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.