So you had shows in a library???

Yes. We did. From December 1999 till early 2001 I somehow was able to book a series of monthly shows in the basement of the North Shore Public Library. It was pretty awesome while it lasted. How it went down was that Noah from Bo Coach introduced me to Peter Carrol-a super rad guy who worked for the library and wanted to do  something to bring more teenagers in the library. Using the shows through the North Shore Youth Council program as an example we touched base and just like that like clockwork I started booking shows there. We kicked off the first show with a show featuring Space Robot Scientists, Bo Coach and my old band Pale Marble Movie. Things went really, really well. The staff was very supportive. Kids came out in droves and the kicker was if kids weren't watching the show they were upstairs reading. It was a fun a time and lots of bands that couldn't get shows elsewhere were getting an opportunity to play. At some point the fun stopped because Peter Carrol stepped down from his position and retired and naturally the people taking over weren't as hip as he was. It was a quick, predictable bureaucratic decision that was handed down and was definitely a bummer to myself and  a lot of folks. Venues closing or stopping shows is par for the course in DIY but in hindsight I do have to say I don't think anyone really understood how much Peter Carrol and the supportive employees of the shows stuck their neck out for the program as they were certainly getting flack from the board, and the usual cast of old farts who complain about everything.  I had somewhat of a grasp on that so I was as diplomatic as possible in organizing with him but like I said I don't think I full realized how much heat he was under.

Here is a flier for one of my favorite shows at the library that included some of my favorite Long Island bands. This show was a birthday show for Knox Overstreet bassist Own Antku and had a fifth band on the bill who weren't on the flier, With Every Idle Hour. I have raved about Knox Overstreet a few times already in this blog and will continue to do so as I'll be ripping their 7 inches very soon but let me talk about some of the other bands.

Music who later went on to be known as Casa Negro were a three piece noisy post punk band that was a lot like Shellac, GodheadSilo, or Big Business. They were a great band that played out for a short period of time but if my memory serves me correct they only ever had one release under the name Music and that was the track "Not In The Fire" from The Hope Machine compilation which I have attached below. I am pretty sure that there was a Casa Negro demo or recording that was passed around friends. If not that would be a shame. I'll have to ask around.

Lord Humongous is band that has been around for quite awhile. I first came across them at some show at the Roadhouse Pub back in 1998 or thereabouts. And while they don't play shows anymore I recently spoke with guitarist Ned Overton who says they still rehearse and write. They play my kind of hardcore-noisy, screamy and a bit more expansive then the usual one-two punch type hardcore fare. They are a cross between The Last Crime and Scapegrace mixed post punk stuff like Rodan, June of 44 and New Plastic Ideas era Unwound. Chiming, discordant guitars with driving rhythms and frantic screams. For the longest time all they had recorded was a track for the Appropriate Response as well as an unreleased demo which was incredible and I am not sure why was never released. I need to find my copy of those tunes and rip em. Then they contributed the track "Desmond Tutu" for The Hope Machine which I have attached below as well and that wrapped up the era of the band with Steve McCarthy on vocals. He was replaced by John Gruber former bassist of Music/Casa Negro but they never recorded anything with him. Matt Roren of Microwave Orphans, The Reprecussions, etc became their most recent vocalist but after some shows and recording a EP for Example Such Cloth Hammer Engine Records was no longer involved with the project. A great band that writes great songs yet most people on Long Island have never heard them and most likely will never. An absolute crime. I definitely feel fortunate for the experience of getting to hear their music over the years.

Download MUSIC "Not in the Fire"

Download LORD HUMONGOUS "Desmond Tutu"