weakness

When: Sat 1/23 @ 8:00pm
Cost: 5.00/8.00
WHAT: If you're tired of being able to pin down what a band's been listening to within five seconds of hearing them, Weakness is your noise. Sometimes it's hummable, icy cool indie with organs and a slight, laid-back NYC hipster feel, but seconds later it explodes into some kind of punk/noise rock frenzy full of crashing guitar and hysterical vocals. Catchy, energetic, and more than a little off-kilter, Weakness brings it strong. And if they're a bit too challenging for you, The Harlequins and The Guitars will bring the unadulterated pop goodness later in the night.

WHY: Loud and experimental, yet melodic and danceable. See? You can have it all.

--N. Swartsell

http://www.go2.com/content/newport-ky/local-events-c/event-music-go2_f1324b3b-04b9-11df-9d09-8bd142e5aa0e/weakness-at-southgate-house-1-23/?section=demo3&query=2&o=0 - go2.com

Thursday night brought a trip to Cincinnati's best rock n' roll dive bar, The Comet. Weakness, a bunch of baby-faced kids, brought some serious sloppy noise in an impressive fashion. The Comet's tinny speakers were filled with a screeching, crackling buzz as they busted through a set of short, sharp tunes highlighted by piercing keyboards and bratty vocals. They reminded me of Jason Lowenstein's fuzzy punk songs buried on Sebadoh albums mixed with the snot-nosed ADD energy of Long Beach's late, lamented Le Shok. Not that these dudes have ever heard those bands before. The singer rolled around on the floor, sweated up a storm, and basically put on a show. Forget Columbus' Times New Viking and their insane amount of hype. Weakness are the real deal. I'm sure you don't believe me, so thankfully the band has a whole LP available HERE to stream or download for free!

http://randomoldrecords.blogspot.com/2009/10/rock-n-roll-weekend-take-2.html - Random Old Records

The night started out with local spazz-punk collective Weakness, who immediately bucked the trend of what I perceived would be a pretty solid vintage-y 70’s rock n’ roll bill. The four unassuming members of Weakness took the stage quietly and stared a bit bemused into a small crowd slowly trickling in to the large ballroom before suddenly bursting into a series of quick and brutal angular punk explosions, none more than a couple minutes long and most consisting of quick changes from driving hardcore to start-stop post-punk to occasional dips into atonality. Beneath the clanging keyboard and pummeling drums was a noticeable rock n’ roll sensibility, suggesting a sound like early Bad Brains, if they had started out as a garage rock outfit instead of a jazz group, or a Les Savy Fav who are were more interested in starting a riot than a dance party.

But people did dance, along with the lead singer, who shook and jostled around the stage for most of the set. The group played off each other and burst outwards like they were in the center of an overcrowded basement punk show. Although they lost the beat or devolved into noisy squalls a few times during their short set, it was exciting to hear a young band bursting with a cacophony of ideas rather than repeating a few monotonous ones.

http://www.eachnotesecure.com/the-guitars-live-southgate-house/ - Each Note Secure

Opening the show is The Weakness, this writer's personal favorite new-ish band. They deliver delightfully abrasive 'n eccentric punk rock/noise spazz-outs with overdriven organs and a Stooges/Brainiac aggression that cannot, should not, and will not be ignored. The kids are alright! - Southgate House