September 2003 Show Reviews

THE VIRUS
CHANNEL 3
46 SHORT
BLIND SOCIETY
THE HAVOC
August 9, 2003 @ the Glasshouse (Pomona, CA)
By Marcus Solomon

Philadelphia's The Virus blew into the Inland Dirtpire again and performed one bone-jarring, fun-filled show. The more I listen to this band, the more apparent it becomes that this is not just another "big hair"/style-over-substance group. But first...

Having already missed The Havoc, I searched desperately for the Glasshouse manager Eric so that he could let my penniless self into the concert. Meanwhile, I could hear the bellicose sounds of Blind Society filtering out to the sidewalk. It seemed there was something wrong with my hearing, because it sounded like there were two different voices for the vocals. But upon entry I saw that Blind Society does indeed have two main vocalists-and they pull it off well. The music was supercharged slam-fodder, quick and tight. The two vocalists ran back and forth like caged animals, each one accentuating the voice of the other. Usually, two vocalists mean some played-out rap/rock garbage, but Blind Society keeps it core and simple. Strange: whenever I think of East Coast hardcore, I think of Agnostic Front and that sort of palooka-punk; but these five thrashmasters from New Jersey are more reminiscent of early-'80s skate core. This band put on a good, fun, and exciting show. Check them out if you get the chance, and visit the Blackout Records Website to learn more: http://www.blackoutrecords.com/blindsociety.html.

Following the boys from New Joisey was the band 46 Short. Some girl told me this band was great a long time ago (what was her name anyway?), so I paid very close attention. Yes! Good advice. Fast, raw, passionate, and steady. This band generates more of the early-'80s Los Angeles hardcore sound for the youth of today to pick up and chew on. While it is clear that the band does not take itself too seriously, there is a definite sense of urgency coming through. The music churns from a gallop to an all-out charge, then stops abruptly...only to charge again and again. It is a good thing that the band H2O dropped 46 Short from opening for them at Chain Reaction, as the crowd was clearly into the group...and the Glasshouse is a better venue. Sometimes what appears to be a setback turns out to be good fortune. Dig it at http://www.46short.com.

Before I get started about how good Channel 3 was, it must be pointed out that guitarist/lead vocalist Mike Magrann told me, "You're a hack." Cool, I love to be (humorously) insulted by my musical icons. The best one ever was when Captain Sensible (of The Damned) made fun of my shaved head. With over 23 years of musicianship under their belts, the best guitarists of the evening were clearly Mr. Magrann and fellow original band member Kimm Gardener. Crowd response was slightly less than it was for the previous band, but it must be noted that CH3's music is often more cerebral than visceral-but there are plenty of songs to go nuts and slam to (such as opener "Catholic Boy" and golden oldie "I've Got a Gun"). The new songs still pack a powerful punch, but the emphasis is more on arrangement, melody, and depth. Maybe that confused the "I just want to jump off the stage" crowd. Still, there were plenty of fans lining the stage barrier singing along, while the rest of the kids ran in a circle and did the slam thing. Mr. Magrann dedicated the song "Just on You" to me because earlier I'd told him that the song had been stuck in my head for over two months and it was driving me mad. Backstage, Kimm told me that this particular song had a strong Clash influence. This explanation may help explain the song's strong "hook-ability." The band's newest release (CHANNEL 3) is epic, so be sure to pick that one up. After you are done with the Internet porn, be sure to visit www.chthree.com.

Culminating the evening with the big, bad sounds of Philly hardcore was The Virus. The crowd surged forward into a tightly-packed unit of single-minded anticipation. The boys have tuned down the big-hair thing quite a bit, yet still retaining the punk look. Gone are the skyscraper mohawks and space-needle spikes, replaced with moderate mohawks and subtler spikeage. The backstage alcohol was having some effect on my note-taking abilities, so all song titles were reduced to illegible scribbles. The one song I remember for certain was the very popular "Full Circle". Before playing this tune, bassist Drew made mention of the enormous slampit that was created last time the band played at the Glasshouse. "I remember a huge pit that filled this whole fucking room!" However, even though said circle pit was very large, it was not as big as the one before. Perhaps that was due to the obnoxious skinhead faction who felt it necessary to vent their testosterone on many smaller concertgoers. Security tried talking with the pinhead bruisers, but alas, you cannot reason with someone who thinks that hitting small people proves how tough you are. (I would like to see such buzz-killers forcibly ejected in the future.) But the fun could not be completely doused. Standing far to the right of the stage, it was amazing to see up close just how much fun the members of The Virus have. This genuine enthusiasm is blasted all over the excited audience, and the whole thing feeds upon itself. I could actually feel the bones of my skeleton being jarred by the rhythmic force. The band played an encore, but I was away taking a pee. I saw vocalist Paul backstage and asked him if they were going to do an encore. "We just did one," he laughed. "Don't make me go out there again!"

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The Dead Kennedys 25th-Anniversary Show:
Split Decision
Loogie
The Dead Kennedys
August 19, 2003 @ the Key Club (Hollywood, CA)
By Ian Wilkins

I arrived at the Key Club in Hollywood just as the doors were opening. Their was a full moon out, and the night air was about 20 degrees above being really hot. As I walked into the club, I noticed three things: the air conditioning, the bar, and a huge turn out for all the bands. The place was packed even before the first band went on. The only thing that was a real disappointment was the dropping out of Dr. Know. It seems they had a falling out right before the show and decided to pass on the invitation to play with one of the greatest punk bands ever.
The first band on the bill was Split Decision. It took the crowd all of about two minutes to get on their feet and start participating with this great opening band. Their songs were tight, and the sound at the Key Club was excellent. Lead singer Scott did a great job in between songs keeping the fans amused, commenting on the lack of beer on stage and throwing out handfuls of stickers. One of the funniest moments of the night was when bass player Jeremy almost knocked out guitarist Ebby during one of his leaps. Split Decision has just been signed with Gale Force Records and are a band definitely worth checking out.
Up next was Loogie, an Orange County band that have been playing for quite awhile. They opened up with a song called "Road Rage", and lead singer Leann really let you know she had some rage in her. As the other members of the band hammered out some great music, she danced, flirting with the crowd and the microphone. Loogie played all their own music, except for when they did a cover of Del Shannon's "Runaway". Their set was only about 30 minutes long. It would have been more than fine with me if they had taken another 15.

The Dead Kennedys have recently replaced Brandon Cruz with Jeff Penalty. He is from Philadelphia, and in my opinion he does a better job than Cruz. Jeff is young and brings a lot of energy with him. As far as the rest of the band, it's still East Bay Ray, Don Perligro, and Klaus Fluoride.

The lights dim, everybody in the place is chanting "D.K., D.K." Then, on a movie screen above the stage, the show starts. There are images being flashed with music similar to that from 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, then silence, followed by the arrival of one of the greatest bands on the planet Earth. It was standing-room only by this time in the evening, and you were lucky if you made it anywhere near the stage. They started the show with "Police Truck", followed by "Too Drunk to Fuck". During the whole show the crowd was going nuts, dancing in the pit, singing along to every song, and (of course) the ever-so-popular stage dives (hint to all who dive: make sure their is someone to catch you before you make your leap). Peligro's drums were on a raised stage, and he was banging the hell out of them. East Bay Ray was busy...well, being East Bay Ray. Jeff was climbing up and then jumping off the speakers, making sure the fans knew who he was and that he was here to stay for awhile. About midway through the show, D.K. stopped to let Klaus give thanks to all who have supported them, along with a little history of the past 25 years. They played for a little more than an hour, then came back and did three encores. Total D.K. time: almost two-and-a-half hours. They ended the evening with nothing other than "Holiday in Cambodia". The show was so good that I'm really contemplating quitting cigarettes so I can make it to their 50th-anniversary show.

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JONNY WAS
HANDSOME DEVIL
THE PALE
HOLLYWOOD ENDINGS
August 21 @ Chain Reaction (Anaheim, CA)
By Tiffany Chow

This show was nothing short of an embarrassment. I was ashamed for my generation, which seemingly has been reduced to two words: "bros" and "hos." Chain Reaction was overrun with guys sporting sideways trucker hats and girls sporting more skin than is comfortable to behold, somehow in the mindset that maybe Shane West (of A WALK TO REMEMBER and the band Jonny Was) would choose the most provocatively-dressed one. People were "moshing" in an oversized empty spot in the middle of the floor, while people who thought they were clever sat "rebelliously" in the middle of the "pit." Despite the shameful displays, the first two bands, Hollywood Endings and The Pale, were not half bad. Sadly, I can't say the same for the co-headliners, Handsome Devil and Jonny Was.

Up first was Hollywood Endings, a youthful band of five boys playing in the vein of New Found Glory. At first I was skeptical, thinking they would be just as tired and generic as the millions of other pop-punk bands trying to make it nowadays. It was nice to be proved wrong! Though they were awfully similar to what has already been done, there is something fresh and enthusiastic about them. That might just be what it takes for them to be set apart. Their melodies were strong, and they had an incredible ability to hype up the crowd. They might want to tone down the rock-star attitude and lose the fog machine, though.

Then, The Pale. I breathed a sigh of relief. The Pale was terribly out of place that night-but in a wonderful way. I had been waiting for nearly two years (i.e., since I first saw them at Koo's Café (R.I.P.)) for them to return. They did not disappoint. Playing a short set of songs off of their newest release, GRAVITY GETS THINGS DONE, as well as a brand new song, they undoubtedly won the crowd over. Their sound is fresh, light, and poppy, with a voice that would break your mother's heart. Do you know what you're missing by not checking out this band? I pity the fool who doesn't go right now and listen to them. (I am now done with my shameless plug.)

Next on stage was Handsome Devil, a member of one of the members of Lit's record label. Does that say anything? Picture Mest meets Good Charlotte...well, in their late 30s. It is not a pretty sight to behold-and their music is even worse to hear. As terrible as they were, there were some pretty pumped-up fans in the crowd who obviously were stoked on seeing this band. If it's your thing, all the power to you.

Last was Jonny Was, the band of teenybopper actor Shane West (who starred in A WALK TO REMEMBER with Mandy Moore). You would never guess he played the sensitive-popular-guy-meets-nerd-and-undergoes-life-change. Appearing on stage, welcomed by too many high-pitched screams and wedding proposals, he sported a ripped-up shirt (much to the pleasure of the 12-year-old girls in the audience, I'm sure) and a Mohawk. His music can only be described as a sad attempt at Oi!, his vocals a flurry of indistinguishable grunts. I was too happy to get out of there.

I was able to sustain the entire night of disgust for two reasons: 1) The Pale is [insert "amazing" adjective here], and 2) I had some good laughs.

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