Kidding around

Rockstock breaks the age barrier

by Johnathan Plummer

New York has the CMJ (College Music Journal) Festival for bands looking to gain the attention of the college-radio crowd. Austin has its gigantic South by Southwest Festi val for independent acts looking for a record deal and old-timers trying to convince the younger crowd that they're still relevant. And Worcester has Locobazooka, which has become something of a stage dive to commercial success for heavy rock acts. Could the first Rockstock, which brings some of the nation's top up-and-coming indie bands to the Palladium this Sunday, end up in the same league?

Rockstock (pun on Woodstock, get it?) is the brainchild of Boston promoter Matt Galle, who wanted an outlet for lesser-known bands to share the bill with more established acts in an all-ages setting. He attracted support from three indie labels -- Doghouse Records (which put out the first two Get Up Kids albums), Bigwheel Recreations (who recently merged with Doghouse, and who put out vinyl albums for At the Drive In, Jimmy Eat World, and River City High), and Espo Records, which is run by Shred of WBCN fame -- and Rockstock became reality.

The November 5 show will open with Lot Six, a pop-punk band from Boston consisting of former members of Boxer, and Fifth Hour Hero, who will be coming all the way down from Quebec to perform. Galle added them to the bill because he was intrigued by their Collected in Comfort mini-CD and wanted to see them live. Two more Boston-area acts will follow -- Around the World, who played at Worcester's Skate Fest 2000 and whose lineup includes former members of Fastbreak and In My Eyes, and indie rockers Slower Than Seasons. Virginia's River City High (not to be confused with the River City Rebels), currently one of the nation's most talked about indie pop/punk bands, will be next to rock the crowd. They'll soon be on tour with New Found Glory and Midtown. (That bill is slated to hit the Palladium on December 12). Cave In, a space rock/Radiohead-influenced band whose most recent album, Jupiter, has created enough of a buzz to get the band half a year's worth of gigs, will follow.

If any group promises to stand out at Saturday's show, it's Long Island, New York's The Movie Life, who have been together for three years and released two albums, It's Go Time and This Time Next Year, on Revelation Records. Vocalist Vinny Carvanoy describes the band's music as "melodic hardcore," but there's more to it than that. At their recent appearance at the CMJ Music Conference, at the Wetlands in New York City, guitarists Brandon Riely and Alex Amirrid, drummer Evan Baken, and bassist Phil Navetta at times showcased an almost pop-punk sound (complete with a singable chorus); at others, they kicked into a slower, heavy groove that ended up having an in-your-face, tight hardcore, mosh-pit-infused resonance.

Also hailing from New York City are Rival Schools United By Fate, whose lineup includes former members of Quicksand. They'll be followed by Boston favorites Six Going on Seven and the Sheila Divine, who recently toured with Morrissey and will be returning from a one-week tour of Belgium for the show. Expect to hear tracks from New Parade as well as new material from their second CD (slated for February release) and their cover of Quiet Riot's "Mental Health," which they contributed to the Then Covered Now compilation. Having already played to a number of drinking-age-only crowds here, the Sheila Divine wanted to return to Worcester to play an all-ages show. Many of the bands on the Rockstock bill often play 21+ or, at best, 18+ clubs, which leaves many of their fans (and potential fans) with few opportunities to see them live.

Which is why the 22-year-old Galle, who regularly used to attend shows at the now-closed Space, started booking his friends' bands at local venues. His sometimes oversold shows attracted the attention of John Peters of Mass Concerts, who offered him an internship. The two have gone on to co-produce shows, including the recent Skate Fest 2000, which brought rockers and skaters to the Palladium for a day full of indie rock, punk, and hardcore on two stages -- complete with ramps for skating outside the facility.

What excites Galle most about this weekend's Rockstock is the fact that not only will the younger fans be able to see some of these bands for the first time, but that the younger bands, some who may soon find themselves wearing a "next big thing" tag, will have the chance to win over some new fans in a mixed-bag setting.

Rockstock kicks off at 2 p.m. on Sunday, November 5, at the Palladium, 261 Main Street, Worcester. Tickets are $10. Call (508) 767-9797.