And let me just say listening to radio in Australia --- its content, its lack of commercial bullshit, and its loose on-air restrictions --- convinced me of two things: Airborne is gonna be the next band to watch, and we here in America are kidding ourselves if we still think we're living in the land of the free.

I braved the tundra my first night back out to support BML, which was taping its Friday night show for an upcoming DVD. I figured the crowd would be light, what with the weather and all, but the joint was full. Show openers The Isotopes bailed as their drummer broke his foot and they had to put him down. I caught all of Sulaco's set. The band's sound physically pushes air, creating a kind of jet wash from the stage. It's metal in the classic sense, and though the band members act as if they're being ironic sometimes, they play too well, sound too good, and have too thorough an understanding of genuine metal to be dismissed. I'd only seen Sulaco before at the Bug Jar, where the volume was way too big for the little club. At Water Street, Sulaco's sound got some legs.

Split from the Shakedown to the Bug Jar Sunday night to catch the first big punk extravaganza with The Dwarves, The Turbo A.C.'s, The Blastoffs, and The UV Rays. Shagged and jet-lagged I only stuck around for NYC's Turbo A.C.'s, who were just fantastic --- muscle-car loud, greasy and fast. I haven't seen this band in about four years, and it seems guitarist/singer Kevin Cole is the only original cat left. This line-up is real tight with a beautiful twin Paul attack with antagonizing groove and sex appeal. Rock 'n' roll the way they used to make it.