Festival Review: NXNE 2014 – (LOW, Mexican Slang, Guerilla Toss)

By: Jennifer Perkin – 

Guerilla Toss.

Our NXNE 2014 coverage continues with reviews of Boston noise-punk group Guerilla Toss, who released their new album, Gay Disco, on December 3rd, 2013, at The Great Hall, Toronto-based garage rock band Mexican Slang at Smiling Buddha, who are expected to release their new EP, Inside The Velvet Castle, on July 15th, and more! 

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Guerilla Toss @ The Great Hall
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The Great Hall would appear to be too big of a venue for Guerilla Toss, but the Boston noise-punk group turned the show into a participatory event. The seemingly timid crowd crept toward the stage as the initial chords broke out in an exercise of instruments played loudly and simultaneously, but not musically. It’s abrasive and chaotic, with singer Kassie Carlson shrieking and writhing , before taking a sharp turn. The (ironically) softly spoken Carlson invited the audience to dance on-stage, and half of the crowd took the offer in a surprisingly polite manner. The band veered in a groove based direction, the guitar and keyboards locking into almost reggae-like rhythms, as Carlson performed as a woman-possessed. The participants danced, and the ever-polite Carlson introduced each dancer to the remaining audience one-by-one.Later, shirtless bassist Simon Hanes commandeered the mic and gave dance orders to the crowd in an awkward game of (literally) “Simon Says”. Eventually, the stage dancers linked arms and encircled the audience in a vaguely menacing fashion, set tothe band’s in-your-face thrash/dance/noise music, the aural onslaught lingered as somewhat forced.

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Mexican Slang @ Smiling Buddha
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The all-ages Buzz Records showcase packed The Smiling Buddha. Local band Mexican Slang were a big presence at last years NXNE and word about them has spread. Despite their relative newness, the fact that the band has released 5 EPs is impressive. A cursory look at the body-horror trash-punk song titles and found-photo artwork of those EP’s re-affirms the band’s distinct aesthetic, drawing from a long lineage of garage punk and psycho-billy.

What started as the bedroom project of young songwriter Annabelle Lee has since grown into a formidable three-piece.  They came on confident, launching straight into their set with barely a word between tracks. Lee’s vocals are snarled, at times recalling Courtney Love of early Hole, and the look of punk-era Debbie Harry.

As the band warmed up and lock into their nightmarish surf-rock groove, it’s clear that these guys are the complete package. The fine-boned Jimmy Tony Billy on bass and floppy haired Den Holm on drumspossess not just looks and talent, but also an elusive and indefinable quality: they are cool as hell. They are gone after twenty minutes, and the feeling in the room is unanimous. We wanted more.

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LOW at The Horseshoe Tavern
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Sometimes things just fall into place. When a last-minute schedule change meant The Beaches weren’t playing at the Rivoli, it left an open slot to check out Low next door at the Horseshoe. Walking in just as they start “Plastic Cup”, the gorgeous opener to their 2013 record The Invisible Way, is one of those beautiful and fortuitous festival moments that you never forget.The Horseshoe by this time has turned into something of a hangout spot, with as many people facing away from the stage as towards it. Which was great for atmosphere, not so great for hearing the restrainedly quiet Low. A very, very quiet band in fact.

Their chances against the boozy NXNE-ers were not good., but their 20-year careers have buffered the the Minnesota trio a stature and professionalism, and they did not allow the less-than-ideal conditions to hamper their performance. The interplay of vocal harmonies between guitarist Alan Sparhawk and drummer Mimi Parker is the anchor of the band, whose music more washes over you than grabs you by the collar. Those who paid attention, their heartfelt collection of their gentle country-tinged songs, building slowly to the contained aggression of “Monkey” from the soundtrack of 2010 movie Killshot rewarded them. That one drowned out the chitchat. The band expressed genuine gratitude to the audience, a gesture that was generously reciprocated and well-earned . A class act.