This week we're turning the spotlight on another set of Shea veterans: NYC's own Big Ups. These boys play tunes tailor-made for mutliple orbits inside the pit. It's not all bombast though - whispers and low key grooves are given equal time to punctuate explosions that would make even the Cro-Mags blush. The band is tight and their live show is one of the best around. It's uniquely theatrical without feeling like an act, all thanks to frontman Joe Galarraga's grimacing, prowling, and pacing. Those flourishes make for a great accompaniment to their lyrics dealing with everyday neurosis. Big Ups plays the issues that plague modern life such as persecution, death, technology, complacency and sexual frustration with a raw emotional immediacy that great punk rock is all about. -LC