Legendary UK punks The Subhumans tore up The Club @ Water Street Wednesday, September 26, with a loud, fast, sweaty set. All the haircuts were there. The sound was crisp and in your face, and though "Mickey Mouse Is Dead" didn't get played (dammit) the show was great. Lead singer Dick paced, raged, seethed, and shouted looking like he had taken a coupla laps in a Maytag. But I gotta tell ya, show openers World/Inferno Friendship Society were absolutely brilliant. It was a full-blown punk rock cabaret with multiple percussionists, marimba, piano, and horns, along with the more conventional rock

Despite the reference to slick noir lore, The Black Dahlia Murder looked more like a bunch of blue-collar dudes who love pizza. Last night the band opened for Cannibal Corpse and pummeled Water Street Music Hall with a lot of double-kick as a foundation, but broke into cool grooves at least once a song either as a respite or a hook. The stage show was non-existent (no pretense, just rock) with singer Trevor Strnad stomping around the stage howling, fist-pumping, and throwing his arms in the air like a ref confirming a field goal. Cannibal Corpse followed with its legendary from-the-bowels-of-hell tone and relentless

Despite the reference to slick noir lore, in their October 2 performance at Water Street Music Hall, The Black Dahlia Murder looked more like a bunch of blue-collar dudes who love pizza. The band opened for Cannibal Corpse and pummeled Water Street with a lot of double-kick as a foundation, but broke into cool grooves at least once a song, either as a respite or a hook. The stage show was non-existent (no pretense, just rock) with singer Trevor Strnad stomping around the stage howling, fist-pumping, and throwing his arms in the air like a ref confirming a field goal.Cannibal

Alan Freed, where are ya, baby? Sure, payola killed the Moondog, but now all that ill-gotten lettuce is taking a detour from fat-cat pockets to help promote Rochester music. With money from the New York State Music Fund, WXXI began shooting its live concert/interview show, "On Stage" earlier this year. The fund was set up by the Attorney General's Office from fines imposed on various radio stations caught doing the pay-for-play mambo. In the spirit of "Austin City Limits," "On Stage" offers an intimate, live performance with Rochester bands from a wide variety of genres. Show host Julia Figueras' brief,

There's a fine line between road fatigue and nonchalance. Peter Karp's camper was parked outside the Dinosaur BBQ Wednesday night, October 17, and Karp emerged looking like he just woke up. And his opening number took on the feel of a sleepy slumber exit as he gently woke the audience with his red guitar alarm clock. Starting plaintive and sweet, Karp intoned and slid wearily, building with each measure. As the clouds began to scatter and the rest of the band kicked in, he had everyone feeling good. I know a lot of bands like to hit on all eight

Two doses of Oklahoma in two days has got me feelin' OK. Sporting a slightly more Western motif than his standard day-glow Detroit duds, Watermelon Slim and his band, The Workers, brought the blues and boogie to the Dinosaur stage Wednesday night, October 24. It was Slim's third trip here and the word is getting out. I'm warning you now, next time this cat comes to town there will be no room to move. With his guitar prostrate on a sort of altar cluttered with harmonicas, various old medicine bottles (used as slides), and assorted bits of mojo, Slim got

Despite stepping all over Steppenwolf and doing the worst version of "Born To Be Wild" ever, The UV Rays played a fun and fast set at the Bug Jar Saturday night, warming up for Australian punkers The Saints. Lone remaining Saint Chris Bailey looked a little worse for wear but delivered a set filled with the type of rock 'n' roll that got labeled punk in the late 70's for two reasons: 1) its purveyors were grubby, greasy, and somewhat limited in their playing ability; 2) the mainstream had lost sight of rock 'n' roll and its message and didn't