BY B AO L E - H U U BORN LOSERS | PHOTO BY ROBBIE MECANNIC
LOCAL RELEASES
Orlando punk veteran Tracey Blades has, over the years, been in an impressive string of great local bands like Fashion! Fashion! and the Image Boys, RunnAmucks and Eat the Elderly. But now he’s finally emerging from all the racket and wreckage to front his very own vehicle with Born Losers, who just released their eponymous debut single. Available now as a name-your-price download on Bandcamp, “Born Losers” is a freewheeling punk anthem that revels in fatalist glory, hurtling toward the cliff with the volume up, the top down and the ghost of Johnny Thunders riding shotgun. It’s a fast, loose and catchy drive that mines gold from the gutter. The live band lineup currently has Nick Mecannic (lead guitar and backing vocals), Jon Lane (bass) and Ryan Went (drums) flanking Blades. But the recording of “Born Losers,” which was done about three years ago, features the illustrious likes of Sam Johnson (New Mexican Disaster Squad, Autarx, Grave Return) on lead guitar and Josh “Danger” Dobbs (RunnAmucks, Danger Room Recording Service) on rhythm guitar. Besides being a good debut, the noteworthy thing about “Born Losers” is that it’s an auspicious first taste of a catalog that’s already been steadily building for several years. Although his work’s just starting to see light now, Blades has kept recording these past few years, and he’s amassed two albums of material in the can: a first LP recorded with Dobbs and a second with Joe Queer of the Queers. As for the release of that music, Blades says he’s been in talks with a couple of different record labels, but the most serious so far has been with Joe Queer’s All Star Records. So, speaking of stars, it looks like
Orlando punk veteran Tracey Blades has been in an impressive string of great local bands through the years, but now he’s finally emerging from all the racket to front his very own musical vehicle, Born Losers
big, rich voice always delivers on stage. (8 p.m. Wednesday, June 9, Will’s Pub, $10 advance/$15 DOS) George Porter Jr. and Runnin’ Pardners: The legendary bassist of seminal NOLA funk band the Meters makes a stop in Sanford with his own band, who are riding high on their first new album in a decade (Crying for Hope). Here’s your chance to be among the court of high R&B royalty. (8 p.m. Thursday, June 10, Tuffy’s Music Box, $18)
Matt Woods and Austin Lucas: This mighty double-headed bill packs two paragons in the Americana underground who’ve earned tons of Orlando cred perhaps enough of them are aligning to through years of bleeding performances make Born Losers an Orlando band to keep here and mixing it up with the locals. The both an ear and eye on. country rock of Knoxville’s Matt Woods is Bright Deltona rapper-producer Mag. pure muscle and soul, while the folk punk Lo has just released new single “Pachinko of Indiana’s Austin Lucas is all gut and 2.” Instead of the video game sounds of its heart. Welcome back, boys. (8 p.m. Friday, predecessor, 2014’s “Pachinko,” “Pachinko June 11, Will’s Pub, $12 advance/$17 DOS) 2” is an instrumental track of intelligent dubstep (something apparently not imposShewBird: Of the city’s strong current sible) that’s radiant with melodic pop Americana class, Orlando’s ShewBird are sensibility and a sunny day-party glow. It’s certainly one of the most distinctive. With up on Mag.Lo’s Bandcamp. a dark Southern rock sound steeped in gothic drama, their music is a thing of MUSIC EVENTS THIS WEEK mood and mystique. And as part of the Roots music fans, your dance cards Laundry Sessions, the new early-evening weekend live series on Will’s Pub’s back overflow this week. patio, the Friday show’s free. Hell, come back the next night too, Cruz Contreras: The first noteworthy Tennessean to roll through this week because it’s the return of Laundry Sessions is the head of Knoxville’s Black Lillies, resident Lauris Vidal, a one-man wonder a progressive Americana band with who commands folk music like a rousing the unusual distinction of having jazz church revival. His Saturday show will threads in their sound. But Contreras feature special guest Tom Cooper (Pinto also has some excellent solo music under Psychs, FiddleRat). (7 p.m. Friday, June 11, his belt. Show up early for Orlando and Saturday, June 12, Dirty Laundry, free) country standout Jordan Foley, whose baolehuu@orlandoweekly.com orlandoweekly.com
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JUNE 9-15, 2021 ● ORLANDO WEEKLY
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