BIG WEEK; ANXIETY WORDSPEW

by writeyeranezine

This is usually the kind of post that I’d do from the MTAT website but, for some reason, I’m writing it on here instead. Maybe I’m a little less hyperbolic when I write on my own blog, perhaps I find it easier to ebb into the flow of stream-of-consciousness, the style I so admired for so long, or simply maybe my anxiety is through the roof at the moment and it’s easier to splatterpaint in a less “official” capacity. Whatever the weather and whatever the blethers, there’s a veritable fuckton going on.

We’ve got some US melodic hardcore punk legends in the house tomorrow night and it’s our biggest show for a wee while. Moving Targets are a seminal 80s US hardcore punk rock band from the notorious Massachusetts scene that was equally as important and influential in the development of emo, post-hardcore and melodic punk as the scenes in DC, the Midwest and California.

They’re joined on the UK leg of their European Tour by DIAZ BROTHERS, featuring some of the great and the good from the fertile Sunderland & north east punk rock scenes and members of Dickie Hammond’s legendary HDQ. These punks of the finest pedigree will be joined in Dundee by the mighty Kaddish, who need no introduction to a Scottish audience. To have them play their very first show of the year in such illustrious company is a rare privilege. I’d encourage all who can to come out, this is truly a once-in-a-lifetime basement show and we’ll take all the support we can take right now.

Eight quid advanced e-tickets available until 7pm tomorrow evening then it’s a tenner a skull on doors please. Ye ken the craic by now; cash only in the basement, exact change is helpful, no bozos.

The RAD PUB QUIZ happens on Thursday night this week. All the usual craic applies. This will be the last time that the quiz is moving and we will no longer be booking Wednesday night shows. It takes a lot of labour, time and organisation to make things happen; the crew at Rad Apples and the pub quizzers have all been very understanding of the need to shift things around, but in light of the last minute cancellation of the Bob Nanna / Andrew Paley tour kick-off we were supposed to be hosting next week, such accommodations no longer feel justified.

If I’m being honest, I’m pretty sad about how things went down in that regard. I know that shit happens, damn, Uniforms once cancelled a five-week European tour with three weeks notice and there are still booking agents across the continent who will never return my emails. We messaged every single one of the promoters though, apologising for putting them out and thanking them for booking us in the first place. To find out about things via the internet, social medias in particular, whatever the subject matter may be, really sucks, especially when shit is so precarious right now.

Refunds for the show will be sorted by this time next week. Cheers to those who bought tickets and deepest apologies to everyone who was looking forward to the show. It was going to be my only solo Tragical History Tour Dundee gig of the summer but we’ll see what happens. THT Band are going to record a show in the basement for a live album that we’ll be selling to help raise funds for Gordon’s leaving party. Will have details on that before too long.

Apologies also to everyone who preordered the Gooberfest CD & zine, the truth of the matter is I’ve found dealing with this whole experience and writing the stories a very difficult experience. I haven’t fully finished it yet and for that I can only ask for your understanding and forgiveness. Keep yer eyes on yer inboxes over the next week or so though, I’ve got something for y’all nobody else has.

In the spirit of anxiety, being insanely busy and generally having somewhat the midlife existential crises as I hurtle through the last summer of my 30s, I reached out to some friends for help and, with deepest gratitude, came up trumps. Referring to the aforementioned labour of organising, the good folx at THE ART BAR have come to our assistance and will be hosting me olde mucker TIM HOLEHOUSE and his Scottish tour mate, Scottish folk / sound artist Craig John Davidson.

They’ll be taking to the floor at 9pm and donations for the touring acts are very much appreciated. Thanks to Avril for sorting this on my behalf, it takes a village to host a folk show. Dig the old school GED McDEAR flyer, basically used the same one for the BURST gigs over twenty years ago and a bunch of the first MTAT shows.

Friday brings us FRESH FRUITS II, probably the closest thing we’ll ever get to some kind of new bands showcase or whatever (incidentally, on that front, someone who runs one of the these bigger wee festivals that happen in Scotland should get in touch, MTAT could totally curate a sick as fuck underground punk/hardcore/alternative stage for ye. Anyone who reads this with like, rich mates or something, or who works for some promoters who aren’t wretched, who wants to get in touch should email me). This time round, it’s round acts!

SAVAGE DINK are a pop-punk band who played the basement years ago before Rad Apples came int existence and we’re happy to welcome them back fresh from reforming. Crocodile Tears were supposed to be playing their full band show but, unfortunately, it’s not to be. However, Beth will be performing a short solo set so get ready to sing along. New Dundee emo/glam/goth crew DOPAMINE join us for the first time and Perth indie/alt-rock mob THE CROM will be opening proceedings. Fiver e-tickets, seven bats heads on the door. On the subject of currency; make yer ane in a new republic.

The ALLDEEPENDS “Throwing A Pit To Nothing” LP is out THIS FRIDAY. The vinyl arrived way earlier than we expected so we’ve brought the release date of the album forward from 4th July to June 10th to coincide with the band’s forthcoming US dates.

Vinyl preorders are shipping now but, with them getting here early, shirts and CDs are still in the production process. These will be shipped out separately as soon as they arrived. MEGA BUNDLES contain one-off exclusive artwork pieces and will ship out upon their return to this shitty disunited archipelago after their transatlantic adventures.

Almost half of the first pressing of vinyl is already accounted for so if ye want to get in on the ground floor of an instant cowpunk classic, don’t snooze on grabbing one. There won’t be very many left by Book Yer Ane Fest XV. Check out this sick in-depth interview and FULL ALBUM STREAM courtesy of our good friends at Idioteq.com. The album will also be available digital download for MTAT and across all global streaming platforms.

This Saturday brings us SUMMERPUNKS and I can’t quite believe that it has come around so quickly. It’s the age and organisational things again, I don’t have a full time band anymore, rarely get the luxury of playing music at all most of the time, yet I’ve never had less time. Slip slip slipping away. Regardless, this should be an absolute pearler to kick-start the summer months and who doesn’t fancy a cheeky half-dayer of a Saturday afternoon. It’ll be BAR SERVICE all day at Rad Apples and a TOP ROASTER dropkicks any cheeky chicken guts shack any day of the week.

RILEY are an uber-melodic emo/pop-punk band from the States on Chillwaave Records hitting the road in the UK for the first time in the company of South Yorkshire’s finest fuzzy queer emo-pop band SLASH FICTION. Riley’s “Already Fucked” LP is an pure modern pop-punk pearler and I sure hope they’ve managed to bring some vinyl records with the. They’ll be joined in Dundee by a plethora of our pals; the east coast’s furriest posi pup-punks DOG EARED, two bands courtesy of new Aberdoom pals Punch Face Champions who send UGLY CLINIC and CERAMICS our way. David Delinquent will be joining us for a tune and a blether at his first solo show in ages and Edinburgh riot punk’n’rollers THE STIFF LIPS join us from Edinburgh. Dundee’s sickest new punk rock three-piece SMOKEY REAPER open the show at 4.20pm (lol), Download their first EP now, it’s a total banger.

E-tickets are a tenner until Saturday at noon.

I’ll post set times on the socials as soon as they’re sorted.

I’m working my way through all the orders. Its generally only me working on the mail order and much of the label organisation but none of these shows could happen without the incredible and selfless work of entire Rad Apples staff and MTAT crew. This cannot be overstated. I ken these are the hardest times we’ve faced, certainly in my lifetime. I remember the faint waves of optimism of ’97, before it became clear that New Labour were now the Tories, starting illegal wars and further eroding society. We’re living a dystopian late-capitalist nightmare and everyone is hitting breaking point. We need all the help we can get, we all need each other to get through whatever is coming down the road. Hopefully we can do it together.

Thanks to awbody for sticking wi’ us and awbody that’s smased the Truth Ruiner “Demo”. I *think* all orders have now been shipped. Holler at me if they huvnae. Thanks to Karol at Idioteq for this sick introduction for the Euro and worldwide hardcore communities.

I’ll write more about awhin when I can, first to finish the Gooberfest zine. Sometimes I find it hard to write because I don’t know where the fuck to start. Sometimes I forget how to write personally because I spend half my time writing press releases and blurbs, marketing and advertising tasks, a necessary evil if some are to be believed. We shouldn’t believe them, never pay for corporate advertising, take an ad out in Razorcake instead. Buy one at Rad Apples or I’ll send ye a free one if ye spend £30+ on records.

I’ve been thinking about doing it but paying for advertising is selling out, Deeker man……..

Stay rad.

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