One of Kassie and my favorite bands, The Gabe Dixon Band, was on Jimmy Kimmel last Tuesday. It's awesome to such a small time band getting some momentum. We've like Gabe Dixon for quite awhile so check him out, i'm sure you'll like it!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Saturday, December 20, 2008
519 Christmas Music
We (519) are currently recording a new album, which will hopefully be ready pretty soon, and while working on that project we recorded a few Christmas songs. Currently we are giving away cds at Calvary Bible Church in Boulder with these songs and a message from Pastor Tom Shirk. You can listen to them here, and download them if ya (right-click save as). so here ya go:
O Come Emmanuel
Glory to God
Hope Has Come
Leave some feedback
O Come Emmanuel
Glory to God
Hope Has Come
Leave some feedback
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Guest Review: Death By Stereo by IsaacC
Thursday, December 11th
Death.By.Stereo.
Brian and I went to see this titan of Punk/Metal/Hardcore. Fresh off recording their latest album Death is my only Friend, this 4 piece band played to a small crowd at the Marquis Theater. I was pretty surprised that there weren't more people there. But the last time Bmer and I saw them at the Bluebird Theater about 3 years ago, the crowd was pretty small too. It actually seemed like some people left after Crooked Ways, a local hardcore favorite, finished their set second in the lineup. Brian and I agree, we don't like Crooked Ways. They lack any sort of standout sound. Its kinda like listening to a mashup of Shutdown, Minor Threat and maybe First Blood? They have a heavy sound, reasonably solid vocals and good stage presence. But when you throw it together, the sum is less than the parts. Hard to explain. I hope they don't read this and kick Bmer's ass at the next show.
After the openers played their stuff, Death By Stereo took the stage after a rousing introduction by Maris The Great. They opened with some of their older stuff off of If Looks Could Kill I'd Watch You Die, to kick off the night. There are so many things I like about this band, starting with the fact that they were on stage ripping within about 10 minutes of the previous band finishing. No messing around with long mic checks, perfect monitor placement, big egos or any of that. There were maybe 75 people in the club, and only half of those up front, and lead singer Efrem Shulz makes sure that he makes everyone part of the show. I think I saw him kiss a couple of the chicks, and maybe one of the guys too. Anyone who wants it gets the mic in their face or a bro-hug in the middle of the song. A couple of times he made the rounds in the pit as far as his mic cord would allow.
This band goes nuts on stage but they manage to keep their sound really tight, including awesome crowd pleasing guitar solos. Lead guitar player Dan Palmer brings with him an incredible metal background and an awesome talent for solos. He puts the guitar right in your face and rocks like an 80's hair band. Jeff Clark on Bass is solid and gets into the act with the fans like a pro. By the end of the show, I think the guy had consumed his weight in beer and he was sort of bobbing and weaving at his post. Drummer Chris Daley was…..well he is the drummer, there's not much to say except he drummed well…..
They played quite a bit of older stuff, as they have been without a new album for the last 3 years. They did play a couple of new songs, including the title track from their forthcoming album. Wasted Words was the last song of the night, and I had no voice after that song due to screaming my freakin guts out. It was a rad show, and at $10, a bargain as well. I hope they don't make us wait another 3 years before they come back. Maybe Bmer can add a setlist to this post, as I have already forgotten what they played
Death.By.Stereo.
Brian and I went to see this titan of Punk/Metal/Hardcore. Fresh off recording their latest album Death is my only Friend, this 4 piece band played to a small crowd at the Marquis Theater. I was pretty surprised that there weren't more people there. But the last time Bmer and I saw them at the Bluebird Theater about 3 years ago, the crowd was pretty small too. It actually seemed like some people left after Crooked Ways, a local hardcore favorite, finished their set second in the lineup. Brian and I agree, we don't like Crooked Ways. They lack any sort of standout sound. Its kinda like listening to a mashup of Shutdown, Minor Threat and maybe First Blood? They have a heavy sound, reasonably solid vocals and good stage presence. But when you throw it together, the sum is less than the parts. Hard to explain. I hope they don't read this and kick Bmer's ass at the next show.
After the openers played their stuff, Death By Stereo took the stage after a rousing introduction by Maris The Great. They opened with some of their older stuff off of If Looks Could Kill I'd Watch You Die, to kick off the night. There are so many things I like about this band, starting with the fact that they were on stage ripping within about 10 minutes of the previous band finishing. No messing around with long mic checks, perfect monitor placement, big egos or any of that. There were maybe 75 people in the club, and only half of those up front, and lead singer Efrem Shulz makes sure that he makes everyone part of the show. I think I saw him kiss a couple of the chicks, and maybe one of the guys too. Anyone who wants it gets the mic in their face or a bro-hug in the middle of the song. A couple of times he made the rounds in the pit as far as his mic cord would allow.
This band goes nuts on stage but they manage to keep their sound really tight, including awesome crowd pleasing guitar solos. Lead guitar player Dan Palmer brings with him an incredible metal background and an awesome talent for solos. He puts the guitar right in your face and rocks like an 80's hair band. Jeff Clark on Bass is solid and gets into the act with the fans like a pro. By the end of the show, I think the guy had consumed his weight in beer and he was sort of bobbing and weaving at his post. Drummer Chris Daley was…..well he is the drummer, there's not much to say except he drummed well…..
They played quite a bit of older stuff, as they have been without a new album for the last 3 years. They did play a couple of new songs, including the title track from their forthcoming album. Wasted Words was the last song of the night, and I had no voice after that song due to screaming my freakin guts out. It was a rad show, and at $10, a bargain as well. I hope they don't make us wait another 3 years before they come back. Maybe Bmer can add a setlist to this post, as I have already forgotten what they played
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Show Recap: Death By Stereo @ Marquis
Isaac and I went down to the Marquis to catch punk rockers Death By Stereo the other night, us and about 50 other people total. Death By Stereo has never really had a big following, at least nowhere else except their home of SoCal, and every time we see them in Denver there's never a big turnout. This night was the same, especially since the show was only announced a few weeks ago, and there wasn't anything but local bands on the tickets (Killings Kings, Crooked Ways, and Boldtype).
i don't want to spend too much time on the local bands, but they weren't impressive. Crooked Ways seems to have an identity crisis and can't tell what kind of punk band they want to be. not to mention they really have no talent on guitar which makes the music way too predictable and boring. Boldtype is sort of like your non-serious punkers like NOFX, Blink-182 or the Vandals. I don't like those bands, and i don't like Boldtype.
Death By Stereo on the other hand is amazing! I don't know why people don't get into these guys, they're just amazing musicians and very energetic. They have a punk sound, with a big dash of metal thrown in thanks to the finger-tapping of the guitarist. even finger-tapping while having a High Life poured down his throat by lead singer Efrem. impressive.
Anyway, Efrem is one of the best frontmen i've ever seen. not only are his vocals pretty good, he is quite a showman, always running around and making ridiculous faces. He is great at passing the mic, thankfully, and that gave Isaac and I a chance to share our amazing vocals with everyone. He runs around in the pit, mic chord and all, making people have to duck to keep from being decapitated. And he's always pointing at people and making eye contact, which i thought he was only doing with his friends until he gave me the wink the the gun!
They played all of the usual songs and two news, they're currently finished recording in Fort Collins. They also playing Emo Holocaust and mentioned that they had re-recorded the song for the new album. Maris the Great was also on hand, and his introduction was hilarious. the last time DBS played Denver was about 3 years ago, and Maris was understandably upset that they hadn't been back sooner. He announced that he was planning on "killing" DBS the next night before their Colorado Springs show, and that we were the last audience to see them alive. If you don't Maris, he's an old punk rocker, dressed in crazy garb, and he interviews bands before killing them. i don't really know what else to say about that.
Anyway DBS played a longer set than usual, it felt like they played for an hour, but i think that had to do with the fact that 2 separate fights broke out. This is what i love about the punk/hardcore scene, and what most people don't know or understand. While these shows can get pretty crazy, and there are bodies running into each other and people sometimes getting hurt, its almost never with intent and never encouraged, by the band or the fans. As soon as the first fight broke out (i'm assuming the combination of PBR Tall Boys and more room than usual due to a small turnout) Efrem stopped the band immediately and called for the fight to stop. he stated that if you wanted to fight you had to fight JJ the bassist for the band. He made the point that we needed to be united and together we needed to fight "them". After his little speech the band busted right back into the song as if they simply pressed pause.
Probably like 1.5 songs later another little fight broke out a little to the side of the room and Efrem stopped the band again. He asked everyone what the deal was, and stated that they just wanted to have some fun and that there was no reason to be fighting. This is a common view by most punk bands and a lot of hardcore bands. While the music encourages people to run around and go crazy, it doesn't encourage fighting or punching people. if you don't want to be bumped or kicked, you need to move further away from the stage, and if you're looking to throw punches to purposely hurt people, well, you're going to have to answer to the bands, or a lot of the band's friends. If you want to hurt people go to a Slipknot concert, get drunk and high, and get your jock-mosh on.
Anyway, DBS was great. They finished their set and left the stage. Thankfully they didn't play an encore because they are lame these days. Instead the next thing i know Efrem has his arm around me and Isaac and is talking to everyone still left in the pit. We talked to him about their upcoming show with Suicidal Tendencies and why they hadn't played Denver in such a long time. It was pretty cool to get to talk to the band so easily, another great aspect of punk rock and small venues.
I'm sure Death By Stereo will be back in Denver really soon since they'll have a new record out pretty soon and i'm sure they'll tour it for the rest of the year. Here's a song off their live record Death Alive:
Death Alive
Set List (in no particular order):
The Plague
No Cuts, No Buts, No Coconuts
Beyond the Blinders
Looking Out For #1
Forget Regret
This Curse of Days
Sing Along With the Patriotic Punks
Shh, it'll Be Our Little Secret
Let Down and Alone
Emo Holocaust
I Give My Life
Holding $60 on a Burning Bridge
Wasted Words (last song)
2 New songs that i don't know the names of
i don't want to spend too much time on the local bands, but they weren't impressive. Crooked Ways seems to have an identity crisis and can't tell what kind of punk band they want to be. not to mention they really have no talent on guitar which makes the music way too predictable and boring. Boldtype is sort of like your non-serious punkers like NOFX, Blink-182 or the Vandals. I don't like those bands, and i don't like Boldtype.
Death By Stereo on the other hand is amazing! I don't know why people don't get into these guys, they're just amazing musicians and very energetic. They have a punk sound, with a big dash of metal thrown in thanks to the finger-tapping of the guitarist. even finger-tapping while having a High Life poured down his throat by lead singer Efrem. impressive.
Anyway, Efrem is one of the best frontmen i've ever seen. not only are his vocals pretty good, he is quite a showman, always running around and making ridiculous faces. He is great at passing the mic, thankfully, and that gave Isaac and I a chance to share our amazing vocals with everyone. He runs around in the pit, mic chord and all, making people have to duck to keep from being decapitated. And he's always pointing at people and making eye contact, which i thought he was only doing with his friends until he gave me the wink the the gun!
They played all of the usual songs and two news, they're currently finished recording in Fort Collins. They also playing Emo Holocaust and mentioned that they had re-recorded the song for the new album. Maris the Great was also on hand, and his introduction was hilarious. the last time DBS played Denver was about 3 years ago, and Maris was understandably upset that they hadn't been back sooner. He announced that he was planning on "killing" DBS the next night before their Colorado Springs show, and that we were the last audience to see them alive. If you don't Maris, he's an old punk rocker, dressed in crazy garb, and he interviews bands before killing them. i don't really know what else to say about that.
Anyway DBS played a longer set than usual, it felt like they played for an hour, but i think that had to do with the fact that 2 separate fights broke out. This is what i love about the punk/hardcore scene, and what most people don't know or understand. While these shows can get pretty crazy, and there are bodies running into each other and people sometimes getting hurt, its almost never with intent and never encouraged, by the band or the fans. As soon as the first fight broke out (i'm assuming the combination of PBR Tall Boys and more room than usual due to a small turnout) Efrem stopped the band immediately and called for the fight to stop. he stated that if you wanted to fight you had to fight JJ the bassist for the band. He made the point that we needed to be united and together we needed to fight "them". After his little speech the band busted right back into the song as if they simply pressed pause.
Probably like 1.5 songs later another little fight broke out a little to the side of the room and Efrem stopped the band again. He asked everyone what the deal was, and stated that they just wanted to have some fun and that there was no reason to be fighting. This is a common view by most punk bands and a lot of hardcore bands. While the music encourages people to run around and go crazy, it doesn't encourage fighting or punching people. if you don't want to be bumped or kicked, you need to move further away from the stage, and if you're looking to throw punches to purposely hurt people, well, you're going to have to answer to the bands, or a lot of the band's friends. If you want to hurt people go to a Slipknot concert, get drunk and high, and get your jock-mosh on.Anyway, DBS was great. They finished their set and left the stage. Thankfully they didn't play an encore because they are lame these days. Instead the next thing i know Efrem has his arm around me and Isaac and is talking to everyone still left in the pit. We talked to him about their upcoming show with Suicidal Tendencies and why they hadn't played Denver in such a long time. It was pretty cool to get to talk to the band so easily, another great aspect of punk rock and small venues.
I'm sure Death By Stereo will be back in Denver really soon since they'll have a new record out pretty soon and i'm sure they'll tour it for the rest of the year. Here's a song off their live record Death Alive:
Death Alive
Set List (in no particular order):
The Plague
No Cuts, No Buts, No Coconuts
Beyond the Blinders
Looking Out For #1
Forget Regret
This Curse of Days
Sing Along With the Patriotic Punks
Shh, it'll Be Our Little Secret
Let Down and Alone
Emo Holocaust
I Give My Life
Holding $60 on a Burning Bridge
Wasted Words (last song)
2 New songs that i don't know the names of
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Best of 2008
I did this last year, and it was a pretty fun little project, going back through the albums of the year and reviewing/rating them. This year was tough since there were quite a few new albums, and no one album really blew the rest away. I'd love to get some feedback on what others thought were some of the top albums
Best Albums - Top 10
1. Anberlin - New Surrender: The first 6 tracks on this album are amazing, I still don't understand re-recording Feel Good Drag but it's a pretty good song. Anberlin continues to impress and each album gets better and better!
2. Haste the Day - Dreamer: Haste the Day are quickly becoming my favorite band. The songs on this album keep getting better everytime i listen to them. Songs i really like are Sons of a Fallen Nation, 68, and Madmen.
3. Gabe Dixon - Gabe Dixon: Gabe Dixon finally gets to release an album 4 years after signing to a major. Kassie and I have listened to this album so many times since it was released and it never gets old. Songs: Till Youre Gone, Far From Home, and Ever After You.
4. Destroy the Runner - I, Lucifer: Another band who changed lead singers, this is much different than their first release, Saints, and i like the change.
5. Our Last Night - The Ghosts Among Us: I wasn't sure about this album at first, but throughout the year i realized that i was grabbing more and more tracks from it. These guys signed to Epitaph to release this album, and the lead singer is only like 15. It's a pretty nice blend of punk/metalcore.
6. Dave Barnes - Me + You + World: Dave Barnes has a nice blend of simple songs, with a little dance beat thrown in. The opener is undeniable, and the re-recordings of Until You and On A Night Like This are not needed, but don't take away from the album either.
7. Killing the Dream - Fractures: I've been waiting for KTD to release a follow-up to In Place, Apart, and we finally got it. This album is brutal, unrelenting, and very honest.
8. Pennywise - Reason to Believe: I'm very surprised by Pennywise, just when everyone had given up on them, including their label Epitaph, they release their best album since Full Circle. Another plus? They released this on Myspace Records and allowed fans to download it for free for the first 2 weeks!
9. Leeland - Opposite Way: I wish more people would get into Leeland, everything they do is solid, with great lyrics and a solid rock/worship sound.
10. theAudition - Champion: This album is another album that i don't think many people will like, but i love it. these guys are like a cool version of Fall Out Boy, especially without the drama. This album is great all the way through, ever song is fun to sing.
11. Third Day - Revelation: yet another solid from a band that just doesn't stop
12. She & Him - Volume 1: my "indie" favorite of the year. i liked this album as soon as i heard it, but i knew that others wouldn't. Its a fun listen with a feel/sound from 50's pop.
13. Chris Tomlin - Hello Love: good release from Tomlin, i don't know what else to say
14. Charlie Hall - The Bright Saddness: If you're looking to listen to something new after years of Third Day/Crowder and other big worship bands, you've probably already been singing Charlie Hall songs in church. This album is fresh, and a little bit unorthodoxed in its sound.
Other Notable Albums:
Millencolin - Machine 15
War of Ages - Arise & Conquer
A Skylit Drive - Wires and the Concept of Breathing
Bebo Norman - Bebo Norman
Coldplay - Viva la Vida
Family Force 5 - Dance or Die
Have Hearth - Songs to Scream at the Moon
Jay Nash - The Things You Think You Need
Lincoln Brewster - Today is the Day
Means - To Keep Me From Sinking
Rise Against - Appeal to Reason
This Is Hell - Misfortunes
Marc Broussard - Keep Coming Back
Trace Bundy - Missile Bell
Verse - Aggression
underOATH - Lost in the Sound of Seperation
Best Shows - Top 3
1. Killing the Dream @ the Underground
2. Comeback Kid/Crime in Stereo @ Marquis Theater
3. Gabe Dixon/Jay Nash @ Bluebird
Best Albums - Top 10
1. Anberlin - New Surrender: The first 6 tracks on this album are amazing, I still don't understand re-recording Feel Good Drag but it's a pretty good song. Anberlin continues to impress and each album gets better and better!
2. Haste the Day - Dreamer: Haste the Day are quickly becoming my favorite band. The songs on this album keep getting better everytime i listen to them. Songs i really like are Sons of a Fallen Nation, 68, and Madmen.
3. Gabe Dixon - Gabe Dixon: Gabe Dixon finally gets to release an album 4 years after signing to a major. Kassie and I have listened to this album so many times since it was released and it never gets old. Songs: Till Youre Gone, Far From Home, and Ever After You.
4. Destroy the Runner - I, Lucifer: Another band who changed lead singers, this is much different than their first release, Saints, and i like the change.
5. Our Last Night - The Ghosts Among Us: I wasn't sure about this album at first, but throughout the year i realized that i was grabbing more and more tracks from it. These guys signed to Epitaph to release this album, and the lead singer is only like 15. It's a pretty nice blend of punk/metalcore.
6. Dave Barnes - Me + You + World: Dave Barnes has a nice blend of simple songs, with a little dance beat thrown in. The opener is undeniable, and the re-recordings of Until You and On A Night Like This are not needed, but don't take away from the album either.
7. Killing the Dream - Fractures: I've been waiting for KTD to release a follow-up to In Place, Apart, and we finally got it. This album is brutal, unrelenting, and very honest.
8. Pennywise - Reason to Believe: I'm very surprised by Pennywise, just when everyone had given up on them, including their label Epitaph, they release their best album since Full Circle. Another plus? They released this on Myspace Records and allowed fans to download it for free for the first 2 weeks!
9. Leeland - Opposite Way: I wish more people would get into Leeland, everything they do is solid, with great lyrics and a solid rock/worship sound.
10. theAudition - Champion: This album is another album that i don't think many people will like, but i love it. these guys are like a cool version of Fall Out Boy, especially without the drama. This album is great all the way through, ever song is fun to sing.
11. Third Day - Revelation: yet another solid from a band that just doesn't stop
12. She & Him - Volume 1: my "indie" favorite of the year. i liked this album as soon as i heard it, but i knew that others wouldn't. Its a fun listen with a feel/sound from 50's pop.
13. Chris Tomlin - Hello Love: good release from Tomlin, i don't know what else to say
14. Charlie Hall - The Bright Saddness: If you're looking to listen to something new after years of Third Day/Crowder and other big worship bands, you've probably already been singing Charlie Hall songs in church. This album is fresh, and a little bit unorthodoxed in its sound.
Other Notable Albums:
Millencolin - Machine 15
War of Ages - Arise & Conquer
A Skylit Drive - Wires and the Concept of Breathing
Bebo Norman - Bebo Norman
Coldplay - Viva la Vida
Family Force 5 - Dance or Die
Have Hearth - Songs to Scream at the Moon
Jay Nash - The Things You Think You Need
Lincoln Brewster - Today is the Day
Means - To Keep Me From Sinking
Rise Against - Appeal to Reason
This Is Hell - Misfortunes
Marc Broussard - Keep Coming Back
Trace Bundy - Missile Bell
Verse - Aggression
underOATH - Lost in the Sound of Seperation
Best Shows - Top 3
1. Killing the Dream @ the Underground
2. Comeback Kid/Crime in Stereo @ Marquis Theater
3. Gabe Dixon/Jay Nash @ Bluebird
Friday, November 21, 2008
Show Recap: H2O/Bane @ Cervantes
Melodic hardcore legends H2O came through Denver last Tuesday on what some would call a reunion tour. For those of you wondering if i'm referring to the very popular punk bands from back in 90's, yes, its the same band, they disappeared for like 10 years and have decided to get back together for another go!
Earlier this year, H2O released their first record since their flop Go! back in 1999. The new record, Nothing to Prove, is somewhat of a disappointment, full of songs that basically contradict themselves by trying to be open-minded while judging todays punk rock scene as fakes. Although the music is good, and the record is full of big-name supporters from Sick of it All, Madball, and Alkaline Trio, the message is tired and Toby comes off as a little old/cynical.
Well, they decided to tour the album and prove that yes, Toby is in fact old and cynical.
I was so excited about this show, unfortunately fellow punk-rocker Isaac was out of town for the show so i dragged Tahoe along (he's not the biggest fan of east-coast, tough guy hardcore/punk). I wanted to get there early to catch Energy, a band that has been around for awhile in the Boston scene, but only recently signed to a "big" label; Revelation Records. Even though their full album release earlier this year, Invasions of the Mind, was pretty weak, i had read that they put on a good show. I have to so i was not impressed. These guys really don't fit into the punk scene and i get the feeling they're really trying hard to be something they aren't. They played a set that was probably 3 songs too long considering no one really knows who they are, and they covered Halloween by the Misfits, which has already been covered and recorded by AFI. I thought it was poor. They didn't have much energy and the lead singer was pretty lame, his hair was annoying-ly clean and shiny, and their songs lacked any real talent or originality.
The next bands, Cruel Hand and Bane, were alright. You could tell that both bands have been touring for years and knew how to get a crowd riled up. Cruel Hand was a little too hardcore for me, and Bane was a little better. I've never totally gotten into Bane but i have to admit they put on a pretty intense show. The place went nuts!
Finally the band i had been waiting to see again since high school. H20 came out and instantly i noticed that these dudes were old! Rusty, the lead guitarist and backup singer, has very grey hair and looks too be in his 50's. This must be how our parents feel when they see Mick Jagger or Bruce Springsteen or something. I was a little cautious at first but after the first songs, Toby proved that they still had the energy and passion.
After a few songs including Nothing to Prove, Family Tree and Everready, H2o had the entire place dancing (all 100 or so people). This was a nice change since for the first time in a few years we weren't the oldest people in the crowd, in fact, there weren't many young kids at all, just a bunch of 25+ year old punk rockers who were trying to act like they still could hang in the pit.
Everything was going well until H2o decided to play a song off of GO!, i don't know which song it was since i can't stand that album, and apparently some dudes in the pit also couldn't stand it and they decided to start punching each other. Toby saw this and stopped the song. He started to call out the rowdy punkers, asking the guys how they could fight during "h2o's poppiest song that has nothing to do with fighting" I didn't think this was a big deal since i've seen quite a few bands who will stop shows if a fight breaks out, but apparently Toby was showing his age.
After the scuffle the band went into I See It In Us and Thicker Than Water, and then Toby got upset again. This time apparently a drunk dude in the front row was grabbing and punching Toby in the leg. After the song Toby basically put the dude in his place by calling him out and telling him "you don't have to punch me in the leg when you're excited". i think Toby was trying to be funny, but it came off as grouchy, and proved that Toby continues to think he's better than everyone. I was a little put off but his attitude, and after this incident he seemed to skip a few songs, apparently he was done with Denver.
They played the rest of their set which included Still Here, Faster Than The World, One Life One Chance, 1995, 5Yr Plan, Guilty By Association, and What Happened. These songs are so awesome live, especially with the fun intros that H2o has been known to do. They started 5Yr Plan with a Black Sabbath song, and after the song, Rusty did his best Sting impression. After the Sting bit, Toby made sure that we were all keeping our minds open to other music besides hardcore like "U2 and Coldplay. even hip hop". Thanks for the advice Toby.
Another issue with the show, or more the fans, is the song Still Here which is basically a straight-edge song talking about H2o is "straight edge before you were born". This had quite a lot of support from the crowd, which is ironic since almost everyone there was either drinking a beer or smoking a cigarette outside. Straight-edge is a trend/fad to most kids and i find it a little annoying, basically because most of the kids are lying. I was straight-edge for about 3 weeks in high school and i don't act like i'm straight-edge when SE bands come to town.
Besides all of this, the show was amazing. H2O has great sing-along songs and Toby always passes the mic (take note bands). Any guests parts on their albums were sung by the lead singer for Cruel Hand which was awesome. The lead singer for Energy sang the bridge for the Alkaline Trio part on What Happened and once again proved to me that he wasn't really punk rock. They ended the show with What Happened and promptly left the stage. After about 5 minutes of chanting H-2-O the lights came on and it was over. no encore. I think Toby was just pissed and didn't want to be in Denver anymore.
I've seen H2o live quite a few times, and this show was just as good as any, the small crowd was very supportive and was in good voice. there were crowd-surfers and stage-divers even though there wasn't really enough people to support any of these activities. All in all it was one of the better shows i went to this year, especially since H2o has such a good selection of songs. They said that they would be back again soon, somehow i doubt it, but if they do it'll be another good time.
Earlier this year, H2O released their first record since their flop Go! back in 1999. The new record, Nothing to Prove, is somewhat of a disappointment, full of songs that basically contradict themselves by trying to be open-minded while judging todays punk rock scene as fakes. Although the music is good, and the record is full of big-name supporters from Sick of it All, Madball, and Alkaline Trio, the message is tired and Toby comes off as a little old/cynical.
Well, they decided to tour the album and prove that yes, Toby is in fact old and cynical.
I was so excited about this show, unfortunately fellow punk-rocker Isaac was out of town for the show so i dragged Tahoe along (he's not the biggest fan of east-coast, tough guy hardcore/punk). I wanted to get there early to catch Energy, a band that has been around for awhile in the Boston scene, but only recently signed to a "big" label; Revelation Records. Even though their full album release earlier this year, Invasions of the Mind, was pretty weak, i had read that they put on a good show. I have to so i was not impressed. These guys really don't fit into the punk scene and i get the feeling they're really trying hard to be something they aren't. They played a set that was probably 3 songs too long considering no one really knows who they are, and they covered Halloween by the Misfits, which has already been covered and recorded by AFI. I thought it was poor. They didn't have much energy and the lead singer was pretty lame, his hair was annoying-ly clean and shiny, and their songs lacked any real talent or originality.
The next bands, Cruel Hand and Bane, were alright. You could tell that both bands have been touring for years and knew how to get a crowd riled up. Cruel Hand was a little too hardcore for me, and Bane was a little better. I've never totally gotten into Bane but i have to admit they put on a pretty intense show. The place went nuts!
Finally the band i had been waiting to see again since high school. H20 came out and instantly i noticed that these dudes were old! Rusty, the lead guitarist and backup singer, has very grey hair and looks too be in his 50's. This must be how our parents feel when they see Mick Jagger or Bruce Springsteen or something. I was a little cautious at first but after the first songs, Toby proved that they still had the energy and passion.
After a few songs including Nothing to Prove, Family Tree and Everready, H2o had the entire place dancing (all 100 or so people). This was a nice change since for the first time in a few years we weren't the oldest people in the crowd, in fact, there weren't many young kids at all, just a bunch of 25+ year old punk rockers who were trying to act like they still could hang in the pit.
Everything was going well until H2o decided to play a song off of GO!, i don't know which song it was since i can't stand that album, and apparently some dudes in the pit also couldn't stand it and they decided to start punching each other. Toby saw this and stopped the song. He started to call out the rowdy punkers, asking the guys how they could fight during "h2o's poppiest song that has nothing to do with fighting" I didn't think this was a big deal since i've seen quite a few bands who will stop shows if a fight breaks out, but apparently Toby was showing his age.
After the scuffle the band went into I See It In Us and Thicker Than Water, and then Toby got upset again. This time apparently a drunk dude in the front row was grabbing and punching Toby in the leg. After the song Toby basically put the dude in his place by calling him out and telling him "you don't have to punch me in the leg when you're excited". i think Toby was trying to be funny, but it came off as grouchy, and proved that Toby continues to think he's better than everyone. I was a little put off but his attitude, and after this incident he seemed to skip a few songs, apparently he was done with Denver.
They played the rest of their set which included Still Here, Faster Than The World, One Life One Chance, 1995, 5Yr Plan, Guilty By Association, and What Happened. These songs are so awesome live, especially with the fun intros that H2o has been known to do. They started 5Yr Plan with a Black Sabbath song, and after the song, Rusty did his best Sting impression. After the Sting bit, Toby made sure that we were all keeping our minds open to other music besides hardcore like "U2 and Coldplay. even hip hop". Thanks for the advice Toby.
Another issue with the show, or more the fans, is the song Still Here which is basically a straight-edge song talking about H2o is "straight edge before you were born". This had quite a lot of support from the crowd, which is ironic since almost everyone there was either drinking a beer or smoking a cigarette outside. Straight-edge is a trend/fad to most kids and i find it a little annoying, basically because most of the kids are lying. I was straight-edge for about 3 weeks in high school and i don't act like i'm straight-edge when SE bands come to town.
Besides all of this, the show was amazing. H2O has great sing-along songs and Toby always passes the mic (take note bands). Any guests parts on their albums were sung by the lead singer for Cruel Hand which was awesome. The lead singer for Energy sang the bridge for the Alkaline Trio part on What Happened and once again proved to me that he wasn't really punk rock. They ended the show with What Happened and promptly left the stage. After about 5 minutes of chanting H-2-O the lights came on and it was over. no encore. I think Toby was just pissed and didn't want to be in Denver anymore.
I've seen H2o live quite a few times, and this show was just as good as any, the small crowd was very supportive and was in good voice. there were crowd-surfers and stage-divers even though there wasn't really enough people to support any of these activities. All in all it was one of the better shows i went to this year, especially since H2o has such a good selection of songs. They said that they would be back again soon, somehow i doubt it, but if they do it'll be another good time.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Show Recap: Norma Jean / Haste the Day / Showdown / Oh Sleeper
Well, i got to check out a metal show while on vacation in Minnesota with my boy Alan. This was quite a lineup, Haste the Day and Norma Jean, two heavyweights of the Christian metalcore scene along with Oh Sleeper, theShowdown and My Children My Bride. It was an incredible night, all of the bands played really well, and the venue, Station 4 in St Paul, was great.
We arrived just in time to catch Oh Sleeper's short 5 song set, but it was amazing. These guys are so good, i'm surprised they don't have more of a following. Anyway they totally rocked and the crowd was really into them, it was the first thing i noticed about the Minnesota scene, everyone was packed in front of the stage and rocking out even for the opening band, it was pretty cool. Oh Sleeper opened with Charlatan's Host, followed by Building the Nations and then We Are The Archers. They played We Will Welcome the Reaping and then closed with Vices Like Vipers which everyone in the crowd seemed to know. I wish they would have played Siren's Song, but maybe next time.
Next up was My Children My Bride, i'm not really impressed by them so Alan and I headed over to Quizno's for some food, i don't think we missed much.
Next up was the Showdown. These guys were awesome, i've been listening to them for awhile and i haven't figured out if i actually like the music, or if i just like the novelty of an 80's metal christian band. They have an old-school sound, guitar solo's and heavy vocals, and the singer looks like he hasn't left the basement since 1987. They all have super-long hair which was used for synchronized head-banging and dryer-cycle hair swinging. The lead singer donned a tank top and said things like "This is for all you thrashers out there" and "keep it real, keep it rude. Heavy metal is for life". They were very impressive musically, especially for only having one guitarist, and they had everyone in the place rocking out and doing a motion that could be described as "tickling a baby"; basically put your hands out in front of you and make the motion like you're tickling a baby, now raise those fingers high in the air and now you're summoning the guitar soloing gods.
Speaking of guitars, the guitarist had a V-shaped guitar that had a Confederate flag on it, it was hilarious. Basically just think of every bad stereotype you think of then you think of 80's metal and these guys were it, and it rocked. The songs i recognized were Backbreaker, The Hammer of the Gods, and I Am Vengeance.
After that it was Haste the Day. I've seen these guys 3 times now and each time something is up with the sound/volume. The overall sound was at least 25% less than the Showdown. It was so quiet in fact that i ventured to the front of stage, where it was still quiet. Nonetheless it was still a great set, i just wish it was loud enough to sing/scream along. They played most of the usual songs, with 68 and Mad Man from the new album. They played White Collar, Pressure the Hinges, Minor Prophets, Walk On, Blue 42, American Love and finally, When Everything Falls. The crowd response was great, especially on the sing-alongs parts of American Love and When Everything Falls.
Last up was the "almighty" Norma Jean. I don't really listen to these guys much, so i was open to being convinced of their "almighty" title. They delivered! They came out on the stage to some movie clip, all the lights were off , and you could just feel the energy in the room. I would describe their live show as sensory overload, lights on the stage were flashing the whole time and the volume was easily the loudest thing i've ever heard, ever. It was so loud in fact, that i moved from the main floor to the bar, i was starting to get sick from the volume. From the bar though i could really hear the music and actually get a feel for Norma Jean since i didn't know their songs. They were awesome, 2-3 guitars, broken bass pedals, guest vocals from My Children My Bride and Haste the Day, a kid with a walker in the most-pit, and best of all, they got the plug pulled on them! The lead singer climbed the speaker-stack during the encore, Memphis Laid to Waste, and the security guys turned the power off. It was awesome, the drummer kept playing but you couldn't hear anything else.
Alan, a big fan of Norma Jean, said the show was pretty good, nothing amazing though. He said they played quite a few songs from the newest album, the Anti-mother, and listed off their set including Shotgun Message, Robots 3 Humans 0, Blueprints For Future Homes, Songs Sound Much Sadder, Birth of the Anti-Mother and quite a few others. I have been listening to these guys a lot more since the show, i'm converted!
Anyway, this was a great night, the venue Station 4 was awesome, very intimate and very loud. The crowd was great, summoning the guitar gods and climbing the walls and going crazy. All of the bands played very well, and the show, which started at 530p was over by by 945p which is very early by my standards, but since Alan got lost on the way home we needed the extra time!
here's a playlist of each of the bands that played, and their best song live so check them out:
We arrived just in time to catch Oh Sleeper's short 5 song set, but it was amazing. These guys are so good, i'm surprised they don't have more of a following. Anyway they totally rocked and the crowd was really into them, it was the first thing i noticed about the Minnesota scene, everyone was packed in front of the stage and rocking out even for the opening band, it was pretty cool. Oh Sleeper opened with Charlatan's Host, followed by Building the Nations and then We Are The Archers. They played We Will Welcome the Reaping and then closed with Vices Like Vipers which everyone in the crowd seemed to know. I wish they would have played Siren's Song, but maybe next time.
Next up was My Children My Bride, i'm not really impressed by them so Alan and I headed over to Quizno's for some food, i don't think we missed much.
Next up was the Showdown. These guys were awesome, i've been listening to them for awhile and i haven't figured out if i actually like the music, or if i just like the novelty of an 80's metal christian band. They have an old-school sound, guitar solo's and heavy vocals, and the singer looks like he hasn't left the basement since 1987. They all have super-long hair which was used for synchronized head-banging and dryer-cycle hair swinging. The lead singer donned a tank top and said things like "This is for all you thrashers out there" and "keep it real, keep it rude. Heavy metal is for life". They were very impressive musically, especially for only having one guitarist, and they had everyone in the place rocking out and doing a motion that could be described as "tickling a baby"; basically put your hands out in front of you and make the motion like you're tickling a baby, now raise those fingers high in the air and now you're summoning the guitar soloing gods.
Speaking of guitars, the guitarist had a V-shaped guitar that had a Confederate flag on it, it was hilarious. Basically just think of every bad stereotype you think of then you think of 80's metal and these guys were it, and it rocked. The songs i recognized were Backbreaker, The Hammer of the Gods, and I Am Vengeance.
After that it was Haste the Day. I've seen these guys 3 times now and each time something is up with the sound/volume. The overall sound was at least 25% less than the Showdown. It was so quiet in fact that i ventured to the front of stage, where it was still quiet. Nonetheless it was still a great set, i just wish it was loud enough to sing/scream along. They played most of the usual songs, with 68 and Mad Man from the new album. They played White Collar, Pressure the Hinges, Minor Prophets, Walk On, Blue 42, American Love and finally, When Everything Falls. The crowd response was great, especially on the sing-alongs parts of American Love and When Everything Falls.
Last up was the "almighty" Norma Jean. I don't really listen to these guys much, so i was open to being convinced of their "almighty" title. They delivered! They came out on the stage to some movie clip, all the lights were off , and you could just feel the energy in the room. I would describe their live show as sensory overload, lights on the stage were flashing the whole time and the volume was easily the loudest thing i've ever heard, ever. It was so loud in fact, that i moved from the main floor to the bar, i was starting to get sick from the volume. From the bar though i could really hear the music and actually get a feel for Norma Jean since i didn't know their songs. They were awesome, 2-3 guitars, broken bass pedals, guest vocals from My Children My Bride and Haste the Day, a kid with a walker in the most-pit, and best of all, they got the plug pulled on them! The lead singer climbed the speaker-stack during the encore, Memphis Laid to Waste, and the security guys turned the power off. It was awesome, the drummer kept playing but you couldn't hear anything else.
Alan, a big fan of Norma Jean, said the show was pretty good, nothing amazing though. He said they played quite a few songs from the newest album, the Anti-mother, and listed off their set including Shotgun Message, Robots 3 Humans 0, Blueprints For Future Homes, Songs Sound Much Sadder, Birth of the Anti-Mother and quite a few others. I have been listening to these guys a lot more since the show, i'm converted!
Anyway, this was a great night, the venue Station 4 was awesome, very intimate and very loud. The crowd was great, summoning the guitar gods and climbing the walls and going crazy. All of the bands played very well, and the show, which started at 530p was over by by 945p which is very early by my standards, but since Alan got lost on the way home we needed the extra time!
here's a playlist of each of the bands that played, and their best song live so check them out:
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