Kerry’s cause
Pogue Fado will host a fundraiser for injured busker Devlin Kerry (AKA Kerry Holland) on October 30. Kerry, an August Coast cover subject, received extensive head injuries when he was attacked from behind by unseen assailants. The day runs from noon till close and though bands were still being finalized at press time, there will be at least 10 artists performing.
Mike O’Neill’s vices
Those who had long given up hope for a Mike O’Neill live performance will be stoked to know the former Inbred will be on stage October 29 at The Khyber Club, paying homage to a devotion of his own. O’Neill, who also has a pair of critically acclaimed solo albums to his credit, will be doing his best Robert Pollard in Guided by Vices, a tribute to lo-fi indie rock band Guided by Voices. “There were a few songs that I’ve always loved, the songs ‘Motor Away’ and ‘Tractor Rape Chain,’” says O’Neill. “But they have tons of great songs. The fact is they have a ridiculous amount of recorded material.” He will join members of the Sycamores (Dave Chisholm, Jamie Fitzgerald), The Hotel Faces (Nick Bevan-John) and Mitch and the Motorhomes (Andy Miller) for the one-off performance. O’Neill, who counts Dave Grohl as an admirer of his own original material, has in recent years been on stage as bassist for longtime friend Sarah Harmer and says this endeavour could inspire him to play more often. ”I would like to play live again. This project sounded fun and it’s with a bunch of guys that I really like,” he says. “Before I knew it I was practising and singing again. Maybe it’ll get me out playing again. Maybe not.”
Moments of Protest
It may only have been two months since Protest the Hero last played in Halifax, but much has happened since — and not just the purchase of a new van. The punk-metal five-piece’s sophomore full-length, Kezia, was released August 30 and is picking up momentum. “The title was an aesthetic thing, nice name and we were looking for a title or character to title out the band history to this point,” says frontman Rody Walker. “We went balls to the walls and basically wrote the best music we were capable of writing.” The album is a depiction of how much the group has progressed since 2003’s A Calculated Use of Sound, and is more representative of their fiery live show. Similar political-tinged themes connect the two efforts, which is apparent in the video for the first single, “Blindfolds Aside.” Some things are moving forward for the band whose members only graduated from high school in 2004, but some things stay the same. This will be the second time in as many months Bombs Over Providence has been forced to drop off their now ironically named “Unity Tour.” Supporting the October 29 Pavilion gig will be The Letter Unfolds, Moth and Rust and a Sight for Sewn Eyes.
Can’t stop the surf
Local surf group Urban Surf Kings will be celebrating a decade together with the release of their eighth record, Live from Hell, which was recorded in the now defunct Hell’s Kitchen. Their first release on Italian label Ohm Ohm Records, the album reaches as far back into their catalogue as 1996’s Looking Sharp. They will celebrate the release — and a longetivity that eludes most bands — by playing it all live October 28 at The Attic.
Play it all: [email protected]