[state of the union] Nightmare Boyzzz tonight @ Charlie's Kitchen + Tacocat Friday @ PAs + Friends go topless

Welcome to State of the Union, your weekly recap of 50 Bands, 50 States happenings, both locally and nationally.In this space every Monday we'll tell you what 50 States bands are in town, releasing new music, or just doing something noteworthy. 

- The awesome pop-punk of our Alabama pick, NIGHTMARE BOYZZZ, will be cruising through Charlie’s Kitchen in Harvard Square tonight. Our own Patrick McDermott described as them as being able to “channel the youthful, carefree energy of a never-ending backyard rager and transform it into some seriously catchy fuzz-pop.” If anything, it’ll be a dream come true over in Cambridge tonight. The show starts at 9 pm, costs $5, is 21-plus, and also features the musical stylings of psycho surf groups Guantanamo Baywatch and Surf’s Up Spicolli, as well as more pop punk from Nice Guys.

- We've gotten word that Washington pick/post-post-punk feminist heroes TACOCAT will be playing a “sweet house show” this Friday at some place around the city. a show that has been moved to PAs Lounge in Somerville, and Philly's Slutever (who garnered momentum in our Pennsylvania debute before bowing out to Catnaps) are also on the bill! Guess they had some issues with the proposed house show, so this makes the jump to a bar show in Union. In the meantime, peep their latest jam, "Psycho Death Cat."

- And finally, last week while playing a show at the Mohawk in Austin, New York selection FRIENDS stripped down and played a fucking righteous set while flirting with a bunch of awesome controversy. Check out the NSFW pictures over at Brooklyn Vegan while you read Liz Pelly's four-star review of their debut record, Manifest!.