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The Intersection

133 Cesar E. Chavez Avenue Southwest, 49503-4042, Grand Rapids, MI, US

www.sectionlive.com

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Doors open: 16:00

Concert in your area for Rock and Reggae.

Find out more about Rock.

Goldfinger biography

Goldfinger (formed in 1994) is an American post-punk and third-wave ska band known for their politically driven commentary, hailing from Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Prior to forming Goldfinger vocalist and guitarist John Feldmann had played in the band Electric Love Hogs before being discovered by A&R Executive Patrick McDowell in a shoe shop with bassist Simon Williams. Alongside drummer Darrin Pfeiffer and guitarist Charlie Paulson, Goldfinger was born and released their debut EP “Richter” in 1995 on Mojo Records. The EP earned significant airplay on college radio, the success of which led Goldfinger and Mojo to sign a deal with the major label Universal Records.

Goldfinger’s eponymously-titled debut album was released on February 29, 1996, and earned the group a large and devoted fan base. Produced by Jay Rifkin, “Goldfinger” spawned the singles “Here in Your Bedroom”, “Mable” and “Pictures”, and became a highly influential record of 1996. Following the release, Goldfinger embarked on a tour alongside the Sex Pistols, No Doubt and Reel Big Fish, and appeared on the year’s Vans Warped Tour. The band subsequently released their sophomore album “Hang-Ups” in September 1997, after which bassist Simon Williams announced he was leaving the group. The band remained in the relevant spotlight through the release of the Spiral Staircase cover “More Today Than Yesterday” which was featured in the Adam Sandler film “The Waterboy”.

Replacing Simon Williams on bass was former Electric Love Hog member Kelly Lemieux, who made his debut on the cover album “Darrin’s Coconut Ass: Live” in 1999. Goldfinger’s subsequent album of original material “Stomping Ground” appeared in 2000, after which the group embarked on their most ambitious tour to date including the U.S. and parts of Europe. A recording of one of the band’s sets from the tour entitled “Foot in Mouth” was available to purchase at shows and online. Following the tour, Paulson left the band and was replaced by Brian Arthur, who had previously played with the Alt-metal group Unloco. After signing with Jive/Zoomba, Goldfinger issued the 2002 album “Open Your Eyes” which focused the band’s energies away from reggae towards a heavier style of music.

“Disconnection Notice” was issued on Maverick Records in early 2005, however didn’t prove as popular as its predecessors. Guitarist Paulson returned to the group around this time playing his comeback show at the Key Club in Los Angeles, California. After signing with Side One Dummy in 2007, Goldfinger released their sixth full-length album “Hello Destiny” and toured the U.S. alongside Less Than Jake and performed at the UK’s Reading and Leeds Festival.

The Suicide Machines biography

The Suicide Machines are a Detroit based punk group noted for weaving together styles extending from ska to hardcore. They have also explored pop music and have been able to successfully integrate it with their predominantly abrasive tone. Though they never achieved mainstream recognition they have developed a devoted following.

The original line up coalesced in 1991 originally under the name Jack Kevorkian and the Suicide Machines. This formation included Jason Navarro (vocals), Dan Lukacinsky (guitar), Jason Brake (bass), and Stefan Rairigh (drums). Over the course of the 1st three years the group experienced several line up changes. Rairigh was replaced by Bill Jennings who was in turn replaced by Derek Grant. The position of bass also opened and closed a few times. Jason Brace was proceeded by Dave Smith, but this lasted only brief time until Royce Nunley took up the role. By this point the group truncated Jack Kevorkian from their name and released their split album with the Rudiments, “Shank for Brains”.

1995 saw the band sign to the Walt Disney subsidiary, Hollywood Records and by 1996 they issued their studio debut album, “Destruction by Definition”. Their sound took musical cues from ska pioneers like The Specials, hardcore punk acts such as Bad Brains, and pinnacle new wavers like the English Beat. It was quickly accepted by the punk community and they even scored a moderate hit with their single “No Face”.

Their follow up album “Battle Hymns” came out in 1998 and acted as a continuation of their ska-core sound. It featured songs that exploded with catchy melodic riffs and blasts of punctual brass. The songs rarely hit over the two minute marker, seeming to disintegrate with visceral excitement before one realized it had begun. The album peaked at no. 127 on the Billboard 200 and it’s track “Give” was included in the Disney original movie “Brink!”.

The Suicide Machines released their 3rd self-titled album on 15 February 2005. The album was spearheaded by the single “Sometimes I Don’t Mind” and closed with the Joe South cover “I Never Promised You a Rose Garden”. The latter of the tracks appeared in the 1999 film “SLC Punk” starring Matthew Lillard and Jason Segel. A year later they issued their album “Steal This Record”, which included an R.E.M. cover and in 2002 they put out their compilation album “The Least Worst of the Suicide Machines”.

The group switched over to the label Side One Dummy in 2003 and issued the albums “A Match and Some Gasoline” and “War Profiteering Is Killing Us All”. Navarro also developed a record label of his own entitled Noise Riot Records” and put out the Suicide Machines’ 2nd compilation album “On The Eve of Destruction: 1991-1995” through it.

The group suddenly broke up in 2006, but have since reformed, playing their 1st reunion show in 2009. From 2010-2014 they have played various festivals like the Fest 9 and Riot Fest as well as sporadic gigs here and there. In 2015 they scheduled a two week tour, in which they would perform their album “The Definition of Destruction” in it’s entirety.

Catch 22 biography

Catch 22 (formed in 1996) is an American ska punk band founded by guitarist/vocalist Tomas Kalnoky, known for their fun-loving aesthetic and energetic live shows, hailing from East Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S.

Tomas Kalnoky formed Catch 22 in 1996, later enlisting the services of drummer Chris Geer, trumpeter Kevin Gunther, bassist Josh Ansley, saxophone player Ryan Eldred, and trombonist James Egan. The same year the group issued their debut demo tape “Rules of the Game”, limited to 2000 copies. The tape quickly sold out through local promotion and Catch 22 went about finding a label to issue future material. Catch 22 subsequently sent their demo to Sean Bonner of Toybox and Victory Records, who signed the band to Victory and produced they debut album “Keasbey Nights”. The 1998 release introduced the band to a national audience, marked by its upbeat and positive approach. Following the release, bassist Ansley departed the group and was replaced by Pat Calpin, and Catch 22 issued the EP “UP!”.

Trumpet player Egan, who had been fellow trumpeter Kevin Gunther’s first music teacher, left the group in 1999, as did lead singer Tomas Kalnoky, who was replaced by Jeff Davidson. Catch 22’s sophomore album “Alone in a Crowd” was issued by Victory Records in October 2000 and featured the song trilogy “What Goes Around Comes Around”, “Bloomfield Avenue”, and “Neverending Story”. The record was followed by the group’s first national tour in which the band appeared with Mustard Plug, Reel Big Fish and a host of other ska bands.

Members Davidson and Soprano left shortly afterwards in 2001 with Ryan Eldred and Kevin Gunther assuming vocal responsibilities. Following the release of an expanded “Washed Up” EP entitled “Washed Up and Through the Ringer” featuring B-sides and rarities, Catch 22’s third full-length album, “Dinosaur Sounds”, was released in November 2003, marked by its darker themes and subject matter. The live CD/DVD “Live” arrived in 2004 showcasing a performance at The Downtown in Farmingdale, New York, followed by the band’s fourth studio album “Permanent Revolution” in 2006.

Live reviews

That ska punk is even a genre is a strange thing in itself, but not only does it exist, it’s been big business for the right bands. No Doubt are the most commercially-viable example, of course, but The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, too, have sold plenty of records and played many a sold-out show down the years. Los Angeles outfit Goldfinger are another group who, at nearly twenty years in the business, who have made the genre a firm success, particularly in that mid-nineties scene that saw such a resurrection of the sound. As time went by, Goldfinger records became more and more skewed towards standard punk rock, too, as was the case on their most recent album, 2008’s Hello Destiny. Their seventh studio album remains in the pipeline, but the band have continued to tour; they journeyed across the U.S. and Australia over the past couple of years, playing high-octane sets that traditionally kicked off with their classic hit from Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4, ‘Spokesman’. They haven’t made it to the UK, though, since early 2009; expect that to change as and when the album finally turns up, as they’re already veterans of punk festivals like Leeds’ Slam Dunk.

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Joeg_67

My friend actually took me along to a Mustard Plug gig some time ago before I knew any of the ska punk band’s tracks, and I was immediately won over by their organic and individual use of eclectic instruments in their punk sound. The trumpet and saxophone build up the sound incredibly, and when juxtaposed with the guitar and drums, they create a super exciting sound. After seeing their first show live, I knew I had to buy their music, and after listening to it time and time again, I was lucky enough to catch them in concert once again.

Usually, I’d say a band with seven members was a little too big, but the bigband sound that they create is incredible and instantly creates an electric atmosphere. Seeing the band six years on from my first experience with them, I’d say if anything, they’ve just got better and better over the years. They played through their album Can’t Contain It, which was actually funded using a KickStarter campaign, and as no one in the crowd had heard any of the tracks form the album live before, everyone was going crazy, and dancing full out.

From start to finish, the band were totally dedicated to their performance, and Colin and Dave were shouting out to us in the crowd to get involved with the dancing and singing. The way that you could tell that every single band member was there to please the audience made the whole event seem even more special and exhilarating.

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yazhow

I have been a fan of 90’s bands for a long time. Rancid and Goldfinger are two of my favorite bands. A friend of mine knew this and he recommended a band called Suicide Machines. He described them as somewhere between Rancid and Goldfinger.

This made me curious. After listening to the CD, I was immediately hooked. I had to see this band live.They passed through my area a few times as part of a larger tour. I considered seeing them this way, but I always decided against it. I wanted to see them perform a full set, not just a few songs.

I finally got my chance. Suicide machines were scheduled to play a show in my area. I bought my tickets and waited.The day of the show finally arrived. I was so excited. My nervous energy might be helpful at the show, so I didn’t try to control it. When I arrived at the venue, I was ready. I looked at other members of the crowd, and felt solidarity.

We were going to have fun together. The band dove head first into their first song. The crowd went crazy. Over two hours of amazing music and we still wanted more. The band gave an encore and wished us a safe trip home. They were great. I had never had so much fun at a concert before.

Anonymous

I saw Catch-22 live by chance – almost didn’t see them at all. Was staying with a friend in NJ, and went to the Bamboozle festival, and she wanted to see them. I was originally dubious, when she explained they were a ‘ska punk’ band, especially when she said that they had a saxophonist. I ended up going purely because they shared a name with one of my favourite books.
In the end, despite my earlier scepticism, it was well worth going. The energy in their live show is endless. And, being the nerdy lover of older music that I am, the addition of the saxophone had a ‘Madness’ hint about it that I loved. The music is fast-paced, but the band never seemed to get tired, and the audience seemed wired the whole way through, enthusiastic, jumping about like lunatics, which was quite fine by me, as it meant that no one was paying too much attention to my own stupid dancing. I might have enjoyed it more if I’d bothered to check out their music beforehand, as everyone around me seemed to be having great fun yelling the lyrics back at the band, but I had fun enough without, just revelling in the general atmosphere. The banter between the band and the audience was hilarious, even without having a super-fan’s deep knowledge of them.
It was great music for a beach festival, and when I later found out that they’d inspired bands from my teenage years like Sum 41 and Bowling For Soup, in retrospect, it became obvious. The music isn’t serious, isn’t deeply emotional, but great fun. It’s kind of sad that I haven’t been able to see them since, and I’m sad that I only found them by stumbling on to them after the bulk of their career was over with. Simply put, if you get the chance to see them, go.

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