[DID NOT ATTEND: May 14, 2022] The Dead Milkmen / MC Lars / Gibbous Moon
I’ve been a fan of The Dead Milkmen’s bratty brand of punk for years–probably since 1988. I’ve never seen them live.
They sort of, but not really, broke up and then reunited and so on. I didn’t really think I’ve ever get to see them, but they announced this short run of local shows and I thought, YES! I will finally get to see them.
Well, my plans changed and it turned out I had other things to do that night (and sure, they were fun, but still, bummer).
I think the Dead Milkmen are playing around from time to time, so I met get to see them yet.
MC Lars is a nerd rapper who I would love to see live. I’ve had a few opportunities and they all seem to fail. I especially wanted to see the The Four-Eyed Horsemen tour but i couldn’t make it.
MC Lars plays with a laptop and occasionally a punk rock band to back him up, which he refers to as “post-punk laptop rap”. Samples from bands such as Supergrass, Piebald, Brand New, Fugazi, and Iggy Pop play a key role in MC Lars’s music. Hearts That Hate, whose song “Cry Tonight” is sampled in Lars’ “Signing Emo”, is a fictional group created by the rapper. MC Lars has also shown an interest in using lyrics and song titles based on English and American literature. “Rapbeth” references William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, while “Mr. Raven” is inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven”. “Ahab” is about the novel Moby Dick and “Hey There Ophelia” on This Gigantic Robot Kills retells the story of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
Gibbous Moon is a Philly trio that plays heavy psychedelic rock.
Here’s a review of the show from Pancakes and Whiskey. Selections below:
In the meantime, everyone enjoyed a loud and sequin-worthy opening set from Gibbous Moon. This groovy three-piece is known as a supergroup in the Philly area, having been involved with dozens of other area bands over the years. As Noelle Felipe brought strong vocals and hefty basslines, husband guitarist Mauro Felipe supplied extra vocals and jagged riffs. With the seasoned drumming of Michael Mosley, their hazy-heavy sound got NJ dancing early.
Sounds like MC Lars was underappreciated.
Oakland “nerdcore” rap. LA’s MC Lars – who wore a jumbo Legend of Zelda game cartridge on a chain – aimed to please. His self-described “post-punk laptop rap meets lit-hop,” however, had NJ punks reacting awkwardly to the cheese. One moment did restore some eye contact with those who’d been staring at their shoes: when the frontman of the headliner hopped up and started rapping too. The Dead Milkmen’s Rodney Linderman authenticated the strange sandwiched set with his fun presence, and then it suddenly felt like a party.
But the Dead Milkmen sounded like they were great
Inciting an unending barrage of audience participation, The Dead Milkmen matched the song order from other recent dates with the opening trio of “Dean’s Dream,” “Serrated Edge,” and “Methodist Coloring Book.” Their catchy flavor of fucked-up, satirical indie rock was expertly brewed by guitarist/vocalist Joe Genaro (“Joe Jack Talcum”), vocalist/keyboardist Rodney Linderman (“Rodney Anonymous”), drummer Dean Sabatino (“Dean Clean”), and bassist Dan Stevens. After a supercharged “Nutrition,” a momentary scare ensued when the not-even-moshy pit somehow swallowed up a fan. Linderman asked, “Whoever went down in the pit, are you okay? You okay? Okay, because if they were unconscious, I would come down…” His concerned face turned back into a grin once it was clear that person was safe. “Alright, in that case, I have one word of medical advice for you,” and right then, they dove into “The Thing That Only Eats Hippies.”
Linderman riffed, “I’d like to thank the state of New Jersey, which is my second-favorite state in America.” He then prompted a round of applause for all those who “got fat during the apocalypse,” bemoaning the irony of a fattening cataclysm. This cracked up the happy crowd, who were clearly enjoying each other’s shoutalong lyric-camaraderie too. They kept flipping for Linderman, who still has a kickass knack for sing-screaming, sounding vocally in control when he yells right into the mic. As they continued to crank out old favorites, it was refreshing to see so many unmasked fans feeling relaxed after the band’s vax card check at entry. They were really cutting loose as The Dead Milkmen’s Philly-snarky words and caffeinated sound boomed around the room.
FULL SETLIST
- Dean’s Dream
- Serrated Edge
- Methodist Coloring Book
- Only the Dead Get Off at Kymlinge
- Nutrition
- The Thing That Only Eats Hippies
- Now I Wanna Hold Your Dog
- V.F.W.
- Anthropology Days
- Right Wing Pigeons
- If You Love Somebody, Set Them on Fire
- Bitchin’ Camaro
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Punk Rock Girl
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Tiny Town
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Stuart
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Surfin’ Cow
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Beach Party Vietnam
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Big Lizard
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Welcome to Undertown
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Rastabilly
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The Sun Turns Our Patio Into a Lifeless Hell
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Life Is Shit
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(We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang (Heaven 17 cover)
Encore: -
King of Sick (preceded by “Life Is Shit” reprise)
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Tacoland
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Smokin’ Banana Peels
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Two Feet Off the Ground
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Germ Free Adolescents (X‐Ray Spex cover)
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