Screeching Weasel News

Yesterday afternoon on his Facebook page, R5 Productions' Sean Agnew promised "a totally big/crazy show announcement coming up at Midnight ." Two hints Agnew provided: It was a band from the old J.C. Dobbs era, and hasn't played in Philly since 1993.

Chicago punk act Screeching Weasel will play Philadelphia for the first time in 17 years thanks to Andy Nelson of R5 Productions, which brings the group to the Trocadero on April 23 with Lemuria and the Challenged .

When Ben Foster talks about his day job, he often starts to sound like any other Joe Schmoe going off about his routine at the office.

Though two of its members have much higher-profile pedigrees than many of the groups this column addresses - Dan 'Vapid' Schafer has played in Screeching Weasel and the Riverdales, as well as leading the Methadones, and Jeff Dean is in the Bomb - their new collaboration with bassist Rick Uncapher and drummer Jimmy Lucido on the debut album 'Yeah, ...

Alkaline Trio, a punk-influenced hard-rock band with members from the far West suburbs, will play at Chicago's Congress Theater as part of the upcoming five-day Riot Fest.

Singer/guitarist Joe "Joe Queer" King is the sole constant in The Queers , a pop-punk concern that's closing in on the big 3-0 and has shed more members than your dog's had fleas.

Opening for a karaoke act probably isn't the most coveted gig for an up-and-coming band, but Toronto's The Artist Life saw past a relatively small Lee's Palace crowd and seemed genuinely impressed to be on stage ahead of members of some of California's most notable punk bands a ' and a bunch of wannabe vocalists.

Growing up in Fort Lauderdale, Marco Argiro was a precocious talent on the local rock scene.

It's amazing what location can mean to a punk band's sound. New York and California have plenty of tough-guy and party-guy bands, but the Midwest, with bands like Screeching Weasel , Naked Raygun , and Dillinger Four , has always given birth to punks who are just happy to be there, like Carbondale, Ill.-based Dear Landlord .

12-14--has been postponed to Spring 2010 due to founder Riot Mike's failing health, according to a press release.

They may be called the Leftovers, but this foursome out of Portland, Me., are a lot more exciting than the three-day-old meatloaf in your fridge.

The Weasel's website states this will be the group's first performance since 2004, when the band reunited after a three-year hiatus to play a short set in Chicago.