There’s something about Cleveland hardcore, it sounds just like what you’d expect from a Rust Belt city that once set a river on fire. It’s abrasive, dark, confrontational, gruff, and oozing with frustration. That pretty much describes F*** You Pay Me, the Clevo band fronted by scene legend Tony Erba, formerly of Face Value, 9 Shocks Terror, and a few other bands. FYPM is fast and thrashy, sparing the blast beats but, thankfully, not the sarcasm. The band has a new record, “Dumbed Down,” coming out later this month on Tankcrimes, and the already-available title track is just as searing as the old stuff.
FYPM plays with Rotten UK, Stress, Cicada, American Terrorist, Downtown Spice, and Grain Assault on Sunday, March 5, at Photo City Improv, 543 Atlantic Avenue. 6 p.m. $6. facebook.com/photocityimprovcomedyclub; fuckyoupaymeclevo.bandcamp.com.
This article appears in Mar 1-7, 2017.
