Sorry for any cinconvenience. Nonpoint is CANCELLED

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JULY:

25th Bottles n Beats
26th Restless Streets
27th Hip Hop
28th Black Phil's Memorial show with A TON of bands!
31st Delirium presents

AUGUST:

1st  Acoustic open mic
2nd Alex Portelli fundraiser
3rd C3 presents
4th Carl Daniels
7th Ill Doots
8th FREE show with Safeword
9th Delirium presents
10th Summer Slaughter at Upstate Concert Hall with an after party at Bogie's
11th Chaos presents
15th KEN mode at Valentine's
16th Dehumanized, Parastic Extirpation, Abhorrent Agression, Tyranize, Incontinence
17th SHEER TERROR
18th Chaos presents
21st Restless Streets
23rd Swinging Utters
24th Delirium presents
25th MOBB DEEP
28th Revocation
29th Bottles N Beats
30th Green Jelly
31st American Head Charge

Stigmata review

May 24^th: A Benefit for Justin King featuring Stigmata, Wisdom in Chains, Born Low, King Nine and Cheech at Bogies.

I’ve never been prouder to be a part of the Albany Hardcore Scene.

On the evening in question, Bogies was host to a packed house and a stacked line-up .This event, organized by Buddy Armstrong and Upstate Black ‘N’ Blue Productions, was held as a fundraiser for the King family. Justin King, who lent his six-string talent to a number of area bands (including Bulldog Courage), has been living with late-stage cancer for some time now; in an effort to alleviate some of the financial burden associated with medical expenses, a percentage of the door proceeds were donated to King. Additionally, special-edition event shirts bearing the names of the bands on the back, the front emblazoned in bold-block letters, “We Take Care of our Own!”, were printed and sold at the show.

When I arrived at 7:30 that evening, the club was PACKED! It was a veritable “who’s who” of the Albany scene. So many familiar faces – old and new – greeted me with warm smiles, hugs and handshakes. It felt like the Old Days – they even had the courtesy water-jug out! I haven’t seen such a high turnout this early in the evening since I was a teenager, and as openers Cheech weren’t scheduled to play until eight, this can only be seen as a testament of how far the 518 will go to help a brother in need.

All of the bands on the bill had a sound firmly rooted in the hardcore tradition, though none of them sounded alike. Boston’s Cheech was perhaps the most traditional, reminding me at times of NYC acts Killing Time and Sick of it All. Blending four on the floor punk-styled drum beats with metallic guitar riffing, straight-ahead passages and – of course – danceable breakdowns, Cheech began their set with some newer material, and later on broke out the oldies. Those in the know sang along or set it off in the pit. Incidentally, Cheech provided one of the highlights of the evening, at least on a personal level: as part of a double encore, they played their rendition of Sheer Terror’s “Here to Stay”. At this point, I had no choice but to participate in the ensuing sing-along.

Long Island’s King Nine and Reaper Records recording artists Born Low had a similar take on the hardcore sound; that is not to say that they sounded the same, however, but both drew on more metallic influences than the other bands. With King Nine, I heard a great deal of Sworn Enemy (the vocals) and Madball, but with a brutal stomp beat akin to Xibalba and the Acacia Strain. Born Low was a bit more traditional, but still heavier than Youth of Today, Judge and Gorilla Biscuits. Though they frequently play Bogies, tonight was my first opportunity to see Born Low, and I have to say that they impressed the hell out of me. Where much of the newer Albany bands have gone the way of metal or “metalcore”, it’s good to see an Albany band like Born Low flying the HC flag.

Next on the bill was Pennsylvania’s own Wisdom in Chains. Having never seen them live, their set was particularly enjoyable to me. Originating as a cross-Atlantic collaboration between members of the Dutch band Daredevil and PA bands Krutch and Mushmouth, Wisdom In Chains recorded one album with this line-up, only to reform years later. Perhaps one of the most unique bands on the bill, WIC’s sound took the best from the old and the new school: melodic Oi!/punk with infectious sing-along parts, Terror-style hardcore breakdowns, and careful attention to musicianship. Like so many of their peers around the globe, every member of Wisdom in Chains worked in collusion with each other with little show boating – save the occasional, appropriately placed guitar lead – to produce a rock-solid wall of sound. Fans of Terror, Sheer Terror, Blood For Blood and The Bruisers would love these guys.

As if the supporting line-up wasn’t enough to satiate the tastes of the average hardcore fanatic, tonight’s main event was nothing short of a milestone: the return to the stage of local legends Stigmata after four years of inactivity. Featuring the classic line-up of Bob Riley (Murderer’s Row), Mike Maney (Ill Remembered, Dead Rabbits), Jay Sunkes (Burning Human, Dead Rabbits), Buddy Armstrong and Jason Bittner (Shadows Fall, Burning Human, and now Anthrax), Stigmata began releasing demos under the names Displaced Aggression and Cranial Abuse in the mid-eighties. Adopting their present moniker with the release of 1991’s The Call of the Just, Stigmata is universally recognized as one of the founders of “Troy-Core”, a style that blended Slayer-esque guitar riffing with the traditional hardcore sound. The band went on to release five full length albums, the last of which – Do Unto Others – was picked up for distribution by Victory Records.

As the room went dim, the haunting, synthesized strains of Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange theme poured from the sound system. Smiling ear to ear, Riley shot us all the bird and gave a brief dedication – as all of the acts had – to King before the band broke into their classic set, kicking the madness off with “Life for a Life”. From the stage to the bar, Bogies was as densely packed as it could be: the typically wide-open dance floor was full of spectators, who closed in to form a narrow “horseshoe of death”. The pit had been in full-swing since King Nine, but now the floor was no longer a safe place for the non-confrontational. Yours truly even caught a forearm to the head!

With the exception of a few songs from Do Unto Others, the majority of Stigmata’s set list consisted of material from their third full-length, Hymns for an Unknown God, the album considered by many to be their finest work, as well as Bittner’s debut as their drummer. Though they hadn’t played together in years, the band didn’t miss a beat – it was like stepping through a wormhole into 1996! The intense double-bass attacks of songs like “Nothing But Enemies” and “Ignorant and Wired” were just as crushing as they were when I was a kid, and the sheer heaviness of “Murder of Life” and closer “Burning Human” solidified once and for all their timelessness. Unfortunately, if you didn’t make it out tonight, the likelihood of catching Stigmata on stage any time soon is slim to none – not for lack of desire, just conflicting schedules. If you did, consider yourself lucky to witness such a milestone.

Schedule for June is up!

JUNE

1^st Tamerlane, Like A Storm, Stepback Eleven, Infinity Remains and Safeword

5^th The Goddamn Gallows

7^th Chaos presents

8^th Benefit for DUSTIN MELE featuring All For Revenge, Tyranize, Still I Burn, From Within, Here To Stay, Ematoma

12^th BLACK FLAG & Good For You

13^th AGNOSTIC FRONT, Lionheart, Brick By Brick, Aggressive Response

14^th Chaos presents

15^th KYLESA, Blood Ceremony, White Hills, Lazer Wulf, Maggotbrain, Never Odd Or Even

16^th Bermuda, Legion, Seeker, Sessions, The Conflict Theory, Realms

17^th BIOHAZARD, Sworn Enemy, Born Low, Before The Betrayer, Trife Life, Here Is My obituary, Peaks

18^th Polkadot Cadaver, Exotic Animal Petting Zoo, Breathless By Dawn, Arrest The Dreamer, Faced, Like Lions, Changing Tides

22^nd MURDER JUNKIES

24^th The Sharrows

27^th Bottles N Beats featuring DJ STRESS

Metal, Ska, Hardcore, Rock!! Jay Frost analyses a hardcore show!

The Anatomy of a Hardcore Show

By Jay Frost

Until now, I’ve brought you detailed, up close and personal accounts of performances from the myriad of acts that played Bogies in the first half of 2013. While these performance reviews are a lot of fun to write and helpful (I hope) to the musicians  whose sets I review, today I’ve decided to give you a behind the scenes look at all of the hard work and careful planning that goes in to organizing and orchestrating these events.

On Saturday, April 27^th, I worked under Upstate BnB stage manager and sound technician Dan Bushey from load-in to the final change-over for the last two acts. For the musicians, promoters and venue staff that may be reading, what I am about to recount is nothing new. The average concert-goer, on the other hand, can only venture a guess as to what happens in the hours before the doors open.

At 5 p.m., the six acts scheduled to perform began to arrive at the venue for load-in. With a door time of 7 p.m., it is of the utmost importance that all acts have their equipment inside the club, separated and ready to be placed on the stage no later than 5:15, 5:30 at the latest. In order to minimize confusion, each act chose a separate plot on the empty dance floor to stow their gear (guitars, basses, drums and amplifiers) and awaited further instruction from the stage manager.

When all the bands had loaded in, the order in which each would appear was determined. Typically, this is dictated by the amount of tickets sold, but tonight’s event was organized by Tower, the headliners, who therefore assumed this responsibility. Once the order was set, the bands and venue staff loaded the gear on the stage, guitars and basses stored in an enclosure behind the drum riser, amplification devices stacked stage left and right using a method known as “back-lining”. This process entails placing all of the amplifiers in the order that each band will appear – the openers’ equipment first, direct support and headliners last. As most of the acts on tonight’s bill featured two guitarists and a bass player, guitar amplification was stacked to the right and the left of the stage, the bass amps to the right of the drum riser. As you will see later on, this makes load-off between acts simple and free of aggravation. In order to prevent clutter, the openers and direct support shared some of the larger equipment (speaker cabinets for guitar and bass amplification).

After back-lining, drums for the openers were assembled on the riser, center stage. The bands slated to appear afterward began to assemble their drum kits in a fenced-off alcove directly behind the sound booth (left side of the room behind the dance floor). Just as back-lining eliminates unnecessary stress, partial assembly of the percussive instruments reduces the amount of time it would take to assemble them on stage, thus minimizing the set-up time between acts.

After the opening act was set up, sound-check began. Much like any other venue, Bogies has its own house P.A. system which is utilized to amplify the band and minimize the unpleasant feedback associated with the volume on stage being turned up too loud. Each instrument/amplification device is fitted with a microphone that is fed into a mixing board used by the sound technician to balance levels. As drums are essentially acoustic instruments, kits are fitted with a number of microphones – typically one for the kick-drum, one for the snare, and sever others mounted on toms. These mics also serve to amplify cymbal volume.

Sound-checks typically begin with setting drum levels: first, the bass, next the snare, and finally the whole kit. Once the sound man is satisfied with the drum levels on stage (and the drummer is satisfied with the levels coming through the stage monitors), one of the two guitarists plays in a few riffs in order to set their levels. After the guitars, the bass, and so on; depending on how many vocalists the band features, one to three microphones are tested and levels are set. Finally, the band as a whole plays a verse or two of a song for a final level check, then clears the stage until it’s time to perform.

As mentioned earlier, the openers and direct support shared equipment, which limited my responsibilities to assisting the acts with drum set-up and break-down. More often than not, the bands themselves are responsible for making this happen, so they were extremely grateful to have an extra pair of hands this evening. When the first of the openers completed their set, I aided the drummer in the breakdown and removal of the drums, and then offered my assistance to the next band. After their set, the first of the back-lined gear was removed from the stage as well. All of this gear is then placed in the alcove where the other acts set up their drums until it’s time to load out.

Though the technical side of orchestrating these events can be bothersome, careful planning and swift action on the part of venue staff minimizes any significant problems. Methods like “back-lining” allow for swift change-overs so that each act has ample time for adequate sound checks and enables venue staff to complete their jobs in an orderly, timely fashion. This is how the pros do it.

Bane review. Nails, Sworn Enemy, BxB!

April 4^th, 2013: Bane, Violence to Fade, Living Laser and Disconnect at Bogies

by Jay Frost

This evening’s event showcased four excellent 90’s style hardcore acts – Western Massachusetts’ Bane and Violence to Fade, Newburgh New York’s Living Laser and locals Disconnect. As per usual, gainful employment prevented me from seeing Disconnect and most of Living Laser’s set (which was especially disappointing for me, as Disconnect is one of my new favorite local acts), but the remainder of the evening was a lot of fun.

Being the first “pure hardcore” line-up since Crown of Thornz back in March – and myself being a “hardcore purist”, if you will – I wouldn’t have missed this show for the world. Arriving in the nick of time to hear Living Laser’s last two songs, I received my first dose of fast-paced hardcore punk. I use the term “punk” loosely here: though their sound relied heavily on four-on-the-floor tempos, Living Laser had more of a old-school New York Hardcore feel (heavy guitar riffing, shouted vocals, dance parts, etc.). Fans of Leeway, Quicksand, Warzone and Gorilla Biscuits would dig these guys. To sum it up in a neat little phrase: old-school.

After the customary intermission for breakdown, set-up and sound check, Violence to Fade broke the silence with a heavy instrumental intro fit for stomping your way through the pit. Upon hitting the final E-chord, VTF took Bogies by storm with “G.I. Joe Headstomp.” What a song title! With guitars at standard tuning, shouted vocals and alternating fast/slow tempos, I was reminded of Strife, Burn, Killing Time and even tonight’s headliners. Forming in 2012, Violence to Fade is a unique addition to the ever-growing underground; where most up-and-comers in the extreme music genre try to out-do each other with low-tuned guitars, syncopated drum beats and guttural vox (some even veering into the realm of “metalcore”), knowing that a certain subset of the new-school is still interested in playing good old-fashioned hardcore is refreshing. The fact that acts like Violence to Fade are few and far between make catching them live a true slice of nostalgia that’ll have you two-stepping and circle-moshing all night long. I had a lot of fun watching these guys, as any hardcore purist would.

Violence to Fade’s demo is available for free download as well. Just follow the link on their Facebook page to check it out.

Worcester, Massachusetts’ own Bane took the stage close to the ten o’clock hour. The brainchild of Aaron Dalbec (Converge), Bane has been credited with being one of the first Boston hardcore bands that developed alongside the extreme metal scene as opposed to hardcore-punk. Having gone through several line-up changes since their 1995 debut, Dalbec and vocalist Aaron Berdard are the only remaining original members. Stylistically, Bane is fast, mean, and definitely traditional.  Their message is positive and idealistic, leading many to associate them with the straight edge movement in hardcore. Though accurate, Dalbec and Berdard are the only members of the band who adhere to the tenants of this lifestyle. Therefore, it would be inaccurate to refer to them as a straight edge band. In fact, this event had a real “straight edge or not” vibe: though I saw band members and attendees with X’ed hands, there was never a clear declaration of this being an edge event. The bar was just as active as any night, and everyone was welcome, whether “straight edge or not”.

While the audience was scattered in pockets for the openers, the room had since filled up a bit and EVERYONE gathered up front for Bane. True, this was a Monday night, and Bogies wasn’t anywhere near maximum capacity, but the enthusiasm of both Bane and the audience equaled that of a packed house. There was no shortage of pile-ons, sing-a-longs and stage dives and the pit raged like riot. If there were fifty kids up front, thirty of them kept it going to the end. Bane’s set consisted of classics from their entire back catalogue, from 1998’s “Holding this Moment” up to their 2005 effort “The Note”, as well as new and unreleased material – most notably a song called “The Bold and The Beautiful”. Anthems celebrating strength, tenacity and courage in the face of adversity soared through the air, proving once again how vital positive hardcore is to the underground music scene; by recounting personal experiences and promoting constructive solutions to relevant problems, a sense of mutual respect and empathy is born. To paraphrase myself, this music could save lives.

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Jay Frost reviews Bam Margera

Monday, April 8^th: Fuckface Unstoppable at Bogies

By Jay Frost

I am currently eating a great deal of words; perhaps the biggest upset victory of Upstate Black ‘N’ Blue’s busy winter/spring concert series, Fuckface Unstoppable played a stellar set this past Monday. Consisting of former members of CKY and fronted by Bam Margera, a man that needs no introduction, the band far surpassed all of my low expectations. In light of Margera’s  film and television career (his tenure with the Jackass and CKY crews) and the reputation he has built for himself as a practical jokester and party animal, I didn’t think that I’d be able to take F.U. seriously. The fact that CKY members Jesse Margera and Matty J made up the rhythm section of the band gave me some hope, but all in all I anticipated an evening marked by immaturity and superstar pomposity.

My fears were assuaged when Bam belted out the first line of Turbonegro’s “All My Friends are Dead”. Wow. Did that bark really come from Bam? There was no denying that Margera had developed a distinctly hardcore-influenced vocal style similar to old-school acts like Killing Time. It didn’t feel forced or unauthentic, but rather sincere and downright powerful. His stage presence was impeccable as well: between shaking hands with the sweaty pile center-stage and offering the mic to those who cared to sing along, he didn’t miss a single beat or stumble over a single lyric. He was Fuckface Unstoppable. At times his banter straddled the line between toilet humor and sexual lewdness, but this is nothing new to punk rock – or rock and roll in general – and with so many acts using their art as a vehicle to deliver their ideals to the masses, it’s refreshing to see that some still do it for the fun of it. 

Musically, the band alternated between heavy punk rock and Clutch-inspired groove metal; occasionally, elements of electronic music (“Bend My Dick”) as well as hip-hop were thrown into the mix. Midway through there set, Bam had to take a potty break and passed the mic to one of his entourage, who graced us with a free-style rap, the band providing a metallic back-beat. Though merely an interlude, it smacked of Mob Deep and Sick of it All’s rendition of “Survival of the Fittest”. If Fuckface Unstoppable can do something like this on a whim, it would be interesting to see something like this developed in the studio – or even recorded candidly – for later release.

Aside from the afore-mentioned cover, Fuckface Unstoppable’s repertoire included a superb rendition of Clutch’s “Whiskey and Rye”, “Bend my Dick” - their original and hilarious take on dubstep that describes the act of fornicating with one’s self, as well as a slew of original material that  fell either into the heavy punk or groove metal categories. For me and many others, tonight was a lesson in humility: though a man may build his career on being a “jackass”, it shouldn’t define everything he does. Silly name and antics notwithstanding, Fuckface Unstoppable is one hell of a band, and I’d gladly see them again.

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Punk rock review by Jay Frost also some killer shows this week!

March 23, 2013: Urban Waste, The F.U.s, Dead Aces and Aggressive Response at Bogies by Jay Frost

            This evening metal and its various sub-genres took the night off as Bogies hosted and all-punk lineup featuring “dawn of hardcore” trailblazers Urban Waste (NYC) and The F.U.s (Boston) co-headlining, as well as support from locals Dead Aces and Aggressive Response. As Upstate Black ‘N’ Blue Productions prides itself in bringing a diverse range of talent to the Capital District, an old-school hardcore-punk show was not necessarily a deviation from the norm, but rather a pleasant surprise. Another unique feature of this event was that the front stage area closest to the bar was utilized as opposed to the larger stage area in the rear of the club. This made for a much more intimate, “reach out and touch you” atmosphere

            Kicking off the show was Aggressive Response, who made their first appearance in front of an audience tonight. An angry five-piece consisting of the guitar tandem of Kurt and Joey “Soft-Hands” Berben, bassist Welf, drummer Jared and vocalist Jay Krak, Aggressive Response played a style of hardcore-punk that had more in common with early Sheer Terror than Black Flag or the Circle Jerks. In fact, that was the only comparison I could draw as I watched them play, so I wasn’t surprised when they concluded with a cover of “Just Can’t Hate Enough” – and an excellent one at that! Aggressive Response has a six-song self-titled EP out now, so make sure you pick it up. Look for them on Facebook and BandCamp as well. Hopefully we’ll get a chance to see what they can do in the back room next time.

            Up next were Dead Aces, a three-piece playing a more traditional style of punk rock that drew on influences like the Ramones, the Sex Pistols, Rancid and The Descendants. No strangers to the local club circuit, Dead Aces have been playing out for some time and have at least one full-length recording under their belt. Featuring a dual-vocal assault from their guitarist Scotty Ace and bassist John Lee, Dead Aces may lean more toward the traditional three-chord punk, but with a ferocious delivery courtesy of the percussive assault of Ryan Downey. Dead Ace’s vocalists alternated between harmonious clean vocals and angry shouts, the latter of which brought to mind bands like Kid Dynamite, “Revenge”-era Cro-Mags and The Casualties. Likely one of the hardest-working bands in the local punk scene, it isn’t difficult to catch these guys out at any number of local venues. Keep your eyes open.

            After the locals tore up the stage, the audience was treated to the first of two raw, energetic, lightning-paced doses of old-school hardcore punk beginning with Boston’s The F.U.s. Reuniting in 2010 after nearly fifteen years of marginal-to-non- activity, several line-up changes and a brief tenure as heavy metal act Straw Dogs, The F.U.s played sixteen songs in a half an hour. Stylistically, the band played a stripped-down form of thrashy punk. Though contemporaneous with Gang Green and “Dirty Rotten LP”-era DRI, The F.U.s unfortunately never gained the notoriety of these others outside of the Northeast – which is surprising, considering the originality they inject into this sometimes static genre.

            Consisting of original vocalist original vocalist John Sox, Rockin’ Bob Cenci and Jonesey Stunt (son of former member Mick Stunt) on guitars, Richie Rich on bass and Bob Furapples behind the kit, the F.U.s played material from their entire back catalogue. Upon the conclusion of their eponymous song, Sox commented with a chuckle: “I bet you never thought you’d be smiling after getting flipped the bird.” To me, this summed up the atmosphere of the entire evening: venting frustration, having a good time and simply not giving a fuck about society, your troubles or what the next man, whether next to you or on stage has to say. The F.U.s impressed me so much that I picked up a copy of their 1982 debut “Kill for Christ” from Sox at the merch table on my way out. They are still on tour with Urban Waste, and will be in Wallingford, Connecticut April 13^th. If you’re in the area or you love old-school hardcore punk enough to travel, check them out.

            NYC’s Urban Waste continued the old-school savagery. Playing an hour long set, they managed to crank out enough material to fill two full-length grindcore albums (or four seven inches, more likely). Though only active in their original incarnation from 1982 to 1984, Urban Waste’s impact on the burgeoning New York punk scene – and what became NYHC years later – is so far-reaching that they have been cited as influential by the likes of Agnostic Front’s Roger Miret. Like the F.U.s, they had also gone through a number of line-up changes, with guitarist Johnny Waste the sole surviving member from the old days.

            The crowd had remained relatively tame most of the night on account of the small space up front, but this went out the door with Urban Waste’s set. Memorable moments were “Banana Nut-cake”, “Reject”, “Police Brutality” and their eponymous tune. Stylistically similar to the F.U.s, but unique in an Agnostic Front “Cause for Alarm” manner, Urban Waste is most certainly from New York. There is no denying this; their attitude, sound and stage presence qualified this. If you couldn’t make this show and travel’s convenient, make sure you catch them on tour – not just for the novelty or nostalgia of seeing such a seminal act resurrected, but for the sheer fun of it.

Soulfly review!! By Jay Frost

Wednesday, March 13^th: Soulfly, Incite, Lody Kong and Dolabra at Bogies.

            Bogies was host to another packed house tonight as the Maximum Cavalera tour rolled through Albany on its way to NYC with Soulfly, the brainchild of former Sepultura front man Max Cavalera headlining. Based out Phoenix, Arizona, Max literally brought the entire family out on this trek with support from Incite – a unique death-core outfit fronted by his eldest son Richie – and Lody Kong, featuring Zyon Cavalera.

            Taking the stage upon my arrival were local favorites Dolabra. Playing an amalgamated style that combines elements of thrash, hardcore and power metal, Dolabra brought to mind such bands as Sheer Terror, Crumbsuckers, post-“Crossover” DRI and even Slayer. Guitars were tuned to standard-E, something you rarely see with most of today’s hardcore and metal and that gave them an old-school feel. Their vocalist delivered an angry, gravel-toned bark– another convention of “dawn of hardcore” like Black Flag, Sheer Terror and Carnivore. As conventional and typical as this style of vocals may be, their intensity and unremitting delivery fit Dolabra’s dynamic musical range. Structurally, Dolabra’s material alternated between fast, punked-out beats (often heavily laced with guitar leads), four-on-the-floor hardcore verses and devastating mosh parts. If you haven’t had the chance to see or hear Dolabra, be sure to catch them opening for Exodus and Brick By Brick at the Upstate Concert Hall April 22^nd. Also, check out their demo at www.reverbnation.com/dolabra .

            An event of this magnitude requires careful coordination, and the entire Upstate BNB staff worked diligently to ensure the night was a success. Under the careful supervision of Mike Valente, the transition between acts occurred so swiftly you’d have missed it if you weren’t paying attention. When Lody Kong took the stage I wasn’t sure what to expect. The oldest member of the band couldn’t have been a day over 18. At first, I thought they were local, but after some inquiry I discovered that Lody Kong featured Zyon Cavalera behind the drum kit. After a brief sound check, Lody Kong tore into their set. The band takes the best elements of early grunge like The Melvins or “Bleach”-era Nirvana, heavy alternative like The Used, and Sepultura-influenced metal – no small thanks to their influential mentor – and combined it to produce a unique style all their own. As a hardcore kid, what impressed me the most was the inclusion of heavy mosh parts in each of their songs. There is an immense amount of talent in Lody Kong; though they’ve barely reached the prime of their lives, they have accomplished more musically than most regional and national bands will in their entire careers. Keep an eye on Lody Kong, and don’t let their youth discredit them: nepotism aside, they deserved to be on this tour.

            Next up on the roll-call of Cavalera’s was eldest son Richie’s band Incite. This four-piece had a sizeable local following; one member of the audience claimed to have seen them several times prior to this evening. Musically, Incite played a style of early death-core similar to Obituary and Six Feet Under. Richie’s vocal range, however, did not possess the static one-dimensionality associated with the afore-mentioned acts. He growled, shouted, screamed and barked his way through their set.

            Incite’s performance that evening set the bar for the chaos that would consume the dance floor for the remainder of the show. Bogies was near maximum capacity at this point, and would be by the end of the night. It is also worth noting that Incite was touring in support of their latest offering, “All Out War”, which was available for purchase at their merch table. The crowd was familiar with their material, and the intensity of the mosh pit was unrelenting. As unruly as they were, I was pleased to see that civility prevailed. Every time someone went down, at least two pairs of arms were there to pick them up.

            In the wake of Incite’s performance was the customary break in the action for change-over. By now the entire club was a veritable beehive of activity: from the bar to the barricade, there was no avoiding human contact. The last time I saw Soulfly was thirteen years ago at an outdoor festival, so I was curious to see how their live show would transfer over to a small club setting.

            As sound check began, the crowd flocked to the stage area. From my position stage right, I could see no gaps. Later I would wade through a sea of bodies to find the bar area completely empty for Soulfly’s set. When the room lights dimmed and the Upstate Black N Blue staff led the band through the crowd, I found myself momentarily face to face with Max Cavalera, who returned my star-struck smile with a warm one of his own. I was LITERALLY so close I could have touched one of his electric-red dreadlocks. You know you’re jealous!

            Soulfly had vastly expanded their repertoire of originals since the first time I saw them. They played such fan favorites as “Back to the Primitive”, “Jump the Fuck Up” and “Eye for an Eye”, along with their own renditions of Sepultura classics like “Refuse/Resist” and “Roots Bloody Roots”. To me and many others, this came as a pleasant surprise: as Sepultura continued to write, record and tour without Max (and recently performed at Bogies as well), I wasn’t sure if they would break out the old jams, but they brought it all the way back to “Beneath the Remains” and other pre-Chaos A.D. efforts. They even threw in tunes from Nailbomb and the Cavalera Conspiracy for posterity’s sake.

            To return to my earlier musings regarding Soulfly in a small club, it is fair to say that the dance floor was out of control. I’ve heard stories from my older brother about Biohazard shows at Saratoga Winners back in the day where the entire floor was one huge pit          , and it’s safe to say that I was witnessing something similar with Soulfly in Bogies. Rarely ever do I pass up the opportunity to throw down; tonight was definitely one of those moments. Regardless of this fact, the Upstate Black N Blue staff did an excellent job controlling the crowd and diffusing potentially dangerous situations in a tactful, professional manner. My hat’s off to all of them for hard work and diligence in organizing an event of such magnitude. I don’t know if anyone else could’ve pulled it off in such a small space.

Ringworm & Nile Review by Jay Frost

Around quarter of eleven, Ringworm began to sound check. This evening’s show was as well attended as Crown of Thornz a few days earlier, and many of the faces I’ve grown accustomed to seeing these past few weeks were present, along with many others I hadn’t seen in ages. Whether enticed by the main event or a free show, Albany was in full effect tonight.

 Unlike the other bands on the bill this evening, the members of Ringworm were long-haired, denim or cammo-clad and downright intimidating. In short: real metal bad-asses hell-bent on bringing forth a hail-storm of shrapnel and gun-powder. I watched it all unfold from my perch above the crowd: as the green stage lights flickered, the drums rattled off a sinister beat. When the soundman called for bass, it cut through the chatter and noise like a clean scalpel through flesh. Human Furnace (all five feet of him) took his place at the helm, center stage, mic in hand. This is when the tension started to build; though I kept off the floor for the sake of accurate notes, anxiety and anticipation ricocheted off of every wall. It was time: ready or not, Bogies would soon be leveled by a nuclear blast.

Ringworm’s brand of apocalyptic metal is unique in the respect that though it shares a common home with other notable acts like Integrity and In Cold Blood, it borrows little, if any influence from the hardcore realm. With an axe-duo as succinct and sharp as Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, deafening, explosive percussion, and the Human Furnace’s unrelenting lunatic wail, Ringworm is the perfect soundtrack to the apocalypse. There were no pretty guitar melodies, only crushing rhythms and scathing leads. There’s no drum solos or other showboating; each and every element of Ringworm works together to form precision instrument of destruction. I’ve never seen a band this focused, this driven. It was frightening.

 The principle onslaught lasted two songs before the Furnace addressed the crowd. He possessed all of the knuckle-headed charm of Billy Milano, but with a certain wry wit that separates him from the other “loud-mouth” front-men of the metal world. He made it clear that they were not accepting requests, but was sure to send a dedication to the ladies shortly before tearing into “Madonna/Whore”. When a woman in attendance informed him that it was her birthday and she was getting pissed off because they hadn’t played any of her favorite songs, the Furnace scoffed and said that he hoped that her birthday was ruined. To quote him: “Oh yeah? Well here’s something that’ll piss you off even more, ANOTHER song you don’t want to hear!” Brilliant.

Ringworm played an hour set consisting of material spanning their twenty-two year career, including classics from their pre-Victory efforts as well as more recent songs: “Madonna/Whore”, “Unravel” and “Self-Destruct” were particularly memorable. Before ending the evening, Human Furnace christened Albany “the ugliest city in New York” (and this is coming from a native of a city that is notorious for being one of the most violent in the country). Further, he expressed his gratitude to Mike Valente for making the evening possible, and in turn the Upstate Black ‘N’ Blue vice-president made his way to the front of the room with two shots of high-octane whisky, toasting the evening’s success with the Furnace in yet another display of the respect and solidarity that permeates our underground music scene, one that transcends borders - from Albany to Cleveland, to California and back. This was, indeed, one hell of a night.

From start to finish, both of Nile’s sets showcased their enormous talent: crushing, technical sweep-picked rhythms and leads that sprinted up and Arabian scales courtesy of the guitar tandem of Karl Sanders and Dallas Toler-Wade was complemented by the equally proficient low end thunder of Todd Ellis as drummer George Kollias provided a wall of double-bass. Like others in the death metal world, Kollias did more than keep the time, he manipulated it. Every hair-pin signature-change was executed brilliantly, and being that the average Nile song rarely repeats riffs, a drummer of Kollias’ caliber is a necessity.

            A great deal of Nile’s material also includes grandiose, synthesized introductions and fills of an Ancient Egyptian flare. Picture a flourish of trumpets and strings in the Pharaoh’s receiving room, accompanied by primitive percussion – hand drums and finger-symbols. They were able to reproduce this live with the help of rack-mounted effects processors controlled by a laptop running Sonar (NOT Pro-Tools, but Sonar). I learned this from a friend and gear-head in attendance who had taken a spot up front, stage right. He also informed me that Kollias had been wearing headphones during the performance, which would account for his accuracy. As mentioned in the beginning of this article, Nile drew a much more diverse crowd than the average hardcore show. Aside from the dance floor in Bogies being packed wall to wall, the mosh pit was a slaughterhouse. It was difficult to dance, primarily because of the all the time changes, but also because of the rage and brutality that Nile evokes in its listeners. People launched their neighbor’s three rows deep into the crowd. Many were knocked down, but swiftly helped to their feet. Granted, this was not the sort of pit that I was used to, but that didn’t diminish the sense of mutual respect among those in attendance, and needless to say, there were no fights.

            Celebrating two decades of brutality, Nile played a variety of material dating as far back as Amongst the Catacombs of Nephren-Ka and Annihilation of The Wicked, as well as later efforts like Those Whom the Gods Detest and At the Gate of Sethu. The effects processor that triggered the introductions to songs was also used to control pitch the pitch of Dallas Toler-Wade’s voice and add effects during said introductions, adding to the over-the-top pageantry that is synonymous with Nile. The band finished around 12:30 that evening, and the weary crowd dispersed, completing yet another successful show courtesy of Upstate Black ‘N’ Blue Productions.

H2O by Jay Frost

Wednesday, February 27^th: H20, Terror and the Code Orange Kids at Bogies.

            Unfortunately, my evening job prevents me from arriving at weekday shows in time for doors, so I wasn’t able to catch the openers on this one. Also, Backtrack from Buffalo, NY, who were scheduled to play couldn’t make it to the show because of transportation issues. But this show was excellent, and very well attended, I might add; if Bogies wasn’t at maximum capacity, it was close. The stage area was densely packed well beyond the barrier of the sound booth. Tonight was an important one for a very specific reason: Bogies was a stop on Los Angeles Hardcore band Terror’s current U.S. tour, along with H20 and the Kids.

            I arrived just in time to check out the entirety of Code Orange Kids’ set, an experimental hardcore/metal band from Pittsburgh, PA. Aside from their guitarist’s brilliant use of noise and effects processors, the Code Orange Kids had three vocalists – both guitarists and the drummer. The chaos unfolding before me in the pit made it difficult to tell who was singing lead at times: one moment, the guitarist who ran effects was; the next, the other guitarist. When I looked up and saw the drummer singing, I was confused. If I had to describe the Code Orange Kid’s sound by comparison with their peers, bands like Starkweather, Isis, Poison the Well and Converge come to mind. Despite their experimentation and tendencies towards the more progressive and extreme, their songs kept to a basic hardcore framework (ie. Lots of heavy mosh parts). I was impressed, and it would be great to see Code Orange Kids play Albany again.

            After a quick cigarette break, I ran inside just as Terror hit the stage. Wow. For years, Terror was that super popular band in the scene that I never paid much attention to (as was H20, but we’ll get to that in it’s appropriate place and time); that is, until a friend gave me a copy of their third album Always The Hard Way. Then my computer crashed and I couldn’t recover the file. It got a handful of spins prior to that, and I still believe it to be one of the heaviest albums to be released in the hardcore genre since the turn of the millennium, but I never really kept up with their career. Tonight was a refresher course.

            I hate coming in late on bands for nights like this. It’s impossible to get a good spot in the crowd. Wading through the 300 plus people in attendance, I eventually made it to the beginning of the pit, but dared to venture no further for fear of my face. Though the crowd showed mad love for the Code Orange Kids, they went completely berserk for Terror. There were old-school pile-ons, sing-alongs, over-the-top pit antics and stage dives as lead vocalist Scot Vogel of Buried Alive and Slugfest fame encouraged their already-frenzied fans to “jump on [each other’s] heads” – a quality characteristic of his stage presence. At one point, I saw a kid hanging from the stage lights. Oh my god…..THIS was hardcore! Maximum stage-dives, maximum fun!

If you ever get a chance to see Terror live, don’t pass it up. These guys are pros. Terror’s sound is also proof that hardcore transcends regional barriers. They may hail from Los Angeles, but NYHC purists would still claim Terror as one of their own, any day of the week. Their sound defies comparison – I could list a thousand bands you all know and it still wouldn’t do them justice. Let me put it like this: I know hardcore when I see it, and Terror is it! What impressed me the most was Vogel’s respect and sincerity as he thanked us all for welcoming him to our home, and then sent shout-outs to Stigmata, Dying Breed, Section 8 and any other old-school local core band you could possibly think of. For a night dedicated to celebrating positivity and unity, I could think of no better band to help promote it.

I got in early for H20 so I could grab a spot at the front of the stage. There was no way I was going to be stuck behind the barrier again. I wanted to be front and center. I will admit this now: not only had I never listened to H20, but until that evening, I’d never even heard them. I know, this sounds ridiculous, coming from a fifteen-year (on and off) veteran of the scene, but unfortunately it was true. All I knew of them before they began their set was that they were a heavily punk-influenced hardcore band, which would account for my longstanding ignorance of H20. Though they came out of the same late 90’s New York City scene that spawned the likes of Inhuman, my tastes always leaned more toward the heavier side. Chalk it up to “youthful angst”, if you must.

After a short delay for set-up and sound check, H20 ripped into their brand of aggressive punk-core, laced with sing-alongs and plenty of fast drum beats to skank to. I realized very quickly what my ignorance had cost me: H20 was absolutely amazing!The sing-along parts are so simple to learn that even the un-initiated listener can participate. In fact, that is one of the biggest parts of their live show; during the sing-along parts, vocalist Toby Morse thrust the microphone into the sweaty pile in front of the stage, allowing their collective chant to become one voice.

H20 performed songs that spanned their entire career, including fan favorites like “What Happened?” and “Nothing to Prove”. Their message, in keeping with the spirit of positivity and unity, is a simple one: “Don’t sell out. Don’t forget your roots. Be yourself and keep the scene alive”. Though most bands in the scene preach this, to some it is merely rhetoric. H20 practices what they preach. Center stage was a good spot; I managed to get a few photos with my cell phone, but Morse’s bustling stage activity made it difficult to get anything smooth.

Between songs I sauntered back to the bar for a soda, caught my breath and then made my way to the front again – this time to the pit. H20 was one of those rare shows for me where, between dancing and singing I could barely catch my breath. Of the three acts I saw that evening, H20 stole the show. They won a new fan in me, and had I had the cash at the time, I likely would’ve bought one of everything at their merch table. For a moment, I felt like I was a teenager all over again. I hope to see them back at Bogies again, and soon! For nearly twelve hours after that show, I was on a natural endorphin high that no substance could ever possibly top. It’s for that very reason that hardcore is relevant, and necessary. This music could save lives.

Killer week!! Also scroll down to see a review on The Cabin Fever Party By Jay Frost

Saturday, February 23^rd: Cabin Fever Party at Bogies w/ Brick By Brick, Sicker Than Most, Renewal of Faith, Declension, Breathtaker, Before I Had Wings and Disconnect.

            “We love you all individually, we thank you all individually” – Rich Roberts, Brick By Brick

            These words, spoken to the audience by the vocalist of Troy’s own premier Beat-down Core band Brick By Brick, summed up the entire atmosphere of Upstate Black ‘N’ Blue’s Cabin Fever Party:  an evening filled with positivity and completely free of incident, where bands and fans alike shared a mutual sense of respect for each other as well as the venue. Yes, mosh pits are a violent expression of emotion, and for those who partake in them, a release of anger and negativity. But there are rules: when someone falls, you pick them up.  If someone gets hit, you make sure they’re all right. The Albany Hardcore Scene – or any other worth its weight in gold – does not condone nor tolerate direct acts of violence against attendees. The overwhelming success of the Cabin Fever Party is all the evidence you need of that.

            The show began at 7:30, with Columbia County’s Disconnect taking the stage first. A four- piece playing a fast, energetic form of “positive hardcore” in the spirit of Judge, Strife, Inhuman, Alone in a Crowd, Down Foundation and Youth of Today, Disconnect would fit well on a bill with any of these above-mentioned bands. Their vocalist Matt Bradley began their set by rushing the crowd and making a quick round of the dance floor, just to make sure that he had our full, undivided attention. Though the show had just begun, it was evident that it would be well attended; even as early as 6:30 a sizeable rabble had gathered outside of Bogies. Now everyone was all in, enjoying the music right up front instead of milling about at the bar. In fact, a small handful of people (yours truly among them) set it off with a small pit, something that is almost unseen with opening acts. 

            Up next was Massachusetts Hardcore act Before I Had Wings., who played a style similar to that of Hatebreed and Death Before Dishonor, complete with C-tuned guitars, thundering double bass-laden drum beats, and guttural vocals that would give Jamey Jasta a run for his money. From opening riff to final dance beat, the floor was no longer safe place for the non-confrontational to be, as the mosh pit was in full-swing. About a third of the way into the set, B.I.H.W.’s vocalist called for an old-school “circle-pit”, which, to the uninitiated, is just how it sounds: a frantic dance around the imaginary perimeter of the pit. Incidentally, they paid homage to their forbearers and covered Hatebreed’s “Last Breath” – a rendition that only did justice to the original. In this spectator’s opinion, Before I Had Wings’ live show was comparable to seeing Hatebreed when they were still playing smaller venues.

            Third on the bill was the thoroughly excellent Poughkeepsie band Breathtaker. Combining the old-school tough-guy hardcore aesthetic with elements of metal and death core (The Acacia Strain and Torn Asunder immediately came to mind), a barrage of percussive technicality, dual guitars resting somewhere in the A-tuning range capable of rib-crushing rhythms and almost impossibly beautiful melodies, not to mention the double vocal attack of front man Chris and guitarist Josh. All of this woven and meshed together formed an aural barrage like heavy artillery. It was nearly impossible to keep from moving. One of their notable qualities were their odd-time signatures and unpredictable changes: more than once, a thundering, chunky beat grinded its way down a bridge that sounded like a piece of industrial machinery powering off, calling to mind Starkweather’s later efforts.

 I was fortunate enough to speak with the band after their set, and by way of this discussion learned of their upcoming concept EP, “Natural Disaster”. According to Chris,  the material slated to appear on “Natural Disaster” was developed around the concept of original sin; that is, because of man’s fall from grace and expulsion from the Garden of Eden, each of us are doomed to encounter trials and tribulations –“bad shit”, to quote Josh directly – whether pre-ordained or coincidental throughout our lives. The band as a whole also expressed a deep and sincere sense of gratitude for being able to play the Cabin Fever Party, and gave major props to Mike Valente, Dan Bushey, and the entire Upstate BNB crew for their support and for actually taking the time to listen to their music. Keep your eyes on Breathtaker, as I expect nothing but success for them in the years to come.

            Moving right along, there were two stellar sets by Schenectady’s Declension and Gloversville’s Renewal of Faith, the only two bands on the bill whose sounds were rooted in metal as opposed to hardcore. Renewal of Faith played a form of melodic metal-core ala Killswitch Engage, Darkest Hour and Chimaira. Clean vocals alternated with guttural growls and scathing screams, quiet guitar passages that give way to double-bass heavy dance beats, and a tapestry of complex harmonies woven by two talented six-stringers: this is Renewal of Faith, in a nutshell. Declension, whom I also had the pleasure of speaking with, leaned more towards the death-core end of the spectrum, but with a progressive side, reminding me at times of Between the Buried and Me. Formerly known as The American Nightmare and no strangers to the local club circuit, Declension are slated to return to the studio in the near future with local musician Chris Costakis (Driven Further, Days Are Numbered, Protocol 7) to record a full-length, as  well as EP. Said EP is also a conceptual piece that will see the band experimenting with alternate tunings as well as six, seven, and eight-string guitars.

            The Cabin Fever Party concluded with a double-dose of hardcore with New Jersey’s Sicker Than Most and Troy’s Brick By Brick. Unlike some of the New Jersey Hardcore bands I’ve been exposed to, like E-Town Concrete or Fury of Five, who combine elements of hip-hop with a metallic hardcore sound, Sicker Than Most played a style more akin to bands from the New York City and Albany Scene. The defunct Watervliet band Throwback, as well as Troycore founding fathers Flat Broke came to mind while watching their set. Like Breathtaker, Sicker Than Most is another one to keep an eye on, and I hope Upstate B ‘N’ B has them back soon.

            The evening’s main event, Brick By Brick, did not disappoint, as is their reputation. In fact, I think they keep getting heavier and tighter every time I see them. With the addition of Jameson (Bulldog Courage) on the drums, they’ve achieved a level of musical proficiency almost unparalleled by any other local or regional act; and though the dance floor had been active most of the night, now it was time for all the Troy-Boys who’d been saving their strength for this moment to cut loose. Some creative lighting work led to a handful of accidental injuries, but, again, nothing was taken personally and the controlled and cathartic violence that occurs in the pit remained there.

            Brick By Brick played material from all three of their albums; their first, “Pull The Trigger” debuted in 2004 and became an instant classic. The most notable performance from there set  was “Free For All”, during which vocalist Rich Roberts threw B X B tees out onto the floor for slam-dancers to compete for – evidence of Brick By Brick’s love and appreciation for their fans. However, my favorite part of the set was when they tore into a cover of Cutthroat’s “Hate Breeds Rage”, and though I was already spent from going hard for the other bands, I went completely crazy and made a mad dash for the stage. Three of us knew enough of the words to give Roberts a hand, and it was good to see a local band in this day in age paying homage to the greats of yester-year. Brick By Brick finished shortly before midnight, the weary crowd said there goodnights to each other and filed out the door into the night.

Starting Monday we have 13 days in a row! Here are some highlights:

March 1st through 9th are listed!