Burger Records, the same folks that brought Southern California The Burger Revue, Burger a-Go-Go and Burgerpalooza have returned to the Bay Area for the fifth installment of Burger Boogaloo. Spanning two days and 24 bands (and a few secret shows), Burger Records has once again proven their ability to curate an eclectic mix of music into an impressive concert experience. Not familiar with Burger Records? A DIY record label with a particular affinity for the cassette tape, founded in 2007 that expanded into a record store in Fullerton, California and is now promoting shows.
Oakland’s Mosswood Park once again proved the ideal location for this year’s Boogaloo. People chilled in the shade or beer garden in between bands and migrated to pack the amphitheater when the music started. Food tents were out on the lawn with a good set of options which, believe it or not, included burgers (which unfortunately ran out as the evening progressed). Above the stage was a banner made of balloons and White Fang was the only band to ask what I’m sure everyone else was thinking … what does it mean? “LOVESCUM” or “LOVE SCUM” or “LOVES CUM”? We may never know.
Doors opened about an hour late as things got settled with the fire marshal which ended up setting the schedule back for the day but nobody seemed to mind a bit. The Burger Records gang did an impressive job of pulling together a line-up of bands that they feel you should really know abouy including:
- bands that you probably missed in their heyday because you were too young (Milk ‘N’ Cookies, Phantom Surfers)
- bands that have the potential to break soon (Terry Malts, Wand, NOBUNNY, Reigning Sound)
- the current big thing (Thee Oh Sees, OFF!), and
- bands that are just a flat-out there for a good time (White Fang, Thunderroads, Bananas).
After watching the day unfold, Burger Records has once again shown that they know what’s what.
With something like nine hours of music, there was a lot going on but there were some clear highlights from the day…
Wand: Wand was the biggest surprise of the day. Zeppelin-y, Sabbath-y, doomy and just plain good.
Thunderroads: Japanese three-chord punk rock in the spirit of the Ramones. Despite a guitar that stopped functioning mid-set, these guys soldiered on with borrowed equipment whose owner I am sure did not appreciate seeing it in the hands of the borrower as he took a ~12 foot jump off the speaker stack.
Reigning Sound: This is one of those bands that you see once and vow never to miss them again. These guys brought a freakin’ organ with them all they way from North Carolina and their punk-infused country/blues was spectacular.
NOBUNNY: A bunny-suited frontman who disrobed to his skivies over the course of the set was pure spectacle and the crowd (many of which were already well-familiar with the band) ate it up. Cwazy wabbit!
OFF!: Things were already rowdy for NOBUNNY but when OFF! launched into their set the Mosswood amphitheater went absolutely, positively berserk. Keith and the gang were in top form as they blasted through their set during which the bass player of Thunderroads was so understandably inspired that he launched himself off the front speakers into the crowd. After their set wrapped, one of the guys from Thee Oh Sees who was watching from behind the stage muttered an “oh shit” … presumably thinking about how they would have to follow that up. Exactly.
If you missed Saturday, there’s more Boogaloo planned for Sunday but you better get on it because tickets are running low to see Ronnie Spector, Shannon & the Clams, The Muffs, Personal & the Pizzas, The Gizmos, Meadbodies, Juan Wauters, La Sera, Danny James, Dirty Ghosts, Summer Twins and Pookie & the Poodlez. If you can’t make it out, keep an eye open for after parties featuring some of these same acts.
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