MAY 2004 Show Reviews

Azure Ray
The Elected
Neva Dinova
March 12, 2004
@ the North Star Bar (Philadelphia)
Text and photo by Matthew Siblo

While the shockwaves and ripples are still being charted from the great Saddle Creek boom of last year, 2004 thus far has been quite slow going for the Omaha faithful. There isn't seemingly much to look forward to, either: the next Bright Eyes full-length isn't scheduled to hit until Jan. 2005, The Desaparecidos have cancelled all future plans, Cursive has been steadily touring for a year on the same nine songs, and The Faint…well, who knows what the hell The Faint is doing. Needless to say, the mighty Saddle Creek roster is in hibernation mode, with no end in sight. So what happens when all the big guns are on the sidelines? A tour such as this rolls into town to remind us all that, although they may not pack the houses sometimes, even the minor players can create a hit or two.

The night started out with Neva Dinova, a band who despite their Omaha roots is signed to California's Crank! Records. The band possessed a laid-back, atmospheric twang makes it easy to associate them with many of their Midwestern contemporaries. While performing, Jake Bellows and co. was joined on stage by none other than Conor Oberst, as the two previewed a couple of new songs from their forthcoming split, ONE JUG OF WINE, TWO VESSELS. Both parties looked and sounded extremely comfortable, and their unique styles seemed to blend together quite nicely. As is strangely becoming the case with just about every other Omaha band, Neva's set ended with everyone in the room piling on stage holding each other "We Are the World" style. It must be something in the Nebraskan water.

It's always a strange transition from guitarist to lead singer, even if you've tackled some vocal duties previously. Many guitarists suffer from a noticeably large amount of trepidation while making this jump, whether they be in solo efforts, side projects, or otherwise. This sort of apprehension of accepting their new-found role usually leaves the listener with a hollow-sounding recording, mostly bought just because the record can claim it has (ex-) members of whomever. Such is not the case with Rilo Kiley guitarist Blake Sennett and his newly-formed band The Elected. Their debut album ME FIRST is an impressive mix of sun-stained pop and electric tomfoolery that well establishes Mr. Sennett as a genuine talent. The Elected's live show was as bizarre and impressive as the record, with a definite highlight being Blake taking the stage with a gas mask with a microphone hooked up inside of it. Mr. Sennett also proceeded to call his mother before going into a rousing version of "C'mon Mom". It's this sort of peculiar sentiment that seems to define who The Elected are—but that is also a large part of their charm.

After two such surprisingly inspired sets, Azure Ray was given the honors to close out the evening. The band's wistful, melancholy pop certainly fit the rest of the bill. However, it lacked the spark that both of the openers had displayed in spades. Playing a varied mix (mostly of last year's HOLD ON LOVE and 2002's gorgeous BURN AND SHIVER), the band played all the right notes...without hitting upon anything worth remembering. Granted, the band's style of music isn't conducive to a rock 'n' roll spectacle, but too often the songs sounded too pensive for their own good, leaving me ultimately uninterested. It's one thing to be dreamy, but it's another to put your audience to sleep.

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The Unseen
The Virus
Cheap Sex
Career Soldiers
March 13, 2004
@ the Glass House (Pomona, CA)
By Melissa Manrique

Rocking some Jeff Buckley during the ride to the Glass House, I was happy to leave my second home of small shop shows to return to my venue/show roots, even though it's hard to find good all-ages shows when you're still "small." Before I begin, my advice is to not trust www.mapquest.com directions, because you will end up in a totally different location. To hell with Mapquest! A bunch of filthy punks with cancer sticks tucked behind their ears and skyscraper mohawks were one of the first things I noticed as I struggled to find a place to park. Many of them gathered around a trash can, sat near gutters, walked around...They were everywhere. Simply wearing jeans and a plain shirt, I felt out of place. Some of the kids sported their shirts with "The Virus" or "The Unseen" emblazoned across their chest. Why were they outside? Oh, well.

From the music that easily escaped through the walls, I figured I showed up in the middle of the set of The Virus, which wasn't too bad. The size of the crowd when I arrived was pretty massive, and it seemed to double by the time I got to the door. Just before handing over my ticket with impatience, a handwritten "Sold Out" sign was posted on the door. Figures why so many kids were hanging out in the front. One of the security guys helped a few kids sneak in who weren't able to purchase their tickets, which I thought that was really cool of him. Finally, I made my way inside. The Virus, a typical grungy hardcore punk band that formed in February 1998, was a great ball of energy, and the crowd was certainly hyped. Lots of energy given off by these guys. It was too crowded inside. There was some nice moshing that took place. Initially, it kind of felt awkward, because I'm not accustomed to some random guy trying to get me involuntarily involved in the mosh pit more than once. A few of the crowd kids had their fists raised in the air to show how core they could be and were cut up from the pit. Jarrod, the last original member, was not on stage. Black Jon (formerly of Blind Society) is the new permanent drummer, according to the guy with liberty spikes next to me that talked incredibly loud. The addition of their new drummer seemed to work well and made a positive difference to the band, which reflected to the response from the crowd. All the boys on stage had some energy flowing. Some hardcore fan next to me started jumping up and down almost five feet in the air. "Throwaway Kids", "Full Circle", and other songs off of their album STILL FIGHTING FOR A FUTURE were played. Okay, sorry if I don't have much to say about this band because I showed up late. Sue me.
If you haven't heard of The Unseen, you might as well get out of town. These four guys are from Boston and already have four full-length LPs under their belts (most recently, EXPLODE on BYO Records) and have been playing punk rock for about a decade now. Some kick-ass bands they've toured with are: The Casualties, Anti-Flag, Dropkick Murphy's, Violent Society, Lower Class Brats, and Bouncing Souls. Christian of the hardcore pop-punk band Essen once said good things about the band performing live, and excellent they were indeed. The explosive energy that The Virus projected live earlier was still running high, and the crowd of high-school kids' response was slightly more than the previous. I could see that they were really connected with the crowd, and that is one of the key points in performing live. Communicating with the crowd added to why this band had an amazing stage presence, which earned them extra brownie points in my book. The mosh pits broke out in constant motion. There were a few loyal fans standing around either singing along with every word or just staring off into space. The Unseen played mostly their new songs from EXPLODE and played a cover song of some '80s hair band, I think. (Forgive me if I'm wrong: I don't remember the exact details of what went on that night.) "Halloween", "Social Security", "Police Brutality", "Beat It", and a shorter version of "ADD" were in the set list, from what I remember. I really enjoyed this set.

Even though the event did not terminate, I decided to head home when an assortment of people expressed their love of that band. It's too bad I didn't feel like taking my camera. I sort of regret it to the fullest. Reason being: overall, the show was pretty sweet. Any downfalls? The fact I missed Cheap Sex and Career Soldiers. Also, being pushed out of the way almost too often and having my view blocked by others (since I was way shorter than everyone else in the room). It's all good, though cause being short was cool at the time, since I had the ability to move between people and get near the front. Yayers to that.

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THE DUCKY BOYS
BLOOD FOR BLOOD
DROPKICK MURPHYS
March 16, 2004
@ the Wiltern (Los Angeles)
By Todd Markel

As I was heading to the Wiltern in the old theater district of Los Angeles, I was hit by the fact that "WOW, I'm driving through a really crappy section of town," so I rolled up my windows, locked my doors, and proceeded with caution. Not long after my realization, I came upon my destination, a jewel set amongst the urban blight of the surrounding city. I had never been to the Wiltern before, and I was impressed. It's a very large, art-deco movie theater built in 1931 with a capacity of about 2300. They've removed all 1200 of the lower-level seating, so it's standing-room only on the first level. If you were one of the first hundred to gain access to the area directly in front of the stage, you were given a wristband that allowed you to come and go, so it really paid to arrive early. The show was being billed as a Boston invasion, featuring three bands from the Boston area playing on the day before Saint Patrick's Day. Why not ON Saint Patrick's Day? you may ask. Well, that's because Dropkick Murphys were scheduled to appear on JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE on Saint Patrick's Day to play one song.

The first Boston band to kick it off was The Ducky Boys. This is a new version of the band, which had originally split up a few years ago. It's been over five years since they've played a show in Los Angeles. The lead singer started their set off by kicking a roll of duct tape off the stage and right into some girl's face. He was genuinely sorry, and she appeared to be alright. The Ducky Boys came from the same Boston scene as the Dropkicks, and they play a straight-ahead type of rock 'n' roll, with songs of defiance and alienation. Their first song had lyrics along the lines of "You gotta do what you do / Fuck you!" They also played a sing-along called "Misfit", with the catch line of "Misfit, misfit I'm not the only one." Sometimes it takes a cover song to help a band connect a little more with the crowd, as it gives the people something that sounds familiar and that they can sing to. The Ducky Boys accomplished this by playing a couple covers, the first being a punk-rock version of "Stand by Me" that finally got a little circle pit going, and the second being a rousing version of U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday". They closed their set with an original called "I've Got My Friends". This reformed version of the band promised it wouldn't be another five years before they return.

The Boston invasion continued with a band called Blood for Blood. They weren't what I would have called your typical Irish band; they were much more hardcore or old-school punk, with a few Oi! songs thrown in. The lead singer said it best when he announced, "It's time to get some aggression out." They then busted out with a tune that went, "The sign in the road says we're going nowhere." The pit pretty much went crazy as they played their ode to rehab, "All Fucked Up", with its line, "I gotta stop living my life / All fucked up." They played a song about love gone wrong that had the line that says it all "Fucking a pussy is like fucking the womb of a shotgun blast with gangrene." Blood for Blood closed their set with a crowd-pleaser that went, "Fuck you, and fuck society, too." People just love to shove their middle finger in the air, don't they? Check out Blood for Blood at their Web site .
A Dropkick Murphys' show always seems more like a sporting event, with all the clapping and shouts of "Let's go Murphys." This show was no different, and you could tell whom this crowd was here to see. The drama started as the their huge banner unfurled and fell all at once to a large cheer, and then the clapping and chanting started anew. The lights then went out, and a female voice started singing a haunting Celtic-type song. A shiver ran up my spine as a lone piper appeared playing a tune that sounded vaguely like the Old Spice theme, and suddenly the Murphys are on stage and blast into "The Worker's Song" (one of many that they were to play off of their latest CD, BLACKOUT). With its chorus of "We're the first ones to starve / The first ones to die," they had everyone in the audience singing the words back to the band. I haven't been in a decent slam pit like this in quite a while. It can be contagious—sometimes a little too contagious. At one point I saw this small guy who looked a lot like Seth Green getting overtly excited, and then all of a sudden some big guy shoves him to the ground. Seth starts to get up, and the big guy shoves him down again, shows him his tattoo, flips him the bird, and tells him to stay down or get the fuck out. I'm like, Wow, do I help? But Seth gets up, apologizes, and they shake hands and everything's cool. The band took a short break to bring on stage blonde beauty Stephanie Dougherty to sing "The Dirty Glass", which is a little ditty about a relationship gone bad. A few high points of the show were when they played their single "Walk Away" and the poignant "World Full of Hate". They brought the energy level back up by playing "Gonna Be a Blackout tonight" and "Kiss Me, I'm Shitfaced"; and "Black Velvet Band" capped the evening off. All in all, a great show that left you feeling a wee bit Irish. Check out their Website for upcoming tour dates: www.dropkickmurphys.com.

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FACEDOWN FEST: NIGHT ONE
XDISCIPLEX A.D.
SINAI BEACH
SEVENTH STAR
THE DEAL
ALOVE FOR ENEMIES
ONE-21
TRAUMA
HIT THE DECK
March 19, 2004
@ the Glass House (Pomona, CA)
Text by Johnny Rocket
Photos by Chad Sengstock

Well, here I am again, sitting down once more to recount the glory of Facedown Fest. This was my third year of attending Facedown Fest and second year reviewing it. The past three years the fest has been a huge, two-night gala, showcasing some of the hardest-working bands that are part of the Facedown family. Oh, and before I forget to say it: the bands will blow you away. Facedown Records itself has been making its presence felt throughout the nation, especially over the last few years. Facedown Records was started in 1997 by Jason Dunn (No Innocent Victim/Dodgin' Bullets) and has remained a loyal, independent label all the while. To check out the bands, buy merchandise, or find out more info about Facedown Records, check out the Web site at www.facedownrecords.com.

It was a warm winter's eve. The sun was still hanging low in the sky, yet it still felt too bright and early to be going to a show. Chad and I were on our way just after 5 p.m., because we knew that traffic would be crawling along on the 57 North, seeing as how it was rush hour on a Friday night. We couldn't have been more right. After an excruciatingly slow drive, the freeway speeds picked back up and our hope remained positive to make it to the show in time to see Hit the Deck open. We grabbed our bags and hurried to the box-office window to pick up our brightly-colored wristband and get inside. We were surprised to see a line stretching down from the window along the chipped wall to where we would meet our doom. As we sat in line hardly moving, the sounds of Hit the Deck began to pour out on us from a rusting vent high atop the wall. Our hearts sunk, because this band is worthy of so much more than an opening spot on the first night, and we cursed the wretched line that was forcing us to miss them. If you listened to Hit the Deck, you would instantly think they were a leftover and forgotten band from the early-'80s hardcore scene—you know, back when hardcore used to be called "punk" and guys didn't have girl haircuts. Furthermore, when they play their Minor Threat cover (usually "Little Friend"), you would think twice about it actually BEING a cover. I could faintly hear them play two other songs that I have grown familiar with, "Lockdown" and "Heads You Lose", which are available for download from their Website, www.xhitthedeckx.com. Chad and I finally grabbed our wristbands and hoped to quickly get through the doors and catch Hit the Deck's last song, but something had set its will against us on this night.

We were faced with a daunting new line of nearly 200 kids who seemed to be just as impatient as ourselves. So there we were once again, stuck in a never-ending line, as Trauma had finished setting up and began the start of their set. At this point, we were not very happy with the way the show had been set up. We didn't know if it was the Glass House's fault or not, but nearly 200 kids also missed Hit the Deck because of all this. By the time we got inside, went through the backstage, and found our way to the top of the stage to take photos, Trauma had one song left. I didn't catch the name of any of their songs, but they played heavily metal-influenced hardcore. They are Southern California locals and are signed to Strike First Records, a sub-label of Facedown.

Shortly after that point, my hopes were being fulfilled. I had been waiting two years to finally catch Philadelphia's own One-21 again. This was one of the few bands bringing quality punk rock to the fest, as they have been doing for eight years. They played a mixed set of old, newer, and new songs, from the classic "City Violence" to "Pacified" to the very recent "I Can’t Wait" (the last of which can be found on their latest album, GRENADE).

The crowd was still getting cozy and warmed up by the time Alove for Enemies announced they were ready to go. To be honest, I did not watch this band, as I was busy doing some shopping in the merch area located in a separate room. I have heard only good things about these guys, as they are from Long Island, NY, and incorporate a little of that infamous "NYHC" sound into more familiar metal.

By the time Chad and I got done purchasing all our fancy new shirts, it was time to go watch one of my favorite bands, The Deal. The Deal has been putting out some the best tunes for as long as I have been listening to them. Incorporating the roots of hardcore, Oi!, punk rock, and none other than rock 'n' roll, these five guys from Chino have been churning it up and showing themselves to be the cream of the crop. I read a recent CD review of their new album CUTTHROAT and was in awe when it was described as "shrieking vocals" and "metal." That is quite far from the truth. The Deal has very little in common with metal; they are, in fact, true to sounds of original hardcore and not metal. Anyways, it's one thing to listen to them, but it's quite another to see them perform. If you can't shake your bones to The Deal, then you're either dead or too scared to have a little fun. The Deal brings a little something for everyone, whether it is swinging fists in the air while singing along, circle pits of fury, stage-dives, or the occasional breakdown (for those dancers out there). The Deal played a few of their classic songs, "Soon Cometh the Day" and "Rise Up". They also busted out some songs from CUTTHROAT—namely, "C-Lo", "3 Hots and a Cot", and "Vultures". To add to the excitement, The Deal played three excellent cover songs: Black Flag's "Rise Above", Minor Threat's "Screaming at a Wall", and No Innocent Victim's "My Beliefs".

While the kids took a breather and started to regroup, Florida natives Seventh Star swarmed the stage. Showing off a new singer, Seventh Star "brought the mosh" with a tough new attitude. Indeed, their new singer brought a much more rough and tough sound, especially during "Represent", where even the bassist relieved himself of his instrument and joined the singing. They were hard-hitting and drew off all the energy from the kids. Though it had been non-stop chaos on the stage and the dance floor, the best was yet to come.

Playing runner-up on this night was Sinai Beach, who has been storming around the country on tour over the past year or two. They filled the air with miasmic metal, which echoed strongly throughout the walls—walls that barely could contain the swell of people. "Chugged breakdowns, powerful single-note droning riffs, forced vocals, and some singing" sum up Sinai Beach quite beautifully. I was excited to hear them play "Vile", which includes some very memorable lyrics: "I might just nail your tongue / To the bathroom floor / Where that feces belongs." If that's not metal, I don't know what is.

Then the audience was becoming aware of a quite sad moment: XDiscipleX A.D. was taking the stage for the final time. After nearly a decade of bringing their familiar and brutal "Lake Effect" hardcore rhythms, it was all coming to an end…but what an end they made it! They jolted with an intro song and tore into a barrage of other songs, jokingly claiming that they were going to play nearly all 50 or so songs that they had ever recorded. One thing they definitely did not joke about was letting some special friends come on stage. None other than No Innocent Victim hopped up and borrowed the instruments for a seemingly impromptu performance of "Never Face Defeat". The crowd reached a new zenith for the night, reenergized by the deep-throated vocals and aggressive presence of No Innocent Victim. Before I knew it, XDiscipleX A.D. was back in action, feeding off the incredible spirit that filled the room. They nailed down tracks from their early beginnings and all through the years, up to their most recent CD, THE REVELATION. Some of their songs: "Held Accountable", "Scarab" "Armachristi", "Venomous" "Pray Your Gods", "Refuge And Strength", "New Defiance", and "Trial by Fire". They violently ended their final show as the stage-dives came to a smashing halt and the dancers once again became static. A roar of applause rang out, followed quickly by a futile attempt of shouts for an encore. But there would be no encore. The house lights were quickly turned on, and the microphone's sound was cut.

So ended the glorious night of Facedown Fest. But all was not lost, since the second night was just around the corner. The second night would feature another slew of Facedown bands and would be sure to compete with the audacity of the first night.

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Pretty Girls Make Graves
The Constantines
The Red Light Sting
March 19, 2004
@ the Trocadero Theatre (Philadelphia)
By Matthew Siblo

With the recent success of their second full-length THE NEW ROMANCE, Pretty Girls Make Graves stormed into the Philadelphia area with all guns ablaze. Considerable media attention and positive crowd reactions have made Pretty Girls one of the brightest hopes for indiedom's always-uncertain future. It was this momentum that the band was able to headline a night at the significantly larger Trocadero theatre (as opposed to their usual stomping grounds, the intimate, more personal First Unitarian Church).

When it comes to PGMG's tourmates, I'd be the first to point out that the band has an almost flawless track record with their choices for support. On this tour, however, it seems as if the band had lowered their standards or perhaps just stopped doing any sort of background checks. The first band I caught that night was The Red Light Sting. This band was the equivalent of the worst Blood Brothers song incarnate, a soulless, homogenized version of the real thing. Everything about The Red Light Sting, from the band's appearance to their vocal patterns, made the band seem as if they were nothing more than a designer imposter version of the genuine article. After about four songs, I wondered to myself how much longer I could continue to stand around and watch this charade go on! Ironically enough, I found little solace at the merchandise table, where I noticed that even the band's T-shirts and album covers looked like you know whose. At this point, however, I gave up trying to make any sense out of this madness and instead let my thoughts of copyright infringement and calls to the U.S. patent office swirl in my aching brain, until the next band was to take the stage.

While I have yet to truly catch on to The Constantines' latest full-length, SHINE A LIGHT, I was highly anticipating what was rumored to be an exuberant and high-spirited live show...so you can imagine my disappointment when I received quite the opposite. The band's show was very similar to The Constantines I'm familiar with on record, which I find to be sluggish and criminally mediocre. The band's set lacked that very same spark, leaving me to watch their Springsteen-inspired riffs and Hot Water Music rasp with a relative indifference. The band's quick flirtation with Rod Stewart's "Young Turks" was the only fleeting highlight, leaving me no choice but to reinforce my general apathy for all things Constantines.

I have always found Pretty Girls to essentially be a live band. While both of their records have done a fairly good job at capturing the stirring intensity of PGMG's live show, neither of them accurately represents how powerful the bands performances are. Rarely have I ever been disappointed when Andrea and Co. have taken the stage, and this night proved to be no different. The band took the stage with the subdued "Blue Lights", but picked up the pace shortly thereafter. Plowing through nearly an even split of the band's catalogue, PGMG commanded the crowds attention with their relentless energy and passion. The band seemed comfortable on stage, striking an impressive balance between their fast-paced GOOD HEALTH material and the more subdued NEW ROMANCE, creating a varied yet, cohesive-sounding set. The crowd was even treated to a new song as the sets closer, which also sounded very promising. Upon first listen, the new song seemed to be going in a Gang of Four sort of direction (but then again, after just one initial listen, I could be very wrong). The song then led into a rousing impromptu, 15+-person jam that incorporated members from all the bands who played. It didn't sound all that great, but man, was it fun to watch! Overall, however, Pretty Girls Make Graves continues to demonstrate their ability to reinvent themselves with every performance they play, making them a wonderfully rare commodity in today's musical landscape.

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SLIGHTLY STOOPID
PEPPER
BARGAIN MUSIC
March 25, 2004
@ the House of Blues (Anaheim, CA)
Text by Annette Ovanessian

Yes, I was late—but I have an excuse! There was traffic. I mean, the House of Blues in Anaheim should keep in mind that for people who are trying to come to their shows that start at 8:00 all the way from Los Angeles, making it on time is a long shot! I honestly left my house around 6:30, clearly knowing that there would be traffic awaiting me, but, I mean, what time should you leave? Another thing that made me late was the will call situation. I was supposed to have a photo pass waiting for me, but I didn't, so now I had to walk ALL the way back to my car, about a mile away to put my camera back. By the time I walked back and stood in line to get in, I clearly missed the first band, but I was praying I didn't miss Pepper's performance, too.

Anyway, I apologize to Bargain Music for missing their performance; and to Pepper, for only catching their last few songs. The songs that I did catch from Pepper were about "pussy." That is to be expected from Pepper. Constantly praising pussy and throwing up pussy hand signals was quite humorous, but a bit annoying for some women in the audience. I mean, it's a tease, you know? Let's see what you got, Pepper! I'm not sure which Pantera song they covered, but it was the last song of tthrheir set, and they clearly ended the show heated. Pepper has a new album out called IN WITH THE OLD, and if it's anything like their first album, KONA TOWN, then you'll be in sweet reggae heaven. Visit www.pepperlive.com to find out more about this wonderful, Hawaiian-based band.

The venue was completely packed from top to bottom with all the surfer/skater guys and girls who live in the O.C. It was an all-ages show, and I would say that 60% of the audience was under 18 years old. I was desperately trying to find a place where I could see the stage, but failed. I ended up sitting on a stool upstairs and capturing the foreheads of Slightly Stoopid. I was pissed off at this time, but you know, Slightly Stoopid is so amazing live that my mood quickly changed. Having seen Slightly Stoopid a few times before, this was the first time where I saw them play an acoustic set. They came out singing my all-time favorite song off EVERYTHING YOU NEED, "Collie Man", and my heart felt like it was about to stop. It was the first time that I heard them play that song live, and at the moment, it took me back to the time when I interviewed Slightly Stoopid last year and I asked Miles, "Who is Mr. Collie Man?" and he replied, "He's the herbs man." Well, I think that's why it's my favorite song, because whenever the herbs man comes to me, it's always a good time! For about one hour they were playing the acoustic set, and it was so cool to watch the kids down below crowd-surf to the very slow-paced sound of reggae. To me, that meant, that the kids enjoyed the music so much that even slow songs can make you jump around out of love. As I was sitting there to myself, wondering what else I can get out of this night, my friend Fat Mark from 77 Records walked by me and noticed my frustration. He did everything he could to get me a photo pass, and got one within minutes. I then ran all the way back to my car and all the way back to the H.O.B. just to take pictures. By this time, Slightly Stoopid was in the second hour of their set, and this hour was not an acoustic one. They were now standing up, and both Miles and Kyle were switching back and forth from playing bass and guitar. I got on stage with the band and looked out upon the audience to notice all the hardcore fans Slightly Stoopid has produced. There were people who were fighting to get in the front by heavy pushing, and a lot of bitch girls were mad dogging me, for some reason. A big "fuck you!" goes out to the drunken lady who wouldn't move so I could get in the barricades to take my flicks; and to her pussy-whipped boyfriend who took her side and blocked my passage, too. But a big "thank you" goes out to Slightly Stoopid for singing nearly every song off their albums, which makes it totally worth it if you paid $30 to get in. After playing for over two hours, they still came out for an encore performance, which left the whole crowd completely satisfied.

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SAVE ERIC BENEFIT SHOW:
THE AQUABATS
REEL BIG FISH
STARPOOL
LIT
HOMEGROWN
SUBURBAN LEGENDS
THE FORCES OF EVIL
March 26, 2004
@ Henry Fonda (Hollywood, CA)
Text and photos by Annette Ovanessian

For such a worthy cause and such an all-star line-up, the “Save Eric Benefit Show” was a complete success. I know you’re all wondering: “Who is this Eric guy we’re all trying to save?” Well, Eric Zamora is a musician. He used to play saxophone for Save Ferris, and he currently plays saxophone in Starpool. Eric became ill and will be having two major surgeries in the next few months. Having no health insurance, just imagine how expensive his hospital bills will be. I’m sure it’s impossible to buy health insurance once you’re already sick. Luckily, Eric has some true friends. His fellow bandmates from Starpool asked a bunch of popular bands if they would play for free to help raise money. Well, seven bands agreed, and the night was filled with highlights!

Due to a bit of a will-call problem in the beginning, I missed The Forces of Evil. I did, however, walk in just in time to catch Suburban Legends as they crowded the stage with chaos. Their whole performance was so neatly choreographed that they looked like a ska version of a boy band. The horn section was simultaneously dancing with their horns, and towards the end of their act they all took part in a dance routine. Although this doesn’t mean that their music sounds good, it does mean that they are continually trying to find ways of improving their stage presence.

Starpool was on next! This was my first time ever hearing the band, and I was impressed by their tremendous amount of energy on stage. I could really tell that the whole band put their heart and soul into their performance, not only to impress first-timers like me, but also to show how much they appreciated everyone’s attendance. The band certainly showed how much they value and care for Eric as a friend and a bandmate. Alan (vocals) said, “If Eric was here, he would want to hug every one of you!”

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