Refuse Resist / Disaster Strikes / All Torn Up / Neighborhood Shit / Cry Havoc
Midway Cafe, Jamaica Plain, MA 10/15/17
One of the best hardcore bands I know, and one of the best bands from Connecticut is up first- Cry Havoc.
I do think of them as progressive hardcore which, as a term, is almost as dreadful as post-hardcore, (a term I despise). But now that I think of it- I think I’ve referred to them as “creative hardcore,” before- now, that’s a term I can live with.
They have dissonant, surreal guitar lines that match hysterical, high pitched, horror show scream vocals that sets them apart from any other hardcore band I know.
But what works so well, is they contain the passion, the intensity, and the anger of hardcore and punk, along with the energy- without falling into the usual restrains of those genres.
Their singer, Jonny, doesn’t split his head open during today’s show but does deliver one killer performance. Their song “Fuck White Supremacy,” along with a cover of Minor Threat’s “I Don’t Want To Hear It,” are high lights for me. The later done as a duet with Crazy Jay Genoa.
At a regular show, I’d be more than happy if this was the best set of the day, but we have a lot more coming up.
Neighborhood Shit is up next, a band I love but haven’t seen in a while. Like I tell, Alex, their bassist, they usually play in places that could be detrimental to my health- meaning, basement shows where the heat and the lack of oxygen might do Old Slimedog in. (Which would be a drag, dragging my dead body, at the end of the night, to toss it into the dumpster, along with all the empties.)
This band combines influences of punk, metal and hardcore and a few years back, was the band directly linked to leading me to styles I now aprreciate, like grindcore and power violence.
And there is a lot of metal feel in this band, what with Alex’s death metal growl or Brendan’s high-pitched black metal ones, along with Terry’s rolling, tribal drums mixing rhythms of doom with hardcore, adroitly.
I see a lot of faces I haven’t seen lately, here today- like Jason, Matty, Joe and Mike F. and Tony who jumps onstage to sing along on a tune. They even rock out on a song they play towards the end.
And they do play a powerful, intense set with ominous minor key/dissonant music that overwhelms in a truly, awesome way.
All Torn Up is a very, politically orientated hardcore band from New York who generate a lot of energy, both in hardcore and punk styles, with that force that New York City seems to exert in their bands. I’m reminded of the Dead Boys and The Dictators at times during their set.
They turn in a great set with my favorites being “Forward” a kind of sing along song and one that’s sung partly in Spanish, “We Are All Illegal’s.” I hope this band makes in down to these parts soon, again.
Disaster Strikes I’ve always considered, along with Opposition Rising, as the very best in Boston political hardcore. Always political but with the punch, polish and passion to back up their words, they perform their usual powerful, potent set.
Their singer, J.R. Strikes, talks about the current horrendously inept and immoral administration, the recent Boston march against the nazi’s on The Common and staying politically focused and involved.
And they play a lot of great music like “Sick To Death,” about health insurance and what I think is a new one, “You Are Nothing.”
When we first started TNB, originally as a rip-off pyramid scheme that went awfully awry, we became aware that Refuse Resist was consider the best hardcore band out of Boston. And when we checked them out live, we saw why.
But then not long after that they were playing their final show, right here at the Midway. But in the few reunion shows I’ve caught after that, they have lost none of their spark or explosion.
And though now, two members of this band have the more melodic, punk band Loser’s Circle (who just happened to have made what will probably be my favorite album of this year), it’s always a pleasure, a treat to witness a Refuse Resist set.
Today they proceed to play a set to remind us why they were considered the best. Led by Shawn Refuse’s ferocious, growling vocals while he celebrates not only this band’s 10th anniversary but his recent 40th birthday. (Oh, to be young again!) They play such great tunes as “Welcome To Middle America” and “Always Do What Is Right.”
They end with “Sunday Matinee”-Oi!Oi!Oi! (which is what this is) and “Welcome To Massachusetts,” with Crazy Jay singing along once again.
I met Curtis today at the show. He recognized me from when I worked as a security guard for the student dorms at Mass Art, five years ago.
I still have his drawing and the note and letters the students gave me when I left there- taped on the left side of my refrigerator, while the right side is full of bands stickers.
Meeting the young students of Mass Art was one of the best experiences of my life, and I’ve been lucky to have a few great ones, and as I told Curtis, “The company I worked for was the worst one I ever experienced but it was worth it to meet all the intelligent, aware, creative young people. It meant a lot to me.”
Because they embody the creative spirit, and really, that’s the punk spirit, too. They all don’t dig punk music but they are all of the individuality, the energy and the passion and truth which is synonymous to the term “punk” for me.
And if any of you read this- I love you all, and I still believe in you as much as I do in punk.
(Slimedog)
