End Fest '94 -- A Popular Alternative To Mainstream Alternative

Concert preview

`End Fest": House of Pain, James, MC 900 Ft. Jesus, Violent Femmes, Afghan Whigs, Sunny Day Real Estate, Dig, 700 Miles; 2 p.m. tomorrow, Kitsap County Fairgrounds, Bremerton; $20, 628-0888. -----------------------------------------------------------------

For those who find Lollapalooza too mainstream, local FM station The End (KNDD, 107.7) offers its own festival of lesser-known, up-and-coming alternative acts.

"End Fest" was created in 1992 to celebrate the station's first anniversary. But the birthday party has become a much-needed alternative to Perry Farrell's traveling monster because, instead of focusing on "youth culture" or trying to build some sort of community-in-a-day, it concentrates on music.

Audiences dug the previous two End Fests, with sold-out crowds to see such alternative heavyweights as Sonic Youth, Mudhoney, Catherine Wheel and Belly. This year should prove no different because the acts are even more diverse in sound and approach.

The James gang arrives

For many, England's James is their choice for best new artist of 1994. But the band has been around since 1983.

With the release of its latest album, "Laid," and the title track's popularity on the radio earlier this year, End Fest's only non-American entry has finally achieved success this side of the Atlantic.

With probably the best critic to have on your side in Britain in the form of Morrissey and one of the most energetic live shows in popular music, James became big in its homeland.

This year it enjoyed international success, with sold-out shows across America, including a March gig at the Moore. Lead singer Tim Booth's maniacal stage antics and trademark arm-flailing are a sight to see, and the other five musicians are as riveting, creating their own brand of fresh, jangly English pop.

Hot on the heels of its second release, "Same As It Ever Was," House of Pain, three hip-hopping hooligans who two years ago were asking us to jump around, are back, serving up funky Irish-style raps.

Formed by three classmates from Los Angeles' Taft High School four years ago, HOP made it big in 1992 with tours with the Beastie Boys and Cypress Hill, a side-stage spot on Lollapalooza and the mega-hit single, "Jump Around."

On a darker note

Reading through Afghan Whigs' lyric sheets makes you wonder whether singer-songwriter Greg Dulli shouldn't look into some heavy-duty counseling.

Song after song, he describes how the world has failed him, how his girlfriend has failed him (a biggie), and how he's decided to retaliate. Backing up these portrayals of hatred and angst is a hard-driving, guitar-based foundation that lurks with haunting romanticism or pounds its bloody fist into the back of your skull.

California quintet Dig appeared to come out of nowhere this spring when its video for "Believe" was on MTV constantly. Its self-titled debut album sways between melodic pop and bone-crunching metal, without embracing either. Named after its lead singer's dog, the band is young and cute and reportedly rocks hard live.

Another bunch of young rockers is Seattle's own Sunny Day Real Estate, which recently released its first album, "Diary," on Sub Pop. Led by 19-year-old lead singer Jeremy Enigk, the band seems on the verge of conquering the world. Its debut is an indie-rock masterpiece. It radiates the sort of energy given off by bands that feel as though they're going to accomplish something (can you say Nirvana?). But don't describe this band as grunge, because Sunny Day Real Estate has a guitar-heavy sound all its own.

Alternative rock mainstays Violent Femmes just released its seventh album, "New Times," and is on the road with a new drummer, Guy Hoffman, replacing Victor DeLorenzo. The band's self-titled 1982 debut album remains its most popular, so expect to hear classics from it such as "Blister in the Sun" and "Add It Up."

MC 900 Ft. Jesus (aka Mark Griffin) has been called everything from a rapper to a poet to a lunatic. But with the release of his new "One Step Ahead of the Spider" LP, he's emerging as more of a hip-hop storyteller. His funky, jazzy rhythms are the perfect soundtrack to demented stories of obsessive love, cynical couch potatoes and dead sailors.

New York City's 700 Miles has been around for two years and already gained the attention of fans, critics and fellow musicians. With a no-nonsense rocking sound, it gained fans the old-fashioned way - through extensive touring.