This new feature is called No Place Like Home. The point of it is to interview bands about their hometowns and why they love where they’re from. When traveling it is always best to have a local to direct you to the spots worth spending your time and hard earned money.
When one of our readers travels to a place that is foreign to them they will have some solid recommendations from an awesome source, one of their favorite bands!
I know I look forward to checking out some of these places and am sure that there are many others who would be interested.
Eventually the intention is to have a full blown travel guide here at B.G.M.!
The most direct route walking from my place to downtown Bellingham involves Samish Way. I’m not trying to make it sound like you will fear for your life or anything. That being said, nighttime on Samish can at times be a game of frogger with meth-witches.
One night recently while doing this trek I was listening to the newest Daughters record You Won’t Get What You Want.
The air was cold and crisp. The relentless rain gave a few hours of reprieve but you could still feel it in the air. Dark and dreary. Not only did the weather seem to mirror the mood set by Daughters but the lyrics to the opening track “City Song” seemed to damn near narrate what I was seeing.
“The city is an empty glass/graciousness is lost…”
The boarded-up motel that used to be a tweaker-haven appeared to be the beacon sending out the depressing and defeated signal Daughters were transmitting.
The themes and imagery conjured throughout listening to this record make one feel small. In “Satan In The Wait” we experience what it feels like to summon a demon. It seems prudent that we bury this deep in the woods to keep the song out of the hands of the bad guys. Desperate chants of “their bodies are open/The channels are open/this world is opening up…up…up…” surrounded by a swelling wave of anxiety inducing energy make it feel all too real. Or if you want to get elemental, blast “The Flammable Man” and Daughters will give you a peek into what the initial spark of combustion feels like. Wild ride indeed.
Don’t worry, the entire record doesn’t feel like a maestro is conducting an orchestra made out of caffeine riddled anxiety, fear, and creatures from bad dreams.
With “Less Sex” there is a groovy Liars-vibe going on. Just as rocking but it will actually get your hips moving. I think it would be fascinating if Burial got his hands on this and did a remix.
Daughters sure know how to pack a punch. You Won’t Get What You Want is an onslaught of frantic energy.
Even though it can feel overwhelming this record is best heard from start to finish. If you have the endurance, desire to punish yourself (safely) or both the reward is some of the most satisfying catharsis of 2018.
No doubt You Won’t Get What You Want will get tagged with genre labels like noise rock, industrial rock, and countless other sub-genres. But I think it is easier to label them as the kings of mind-fuckery. Outstanding album and a listening experience that will stick to your bones if you give it a real shot.
Rating: 5/5
You Won’t Get What You Want was released on October 26, 2018, through Ipecac Recordings. They are sold out of the “clear smoke” copies of the record on vinyl but still have “london fog” version available through their bandcamp page HERE.
I want to thank Daughter’s drummer extraordinaire Jon Syverson for being so kind and taking part in No Place Like Home!
Where does Daughters call home and how long have you been there?
Daughters has been based out of Providence, RI since the band was started in 2002. These days only 2 members actually live in the Providence area, though everyone still returns to Providence to rehearse, write, and record.
Are there any attractions you would consider touristy that you would also consider a can’t-miss for visitors?
– Grave of H.P. Lovecraft (Swan Point Cemetery) @ Providence, RI
Swan Point is an amazing spot if you’re looking to kill some time. You can spend hours walking around this cemetery looking for his grave site.
– Lizzie Borden House Bed & Breakfast Museum @ Fall River, MA (22mins E of Providence)
“Lizzie Borden took an ax
And gave her mother forty whacks
When she saw what she had done
She gave her father forty-one”
Explore the actual house, stay the night, visit the gift shop.
– Grave of Mercy Brown (Chestnut Hill Cemetery) @ Exeter, RI (24mins S of Providence)
Yes, another grave site.. seeing a pattern to my interests? This young Rhode Islander was accused of vampirism. Do yourself a favor and read up on the “New England Vampire Panic” of the 19th century. Wild stuff.
– Perron Family House @ Harrisville, RI (33mins NE of Providence)
This is the actual site of the haunted farmhouse recently made popular in the movie “The Conjuring”. This location is more of a drive-by visit as the current owners aren’t so happy with people stopping in. That said, the drive out to Harrisville is gorgeous in the fall.
– Witch Trials Memorial @ Salem, MA (90 mins N of Providence)
This memorial stands to remember the 14 women and 6 men who were accused of witchcraft and executed in 1692. The Memorial is adjoining to the Old Burying point cemetery where you will find the grave of witchcraft trial Judge John Hathorne. Salem, in general, is a beautiful haunting area of New England, fantastic for a day trip.
– Film locations of Friday the 13thPart 2 @ Kent, CT (2:45hrs W of Providence)
These movies scared the hell out of me when I was a child. I grew up in the woods of Wrentham, MA, and spent my first few years sure a man with a hockey mask was coming for me. No wonder the location of this movie looked so familiar, it was shot in similar woods only a few hours away! North Spectacle Lake in Kent, CT was the site of Crystal Lake in Part 2.
– Grave of GG Allin (Saint Rose Cemetery) @ Littleton, NH (3hrs N of Providence)
I would hope you know who GG Allin was. Please educate yourself if you aren’t familiar with Mr. Allin’s work.
Its said Allin’s grave is frequently vandalized with urine and feces, so you might want to allow anyone you bump into some time to finish their business before approaching this site for a closer look.
If you are hosting friends or family for a weekend, where would you bring people for grub?
Hudson Street Deli
Julians
Garden Grille (Pawtucket, RI)
Apsara (Public St location)
Apsara (Hope St location)
A key to any hometown is a local watering hole. Any spots that you like to go for drinks? Breweries, dive bars, distilleries…whatever floats your boat.
I don’t really get out in Providence too often, though when I do I’ve visited the same few spots over the last few years; E & O Tap, Red Fez, Ogie’s Trailer Park, and Trinity Brewhouse seem to do the trick for me.
Music is life. What music venues should people be checking the calendars for shows to catch?
Providence is (was?) known for its off the grid shows. Some of the best Providence shows I’ve ever seen or played, were not held in an actual venue. For years this town’s music scene thrived in DIY loft spaces, warehouses, & basements. I suppose there’s no actual calendar available as anything like that these days would have to be discovered by word of mouth, though if you’re in the area and hear about one of these DIY gigs, do yourself a favor and check it out!
As for venues who advertise their calendars, I would suggest the following:
Machines with Magnets in Pawtucket, RI
AS220 in Providence, RI
The Met in Pawtucket, RI
After working up a sweat at a good show are there any late night spots to grab a bite or a night cap?
Carnivores are in luck:
Olneyville New York System is open until 2 AM
Haven Bros. Diner is open until 3 AM
The morning after can be rough. Where is your go-to for breakfast and/or coffee?
Hudson Street Deli
Julians
Loir Fullers
Nicks on Broadway
To get out of town life, what are the nature based options surrounding your city? Any good hikes, camping and other fun outdoors stuff to do?
– Newport Cliff Walk @ Newport, RI (1hr south of Providence)
The city of Newport built a mostly paved walkway that borders about 3.5 miles of shoreline. It also runs behind many of Newport’s mansions. As obnoxious as Newport might be, this is actually very beautiful and relaxing.
– Purgatory Chasm @ Sutton, MA (40 mins NW of Providence)
According to legend, Hobomoko (the Native American devil) carried a woman to Purgatory Chasm after she had murdered a colonial soldier. When the woman began to fight, Hobomoko hit her head against a boulder and attacked her with a tomahawk. The bowl-like depressions show where her head hit the boulder, the ax-marks where the tomahawk struck, and the footprints in the vein of stone where he carried his victim’s body to the edge of the fissure.
– Freetown State Forest @ Freetown, MA (33mins E of Providence)
Known to be cursed by native spirits, the Freetown-Fall River State Forest offers 50 miles of unpaved paths and trails to any hiking or bicycling enthusiast.
The forest has also reportedly been the site of various cult activity including animal sacrifice, ritualistic murders, gangland murders, and a number of suicides. In 1978 the body of a 15-year-old cheerleader was discovered tied to a tree with rumors pointing to Satanic cult activity within the forest. This area is also known for many reports of bizarre phenomena, including strange creatures, Bigfoot, UFOs, ghosts, specters, ominous black helicopters, orbs of light, strange disappearances, giant snakes, poltergeist activity, & cattle mutilations. The forest is also home to the annual “Fun Day in the Forest”, and did I mention this area is great for picnics?