comes to Puddle Splasher. This band is near perfect. Black Numbers continues to curate some of the best up and coming punk bands and this is no different. Poor Planning, their late 2014 release is a quick listen but, great front to back. My favorite song is ‘You Will.’ Andy Altadonna vocals have just the right amount of slacker attitude, while the band chugs away. Puddle Splasher is playing a few regional shows this spring. I was clued into a short tour that they’re working on this summer so, keep up to date with them. Catch them at a show. Download their record, it’s name your price at their bandcamp.


Reservoir – Central PA

Admittedly, I have a prior connection to Reservoir. I am close friends with them, my old band played pretty much all of our local shows with them. I also put out a record with them on my label, Dead Flowers (along with Broken World Media). So, this may be a conflict of interest but, it’s only a couple of sentences. Get over it.

Reservoir continues to churn out thought provoking music with their most recent release Cicurina Vol. 1 on Glory Kid Ltd. The fact that Reservoir goes largely unnoticed in the ‘hype emo’ tumblr world should be a crime. Quite honestly, this band is one of the best in the genre. Listen to ‘Waves Erase’ off of Circurina Vol. 1. You’ll know that I am right and your life will be forever changed for the better.

Reservoir is playing mostly Central PA shows this spring, including May 1st in Lancaster, PA with Iron Chic and Spraynard at Fulton Street Arts Co-Op.

SEE YOU IN APRIL! If you have any music you want to shout our way send it to maryam@punktastic.com