IPO Boston 2017

 
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CLICK HERE to see IPO Boston 2017 Artist Yearbook Photos
 
 

Artists From Boston

 
1.4.5. – They take their name from the classic three chord progression that rock is built upon. They played many famous clubs in the early ‘80s (Max’s Kansas City, CBGB’s, The Rat, etc.) and were playing loud punk-pop with a three-piece lineup fronted by Paul Armstrong (also of The Flashcubes) while Green Day were still playing Little League! The band reformed after a 20 year hiatus to play IPO in 2007, and we’re always glad to have ‘em back!
 
Corin Ashley – A singer/songwriter who for several years was the driving force behind Boston’s hyper mod-pop band, The Pills. Ashley’s first solo album, Songs From The Brill Bedroom, is a stripped down, organic and homegrown affair which falls halfway between Neil Finn and Neil Young. His latest, Broken Biscuits, is “…filled with deep rewards for Anglophiles and power pop fans” (Pop Matters), and may just sneak its way towards the top of a 2017 “best of” list or two.
 
The Eric Barao Band – Long-time fans of Boston power pop may remember Barao as a co-founder of local pop-darlings, The Cautions. In his latest project, he’s teamed up with some of the coolest musicians from the Boston pop underground to perform some of the best orchestrated Beatle-esque pop around! The “…debut [self-titled] album blends clever lyrics with indelible melodies to form an instant powerpop classic” (Bandcamp.com) Fans of Jason Falkner and Bleu (who co-produced the album!) will also dig it!
 
Big City Rockers – A Boston area power pop super group led by none other than Fred Pineau of The Atlantics, who were stalwarts of the local scene back in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s! His classic approach to hooks and harmonies with bite is complemented by fellow Boston pop rock luminaries Joe D’Arco (of Godsmack, Controlled Aggression, and 5-POINT) on drums, Pat Moynihan (also of 5-POINT, as well as Tenafly Vipers, American Pulverizer, and Two Saints) on bass, and Tony Kaczynski of Fireking (see below) on guitar and lead vocals! If you like catchy melodies and a rockin’ good time that may make you want to get up and dance, this is a band you must see!
 
The Charles Brothers – IPO is thrilled to host this band of brothers, led by producer/arranger extraordinaire, Brian Charles! Fans of Matthew Sweet and Myracle Brah will love his CD, Sadderdaydreaming. “The choruses on almost every track jump out of the speakers, forcing one to take notice, not to mention sing along uncontrollably” (Amplifier Magazine). He’s also quite the Renaissance man, as he owns a recording studio and has produced such luminaries as The Figgs, The Gigolo Aunts, and The Gravy, as well as some of the bands playing IPO Boston!
 
CrunchTime – If you like pop punk punchy and crunchy, then look no further than CrunchTime! They follow in the footsteps of fellow Bostonian pop punkers, such as The Ducky Boys and The Dogmatics, with their infectious in-your-face tunes and energetic delivery. They are also planning on a special release of some sort to have available at their IPO show, so don’t miss this opportunity to take them home with you!
 
Didn’t Planet – A four-piece rock/alt-rock band from Boston’s South Shore who started as a cover band, working the local circuit from Faneuil Hall to Block Island to the ski resorts of New Hampshire and Vermont, but have since turned to originals…and we’re glad they did. Fans of twangy powerpop will love the combination of solid rock sound and catchy hooks that you’ll hear on their debut album, We’re Goin’ Nowhere, and fans of great brain-teasers will love the challenge of listening to see how many name-checks of local landmarks you can catch in their lyrics!
 
Field Day – Jeff Gottlieb of The Boston Herald claims Field Day and their latest EP, Go No Go, “[h]ints at some lost collaboration between Juliana Hatfield and Evan Dando. Maybe this is a roundabout way of saying Field Day has a gift for modern rock melodies.” Come to their IPO showcase and hear this for yourself!
 
Fireking – A band sired by former main man of Figures On A Beach, Tony Kaczynski (see above), who claim to be the “rock experience of the 21st Century.” The sound on their Live A Little, Love A Little CD falls somewhere between Face To Face-era Kinks and The Stooges’ Funhouse, and their performance at The Cavern at IPO Liverpool in 2005 had many of the locals begging for more! Speaking of “more”, their 2015 Double Trouble album features a whopping 22 tracks of their trademark high-octane rawk!
 
Suzie Hatton Band – Inspired by the strong vocals and energetic performances of artists such as Pat Benatar and Gwen Stefani, Hatton and band stormed onto the scene in 2015 with their single, “F U Money”, which was in heavy rotation on several local and internet radio stations, and the video for which was also nominated for “video of the year” by Limelight Magazine. They are currently working on the follow up to their debut Be The One album, and we can hardly wait to hear it!
 
Hummingbird Syndicate – The Mamas and the Papas led to The Archies led to ABBA. The Byrds led to Buffalo Springfield led to The Flying Burrito Brothers. The Velvet Underground and Nico led to Eno and Roxy. Ray Price led to George Jones. Hummingbird Syndicate is the love child of all of the above – one great big orgy of jangle and harmony that you have got to hear! Check out their song, “Waterfall Away” on the 2016 edition of the IPO Compilation CD, and their recently released debut full length album, Pop Tricks!
 
Little Billy Lost – A quartet of a combined 250 years of rock and power pop experience, unleashing a megaton of musical bliss and passion. Fred Pineau (The Atlantics), James Melanson (Pop Gun), Robert “Desi” Desautels (Third Rail), and Smitt E. Smitty (Figures On A Beach), meld together to create a band of rock brothers, that MUST be experienced.
 
Modern Day Idols – A power trio who combine gritty indie rock with power pop hooks, MDI was born of their mutual love for honest, memorable, melodic, and energetic rock and the collective desire to spread that love to all within earshot! Their debut CD, Almost Glad To See You, will appeal to fans of fellow Boston rockers Sidewalk Driver, Watts, and Airport, to name but a few, and a brand new album is planned for release in early 2018! We can’t wait!
 
Peter Montgomery – The main man of one of our old favorite Boston bands, The Montgomerys’, is back for a special IPO solo performance! The songs on The Montgomerys’ Unnatural Selection are well-structured and reflect the influence of pop masters The Beatles, John Phillips, and XTC. Despite the fact that Montgomery claims he can’t write real happy songs, the songs have an upbeat, melodic, catchy sound, and are delivered within a context of interestingly textured and solidly authoritative pop that allows the listener to derive a sense of hope and survival from the record. Pete’s rambling monologues in between songs were always one of the highlights of his shows with the band, so his solo performance is sure to be an experience not to be missed!
 
Arthur Nasson – A rock Renaissance man with seven full-length albums to his credit, Nasson seamlessly shifts from quirky Dylan-esque folk to art rock, jazz, and Beatle-esque power pop….sometimes all in the same song (several of which have been picked up by MTV)! Fans of ELO and The Cars will also dig this stuff! His latest EP, The Emperor’s New Sound, has been scarfing up rave reviews, and was named as one of 2015’s best releases by 1001 Records for Music Lovers and The Noise!
 
Michael Oliver & The Sacred Band – Yin and Yanxiety, Oliver’s latest album, is a touchingly personal collection of intelligent pop and rock songs reminiscent of Matthew Sweet, Marshall Crenshaw, REM and even The Archies! It is an emotional meditation on the past, filled with beautifully crafted songs that glisten, glow, and grandly unfold, with vocals lingering and lyrics resonating long after the songs have faded.
 
Richie Parsons – Bittersweet power pop with a just the right amount of country-fied jangle is what you will find on Honey and Tears, the latest disc from Parsons and his band, which has been receiving rave reviews. Fans of Marshall Crenshaw, The Jayhawks, and The Replacements will eat this stuff up for breakfast!
 
Powderhouse – With a sound that combines alt-country, garage rock, power pop and classic rock, Powderhouse is not unlike a combination of Kathleen Edwards, Liz Phair and Beth Orton fronting Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers. Come check them out and hear for yourself! They’re making their IPO show the release party for their brand new EP, Spark!
 
Huxley Rittman &The Rusty Hitmen – Rightly viewed as the great young hope of the melodic pop-rock world, Huxley and his band are riding the wave of a series of rapturously-reviewed EP’s and putting the finishing touches on a debut album that promises more finely crafted-songs, blending the sardonic with the heartfelt. Steeped in the whole of guitar-rock history but with a unique modern energy and topped with Huxley’s distinctive and addictive baritone delivery, the band is well poised to take the world by storm!
 
Trick Wallace Trio – A power pop trio meets jazz trio all-in-one! As if that wasn’t enough, they also throw in a bit of punk and grunge. Truly a unique band that you must experience for yourself, and we’re thrilled to have them back to kick off the festivities for IPO Boston yet again!
 
 

US Artists from Outside of Boston

 
King Radio – This 4-11 piece combo plays everything from orchestral pop to power pop to alt-country to garage rock and just about everything between. Just like the weather in their hometown of Northampton, MA, if you don’t like the way things are going, just wait a few minutes. Featuring former and current members of TW Walsh, The Scud Mt Boys, The Mammals, Mark Mulcahy, Pedro the Lion and the B52s, King Radio is a bunch of folks who live to serve the songs, and the songs will knock your socks off.
 
RAY PAUL & RPM – Former Boston and L.A. power pop pioneer Ray Paul returns to IPO in the town where he made his hay in the late ‘70s, and we’re always glad to have him! His latest release, Whimsicality, is his first since his critically acclaimed career compilation, The Charles Beat, in 2000. Guest appearances on the record include both luminaries of the genre and standout favorites amount the underground pop intelligista, such as Clem Burke (Blondie), Emitt Rhodes, Kristin Pinell Reil & Kurt Reil (The Grip Weeds), Terry Draper (Klaatu), Gar Francis (The Doughboys) and Walter Clevenger. The album features Paul’s fiery, visceral brand of original Beatlesque pop, and was hailed by John M. Borack of Goldmine Magazine as “The first great power pop record of 2016!” Check it out now!
 
Kris Rodgers – Known for years as “rock n’ roll’s secret weapon”, Kris ‘Fingers’ Rodgers has been a recording & touring sideman in top garage rock and power pop acts like The Connection, Scott Sorry, The New Trocaderos, Bullet Proof Lovers, and Kurt Baker Band. 2017 is the year that Kris Rodgers takes center stage, both at IPO, and on his solo full length debut, Losing The Frequency, an album of ‘70s inspired arena rock gems replete with Rodgers’ bashing piano keys and raspy throated growl, and Baker pulling sideman duties on bass!
 
 

International Artists

 
Dave Rave – The venerable Mr. Dave Rave began popping very powerfully indeed a quarter century ago as part of the legendary Canadian bands Teenage Head and The Shakers, and has often been referred to as “The Canadian Nick Lowe.” A recent CD, Live With What You Know, was nominated for a Grammy, as was one of its songs, “Anne Marie.” In addition to being one of the most entertaining and hardworking power poppers around, he’s also extremely versatile, most recently showing a flair for ‘60s inspired soft-pop jangle on Radio Rave, his latest release with The Governors! From 2010 to 2014 he played 50 IPO festivals in a row (yes, you read that right), and he still plays many of them! Thank you, Dave!!
 
The Stanleys – Meeting and forming the band over Myspace, Australia’s Mark Di Renzo (Gigantic) and Jamie Horsburgh collaborated with Norway’s Tomas Dahl (Turbonegro), eventually hitting studios in Oslo, Paris, Perth and Sydney to track their first generation of songs. Their long awaited self-titled debut (available in the US on Pop Detective Records) is an infectious slice of power pop that will appeal to fans of classic bands such as The Cars and Cheap Trick!