The Inhalers

Pop-Punk Special: The Trangessions & The Credentials Split Release Show, with Dead Uncles, and Awful Man

Overhearing is the best way to find your way to punk shows in Allston. Yesterday at work, a friend of mine in a band came in and was speaking about how he was super excited to be playing a show with this band called The Transgressions based out of Madison, Wisconsin. I, excited by the prospect of a real punk basement show, quickly asked him where it was, got the address, and made plans with other friends of mine to be in attendance.

An Interview with A Suburban Show-Goer

A friend of mine, the one who got me into the Allston show scene in the first place, is actually someone who doesn't even live in the city. He had lived here for a few months, and then returned to his home in the suburbs--Wakefield. When I first decided that I was going to be conducting interviews with people inside the scene, it seemed only right to get his perspective. Following are the questions I asked, and his responses.

An Interview With a Show House Owner

We met up at the Allston Cafe, a central hub for many of the kids that hang out in Allston. He sat there, reading a hand-made skate magazine while answering many of my questions, his eyes flitting up and around every once in a while, but mostly staying glued to the page.

I ask What made you decide to move to Boston? For school, I'd always wanted to go to The Museum School. I was considering moving to New York, but I lived so close to New York that I wanted a change. I guess I wanted to live in a city that wasn't as hectic. Plus I didn't like any of the schools in New York, anyway.

How long have you lived in Allston? 4 and a half years.

Have you ever moved away from Allston, and then back again? If so what brought you back? I didn't move away from Allston for any particular reasons, mostly just for health stuff. I always came back.

What made you decide to open up your house to Basement shows? I'd been wanting to do that since I was 15, or so; mostly because I was going to garage shows in my home town. Like this place called "The Garage". It was run by some old punk dudes, and I remember seeing bands like The Assistant play there. It just made me want to get more in the underground scene where you can have DIY and Punk and Hardcore shows, without having to go and rent a hall which I think is ridiculous when you can have them in a basement or garage to make it more intimate. Rather than catering for everyone else in that environment. I'd been planning it since checking out the house [that I live in]. I moved into the house with 8 original people, now it's about 17 or 18. Originally we only owned the left half of the house, after a year, we took over the whole right side of the house as well. We suggested it to the landlord that another 8 friends of ours should move into the right side. During the second year [all the original kids] stayed there, progressively they all moved out or left. Since 2006 I'm the only original person living there.

Basement Floor Sitting-The Points North Basement Show

The Points North was the first show that I went to when I'd gotten to Allston. It was a positively lovely, clear evening as I meandered around the streets trying to find the house that my friend had given me ramshackle directions to. This, I'd heard, is the peril of going to a basement show--not being able to find it. Either way, eventually it was found; the gaggle of kids mostly in their mid-twenties standing outside with their self-rolled cigarettes, and cheap tall-boy beers was a dead giveaway. I walked slowly up to them, running my fingers through my hair nonchalantly as I asked them who was meant to be playing tonight. "The Points North," they all responded, "A really sweet folk band." And you know what? After I had heard them play, I couldn't agree more. In a local scene where there are far too many players, this New England folk band sticks out far above the rest.

Top 10 Things to Remember about Allston Basement Shows:

1. Respect the space. People are allowing you to come into their home, and essentially trash it. All for the love of music. Treat the space like you'd want to treat your own home. That means, putting your trash in the recycling bin, not smoking inside (unless specified), and not leaving your stuff everywhere.

2. Do not post the addresses, phone numbers, or other identifying information about the house or the people who own it. This will cause the show to be cancelled. Nobody wants that to happen, especially not the people who own the house. So don't do it.

3. Respect the people around you. Just 'cause you think someones shirt is lame, or you don't agree with some of the politics they're spouting doesn't mean that you need to harrass them about it. Just walk on by.