REVIEW: together PANGEA, White Reaper, and Dinoczar at Mid East Upstairs (11/21)

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I’m not usually one for making grand, there buy cialis hyperbolic statements, thumb but if my repeated viewings of The Warriors could be used as reference, I’m fairly certain the fuzz rock crowd is, like the almighty Cyrus, the one and only to rule over us all.

I’m not saying this as personal preference or anything. I mean, sure, I enjoy few things more than baptizing myself in the holy waters of PBR and Narragansett, and getting greasy in a basement that should’ve been condemned a decade ago, but this goes far beyond my masochistic need to rupture my eardrums bimonthly. This is about witnessing a dance circle of textbook sorority sisters thrashing harder than a biker couple just five feet ahead. This is about a population of dads in the crowd genuinely there to see the bands and not because their bratty kids dragged them along for excruciating satanic worship via chunky riffs. Locally and nationally, the fuzz rock scene and its fans are an anomaly to behold, but few bands make it look as easy to understand as PANGEA.

dz 6On the local end, the babes of Dinoczar held their own as representatives for the venerated House of Rising Fuzz scene. Although word on the street is that they originally hail from Laguna Beach and, by proxy, still have no concept of what snow looks like, the trio brought out new cuts from their upcoming Sick Wind LP with the menacing fury of someone that has shoveled until the sweet release of IcyHot doesn’t even feel good anymore. Or, you know, the fury of people that had to live on the same beach as Lauren Conrad, but never got invited to her sweet ass drug parties. We’re just happy they’ve decided to claim this coast as their new home.

While a wise group of philosophers collectively known as 311 made the world examine if amber is the color of our energies, folks like White Reaper bring me the simplest joy for reminding the world that there are alternative, but still desirable energy color choices to obtain. “Last night, I got so drunk, I vomited right after our set,” singer Tony Esposito bantered in true scuzz rock fashion before attributing it to #tourlyfe.

wr 2While I bet they want the world to believe they shred until their stomachs turn nightly, I’d bet if Reaper were to own an energy color, it would be whatever’s on the opposite end of a sugar-induced rainbow of unicorn spew. Blasting out most of their phenomenal LP, White Reaper Does It Again!, the Kentucky band flexed the fact that they’re already pros of hook-laden fuzz pop and damn well know it. Highlights like sing-along, “Sheila” and micro-single “Last 4th of July” brought Esposito’s snotty delivery to a peak as the rest of Reaper unabashedly head-banged and raised their guitars to hair metal heaven.

Although some may claim names like Ty Segall, Nathan Williams, Mikal Cronin, and John Dwyer as living fuzz saints, PANGEA have built a reputation in the last six years that deserves some canonical notation. Rising from the already fertile SoCal scene in 2009, PANGEA wasted no time in taking advantage of their geographical blessings, signing to Burger Records within two years of forming in college. After Badillac marked their debut on major indie Harvest Records last year followed by The Phage EP this year with Replacements bassist Tommy Stinson as producer, PANGEA’s rise proved itself as rapid as it is unstoppable.

Opening with Badillac favorite “Sick Shit”, the band cut through fourteen of their finest in under 45 minutes, leaving little room for the crowd’s feet to hit the floor. Even with inclusions of ‘older’ favorites like “Too Drunk to Cum” and “Night of The Living Dummy” acting as reminders of the band’s smirking attitude (which was personified in bassist Danny Bengston’s pseudo-cowboy getup), PANGEA’s set was a clear showcase of a band growing alongside their successes. Although their recordings are not nearly as lo-fi as they used to be, cuts from The Phage EP were treated with the same booming joy as the aforementioned Dummy cuts, proving the quality of their diverse, yet unified fanbase.

The fuzz is clearly here to last in Boston and, if bands like PANGEA accept their Cyrus-like standing, they could easily take over the city once the tallboys drain out of their systems.

For all photos from the show, check out out gallery below.

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