Me and the Orioles

My real job is on a morning radio show in Baltimore. On one of our segments recently, the host of the show asked all of us to write short poems to celebrate national poetry month. The program is very "family friendly" so I wrote mine about baseball. It's a little cheesy but it wasn't bad. Well someone from the Orioles heard it and thought it might be good for their tv coverage. Sure enough they liked it and produced a cool intro to the coverage with it using the team and some fans to read the lines. I was pretty excited when I saw my poem on tv. Enjoy!

Noise Complaint Playlist 04-27-09

Big week tonight. Mostly because I have 2 brand new tracks from...wait for it...you got it...Green Day! Say what you want about them but I love their stuff and I'm completely psyched for their new album to come out in May. They released 2 new songs off of it so you'll hear them right here.

Other than that I've got some new music from Sonic Boom Six, NOFX, and Poison the Well just to name a few. I'm always looking for some new artists so if you have any suggestions for me, please send them along. Email them to jeff[at]noisecomplaintradio.com

Cloak/Dagger-Runaways
NOFX-Creeping Out Sara
Fugazi-Waiting Room
Dropkick Murphy's-Wicked Sensitive Crew
Bayside-Devotion and Desire
Bouncing Souls-Dubs Says True
The Gaslight Anthem-Great Expectations
MXPX-Somebody to Love
Bad Religion-21st Century Digital Boy
Catch 22-Guilty Pleasures
Face to Face-Blind
Jimmy Eat World-Blister(live)
New Found Glory-Don't Let Her Pull You Down
Sonic Boom Six-Back 2 Skool
Jawbox-Breathe
Beat Union-Pressure Zone
The Movielife-Face of Kneecaps
Westbound Train-Come and Get It
Green Day-Lights Out
Green Day-Know Your Enemy
Ramones-Rockaway Beach
Dawn of the Dude-Brittany Kaiser
Circa Survive-In the Morning and Amazing
Los Difuntos-Memories
Living With Lions-a Bottle of Charades
Strung Out-Novella
The Get Up Kids-No Love
Lifetime-Airport Monday Morning
The Briefs-Where Did He go
Suicide Machines-Permanent Holiday
Abandin All Hope-The One
Only Crime-Take Me
Bullet Treatment-Win The Day (Feat Russ Rankin from Only Crime)
Insurgence-Sad Songs and Waltzes
Give Up The Ghost-Fuck what Fireworks Stand for
Hope Conspiracy-Defiant Hearts
Our Last Night-Escape
Poison The Well-A# No. 1

Now the whole world can see what you regret...

We've all sent texts that we regret sending. I came across a website now that allows people to post them online for all to see. Not sure how I feel about it just yet but I've definitely got a few laughs out of it. Just a heads up though...It's not necessarily family friendly. CHECK IT OUT HERE

It's felt a whole lot like summer the last few days here in Baltimore and it's made me break out some of my favorite summer songs. You know...the kind of songs that you want to roll down the windows in your car and blast as loud as you can while you're driving around. Here's the video of one of my favorites from Big D & the Kids Table. Speaking of which, Big D should be putting out some new music pretty soon. I can't wait to hear it.

Noise Complaint Playlist 04-20-09

It was 10 years ago today that the horrific tragedy at Columbine High School took place. I'll never forget that day. So many emotions ran through me while watching it all go down on tv. There I was, just a couple months away from graduating high school and all I could think about was what I would do over the summer before I left for college. On that day though I watched the lives of kids my age and younger change forever because of the actions of two individuals. It was a very humbling experience.

Now, that being said, I've got a great show planned for you tonight. I'll be taking a look at some of the new stuff coming out of the UK and I've also got a big debut from NOFX. Can't wait to hear their new album by the way.

I love to get your feedback on the show and any suggestions you may have so please hit me up with an email...jeff [at] noisecomplaintradio.com. Thanks and here's what made the show...

Cock Sparrer-Gotta Get Out
Frank Turner-Photosynthesis
The Damned-Neat Neat Neat
Ash-Kung Fu
The King Blues-Let's Hang the Landlord
How Dare You-Last Stop on the T
Westbound Train-Come and Get It
Greyarea-Better Man
X-We're Desperate
Millencolin-No Cigar
Propaghandi-Supporting Caste
Left Alone-Branded
NOFX-Creeping Out Sara
UK Subs-C.I.D.
Goldfinger-Superman
Moneen-Are We Really Happy With Who We Are
Screeching Weasel-One Step Beyond
Landmines-Turn It Up, Tear It Down
The Grit-Love Thy Neighbor
Random Hand-British
Generation X-One Hundred Punks
The Fight-(I'm Running Around In) Circles
Lower Than Atlantis-The Juggernaut
Gallows-The Vulture
Four Year Strong-Love Song
Bullet Treatment (Feat Tim from Rise Against)-The Wreckage
Stiff Little Fingers-Suspect Device
Destination Anywhere-Everythings Alright
Fake Problems-Don't Worry Baby
Riverboat Gamblers-A Choppy Yet Sincere Apology
Frodus-The Misaligned Men of Flomaton
The Color of Violence-Large Hardon Collider
Maylene and the Sons of Disaster-Death Is An Alcoholic
Shai Hulud-If Born From This Soil
Gorilla Biscuits-Start Today
This Is Hell-End of an Era
Underoath-Desperate Times Desperate Measures

New Found Glory at Sonar

Say what you want, I've always been a fan of New Found Glory. Hell I even liked them when they were still "A New Found Glory." I think I might even still have that shirt floating around somewhere. Anyway, I remember watching them at basement shows and tiny clubs in Philadelphia back when Nothing Gold Can Stay came out and then saw them grow over the years to their trl status and beyond. I'll admit that I lost a little interest in those years when they were huge but I still bought the CD's and enjoyed the songs.

Over the last year they released the 6 song EP on Bridge 9 Records called Tip Of The Iceberg which was more hardcore based and they also recently put out Not Without A Fight on Epitaph, which is their first full length in about 3 years. That didn't seem to disappoint the crowd last night though.

Local boys in Trapped Under Ice opened up the show and then Set Your Goals and Bayside got everyone pretty pumped for NFG to take the stage. One of the coolest things about New Found Glory is how they have such a wide range of fans. I expected that at 28 years old, I would be one of the oldest people there, but I wasn't. There was a good sample of people from all age ranges. Also, there's never really been a stereotypical NFG fan. When you see a kid walking around with skinny jeans and eyeliner on, you can assume they're a fan of Fall Out Boy or My Chemical Romance. If you were to accidentally walk into a NFG show you'd have a hard time figuring out of the crowd was there to see U2, Hatebreed, NOFX, or Blink 182 show.

Last night they took the stage at Sonar in Baltimore in front of about 900 people. A far cry from the size of the shows they were putting on a few years ago but that didn't slow them down at all. I actually think NFG was happier playing a smaller show like that than at a bigger venue. They're the kind of band that feeds off the energy of the crowd so it was the perfect venue. It was the best show I've seen in a long time and that's not to say anything negative about the others. There was just something special about the performance. NFG looked like they were back home again.

Riverboat Gamblers and Fake Problems at the Ottobar

I'm always afraid to go see bands that have a huge hype built up about their live show. I guess it's because I'm worried they won't live up to it in my eyes and I'll be hugely disappointed. Regardless, I decided to take my chances and went to check out the Fake Problems and Riverboat Gamblers at the Ottobar in Baltimore.

I know things are changing but I always think it will be weird to see a "punk" band setting up on stage with guitars, bass and a cello. It may seem weird but the Fake Problems make it work. While their music isn't particularly aggressive, they were easily the loudest band I've seen in a long time. Definitely a great show. It's very easy to see when a band really cares about the music they're making or if they're just playing for the hell of it. The Fake Problems definitely succeeded in living up to their hype.

And then we have the Riverboat Gamblers. From the opening note of DissDissDissKissKissKiss off the latest album, I knew it was going to be a great show. If you've never been to the Ottobar then let me explain. I read somewhere that it's maximum capacity is about 400 people. I think you might be able to fit 400 people in there if half the people are sitting on the other half's shoulders. It's a little small but that's what makes it great. You stuff a ton of people into a small space and the band's energy spreads through the venue like wildfire. After watching the Riverboat Gamblers perform, I now know why a hamster runs around on a wheel all day. They're trapped in a small space and they have a ton of energy they need to get out. Singer Mike Wiebe looked like he would have done anything to get off that stage. He was running around trying to climb up on the balcony and only being kept out of the crowd by the fans holding him up as he leaned out to sing. I swear he hit his head on one of the overhead speakers at least 10 times but it never stopped him. Even though the stage looks to be about the size of a king size bed, the band even found enough room to run around a bit. I may have lost a bit of hearing but it was worth it.

Final summation...A+ and totally worth it. If these guys come through your town, check them out.