December 2004 Live Reviews (scroll down to read all of them)

THE SKA IS DEAD TOUR:
DAN POTTHAST
SUBURBAN LEGENDS
BIG D AND THE KID'S TABLE
MUSTARD PLUG
CATCH 22
October 24, 2004 @ The Troubadour (West Hollywood, CA)
Text and Photos By Todd Markel

My experience at the Ska Is Dead tour left me overcome with a feeling of nostalgia...or was it nausea? No, it was nostalgia, nostalgia for the good old days, like around 1997. Ah, yes: 1997, when horn sections, rude boys, and skanking were the name of the game. This tour, which was organized by Dave Kirchgessner of Mustard Plug, featured a number of bands that have been the torchbearers of ska since it fell out of favor with mainstream radio. The genre seemed never to lose its appeal for many fans, as was evidenced by the turnout at the Troubadour on a chilly Sunday night in West Hollywood.

Dan Potthast (of the renowned ska-punk band MU330) opened the show with his one-man acoustic ska extravaganza. He gave a rousing solo performance that was mostly made up of songs from his solo CD, along with a few MU330 songs that fans in the audience shouted out to him ("Play 'Christmas Card'"; "Play 'Where's Teddy?'"). Dan reminisced that the last time he played the Troubadour he was with playing with MU330 in support of Save Ferris. They actually played after Save Ferris, and no one stayed around to see them play. Dan asked the fans in the audience to help him out on the backing vocals, and Big D and the Kid's Table guitarist Sean Rogan managed to pull himself away from the World Series on TV (he is from Boston, after all) long enough to help Dan out on a song or two.

The eight gentlemen who make up Suburban Legends really know how to put on a show. They've honed their stage performance to perfection after a lengthy residency playing at Downtown Disney and on the Tomorrowland stage in Disneyland itself. They have a style all their own—almost disco meets ska. Their synchronized dancing may seem a little corny at first, but Suburban Legends tend to grow on you. You can't help but smile as you watch their set. Lead singer Tim Maurer has stated that Reel Big Fish were a major influence on him, and that's apparent in his uber-hyper, exciting show. They played a number of crowd-favorites, including "Up All Night", which had their many fans singing and dancing along; and a song called "High Fives", in which the band members give everyone up front a big high five. They play one song during which most of the band runs into the crowd and do a quick lap before returning to the stage to finish the song. This was Suburban Legends' last show for a while, as they are taking time off to write some new songs for an upcoming CD. Take a gander at them online at www.suburbanlegends.com.

A band that's been getting a lot of rightly-deserved attention recently is Big D and the Kid's Table (from Boston). They have a new CD called HOW IT GOES. which had just come out the week prior to the show. Big D and the Kid's Table have a different approach to ska than do Suburban Legends—though just as entertaining. Lead singer Dave McWane and the boys played a tight set of songs, starting with "She Won't Ever Figure It Out" (off GOOD LUCK). The band also showcased a number of new songs off of their latest CD, most of which have songs titles that seemed to deal with a messed-up girl or girlfriend, such as "My Girlfriend's on Drugs", "Girls Against Drunk Bitches", and "Little Bitch". Look for them in a certain alternative national music magazine this month and in the new indie slasher flick PUNK ROCK HOLOCAUST. Check them out on the Web at www.bigdandthekidstable.com.

In matching black outfits with yellow satin ties and an overabundance of yellow lights, ska pioneers Mustard Plug made their long-awaited return to Southern California. Lead singer Dave Kirchgessner and his band have been a driving force in ska for many years, and they are still a major influence in the genre by organizing tours like this one and ska festivals throughout the Midwest. To make up for their too-long absence, they played a fan-pleasing set that included songs ranging from "Mr. Smiley" (off of 1993's BIG DADDY MULTITUDE) to "Not Enough" (which is on their latest CD, YELLOW #5). Dave and the band seem to be enjoying themselves as much as the fans as they played a number of songs from 1997's EVIL DOERS BEWARE, including "Box", "You", and "The Beer Song". Let's hope they don't wait too long before bringing their show to the West Coast again. www.mustardplug.com.

New Jersey's own Catch 22 finished the night off with an old-school-inspired set. I really wasn't familiar with their songs at all—which made me feel a little stupid, since everyone else seemed to know most of their songs and were singing along. But it really didn't take a familiarity with their music to enjoy their set. This show was for fans of the genre, and you don't have to wait for the fourth wave of ska to appreciate it for what it is: good jams for a good time. You can check out Catch 22 in the comfort of your own home on their new live DVD/CD, which is out now on Victory Records. www.njcatch22.com.

MELEE
LUCKY BOYS CONFUSION
ARMY OF FRESHMAN
PLAIN WHITE T'S
October 29, 2004 @ Chain Reaction (Anaheim, CA)
By Luke Skywalker

Since when did rock shows end so early? I tend to be casually late for concerts, but I'm never so late that I miss all the bands. Yet I almost missed everything on this night. The Plain White T's and Army of Freshman canceled on the show, and the highly-publicized Lucky Boys Confusion played around 8 p.m. I never really had an interest in seeing them after I reviewed their album COMMITMENT. I don't think I missed much, though they were probably somewhat entertaining live.

I only requested to review this particular show because of Melee. I've been watching this band mature since they were in high school—more specifically, since they were in high school WITH ME. And besides going just to see the headlining band, I got the opportunity to see some recognizable faces from the old high school, as well as lead singer Chris Cron's family. His parents stood in the back, while his attractive younger sister handled their merch.

And as I waited for the stage to be put together, the band took their time to make a grand entrance—I suppose because they had so much time to spare. I last saw this band over a year ago on the Warped Tour. Since then, they have become bigger rock stars, or perhaps just taken on the image of rock stars. Rick Sandberg first entered in a dark blue velvet jacket strapped with his guitar, followed by Cron clad in a suit and tie and Ryan Malloy in a plain black T-shirt and five o'clock shadow. At some point, new drummer Mike Nader snuck in.

Sandberg began their set playing with a heavy distortion effect, which led into strobe lights flashing and an all-out rock 'n' roll intro, "Got It All". Girls began bouncing up and down, and an informal hand-clapping began sporadically, which intertwined with the song, "New Day" while Cron's microphone cut out (which would be a continuous problem). With their third song, "Mestizo's Love Song", Cron's microphone went completely out, leaving Malloy to pick up the rest of the popular song. After a four-month absence from Orange County, Melee was very expressive of their roots. After playing "The Curse" (from their latest record, EVERYDAY BEHAVIOR), Cron couldn't help but express that it was great to be back at "Chain Reaction, our home." After conversing with the crowd about possible Halloween costumes, Cron (predictably) was considering Napoleon Dynamite, and then began "Perfect Mess". In an Elton John fashion, Cron rocked out on his keyboard (but a lot less flamboyantly), and girls sang along. But with "Sleeping Through Autumn", some crazy Sub City intern screamed for joy. I guess it was her favorite song. The night continued with new and old songs. Sandberg opened the oldie "Dedicated to You" on a second keyboard. The crowd showed little enthusiasm but became more animated as the song progressed. Closing the night with an exact cover of Van Halen's "Jump", Malloy singing it rather faithfully—coming a long way since their cover of LL Cool J's "Mama's Said Knock You Out".

These young musicians have been making a name for themselves for a few years now. Originally just a band supported by friends from high school, Melee has developed into authentic rock stars, garnering fans from all over the nation. Just watch out: Melee will be coming to a high school near you.

MISFITS
AGENT ORANGE
TRIOXIN EXPERIMENT
RITUAL HAVOC
October 30, 2004 @ the Majestic Ventura Theater (Ventura, CA)
By Mark A. Whitaker

Since Sunday was Halloween, it was only fitting that Misfits were in town playing a show. I am a big fan of Misfits' music, and Jerry Only and the rest of the crew always put on a good show. I also wanted to hear some of the new songs off PROJECT 1950, featuring covers of classic songs from the '50s and '60s. One of the nice things about going to the Ventura Theater is the free parking across the street. Gotta love free parking. Also, with the new lighting guy really knowing how to light a show, the light there is beautiful. When I arrived, it looked like it was going to be a packed concert, since most of the lower levels of the parking garage were already filled. I made my way in and was greeted by the familiar heavy-metal riffs of Ritual Havoc. Ritual Havoc had the crowd going with Joe's deep bass lines and the layered intensity of Jebus's and Chris's guitars. Hell yeah! Two horns way up! Ritual Havoc sounded even harder and faster than they did the first time I saw them perform. Bringing heavy metal out of the barrio of Santa Paula and to the masses, Ritual Havoc did not disappoint with their fast and heavy music. They are a welcome addition to the Ventura County music scene. As a finale, they brought out a friend to help Johnny with the vocal duties. After their performance, the band members threw out copies of their demo CD to all the screaming, adoring fans, who fell all over each other to grab a copy.

Taking the name from a scene in the movie RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD 3, Trioxin Experiment came on stage, and, after a little warming up, kicked out some solid rock grooves with good energy, as they jumped about the stage. After seeing the intensity of Ritual Havoc, I felt that Trioxin Experiment's performance was a little lackluster, and I started getting bored. While the members of the band were good musicians, I just didn't feel the energy. In their defense, they did perform a solid rendition of a T.S.O.L. song.

My boredom was quickly ended when Agent Orange took the stage. I first heard Agent Orange on an old skate video entitled SKATE VISIONS and was hooked on the band's music. Bringing hard-hitting punk lyrics and surf-style guitars, Agent Orange were tearing up the stage in no time. Their drummer was killing his drums with a ferocious intensity, his blond hair flying. The singer (also on guitar) would dance around onstage, stepping away from the mic and letting his guitar do the singing. That was cool, because I hate when bands just stand there with no movement when they sing. Some bands are the exception, but it's rare. Agent Orange has a new addition to the band: Bruce Taylor of JFA has taken up bass duties—and he was great, playing with an intense look of concentration on his face. Agent Orange was loved by the crowd, which energetically cheered and whistled between songs.

Misfits

After a stellar performance by Agent Orange, New Jersey's favorite B-movie horror punks Misfits were on, playing spooky, horror-themed songs. As usual, Misfits were going to play at least three sets. One set would be Misfits songs, the second set would be Black Flag songs, followed by Ramones covers...then, time permitting, more Misfits songs. To the roar of approval from the crowd, Jerry strode onstage, grabbed his bass, and tore into such classic classics as "One Last Caress" and the ever-popular sing-along chorus of "138". Last time I saw Misfits perform, Marky Ramone seemed to be in a bad mood, but this time around he was in a great mood, talking with the fans and having a good time. When he took a seat behind his drums and started playing, I could see the intensity of his performance, as his cymbals crashed around him, his head bobbing in time to the beat. Dez was solemn and intense as he played, his long hair in his face, the light giving him a dramatic look. I always admire the speed at which Jerry can play, since he doesn't use a pick. Jerry was keeping the crowd going with all the songs they wanted to hear. After the end of the show, it was time for the fans to storm the front of the barricade and have Jerry, Marky, and Dez sign everything for them—posters, song lists, T-shirts, etc. Jerry was more than happy to sign them for his adoring fans. Marky and Dez took time to autograph several items for the fans before retiring. Since we were so close to Halloween, I had hoped to hear "Monster Mash", but they didn't play it. Oh, well, maybe they played it on Halloween in Anaheim.

Overall, I had a great time. Misfits are always a great band to see—and seeing them so close to Halloween made the show a special treat.

MUSE
THE EVENING
November 1, 2004 @ Kool Haus (Toronto, CA)
Text by Debbie Danger

On a freezing fall Monday night in Toronto the air seems to be full of excitement and anticipation. Quite odd really, unless something of great importance was going down. The mass of late people running towards the club venue to see a band hot after a series of stunning shows around Europe and the U.S is proof. Sure enough UK's Muse was in town to bring the walls down.

The Kool Haus on arrival was packed; people desperate to see Muse rock the stage so hard and powerfully, as they have been accustomed to. The audience were treated to a set from The Evening and it was easy to see that they were only too pleased to be there. The lights suddenly dipped and the crowd, loving every minute of this cold October night, started cheering knowing that what they had waited so long for was now upon them. The spotlight shone upon Matt Bellamy, Dominic Howard and Chris Wolstenholme as they took to the stage, and began what was to be an electrifying night. Muse seemed suited to the stage. There shouldn't be any surprise really as Bellamy's charisma and attitude makes Muse one of the biggest rock bands in Britain of their North American tour promoting the new album, ABSOLUTION. Muse seemed as fresh and as lively as if it was their first time wooing the crowd.
Dancing and skidding across the stage seems to be part of Bellamy's act now and as Muse carried on banging out hit after hit of songs like "Time is Running Out", "Hysteria" to the crowds most favorite "Stockholm Syndrome" from the very impressive ABSOLUTION album. The passion that Bellamy puts into his act and the pure quality of the songs, Muse provide us with accumulate to make one hell of a gig. It has been a while since I've seen a band on stage so energetic and pull it off as Muse did tonight. The audience seemed to embrace Bellamy, Howard and Wolstenholme with open arms.

COHEED AND CAMBRIA
UNDEROATH
November 4, 2004 @ the Palladium (Hollywood, CA)
By Jessica Rihal

When I heard that I was going to get the opportunity to do a live review for a show that Coheed and Cambria was headlining, you better believe I was damn excited; but when I found out that Underoath was one of the supporting acts, my excitement began to quickly decline. Don't get me wrong: I am one of the many UO fans; but the recent surge of kids sporting the bands oh-so-trendy hot pink and black shirts made me a bit weary of the type of crowd they would draw. My disappointment began to melt away as I stood in line for my extremely thorough pat-down. As I took a look around, I noticed that for the first time in a long time I wasn't the oldest person there. Sure, there was a fair amount of kids who looked like they still had a curfew, but for once that wasn't the majority. But after all, it was a school night.

Underoath is a six-piece band that calls Tampa home. Heavy promotion of their latest release, THEY'RE ONLY CHASING SAFETY (Tooth & Nail/Solid State) catapulted the band to what seemed to be overnight success. I always forget that there are six guys in this band. Six bodies on stage make for a very lively show. UO took the stage to joyous applause from the anxious crowd. As they began to play the first song, I was having a difficult time making out the songs, until they would hit the chorus and the music began to slow down. The hyper crowd didn't seem to mind the distortion one bit, and from a distance I could see the pit become a jumble of flailing legs and arms. The 30-minute set was composed mostly of songs off of their latest effort. All though UO's set was a bit disappointing due to the poor sound (which can partially be blamed on the Palladium's system—which everyone knows sucks ass and seems more suited to an outdoor venue), they still put on an entertaining show, with each member playing with unbelievable energy. Keyboardist Christopher Dudly is definitely the star of UO. If you didn't know better, you might think he was having an epileptic fit on stage.

After UO's set wrapped up and all of the pit kids (with their limps and bloody noses) cleared out, a calmer crowd of more girls replaced them, filling the spacious floor of the venue in anticipation of the main attraction. As soon as Coheed and Cambria graced the stage, you could almost feel the temperature in the venue rise. Opening with "The Crowning", the collective voice of the loyal crowd echoed vocalist Claudio Sanchez's flawless falsetto with every single line. To be honest, I remember seeing Coheed and Cambria for the first time at this very same venue and being irritated by the poor sound quality, but on this night Coheed's performance made this inconvenience irrelevant, and the band completely took ownership of the stage and sound. They played an extremely tight set blending all of their songs together seamlessly with professional precision. They only broke the set a few times to thank the crowd for coming out and to intro a few songs. When the opening chords of "A Favor House Atlantic" began, the entire venue began to sway back and forth in a dance motion that very much resembled the music video for the song. The 13-song set included most of the band's latest release, IN KEEPING SECRETS OF SILENT EARTH, as well as some favorites off SET THE STAGE TURBINE BLADE, including "Everything Evil" (which ends with the audience singing "Dear Claudio" in unison) and the dark "Delirium Trigger". The exuberant set gracefully ended with two encores, which included the slow "The Light and the Glass" and the powerful "In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3" (the most anticipated song of the night).

Quite honestly one of the best live shows I have seen this year, by far.

CHAOS UK
CHANNEL 3
DRAIN BRAMAGED
THE SCABS
November 5, 2004 @ the Galaxy Theatre (Santa Ana, CA)
By Yuri Beatnik

I am always skeptical coming to the Galaxy. There are always squadrons of skinheads just waiting to cause trouble. This night proved to be no exception, but the excitement has seemed to die down just a bit. With Bone Crusher canceling, The Scabs came on first to try to win over the crowd. If you haven't seen or heard of The Scabs—and chances are you haven't—then you're not missing anything. The Scabs are just a bunch of Dickies-wearing, tattooed goons playing typical modern O.C. punk rock. This is a perfect example of how the Disney Channel would market a punk band, from the scabby name to the anti-corporation lyrics. It seems like every song has a "Fuck corporations" or "We're not gonna take your shit!" mentality but ends up being nothing more than being stupid music for stupid people. Absolutely unintelligent lyrics that mesh with uninspired, three-chord riffs make The Scabs one band that I hope I never see again.

Coming on next is quite possibly the most entertaining band I've ever seen, the one and only Drain Bramaged. Have you ever seen that NOFX video? Of course not—you're too punk for that. Well, they have this music video where they pretend to play one of their songs, but all they do is jump around and act stupid. That's exactly how Drain Bramaged opens their set! Getting a few laughs before starting to get as serious as they would ever get, it looked as though they lip-synch all of their songs, which looks hilarious. Entertaining the crowd with synchronized jumping and dancing so sloppy that it results in slipping and falling, I was laughing throughout the entire set. Of course, to get a name like "Drain Bramaged," all the songs must have to do with beer and beer alone; and the band drinks during songs, in between songs, and even take special intermission periods to down a quick drink. Musically, these guys aren't too bad, and they pay tribute to G.G. Allin by playing "Drink, Fight, and Fuck". With old-school aggressive punk and hilarious stage theatrics, Drain Bramaged is a band to see.

Before I could even catch my breath and have my eyes stop watering, Channel 3 took the stage. Starting things off quick with aggressive songs like "Strength in Numbers" and "Out of Control," Channel 3 kept the crowd going without ever letting them slow down for air. This band is absolutely amazing live, and they never play a single bad song. However, during the set is when all the fights break out from all the angry "hamburger heads" who just can't seem to get along. Three different fights broke out during the set, so after my favorite, "I Didn't Know", I just left the dance floor. They finished things off with "I've Got a Gun". Channel 3 may be old, but good things come with age. Happy Birthday to Kim Gardener.

To end the night was Chaos UK, and all the street punks who wish they had English accents came out for this one. Absolute mayhem broke out when the music started. But if you were to ask any of these kids what the hell the lyrics are, nobody could answer you. I didn't care for Chaos UK. Just imagine if The Casualties were from the United Kingdom and came to Santa Ana to play a show. The most amusing thing is that the band members don't look anything like their crusty fans. No more and no less than three chords with mumbling vocals make Chaos UK another band I wouldn't mind if I never saw again.

Two good bands and two bad ones make pretty good odds, I guess.

ALL TOMORROW'S PARTIES:
LOU REED
MODEST MOUSE
THE WALKMEN
J MASCIS
November 6, 2004 @ the Queen Mary (Long Beach, CA)
By Joe Licavoli

All Tomorrow's Parties is a two-day festival set in a serene setting at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA. The event snags fiercely independent (although sometimes well-known) bands and plants them on two stages, one aboard the ancient vessel, while the main stage is on the grassy land near the ship. The festival is an amazing idea. Many of the bands are strikingly different from each other, but all are musically creative.
There was no group that exemplified the idea of diverse and creative musicianship more then J Mascis (formerly of Dinosaur Jr). Mascis played a blend of classic rock with long, intricate guitar solos and sing-along harmonies that sound close to 1980s arena rock. Experimental yet solid, the three-piece group blasted out a blistering rock set. One of the band's songs, "Freak Scene", showed Mascis going crazy on guitar, and the band's drummer was incredible at making beats at an insane speed. J Mascis and company rocked the Long Beach crowd and definitely gave the audience a lesson in indie rock.

After shuffling around the grounds of the Queen Mary to buy some overpriced beer, I cruised back to the main stage in time to catch Washington, DC melodic rockers The Walkmen. As the band started their energetic set, the music was solid as a rock. However, as they continued to play, the songs all seemed to mesh together, and the band went from unique and inventive rock to a mess of mellowness. "Clementine" was a standout song from the band's set. The Walkmen play an interesting brand of 1980s rock meets hardcore punk with a little Radiohead-style rock thrown in for good measure. The Walkmen seem to have a lot of different influences, which at times works great for the band, but at others the slow stuff got to be too much.

The curator of All Tomorrow's Parties was the strange and dazzling band known as Modest Mouse. I have wanted to see Modest Mouse live for a while, and they really proved to be a great live act. Modest Mouse have recently been thrown into the spotlight with their most recent album, GOOD NEWS FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE BAD NEWS and the hit song, "Float On". Modest Mouse has been playing for many years, and it is great to see the band having mainstream success. Although there were some technical difficulties when the band came out, they sounded great, but because of these difficulties, they came on about 15 minutes late, allowing the band time for only about seven songs, which I think is a big letdown to fans who may have gone to the show just to see them. Despite these small problems, Modest Mouse played a magnificent set, which mostly included material from the band's aforementioned album. Some of the most intense songs from the album included the sweltering "Satin in a Coffin" and "Bukowski". Vocalist/guitar player Isaac Brock had incredible stage presence as he got the audience clapping along to songs and dancing around. Brock played an instrument in a couple songs that is somewhat unusual for a rock band: a banjo. The banjo seemed to fit well into the band's sound, and it was nice to see some different instruments being used rather than just guitar, bass guitar, and drums. Modest Mouse are unique because the band's sound is light and welcoming at times, yet the lyrics can be cynical, and Brock's vocal delivery has an edge of anger. The band rocked through the quick set and closed with the "Float On" to the delight of radio fans in attendance.
I regretfully had to leave the show after Modest Mouse played so I did not get a chance to see Lou Reed. I did hear some of his stuff as I was leaving, and what I heard sounded great. I know that Reed is an eclectic and well-known musician, and it seemed that many people at the show were there to see him perform.

Overall the event was very refreshing, and I hope there is success in the future for All Tomorrow's Parties. I was sorry I missed the second day of festivities with The Flaming Lips, The Shins, and Built to Spill. I am sure it was amazing.

MIDWAY
BANG SUGAR BANG
THE KING CHEETAH
THE KNIVES
THE WAKING HOURS
November 9, 2004 @ Zen Sushi (Silverlake, CA)
By Jeff Penalty

There's a part of me that doesn't want to tell you about Kiss or Kill night at Zen Sushi, because once word gets out, you and your stupid friends are going to show up, over-crowd the place, and ruin everything. But in the end, all you yum-yums will sniff it out, anyway, so I may as well take this opportunity to document the fact that I was in on the ground floor, because in a few years the people who were at Kiss or Kill for this particular show will look back wistfully and remember it specifically as one of "the good ol' days." I'm tearing up a little bit right now just thinking about it—no joke! For starters, Kiss or Kill is a Tuesday-night tradition at Zen Sushi. It's a rock 'n' roll show with a $2 cover charge and drink specials. But it's also much more: it's an ever-expanding family of bands and music-lovers, it's a weekly party, and it's a living, breathing scene that has the power to make you believe in Los Angeles again.

The weekly Kiss or Kill lineup is rarely cohesive—which is a GOOD thing, because you're never going to see four bands which sound the same. This principle was underscored by the first band I caught at this show, The King Cheetah. They dove into their first song, and it was the first time in a while I'd been so impressed with a band I'd never heard of. I thought to myself, "They have a sorta British sound," and then patted myself on the back later when I learned that they were, in fact, from England. I'm so fucking perceptive. Anyway, British modern rock with a post-punk influence. Definitely one of the better bands I've seen in a while, so keep your eyes open for these guys.

Bang Sugar Bang is the maiden ship of the Kiss or Kill scene, and tonight was their CD-release party, so of course the fans turned out in a big way to support them. The mood was unmistakably celebratory, as the packed crowd set off party poppers and shot silly string all over the band. I even had a piece of cake shoved in my mouth by a girl next to me. People bounced around and sang along with every word—even though none of them had unwrapped their new CDs yet. The night was clearly a watershed moment for BSB, a moment for the band and their fans alike to reflect on how far they've traveled together, and that vibe pushed BSB's stage energy over the top (not that they've ever needed much pushing). Though crowd-surfing is usually reserved for much more established acts, the crowd worked together to gently float all three members of the band all the way to the back of the room at the end of their set. For members of the Kiss or Kill family, it wasn't merely a special moment, it was a moment that defined what life was all about—or at least that's what it did for me. Everyone else was pretty drunk.

The show kept rolling after that, and now I finally get to do something I've wanted to do in the pages of SKRATCH for a long fucking time: TALK ABOUT MIDWAY! Oh my god, they are the best fucking band in the world! Go see them immediately, and if you don't love them, I will find you and pee on you while you sleep. Midway plays upbeat, '80s-ish pop with a rock edge, Nintendo-style keyboards, and lyrics about getting ready for school and Frankenstein. They are the musical equivalent of a box of warm Krispy Kreme doughnuts: sweet as hell and highly addictive. Their fans certainly know what's up, and tonight they were dancing gleefully while (again!) singing faithfully along without the benefit of having a recorded version of most of the songs. I swear, bands like Midway make me wish I owned a record label. Now that I've done you the favor of pointing them out, please send me a gold coin for every time one of their songs or shows improves your mood so that I can retire and live out my Scrooge McDuck fantasy of swimming through my big vault. I've earned it.

Kiss or Kill. I'm telling you. It just warms your heart. Long ago, it used to be held at the Garage, an infamous L.A. dive. When they first moved it to the relatively upscale restaurant setting of Zen Sushi, I remember watching Midway toss a kickball into the audience and then seeing the crowd boot it around for the rest of their set, knocking people's drinks out of their hands, breaking lamps, and causing all kinds of general chaos. I was beaming with delight, but inside I knew that something so pure and so cool can only last for so long. I figured Kiss or Kill would be homeless again in a matter of weeks...but it's been over a year since that night, and the shows just keep coming. And even more amazingly, the magic is still in the air. You can bet your fucking life I'll see you there next Tuesday.

THE SOLID STATE YOUNG BLOODS TOUR 2004:
THE CHARIOT
SHOWBREAD
BRADLEY HATHAWAY
HE IS LEGEND
AS CITIES BURN
FAR-LESS
November 12, 2004 @ Chain Reaction (Anaheim, CA)
By Luke Skywalker

I don't normally attend TOURS, because they tend to include bands that don't mesh well together and fans who are novices in the SCENE; but since seeing the last Solid State tour in the spring, I couldn't pass up this opportunity. With a lineup that included some pretty hardcore bands, I would have felt foolish to be the only one of my friends who did not attend. And upon my arrival, I immediately found my CREW, and we chatted while Far-Less and As Cities Burn played. Both of these bands did a fair job in stage performance, yet they lagged musically. Both bands' sound was too predictable in this post-punkcore era we live in. (I apologize for my music haughtiness.)

After I browsed the merch tables for trinkets and apparel, He Is Legend came up to bat. As my friend described them before I even arrived at the show, they blend popular rock with hardcore. He was fairly correct in his assessment, for the band sounded a lot like Rob Zombie, but their music created unnecessary hardcore dancing. Promoting their new album, I AM HOLLYWOOD, the five-member group played their set of strange breakdowns and hardcore screaming. Amateur hardcore kids with cigarettes stuck behind their ears couldn't help but dance, while the rest of the crowd tried to interpret the music. In the final song of their set, "I Am Hollywood", the two vocalists shouted back and forth the title of the song, getting so close to each other's faces that it seemed like they were making out. My friend Alex thought it was "turning into gaycore," while my friend Hannah said "it was hot."

In the midst of a stage change, punk poet Bradley Hathaway stood up to perform. The Maya Angelou of punk, Hathaway began busting out his poetic lyrics to the unsuspecting crowd. To the few who had experienced his blend of satirical rhymes, they recited along with the young man. Performing "Mannly Man", "Boobies", and "The Hug Poem", the crowded responded to Hathaway with strange looks and some laughter. I think most people were just blown away by the fact they were listening to poetry—and actually enjoying it. With humorous references to the SCENE but with Christian morals and messages of empowerment, I personally took interest in Hathaway. He is so good that I feel I need to make everyone aware of this—which I have now done.

By far the most exciting performance of the evening came from Showbread. Perhaps the entire crowd did not like them, but they were surely my favorite band of the evening. Once before I had experienced the showmanship of Showbread, but this performance was better by far, as the seven members (clad in red and black) had rock 'n' roll seizures on stage. Playing all new songs from their album NO SIR, NIHILISM IS NOT PRACTICAL, the six- or seven-song set included all my favorites, including "Stabbing Art to Death".

Concluding the show was the headlining hardcore band that all had come to see. With the most products at the merch table including T-shirts, albums, and limited-edition posters, this band was well aware of their popularity. Concluding their soundcheck, the group of five musicians took the stage and began with an audio clip from HOME ALONE 2, the scene where Macaulay Culkin is in the Plaza Hotel and hotel manager Tim Curry, bellboy Rob Schneider, and check-in clerk Dana Ivey enter the bedroom to confront Kevin. And as we all know, Kevin presses play on the videotape, leading the hotel workers to believe that they're being shot at. As the crowd realized what they were hearing, everyone began reciting the script. Excitement grew as the recorded dialogue was about to finish, culminating with the sound of a tommy gun going off. The Chariot charged into their music with hard-hitting breakdowns and roaring vocals. The energy in the club was so huge that it even left one young girl with a bloody face and a trip to the hospital. This almost resulted in shutting down the whole concert by the owner of Chain Reaction. The band preached to have fun but also to respect others. Playing all new songs off their album EVERYTHING IS ALIVE EVERYTHING IS BREATHING NOTHING IS DEAD AND NOTHING…, the crowd certainly had fun. By far, the highlights of their short set were "Dialogue with a Question Mark" and "Good Night My Lady and Farewell Forever". Later, I found out that lead singer of The Chariot, Josh Scogin, is formerly of Norma Jean. Perhaps that's why they were so good.

This exciting show ended very well. I enjoyed all the bands' sets and even purchased a few articles of merchandise. Unfortunately for my friend, his car was towed away for parking in a restricted parking spot across the street from Chain Reaction. Two weeks before, I suffered the same aggravating experience. Damn furniture store!

THE DONNAS
THE VON BONDIES
STARLITE DESPERATION
ROCK N' ROLL SOLDIERS
November 14, 2004 @ House of Blues Sunset Strip
(West Hollywood, CA)
By the Jeff Penalty

If The Donnas are in town, you know they're gonna rock. The only question is: "How HARD?" I had the pleasure of investigating this matter personally and was very pleased with my findings.

As an L.A. resident, I am required by law to miss at least the first opening band; but I did want to be a responsible reviewer and watch most of the other acts. There was a new episode of THE SIMPSONS on, though, so I couldn't leave the house until after that. And then there was a fire at the hotel across the street from the House of Blues, so traffic and parking on Sunset was even more of a nightmare than usual. But hey, I tried.
I was lucky enough to catch most of The Von Bondies, though. They were dressed so snappily that if I saw them hanging out in Silverlake, I would automatically think they were posing as rock stars. But on stage they actually ARE rock stars, bubbling with confidence and attitude. They may not have reinvented the indie-rock wheel, but they gave it a nice, hard spin and proved themselves worthy of their cushy opening slot. For my taste, they were a little too moody, and some of their jams went on a little long; but if my friend Nadja were here, she'd roll her eyes and tell you not to listen to me when it comes to music. (Then I'd remind her that she owes me five bucks—and then you'd see some fisticuffs.)

Between sets, a screen was lowered in front of the stage, onto which a series of ads were projected. Initially, my stomach turned at this concept, but then I realized that the alternative would be staring at a drum kit or a closed curtain, so I just resigned myself to thinking about how cool it would be to own an Xbox. When I snapped out of it, I examined the crowd, which was a lot older than I'd anticipated. Clearly there were a number of parents in attendance who had brought their kids (which I always think is cool, because my parents refused to let me go see Skid Row and Guns N' Roses when I was younger—and I still bear the scars), but there were also some folks who left the kids with a babysitter and came out to rock on their own. And the gender ratio of the crowd was a lot more evenly balanced than I'd expected, which made me wonder if the days of guys being intimidated by female musicians are close to an end. Due to the election, my optimism circuits are severely damaged, but still, there was a spark of hope in there somewhere.

The Donnas

Further sparks flew when The Donnas took the stage and kicked the audience's huge collective ass. Armed with an elaborate light show and a superb sound mix, The Donnas had no problem getting people's fists in the air. They were visibly excited about showcasing their newer material, which the audience lapped up right along with the classics. Through the course of the night, my respect for guitarist Allison Robertson was continually renewed, as she sliced effortlessly through a series of crotch-stinging solos while looking in every direction BUT down at the fret board. Singer Brett Anderson dealt out a flawless vocal performance, drummer Torry Castellano (or as I like to call her, the future Mrs. Penalty) mercilessly bashed the skins as though they had done something to deserve it, and bassist Maya Ford oozed the kind of disenchanted rock 'n' roll attitude that Sid Vicious only wishes he'd had. The whole band, in fact, unmistakably displayed the confident swagger of the classic rock acts from which they draw inspiration. And one could sense that it wasn't something they'd learned as much as something they've EARNED. Hey, it's been over a fucking decade, folks! With every note, every cymbal crash, and every whip of the hair, The Donnas were cashing in on all the dues they've paid, and they crowd profited from the dividends. The band finished their encore with the one-two punch of "Take It Off" and "Fall Behind Me", and the audience was officially K.O.ed. We all stumbled out into the streets with ringing ears, wide smiles, and miniature cartoon birds circling our heads. Rematch pending. Only in America!

THE ARCADE FIRE
HORSES
November 14, 2004 @ the First Unitarian Church (Philadelphia, PA)
By Matthew Siblo

It's been a while since the mammoth hype surrounding a band has been as palpable as Montreal's The Arcade Fire. Following the release of their debut record, FUNERAL, on Merge a couple of months back, the band's presence has been unavoidable. On the strength of this overwhelming word of mouth, the band was able to sell out the First Unitarian Church in advance—a feat almost unheard of for such a young band.

Washington D.C.'s Horses were up first, a new band comprised of 60% of now-defunct brat-rock outfit Black Eyes. Lead singer Hugh (Black Eyes has a no-last-name policy) has added something of a drone to his brand of discordant post-rock, leaving the end result of Horses all too brief five- or six-song set sounding as being somewhere in-between other D.C. acts Lungfish and his own former group. The band's performance was one of trepidation, as some of the songs sounded as if they came to an abrupt halt; but considering it was their first-ever show in Philadelphia, this is a forgivable sin. However brief, the songs the band debuted showed a lot of promise and hinted at the possible brilliance that Horses may deliver in the future.

As the lights dimmed and the music slowly faded, the energy surrounding the attendees of the First Unitarian Church was unlike anything I'd seen in quite some time. The capacity crowd's anticipation was feverish, and this excitement only increased as the band took the stage. Their presence managed to electrify the usually subdued indie lot, throwing the audience into a frenzy before they had even heard a song. But the band's intensity soon overtook the audience's, almost as if they had something to prove. Incorporating some dreary lights and a cornucopia of strings and percussions on stage, The Arcade Fire didn't just take the stage, they commanded it. Playing an extensive set (with two encores), these critical darlings did their best to show everyone exactly what all the commotion is about. The set included most (if not all) of the 10 tracks off FUNERAL; some select songs off their self-titled, independently-released EP; and a steel-drum-inspired cover of The Talking Heads; "This Must Be the Place". From the brooding "Crown of Love" to the sweeping anthem that is "Wake Up", The Arcade Fire's live show managed to make good on the promises of the media elite.

It's the fulfillment of this promise that makes The Arcade Fire such an anomaly in the world of independent music. Between NME's hype machine to the fly-by-night successes of the countless buzz bands, The Arcade Fire are one of the few in recent memory to both deliver an astonishing record and live show. For all the sanctimonious words written and glorious praise sung, it's nice to finally see a band that's worth all the enthusiasm that people have for them.

NO INNOCENT VICTIM
SINAI BEACH
FIRST BLOOD
XDEATHSTARX
INKED IN BLOOD
November 19, 2004 @ the Glass House (Pomona, CA)
Review and photos by Johnny Rocket

It was some two years since the last time I saw the beautiful letters that spell out "No Innocent Victim" gracing a flyer. This was No Innocent Victim's reunion show after their 2002 break-up, and they haven't lost a step since reforming. Although they made surprise appearances during other bands' sets at Cornerstone and Facedown Fest 2004, this time they are here in full. It was (according to the band's Website) "dissappointment with the lack of integrity in today's hardcore scene [that] fueled the re-union of this band to do what they did best for the initial 10 years that they were a band - tell people the truth without fear of being rejected, mocked or ridiculed" (sic).

Frontman Jason Moody added, "If you claim to be something, live it. Challenge yourself to not be the hypocrite that people will base their rejection of Christianity on." Although NIV is staying true to their passions, the line-up has changed a bit: NIV is now showcasing dual guitarists. Original guitarist Corey Edlemann returned to the band and joined his former replacement, Tim Mason. Neil Hartman (ex-xDisciplex AD) was added on bass to cement the band (which also features Moody and Jason Dunn). In other exciting news, NIV signed with Facedown Records (they were previously on Victory Records) and will be putting material together for a new album. Things just kept getting better as the day of the show finally rolled around. With my trusty pen and camera in hand, I was excited to document the madness that would surely ensue. Inked in Blood opened up the show as I entered the Glass House and went to take my hard-earned place inside the roomy barricade in front of the stage. To be completely honest, nothing REALLY stood out to me about Inked in Blood, good or bad. The crowd seemed pretty tame, which was probably why Inked in Blood didn't feel as good as they could have been. The hard-hitting vocal attack of xDeathstarx did well to liven up the kids. One of the many singers had a Flogging Molly shirt on, which I thought was pretty much the coolest thing ever. I'm not that familiar with them, not even with any song names, but after their performance I wanted to be (and still do). When you watch them, it looks like a couple of people jumped on stage to join in the singing, but they really do have a lot of vocalists. It gives them a really full sound, a lot of diversity, and a whole lot of stage presence.

Inked in Blood

I was a little curious as to what First Blood was going to bring to the table, having members of Terror and Sworn Vengeance. Let's say that they were definitely TOUGH. I don't know how else to describe them while sparing the clichés. If you are into tough-guy West Coast hardcore, this band is for you.

First Blood

Another band from the Facedown Family was in the house: Sinai Beach. It had also been awhile since I've been able to catch them live, and my feelings were ambivalent this time around after their set. Their music is so heavy; it just pounds in your chest constantly. The only break you get is in between songs. I love it. They played a few songs off WHEN BREATH ESCAPES, such as "Man or Animal", but left out my favorite, "Vile". They also were brave enough to introduce multiple new songs they had been working on. My opinion on the new songs: the music gets an A, but the singing gets a D. Now, the SCREAMING is great; however, when CJ breaks into the mellower choruses, it's a recipe for disaster. It just doesn't work—especially with the music. No disrespect, because I love Sinai Beach, but I suppose I will just go back to listening to "Vile" on "Repeat."

At last it was time for NIV to shine. They built up the mood in total darkness and assaulted everyone within the room as they began. The crowd responded, and all was well in the world. FLESH AND BLOOD made a strong comeback on this night, since they played quite a number of songs from that classic album. My favorites included, "As I Fight", "C.E.B.", and "My Beliefs". They really didn't play a bad song (not that they even have one). The room was piercing with screams, distortion, and cracks. The room was pierced in more important ways in between songs, as Jason took the opportunity to remind everyone why NIV had returned. He encouraged everyone to stay true to his or her beliefs and quit making excuses. They ended quite appropriately with "Reunion", and Collin (from The Deal) helped out on vocals. Before I realized it, it was over—but there is plenty more to look forward to in the future from these guys.

DANCE HALL CRASHERS
MAXEEN
FABULOUS DISASTER
November 19, 2004 @ Great American Music Hall (San Francisco, CA)
Text and photos by Cassie Burke

It was 7:00 p.m. Friday night in San Francisco, and I was aggressively fighting for a foothold on the 38 Geary bus as it rattled into the belly of the infamous Tenderloin district. Unfortunately, the bus would be the easy part of my journey, as I would soon find myself walking through a gauntlet of hookers, hustlers, and street thugs. I easily evaded any kind of serious confrontation, and as I rounded the corner onto O'Farrell Street, I immediately spotted my holy grail: the flashy Great American Music Hall marquee that read "Dance Hall Crashers tonight."

Round one of the event began promptly at 9:00 p.m. when Fabulous Disaster strutted on stage and blasted into their first song, "Down the Drain". It's difficult to believe that only 15 short months ago Fabulous Disaster was completely dismantled by the sudden departures of their lead vocalist and bassist, because on this night (with new additions) they were playing like a band together for 20 years. New guitarist Squeaky and bassist April Fresh paraded around the stage with infectious A.D.D. bursts of energy that made you want to throw your fists in the air and jump into a goddamn circle pit. None of this would be possible, however, without the incredibly talented manic drumming of Sally Disaster. She quite literally beats out most male drummers, even receiving kudos and adulation from Descendents/Black Flag drummer extraordinaire Bill Stevenson. Rounding out the foursome is Lynda Mess, who has turned in her guitar pick for the opportunity to assume the position of lead vocalist. With enough energy to wear out an army of small children, Fabulous Disaster seared through a great mix-tape medley from all of their releases, which included "Gia", "My Static", "Joyride", and the newer "Suck It Up". They capped off the set with my personal highlight, a scorching rendition of Turbonegro's "Good Head". As regulars of the Bay Area punk scene who have notched six years in the headboard, I don't think it will be much longer before they blow up and take over the world. So get off your ass and check them out while you're still worthy.

Round two was administered by Maxeen. I was unfamiliar with Maxeen, but it seemed that the gaggle of young girls in the audience knew exactly who they were, so I was intrigued to hear the band fortunate enough to receive the main support role to Dance Hall Crashers. Maxeen began their set with "Love Goes a Long Way" from their 2003 self-titled release, and I suddenly realized that I HAD heard them before—but in the form of The Police. The musical composition was not wholly unoriginal, but vocalist Tom Bailey seemed to be a direct reincarnation of Sting himself. The way in which he clung to his bass guitar and crooned into the microphone was a total rip-off. I suppose everybody has influences—it is just not always so obvious. Their highly-charged emo set contained a variety of unreleased songs, but also included "Take the Weight Off", "Poison June", "Good Enough", and "Please" from their aforementioned 2003 release. Despite my criticism, there did seem to be an excitement amongst the girls in the crowd. It's just hard to determine if that excitement was for the handsome young men on the stage or for the music. I'd say it was probably hormones.

I suppose round three needs no introduction, but for the sake of formalities, it's Dance Hall Crashers! I found myself standing backstage when the chants of "DHC! DHC! DHC!" began. Soon the backstage door opened, and out walked Elyse Rogers with a larger-than-life smile. I greeted her with a smile right back, and she commented that the chants "are so flattering." Their fans were becoming louder and louder with anticipation, so I simply nodded in agreement, and she proceeded onto the stage with the rest of the band. I was pleased to discover that, despite their popularity, they are still humble and appreciate their fans. With the band on stage, the chants became shrieks, and Dance Hall Crashers swiftly kicked into "Lost Again" from their 1997 release HONEY I'M HOMELY. I noticed immediately that the girls in the audience had taken over and kicked the boys to the back of the venue. I had to smile, because it was a nice change of pace to have more estrogen in the pit than stinky testosterone. The punk-accented ska riffs combined with the melodic vocal volleying of Rogers and Karina Denike is such an amazingly energetic dynamic that I, too, could barely contain myself. Their set was 20 songs deep and highlighted by "Queen for a Day", "Mr. Blue.", "Cat Fight", "Real You", and "Go". The audience was crazed, and there was a cheery light-heartedness that seemed to separate us from the harshness of the outside world. Sadly, like all good things, the show had to end, but not before DHC comforted their fans with an encore of "Don't Wanna Behave" and the obvious "D.H.C.". When it became clear that there would be no further extension of the encore, we all graciously accepted what they had given us and reluctantly parted ways. Thank you, Dance Hall Crashers!

The Hives
The Rogers Sisters
The Deadly Snakes
November 26, 2004 @ La Zona Rosa (Austin, TX)
By Denise Blaz

I positively love seeing The Hives. I might have not thought that, say, a year ago, but I happened to catch their set this past March, and my conception of them as a bad band was quickly dispelled. Lead singer Howlin' Pelle Almqvist has got Mick Jagger's moves down to a "T" with his immaculate high kicks. The band's showmanship is, well, just fucking cool. Their signature suits along with their white bolo ties matched with their long-sleeve, button-down black shirts are all part of their appeal. Throughout the duration of their hour-and-a-half set, they played songs mostly off of their new album, TYRANNOSAURUS HIVES, but also mixing things up with songs off of their most well-known release, VENI VIDI VICIOUS, including their breakout hit, "Hate to Say I Told You So". Apart from the songs, Howlin' Pelle also stopped to talk in between by saying such things as "We love you, and you love us" and "Look at me while I take off my jacket." He fed off the high energy of the crowd that night—and he wasn't alone: drummer Chris Dangerous even came out during encore and put his hand to his ear in an attempt to get the audience going again. And although fatigue had clearly set in bassist Dr. Matt Destruction (by the looks of his sweat-soaked shirt, anyway), afterwards he was kind enough to give handshakes to a number of people in the crowd. Perhaps the most standout moment of the show was when they suddenly freeze-framed for about 15 seconds and then went on with the music.

The opening bands were The Rogers Sisters and The Deadly Snakes. Even though sadly I was unable to see The Deadly Snakes, I did get to see The Rogers Sisters. This was my first time even hearing of them...and wow. Maybe it's just my affinity for '80s music, but this three-piece out of Brooklyn blew me away. Bassist Miyuki Furtado seemed to have the most liveliness of the group. At one point his bass strap broke off, but he was able to wing it pretty well. At another point, after singing "I Dig a Hole" (which is a repetitive lyric in one of their songs), he provided some comic relief by saying that that was indeed the name of the song. And I think the guitarist's hair should also be mentioned here, as all throughout the set it constantly kept on falling in her face, and yet she managed to keep her composure and, like a true rock star, keep on playing.

T.S.O.L.
NARCOLEPTIC YOUTH
THE START
KILLING CALIFORNIA
November 27, 2004 @ the Galaxy Theatre (Santa Ana, CA)
By Yuri Beatnick

I had to rush to the show because I got off of work late, so I missed Killing California; but I did get there just in time to catch the end of The Start's set. I'd never heard their music before, but I was pleasantly surprised. With a darker, sort of sound filled with howling guitars and gripping keyboards, The Start was a perfect opening band for what was coming next.

As the Galaxy got dark and smoke filled the theatre, the music of a thunderstorm came through the speakers, and everyone got ready for Narcoleptic Youth. One after another the members took the stage and started to play "Raw Nerve"; and as the crowd started to pit, Joey Bondage explodes from backstage just in time to sing the first couple of words. Wearing his now-trademark makeup of a black "X" and black circles over his eyes, Bondage proves himself to be the ideal frontman in any high-energy punk band. As the crowd was never allowed to stop and catch their breath, Narcoleptic Youth played nothing but fast, high-energy songs, from "Is This Punk", "86 the Crap", "Barbi in Bondage", and "Don't Drink the Punch" to older, revived songs like "Classified" and "Smallpox Ebola Cocktail". You can check out all of Narcoleptic Youth's older releases all on one new CD, CHRONOLOGICAL DISORDER. To end things, Narco played the appropriate closing song, "Practicing for Suicide"; but the crowd wanted more. So out the band came for an encore performance. With Bondage now dressed in a pink dress with a blue wig, they played a No Doubt song. After this, Narco played "Banks Go Bust", which would finish off their fantastic set.

Now that the crowd has been properly warmed up, T.S.O.L. took the stage (without keyboards this time) and jumped right into "World War III". Playing other classics such as "Abolish Government/Silent Majority", the requested "Man and Machine", and "Superficial Love", T.S.O.L. did a good job of playing a good deal off most of their albums. Playing my favorites "In My Head" and "Terrible People", my only complaint was that Jack's vocals were too high: every time he hit a high note, the monitors squealed like a dying whale. However, Jack's humor made up for it. Receiving a note from a teenage boy asking Jack for a ride home, Jack questioned his decision-making ability and sexuality—all in good fun, of course. Then he reminded all the girls in the front row that the only reason they are friends is because they met through the ever-popular My Space. Anyway, what better song to end in than "Code Blue"? T.S.O.L. did come back to do an encore, but I don't remember what songs. I just know that they did one.

It was a damn fine show.

THE DICKIES
TEN FOOT POLE
SPLIT DECISION
HIT BY A SEMI
D-CUP
November 27, 2004 @ the Galaxy Theatre (Santa Ana, CA)
By Yuri Beatnick

The day after Thanksgiving is always crazy. Christmas is just around the corner, it's the infamous "Black Friday," and some guys just beat your ass for the last Elmo doll at Toys-R-Us. Well, what better way is there to relax and have fun than to go see The Dickies? So I decided to go and have fun...but my fun was cut short with all these awful bands.

First up on the bill was D-Cup, who carries on a Descendents-type sound, but nowhere near as clever or exciting. With singing about suicide and clock radios, I lost interest in this band long before there were done.
Next was Hit by a Semi, which caught my attention and I actually liked! Combining so many types of punk that you can't label them, Hit by a Semi is loud, catchy, and damn good. From their opening song, "California", to their last, I was nodding my head in approval. Reminding me of Throw Rag fused with Channel 3 and with the bass player from hell (man, this guy's good!), Hit by a Semi IS the band to see right now. You won't have to look hard for them, because they will probably be everywhere pretty soon.

When I went to shows in the past by really good bands, there would always be this opening band that made me think, "How the hell did they get on this show?"—and Split Decision is one of those bands. In fact, this IS that band I was thinking of all those times. I used to see them and hated them...and after seeing them this time, I still hate them! Coming from the suburbs of Orange County, this bunch of truck-driving, wife-beater-wearing, sideways-hat-sporting bunch of bros offer nothing but a bunch of pop-punk music that is neither original nor good. The singer does do a good job of sounding exactly like Sum-41 or even early Blink 182, but then he tries to talk about politics, and one can't help but laugh. These guys are a joke. The 15-year-old girls in the front row seemed to be into them, but for anyone who appreciates good music, you won't find it in Split Decision. The good thing is you don't have to see them; the bad thing is that I did.

Only one more band until The Dickies, and by this time I'm fed up with this show. Ten Foot Pole comes out. Don't be fooled: these guys are older than you would think. Sounding just like any other Epitaph band, Ten Foot Pole plays fast, skate-driven pop-punk. All their songs sound just the same as the previous one and never caught my interest. I remember in high school these guys were big to all the NOFX fans, but a couple of years later nobody seems to care that they are still around. Good riddance.

FINALLY it's time for The Dickies to play. Coming out wishing everyone a merry Christmas, Leonard wore a Santa hat. They opened with "Silent Night", doing it the only way The Dickies can. Soon enough they jumped into "Nights in White Satin", but Stan Lee's amp blew out, so they were put on hold. Normally this would put the fans in a frenzy of anxiousness, but not with Leonard as a frontman. He let everyone know that this is "the perfect opportunity to act like a complete jackass." He then puts on his comedy act of telling amusing stories and told a very funny John Kerry joke. The amp was fixed in good time, and The Dickies played all of their great tunes, from "I'm Ok, You're Ok", "Got It at the Store", "Curb Job", "You Drive Me Ape", and much more. Let's just say that that The Dickies' song you like most, yeah, they played it. And of course Leonard pulled out all of his props to go with the appropriate song—the snorkel and blow-up doll for "On the Water Slide", the dog puppet for "Poodle Party", and the famous dick puppet for "If Stewart Could Talk". From beginning to end, The Dickies will keep you amused, dancing, head-banging, or whatever it is you do when your into the band. If you haven't seen The Dickies, do yourself a favor and see them right now!

SPARTA
FURTHER SEEMS FOREVER
COPELAND
SUNSHINE
December 4, 2004 @ Henry Fonda Theater (Hollywood, CA)
By Drew Baker

So…no one sent me the memo regarding earlier show times for sold-out, all-ages shows. That would have been a helpful memo to receive. It would have saved me the disappointment of missing the first THREE opening bands. So, for now, I am left only to imagine how Sunshine, Copeland, and Further Seems Forever sounded live.

Considering this was my first experience at the Henry Fonda Theater, a fact both sad and pleasant simultaneously, I was largely impressed, aside from the overzealous security guard that searched me. I walked into the venue to the wonderful surprise of an upper tier…with seating which was perfect because I am a lazy bastard.

Subsequent to the breakup of At The Drive-In, the members went on to continue their musical paths. Two members went on to form The Mars Volta. The remaining three found bass player Matt Miller and started Sparta. Originally from El Paso, TX but now residing in Los Angeles, Sparta was here on their five week tour and ready to jam.

As the anticipation seemed to peak, the house lights dimmed and an eerie, ambient instrumental jam seeped through the speakers. While the curtain rose, smoke crawled across the dark stage and the lights scoured the audience. Behind the band equipment loomed the word SPARTA above their swan logo, recognizable from the cover of their latest album PORCELAIN.

In the shadows, the four members of El Paso born Sparta took the stage. In an explosion of blue lights solely focused on drummer Tony Hajjar, they ripped into the drum heavy intro of “Guns of Memorial Park”, Track 1 of PORCELAIN. As singer and guitar player Jim Ward belted out the melodies, he boosted the band’s intensity by improving vocal lines. They seamlessly blended the end of the song with the beginning of “Mye”, found on both their AUSTERE EP and WIRETAP SCARS full-length, with an instrumental jam. To me, it sounded as if they were playing the moody, half-time song a tad faster than on the recorded versions, but it added a new dimension to the intensity of the song.

Ward took a moment after the song finished to say “What’s up L.A.?” while guitarist Paul Hinojos held out some ambient notes underneath that they extended into the guitar intro of “La Cerca”. Once again, Ward sang improvised versions of his lines soulfully.

Their set was a very well thought out balance of material from the EP and both full-lengths. The highlight song of their performance was “Vacant Skies”, an older, driving, half-time song from their AUSTERE EP. But running a close second was their explosive six count song “Cut Your Ribbon”. The song had Ward, Miller, and Hinojos at their respective microphones screaming the words in unison Hajjar rocked the drums furiously.

Of course, another powerful moment for Sparta was during “From Now to Never” when Ward put down the guitar and sat down at a keyboard. He passionately sang into a microphone in front of him and played along as the rest of the band brought it down. They dropped the song into an almost Sun Ra-esque space jazz, noise jam. Hajjar turned away from his drum kit, picked up a djembe, an African hand held bongo-like instrument, and tapped a soft beat underneath Ward’s piano and Hinojos’ spacey guitar.

Toward the end of the show, Ward put down the electric guitar and picked up an acoustic. The rest of the band left the stage as Ward belted out the beginning of “Collapse”. The band rejoined him midway through the song making the rendition of the song powerful with the combination of electric instruments and the acoustic.

They closed the night with “Air” from WIRETAP SCARS. The straight kick drum beat of the verses had the crowd clapping along with it and the hard-edged choruses rang through the walls.

After the captivating hour and twenty minutes of watching the four piece vibe together one stage, I was left speechless. Their ability to span the spectrum of raw and aggressive and soft and spacey continues to astound. A few minor exceptions like tempo aside, their live set is almost CD quality. Jim Ward’s knack for improvising his vocal lines keeps the show entertaining and makes every show different. If they come through your own check them. And if you haven’t heard them, it’s imperative that you do: WWW.SPARTAMUSIC.COM

Holiday Havoc

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