Rock Out: Local Love Promotions presents bands at Punk Fest | Currents Feature
MLocal Love Promotions celebrates the Tucson music scene with their Punk Fest, taking place on Friday, July 19th at 191 Toole.
The lineup includes Something Like Appropriate, Bleach Party USA, Gutter Town, Manslaw, the Besmirchers, Planet Strict 9 (PS9) and Midnight Island.
Four-piece 80s gutter punk band The Besmirchers are known for their aggressive, confrontational, dirty and tough performances. The group, which also includes local punk rock legend Lenny Mental as singer and “swearer”, has released two CDs, two 7″ vinyl records, a 17″ video disc and a 12″ vinyl record. They often incorporate dancers into their performances.
The three-member group Gutter Town recently released a video for their song “Take Your Time”.
The four-member group Midnight Island, founded in 2018, released the album “Since You Asked” at the end of last year. It includes songs such as “Mr. Man” and “Not Every Story (has a happy ending)”.
Formed in 2016, Bleach Party USA is a surficidal punk rock band. In January they released a 12-inch record called “Scorpion Tacos.”
Two years ago, Something Like Appropriate released the EP Pink Anxiety, a compilation of the first four songs they wrote as a band. These include the songs “Start Again” and “Inside Voice.” Their music tends to have a happy, bright sound, but deals with more serious themes. They recently recorded new music at TwoCat Studios in Tucson.
Local Love hosts regular events at venues like the Rialto Theater and 191 Toole. Owner Brent Kort has been putting on shows highlighting local bands for 11 years.
He said events like Punk Fest allow fans and local musicians to enjoy styles of music they have been listening to or playing since their youth.
“It becomes a big punk family affair,” Kort said. “You wouldn’t believe it, but there’s so much love in one room at Punk Fest.”
Kort is the manager of the R Bar, located directly in front of the Rialto Theater, and is also one of the managers of the Rialto and 191 Toole.
He has been in the funk/blues/rock/reggae group Funky Bonz for over 30 years and is also part of the Americana, desert rock and reggae group Saguaroville and the country cover band Dust.
In the past, he played with the punk rock group Hillbilly Bo, which opened for David Allan Coe, Dirty Rotten Imbeciles and Suicidal Tendencies. He was also part of a Ramones tribute band called Ramonz.
Kort said his experiences as a musician inspired him to host Local Love shows.
“Local love is what I’m about,” he said. “I wanted to treat bands the way they should be treated… I’ve been playing for so long. We still have a ton of experience, from the best and most amazing to ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe we just did that.’ So I wanted to give worthy bands a chance to play in great places.”
Kort said he tries to feature bands of varying levels, from groups making their debut to those that have been around for over 30 years.
“Either I know them or I know them from other bands,” he said. “I managed and booked Rock for a long time. I did live showcases and battle royales… We did a band competition, gave bands prizes and money and had them play on a stage… That’s how I got to know a lot of bands a long time ago and since I’ve been playing in the music scene for 30 years, I know a lot of bands from other scenes as well.”
(Photo by SpryTime)
One of the bands performing at Local Love Promotions’ Punk Fest is Midnight Island.
Kort said he also regularly discovers new groups.
“Every day I get introduced to new bands,” he said. “They send me a link and say, ‘I’d love to be on your Love Loves,’ and I listen to them and see if I can get them on a show. Often when they play with me for the first time, they’re first or last in line because that’s a good indicator of how well they’re pulling. I usually have relationships with bands that last for years. Some of the same bands have been playing with me for over 10 years, and then some of them get really big and get to do their own shows, which is fantastic.”
Kort said that at events like Punk Fest, audiences often discover new bands and groups network with each other.
“It helps when you bring other people’s audiences,” he said. “You also make contacts. So you can open for them or maybe play at fairs. It’s about getting these bands together on a really nice stage, hopefully sharing their friends and gaining new fans in the process.”
Kort often does shows that revolve around a specific genre or concept. Many of his shows feature metal or punk rock groups, but he has also hosted blues shows, country events, hip hop nights, and tribute band performances.
Kort said the chance to play at venues like 191 Toole and the Rialto means a lot to the bands.
“The Rialto in particular is a stage where everyone’s favorite bands have played. Maybe they saw their first concert there,” Kort said.
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