Name: VICTIMS FAMILY & NASALROD + Surplus 1980
Start: 2025-03-08T20:30:00
End: 2025-03-09T00:00:00
Location: Ivy Room

ivy room presentsSATURDAY MARCH 8—<h2>VICTIMS FAMILY</h2><h2>NASALROD</h2><h2>SURPLUS 1980</h2>—Doors 8:00pm / Show 8:30pm$21.42 Advance / $23 Door—IVY ROOM860 San Pablo Ave, Albany • 21+<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/events/566442519726850/">(rsvp on facebook)</a><h2>VICTIMS FAMILY</h2>—Formed in Santa Rosa, California, in 1984, Victims Family made an indelible mark in the Punk and Indy scenes with their mad tempo changes and flirtations with Hardcore Punk, Jazz, Funk and Noise textures and satirical and poignant lyrics. In an era when Punk devolved into metal they went in a direction uniquely their own.The original line-up of Ralph Spight (Guitar, Vocals), Larry Boothroyd (Bass) and Devon VrMeer (Drums) caught the collective attention of the underground with their 1986 debut release "Voltage and Violets" (Mordam/Konkurrel), an angry brew of off-kilter rhythms and cut and paste histrionics. On 1988’s "Things I Hate To Admit" (Mordam/Konkurrel) they stretched out further from placid instrumentals leading to furious diatribes about the late 80’s cultural miasma. In a live setting VF was a well-oiled machine, a tight and relentlessly challenging barrage of Devon and Larry’s syncopated attack and Ralph’s alternately musical and noisy approach to both guitar and singing.After Devon’s departure VF roadie Tim Solyan was recruited to fill the drum chair and the resultant 1990 album "White Bread Blues" (Mordam/Konkurrel) was a roller coaster ride through a flaming funhouse. Produced by No Means No drummer John Wright, the album made Victims Family a headlining act throughout Europe and North America. Wright was also brought into produce "The Germ" (Alternative Tentacles/Konkurrel 1992). After splitting for a time in 1992 they came back in 1994 with "Headache Remedy" (Alternative Tentacles/Konkurrel) and 1995’s live set "Four Great Thrash Songs" (Alternative Tentacles/Konkurrel). Then after ten years and six albums VF disbanded or so it seemed.Back in California Larry formed Saturn’s Flea Collar with Austin TX transplant Jason Christian and, needing a guitarist, called on Ralph. The trio explored effects laden sci-fi acid punk on the 7" single "Stretch to Activate" (Alternative Tentacles/Konkurrel, 1996) and the full length "Monosyllabic" (Alternative Tentacles/Konkurrel 1997), toured Europe and the U.S. and disbanded.SFC begat Hellworms which carried the VF torch through their excellent full length "Crowd Repellent" (1998, Alternative Tentacles/Konkurrel) and the "Glamorous Drug Problem" 7" (Very Small Records, 1999).With the departure of drummer Joaquin Spengemann, Ralph and Larry decided to revive the Victims Family name as an umbrella under which to play both old and new material from all three bands. After months of frustrating drummer auditions and false starts, David Gleza (ex-of My Name) was recruited and the trio began writing and recording an album entitled "Apocalicious", (Alternative Tentacles/Konkurrel, 2001). After several tours and a split single with Fleshies (Alternative Tentacles,2001) Gleza left the band to return to his native Washington State. Frustrated with their inability to keep the band together,Ralph and Larry called it quits. Ralph forming The Freak Accident and Larry formed Triclops with members of Fleshies, Bottles and Skulls and Lower 48.In 2004 Victims Family regrouped for two marathon twentieth anniversary concerts in Northern California with Tim Solyan, which also featured Ralph and Larry’s other groups The Freak Accident,Meow Meow and the Meow Meows,Saturn’s Flea Collar and Hellworms. This began a sporadic regrouping of the classic line up of the band with Solyan on drums. When they were approached in 2008 by Gerry Stumbaugh of their hometown’s Saint Rose Records to re-issue first three records, now long out of print in North America, they agreed, and began playing concerts in support of the release. The release of the “White Bread Blues" reissue (Saint Rose Records,2010) the band began playing live shows in earnest again, supporting No Means No at Petaluma’s venerable Phoenix Theater and Alternative Tentacles 30th anniversary show at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall.An invitation from the band Sabot to play Chris Rankin’s birthday party in Tabor,Czech Republic led to a 9 shows in 9 days swing through Europe in April-May 2010. Another 13 shows in 12 days swing in May of 2012 preceded the release of the first new Victims Family material in over 10 years, the “Have a Nice Day/Let’s Cancel The Future” 7” (Alternative Tentacles). Victims Family has continued to play shows throughout the Western US as time and worldwide pandemics permit and Ralph and Larry have remained active as members of Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine as well as their other projects.2024 has seen the band release their first new music in over a decade in the form of a Split LP with Portland Oregon band NASALROD entitled “In The Modern Meatspace”. The two bands have formed a close alliance over the past few years, sharing stages up and down the West Coast resulting in the combined album on Nasalrod bassist Mandy Morgan’s Nadine Records label. Victims Family plans to close out 2024 opening California shows with San Diego indie rockers Pinback and Canadian dates opening for Dead Bob, the new project of NOMEANSNO drummer and sometime VF producer John Wright.<h2>NASALROD</h2>—Described by the legendary Lydia Lunch as “harsh, hard...catchy, weird, arty" and "a very unique blend that defies category,” Portland's Nasalrod is a collaborative vision. The intensity of drummer Spit Stix (a founding member of the seminal L.A. punk band FEAR) is a major driving force behind the ferocious spazz-rock and roll quartet. The band is currently performing its frenetic act in support of their new split 12" record with Bay Area luminaries Victims Family (this record is currently available in the Alternative Tentacles catalog).Armed with a notoriously frantic live show, Nasalrod has found that originality and insanity can go hand in hand. Lead singer Chairman’s sneering, kooky yet soulful vocals soar over a sound that is simultaneously melodic, violent and convulsive. Spit Stix, guitarist Mustin Douch, and bassist Mandy Morgan provide a sonic backdrop that is the demented and freakish heart of the band. Their new split LP In the Modern Meatspace has been described by <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://weekinpop.com">weekinpop.com</a> as “raucous and radically defiant…a party crashing cavalcade of confidence and cavalier fancy".Nasalrod has shared stages with various acts such as Mudhoney, Melt-Banana, Mike Watt, D.O.A., Big Business, and The Avengers.<h2>SURPLUS 1980</h2>—Masterminded by Sleepytime Gorilla Museum's former percussionist Moe Staiano, Surplus 1980 is a whip-smart, progressive post-punk art rock band from Oakland, CA. Surplus 1980 takes cues from the angular punk bands of the 1980s, fusing a fierce, muscular attack with experimental out-jazz and elements of progressive rock. A hallmark of Surplus 1980's music is the inclusion of timbres outside of the typical "rock band" realm, including orchestral instruments such as violin and oboe, as well as unusual sounds like glockenspiel or toy piano. These unexpected sounds add a unique texture to the music that sets Surplus 1980 apart. Coupled with Staiano's playful and introspective lyrics, Surplus 1980's music updates the post-punk aesthetic with their own kind of "maximal minimalism.<h2></h2>