United By Images; Whiner

Over the weekend. I finally got the chance to check out Whiner. Champagne and a particularly celebratory mood filled the room. As Archie Alone members Cindy Ward and Pete Clark celebrated their birthdays. New Jersey's Whiner have been on my radar for some time now. The chance to finally catch them live was quite rewarding. You can check out my show review and images from the show at my new Jersey Beat column Here.

Bandcamp

United By Images; NGHTCRWLRS, The Subculture, Roswell Debacle and Lunch Ladies

This past Saturday I spent the night at Montclair's cavernous, home away from homes, The Meatlocker. Below are some images from what was a pretty stellar night.

Lunch Ladies
Bandcamp

 Roswell Debacle
Bandcamp

The Subculture

Bandcamp

 NGHTCRWLRS
Bandcamp

United By Images; The Milwaukees at Maxwell's 7/2/2015

Milwaukees guitarist Jeff Nordstedt asked if I would post some extra pictures from this Thursday's show at Maxwell's. So I decided to add some additional ones to go with the show review I posted. Included is the set list I snagged from Jeff. James Damion
The Milwaukees

United By Images; Chambers (Old Love)

I was standing outside of ABC No Rio when I managed to start a conversation with Jim Testa of Jersey Beat. For whatever reason Jim seemed to know me. So when I enquired about the possibility of becoming a contributor. His response,
"We'll, I don't really cover much Hardcore."
though predictable, irked me. Looking back, I felt that somehow, a lot of people saw me as this one dimensional "Joe Hardcore" character more than twenty years after I last produced an issue of my short lived fanzine. One who was still referred to by many as James Unite. 

Regardless of any preconceived notions Jim might have had. I assured him that my interests in music lay far beyond that of any genre or sub genre labeling. Before long, my pestering paid off and Jim handed me my first assignment.
An interview with New Jersey Hardcore Metal act Chambers. While I had no prior knowledge of the band. I had their brand new album "Old Love" and two consecutive shows to help me get familiar. The first night I headed to Clifton's Dingbatz to see the band perform with the mind blowing
Tiger Flowers and a host of others.
What impressed me most about Chambers and singer Dan Pelic in particular, was how they took on the lazy son of a bitches who were too busy to leave the comfort zone of the bar. Chambers were one of the rare acts there, or anywhere else for that matter, to bring it to the crowd. Dan leaped from the comfort of the stage and got in the face of everyone while challenging those at the bar to make the price of admission worth a damn.
Before the end of the night. I had two new bands to cheer for and an interview set up for the next at Maxwells.

Aside from getting to experience some new music. The guys in Chambers were aces and the interview turned out to be the first of many collaborations with Jersey Beat and Jim Testa.
I also look at my interview with the band as a moment where my exposure to music and in particular, the NJ music scene began to broaden. Great thanks to Dan Pelic, Gregg Kautz and Vinnie Fiore for making my first assignment so enjoyable.
James Damion

United By Images; Thursday (Geoff Rickly)

I was heading towards the cashier when "Understanding in a Car Crash" came over the speakers. I remember mentioning to the cashier how it reminded me if The Smiths had gotten together with Quicksand to make a baby.  Though I don't remember the cashiers response. I picture the counter persons eyes rolling to the back of his head as he thought 

"Why me God? Why me?" I added  Full Collapse to a stack that included Johnny Cash
and Tupac Shakur and headed home.

A few weeks later I was asked by Karen at Define the Meaning (RIP) to cover Thursday,
Rise Against and Circa Survive at Atlantic City's House of Blues. That night my wife and I had a huge dinner, hit the slot machines and watched a bunch of kids go nuts over Thursday. It was a great show and our first trip to Atlantic City since moving to New Jersey.
We've since returned for weekend jaunts, music and good food. While Rise Against continues to shape and inspire me till this day. Bands like Thursday and Circa Survive quickly greyed and faded from memory. Geoff Rickly has since formed the band
United Nations while co-founding the independent record label Collect Records.

Looking back, I was just grateful to be given the opportunity to,  not only cover the show, but to test my skills at one of the larger venues. 

James Damion