Sunday, November 9, 2014

HR and The Scotch Bonnets to release "Quest" EP

I'm ashamed to admit that last year I never got around to completing my review of The Scotch Bonnets' phenomenally good debut album Live Ya Life (this Baltimore/DC rocksteady-reggae-soul crew released their CD through a successful Kickstarter campaign--and I highly recommend it if you don't already have it). With this in mind, it should be noted that The Scotch Bonnets are releasing Quest, a six-song EP that they recorded with HR of Bad Brains, which will be released on December 2, 2014 by Morphius Records.

After playing a series of gigs together last year, HR and the Bonnets had initially planned to collaborate on one track for Morphius Records' 20 anniversary compilation XX. But they left the studio session with six cuts--and the president of Morphius Records felt that they all deserved to see the light of day. From The Scotch Bonnets' press release, it seems like Quest promises to be one of the more compelling and unusual ska/reggae releases of the year:

"From the romping pub ska of "Cheyenne" to the spacey reggae love vibes in "My Universal Love" to "Just A Kid," a rare Bonnets soul-rocker, Quest is an eclectic mix of songs sung by both HR and Lady Hatchet. The EP's title track boasts HR's first recorded boy-girl duet, his avant-garde vocals in juxtaposition with Lady Hatchet's R and B tinged hooks. And what HR session would be complete without a little studio experimentation? Precisely that can be found on "H.R. Psalm," a mesmerizing HR composition for which he conducted the band as they played along to a previously recorded HR track!

The EP boasts three new vocal performances by HR. Two of those songs, the title track "Quest" as well as "My Universal Love" were penned by Pablo Fiasco many years ago. Long guarded as instrumentals, the tracks were finally given to HR to complete during these sessions."

HR will be backed by The Scotch Bonnets on a series of mid-Atlantic tour dates in support of the Quest EP early this December:

Thursday, December 4: Baltimore, MD: Holy Frijoles
Friday, December 5: Washington, DC: Comet Ping Pong
Saturday, December 6: Brooklyn, NY: Palisades
Sunday, December 7: Philadelphia, PA: Kungfu Necktie

Catch them live if you can!


Tuesday, November 4, 2014

NYC Fall 2014 Ska Calendar #18

Don Letts with his trusty Super 8!
Friday, November 14, 2014 @ 8:00 pm

Rude Boy George, Across the Aisle, The Screw-Ups

Two Boots of Bridgeport
281 Fairfield Avenue
Bridgeport, CT
$5 cover

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Saturday, November 15, 2014 @ 9:00 pm

Live Reggae NYC presents Top Shotta Band featuring Screechy Dan, African Love HiFi, The Far East

Secret Project Robot Art Experiment
389 Melrose Street
Brooklyn, NY
$8

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Saturday, November 15, 2014 @ 5:30 pm

Skanksgiving 2014 w/The Pietasters, Mephiskapheles, Westbound Train, Avon Junkies, Backyard Superheroes

Starland Ballroom
570 Jernee Mill Road
Sayerville, NJ 08872
All ages
$17 in advance/$20 day of the show

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Saturday, November 29, 2014 @ 8:00 pm

Rude Boy George, The New Limits, and Special Guests

Beatnik's
433 Park Avenue
Worcester, MA
$5/21+

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Friday, December 5, 2014 @ 9:30 pm

Beat Brigade, Rude Boy George and The Scofflaws!

Otto's Shrunken Head
538 East 14th Street
Manhattan, NY
No cover/21+

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Saturday, December 6, 2014 @ 7:00 pm

HR with The Scotch Bonnets, The Far East

Palisades
906 Broadway
Brookyn, NY

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Friday, December 12, 2014 @ 10:30 pm

Straight to Hell (Clash Tribute) Celebrating the 35th Anniversary of "London Calling"

B.B. King's
237 West 42nd Street
New York, NY
$12 in advance/$15 day of show
All ages
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Friday, December 19, 2014

The Scofflaws

89 North
89 North Ocean Avenue
Patchogue, NY
Free/21+

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Saturday, December 20, 2014 @ 8:00 pm

Rude Boy George

Cafe Nine
205 State Street
New Haven, CT

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Saturday, December 20, 2014 @ 8:00 pm

The Slackers, Mephiskapheles, Jesse Wagner

The Bell House
149 7th Street
Brooklyn, NY
$20/21+

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Sunday, January 4, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Rude Boy George (with Selector Duff Guide Steve spinning ska and new wave before the show!)

Sellersville Theatre
24 West Temple Avenue
Sellersville, PA
$19.50

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Thursday, January 8, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Hollie Cook, The Barr Brothers and Taylor McFerrin

Highline Ballroom
431 West 16th Street
Manhattan, NY
$20

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Saturday, January 17, 2015

Rude Boy George Celebrates Marc's Birthday

Hill Country BBQ
30 West 26th Street
New York, NY

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Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Copy Cat Cover Songs Night: New Wave w/Rude Boy George

Otto's Shrunken Head
538 East 14th Street
Manhattan, NY
No cover/21+

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