...here are the bands we have been sitting on for the last year that you need to get hip to/maybe get some down to make their Fest debut:

The Bloodreds
http://www.myspace.com/thebloodreds
if you like: Ringers, Cock Sparrer, Blitz, Crimpshrine
New Jersey's best for melodic old school punk anthems.

Let Me Run
if you like: Gaslight Anthem, Jawbreaker, Hot Water Music, Against Me!
http://www.myspace.com/babyletmerun
The next big punk rock & roll superstars out of New Brunswick, catch em now!

Broom Vs. The Combine
if you like: The Measure, (Young) Pioneers, The Clash, Creedence Clearwater Revival
http://www.myspace.com/broomvsthecombine
NJ's only fully realized folk-punk combo, aided and abetted by a healthy does of roots rock and reggae. Features my bestest bud Mike Regrets (ex-The Measure) on bass guitar!

Zhenia Golov
http://www.myspace.com/zheniagolov
if you like: Government Warning, later Propagandhi, Discharge, Minor Threat
Crusty, heavy socio-political hardcore punk

Seasick
http://www.myspace.com/seasick
if you like: Tear It Up, Bad Brains, Minor Threat
Thrash retards who like to get fucked up, but with good lyrics.

Full of Fancy
http://www.myspace.com/fulloffancy
if you like: Lemuria, Go Sailor, Discount
Sugary sweet girl pop with a punk rock edge. Features a member of Hunchback, although you'd never guess that!

Dead Tired
http://www.myspace.com/deadtirednj
if you like: Agent Orange, Black Flag, TSOL, Suicidal Tendencies
NJ skate thrash hardcore punk is alive and well.

Killin' It!
http://www.myspace.com/killinitson
if you like: Municipal Waste, Black Flag, DRI, SSD
Yeah, it's been a big year for thrash and hardcore in NJ!

Oh, and finally:

THE DEGENERICS
http://www.myspace.com/thedegenerics
if you like: Dead Kennedys, Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Operation Ivy
They're actually not new by any stretch of the imagination, but it seems that people out of state STILL haven't caught onto New Jersey's greatest hardcore punk/soul/thrash/metal/ska/reggae monsters yet. So I'll just say that you need to listen to them now, the Generica LP is one of the greatest punk records you will ever hear, and Replay Dave loves this band and so should you!

Also, I feel the need to champion this band even though they're technically from Brooklyn:

The New Dress
http://www.myspace.com/thenewdress
if you like: Billy Bragg, Rancid, the Measure
2 piece political punk folk, 1 guitar and guy/girl vocals. Imagine Billy Bragg with female accompaniment! Here's the NJ connection: The Measure covered one of their songs ["Murderous Bugs With Giant Needle Knives"] on the b-side to the "Historical Fiction" single (the purple 7" with Rosa Parks). Also, Laura from the New Dress is Fid from the Measure's sister.

Get into it, kids! I give you the Jay Insult guarantee you will love these bands!

good calls all around, sir

so is this just a new brunswick band thread basically?

you know it

any reason you left off screaming females, the measure [sa], the gaslight anthem, static radio....?


i mean they're not huge or anything. i wouldn't expect you to know who they are

thinking Jay has no idea who the Measure (SA) is, is almost as funny as the Happening is god awful horrible. second, he mentioned the Measure (SA) numerous times in his opening post. Lastly, most people familiar with Fest know about Gaslight Anthem, Static Radio, and the Measure (SA). sorry if that all came off as me sounding like an asshole...

yeah it was a joke. no need for a real response.


edit:sorry if i came off as an ass too.

Will there be anything Fest-friendly happening in NY/NJ in the week pre-Fest?

there will if i have anything to say about it

(which means "we'll see" haha)

Excellent. If you could arrange an all dayer with all the bands on that NY vs NJ comp I have that'd be cracking, ta!

is that the one with lemuria and the ergs?

Yeah, and the Steinways and the Groucho Marxists and whatnot. Can't remember what label it's on.

crafty records

The concept of this post, as I figured would be pretty clear, was to call attention to some of the bands on the rise in NJ who people outside the area might not have heard of yet. Most are new or relatively new bands that have not necessarily toured enough to be on everyone's radar. Well, and the Degenerics, who are old as the hills, but I included them because I think they are still under-appreciated.

Every band you mentioned (with the exception of the Screamales) have played the Fest -- Static Radio and the Measure twice. And all four have done extensive enough touring that the people posting here ought to be hip to them already. I mean, hell, I didn't mention Lifetime or the Bouncing Souls either, but I thought people could figure that out on their own. Please forgive me for trying to clue people in on some of NJ's smaller bands.

I encourage anybody interested to check out the Right To Assemble, Volume II compilation my buddy Craig just put out. It's got offerings from most of the bands I mentioned, plus exclusive tracks from the Ergs, the Measure, and more. It's a great snapshot of what's going on in the New Brunswick//NJ scene right now. You can order it here:

http://www.myspace.com/xsoulrebelrecordsx

saw them in gainesville a couple weekends ago. fucking amazing stuff !! loved it.