All Manner of Janglies: Shellshag

By Justin Bohmer
Contributing Writer

Shellshag is probably one of the funnest live bands in America right now.

They play minimalistic, sludgy, poppy punk that is catchy enough that you’re generally singing (and dancing) along by the end of a song, even if it’s the first listen.

Shellshag is two people, John “Shellhead” Driver and Jennifer Shagawat, and they’ve been a band, and a couple, for nearly 15 years now. Currently based in Brooklyn, they met in San Francisco in the mid 90s and began writing songs together shortly thereafter. “Rumors in Disguise,” their latest album, is out now on Don Giovanni Records, and is in fact a collection of songs written throughout those 15 years.

Shell plays guitar. Jen plays drums standing up, with all manner of janglies around her waist and ankles for additional racket. Each sings facing the other, into a homemade Y-shaped mic stand. Their sets consist of wild dancing, loud jams, awesome covers (Wipers? Johnny Thunders? AK77? You’ll see…), lots of singing along, general destruction, and drum/amp/human stacking. Jen and Shell will be your friends by the end of the night. You might as well come.

If you want a listen, find them online at http://www.myspace.com/shellshag or at their label’s website,http://www.starcleaner.com/revenge.htm. Or, for a glimpse of the blissful chaos that is Shellshag live, make a quick search on YouTube.

They’ll be here Wednesday, the 23rd of June, at the Fargo VFW basement, and will be playing in Minneapolis the next day at 7th Street Entry. The Fargo show will kick off about 9pm, cost three to five dollars, and feature locals The Guys, The Cass County Uglies, and 19XX.

This is pretty short, but every time I write any more it starts to sound like one of those stickers on CDs or something.

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If You Go

What: Shellshag, The Guys, Cass County Uglies, 19XX
Where: VFW Basement
When: Wed, June 23, 9pm
Info: 701.388.6003