Thursday March 28th 2024

Bad Co. Project / Blood Stained Brindle / Sniper 66 / The Damaged / and more

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Bad Co. Project / Blood Stained Brindle / Sniper 66 / The Damaged / DestrOi! / Barfight Champs / Working Poor USA
Hardcore Stadium Elks Lodge, Cambridge, MA 3/19/16

 

Shortly after Andy and I started TNB, having paid our debt to society and promising never, ever, ever to have any contact with farm machinery or wildlife in any form ever again. We came upon the term “Oi” in our travelings.

“What is this shite?” Andy said. “Is this some sort of new term that they’ve made up for punk?”

I relay this not to bring derision against Andy, though, it would be my utmost pleasure to do so. I bring this up to point out that, Oi was such a small musical style in the eighties that Andy had never heard of it.

During the eighties in Boston, and America as well, there was little or no knowledge of Oi. It was strictly an English style and a fairly obscure one at that. I was vaguely aware of Oi and I can safely say we never bought an Oi record or went to an Oi show during that time. ( I did see UK Subs, early on, but I just thought of them as another English punk band!)

Though I’m still not very well versed in it, I do like Oi, seeing it as an outgrowth of the original English punk bands which I do greatly appreciate. And, of course, Oi relates to hardcore, thematically, with the lyrics relating to the working class.

But I’ve got seven bands to cover, so on with the show!

Working Poor USA is the first band to play and is fronted by Tony DiBaggis who was in Anti-Bodies, a Cape Cod band that was one of TNB’s favorite heavy hardcore bands.

This band is more a pure Oi band and a good one at that. I notice they have a new drummer today and when we saw them last, we felt the previous drummer was the weak link in the band, so I take this as a plus. They play a lively, passionate set and we’re off to a great start of the show.

Barfight Champs is another true Oi band with ex-members of Death Before Dishonor and Scars Of Deceit. They continue the momentum set with another great set, the highlight for me being their cover of the song “Eightball.” I knew if was familiar but no one I asked knew who did the original.

DestrOi! is next, a young band from Salem, Mass. This is pure punk, pure hardcore, pure Oi- put together in a blender, poured out in a shot glass and what comes out is no particular genre, just venom and disgust, energy and passion and emotion and excitement.

It’s irrelevant to me what style they play because what they play is so good and original.

I have a feeling I’m hearing what’s going to be my favorite set of the night. I have a feeling I’m gonna review their album when I review this show.

Both notions are right.

The friends I’m with mention they’re most eager to see The Damaged and when they play next they’re not disappointed. And I can see why- they have a great, engaging frontman, a lot of catchy tunes and a ton of energy.

My only criticism would be I think they’re more a pop/punk than an Oi band but they certainly turn in a really fun set.

Sniper 66 is next and they’re from Austin, Texas. They play an energetic, hard hitting set but again, I’m thinking this falls more in the style of traditional punk. With a strong influence of early English punk.

Later, after regaining consciousness underneath the toilet in the men’s room, I check their facebook page and I see that there is no mention of Oi. But they still sounded great to me.

Blood Stained Brindle is next and other friends tell me this is the band that they really wanted to see. (I really wanted to see New Jersey’s Broken Heroes but they dropped off the bill- they are one of the best New England Oi bands, catch them if you can). They describe themselves as “Street Rock’N’Roll/Punk” which, from my understanding, is code words for Oi.

But with their high energy and tuneful tunes I’m pretty sure there’s a pop/punk influence in there, also. But it doesn’t really matter, I think, because they sound great and in turn, turn in one of the best sets of the night and from the reaction of the crowd I see they agree with me.

Bad Co. Project is the last band to play and once I get over my disappointment that they’re not the classic English rock band (and here I was “Ready For Love”) I am indeed able to enjoy this band. They originate from Berlin, Germany with members who are Scottish and Spanish and some who were in the band Oxymoron, as well.

They sound like a true Oi band to me and have a great frontman, the best one of the night. They play a terrific set and really get the crowd going. But now it’s time for me to be going.

I saw the Skinhead Angel earlier tonight. The one with blond wings just above her shoulders. She had come to see Broken Heroes, too. I mention that I figured, that this was her type of show. She disagreed, “This is really a punk show. It’s not an Oi show.”

But I think this was a pretty good show, whatever you want to call it, whatever it was.

I’m gonna put on my jacket and walk outside. The air is cool but brisk and sharp, like the music we listen to. I’m gonna stroll on down the street, get into my car and drive off into the night.

(Slimedog)

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