10-9 Buried Alive, Sanction, Too Pure to Die, One on One, New Kensington @Preserving Underground

Buried Alive for free? Give me a freakin break. Yes, we're going. HB AJ, thanks.

Combust - 3 bands were added last minute. They're touring together, but we only made it in time for Combust. Good hardcore band, I enjoyed watching.

One on One - Their first show. Old HC heads playing good tough shit. Former members of Ten of Swords and other Pittsburgh HC staples. The crowd was into it big time.

Too Pure to Die - I like this bands older songs. You can tell the new jam aren't quite the same. They're always a good show though. Straight edge tough and heavy shit.

Sanction - They played very well. I like this band. Heavy, aggressive, and raw. I'm glad they didn't use the super bass extra loud effect that they used at I think the Rex a year ago or something. Awesome set, tons of energy, the mosh was on. Good time.

Buried Alive - I'll support pretty much anything Vogel from Terror is involved in. Always seems to be good. But I'm not new to Buried Alive. Hardcore punk metal grand daddies whose breakdowns are faster than you'd prefer and the chorus pretty much doesn't exist. They're raw as fuck and blasted everyone there for about an hour. Great set and probably the most intimate setting I'll ever get to see these guys.

Highs - the venue, all the bands, good company
Lows - nada

Punk in Drublic, NOFX, Pennywise, Sick of it All, Less Than Jake, Get Dead, Stolen Wheelchairs

Had just got back from our Furnace Fest trip and night before. Was lucky enough to get to go to this for free so of course I went. I love all of the beers. I wish the tastings continued to later in the day because after that it was $9 cans. Ou-fucking-ch.

Stolen Wheelchairs - from Philly. Punk rock, not hardcore. They were ok.

Get Dead - I think they said they are from Oakland or bay area. Fast punk with easy ska parts. Very good band. I actually liked them more than some of the later acts.

Sick of It All - the best band of the day by far. I don't know how much of what was going on behind me, but they killed it from where I was at. Played almost a perfect set. So much music to choose from, they hit a little bit everywhere. Sanctuary, Take the Night off, Scratch the Surface, and more good ones too. Injustice System.

Less Than Jake - pretty much killed it until I got very distracted and pissed off. I'll explain at the end. Great band, the best in their sub genre.

Pennywise - I really like this band. I did not like them on this day. The banter was mundane and the music sounded off at times. The vocals were pretty spot on for the most part. I didn't like the set, it was a downer. They were much much better with Rancid.

NOFX - I really like this band. I like the borderline or worse commentary and banter. They played a few songs that I know.

So there was at least one Nazi at this show. During Less than Jake some beefcake dude came in front of me for a handful of songs. I didn't mind because I'm about the same height and the stage was plenty high off the ground. During a song he raised his phone up to record some of the set. Fine again. Then I saw on his left forearm and right inner forearm one really big and one small swasticka tattoo. I got pretty mad at this. I wanted him to stay put until after the set so I could say something to him. Maybe I'm a bitch for not picking a fight with him right there, but I wanted him to know with words why he's fucked up. Dude was wearing a Suicidal Tendencies hat and a black shirt that said something on the back like 'Life Sucks Scum Fuck'. Something like that. Ugh, so offputting. Makes you wonder how many other down low nazis were there. Only way I sniffed this one out was him literally putting it right in my face.

Also I got confirmation from my friend who agreed, yes 100% swastikas.

9-25 Furnace Fest, Evergreen Terrace, Living Sacrifice, Misery Signals, Poison the Well, Shia Hulud, Stretch Armstrong, Touché Amore, many more, Birmingham Alabama @Sloss Furnace

Day two, and our last day of Furnce Fest. What was once the day I sought to see the most fell off a little when Poison the Well and Misery Signals dropped off the bill. Oh well.

Got there just in time for Evergreen Terrace.

Evergreen Terrace - Killed it. I haven't seen them for over a decade easily. Last time was at Forward Hall in Erie, and that place has been gone for a grip. I really liked the singer's crowd interaction and energy. I was super happy about the set. Taaake thiiiis moooomeeeent...

Shai Hulud - The goal was to get food and be back in time for Shai Hulud. It was a success. They have a new singer again. No one who I recognized. He was good though, no complaints. This band is pretty hard to get into, but I like them and always go see them.

Living Sacrifice - Killed it. In my opinion the best Christian Hardcore band. The set was a banger for sure. Got the tour shirt from 1992. Sweet find.

Deafheaven - I like this band, and their ambient perhapy style of metal. I can't get super into it, but the live show is good to watch. I like the singers odd body language. He reminds me of a character in the episode of Always Sunny where Dennis gets a new roommate who is some European party boy who promises Dennis impersonal sex parties. That guy a little bit. Head banging shit fast as fuck then when they finally go into a softer or different rhythm it just sounds great.

Touche Amore - sounded good from a distance and people seemed to be into it.

Stretch Arm Strong - Killed it. One of the best bands of the fest. Played all the bangers. Softcore, positive hardcore, melodic hardcore, whatever you want to call it. The merch line of theirs was craaaazy all damn day.

Glassjaw - Emocore at it's finest. I like but not love Glassjaw. Half a set ws good enough for me.

Taking Back Sunday - hung out waiting for my party to come back together. They sounded alright. I barely know any songs.

Highs - Had the food situation figured out, all the bands I really wanted to see were at the same stage, sold out show.
Lows - PtW and Misery Signals dropping.

Best Bands of the Fest: Terror, Stretch Armstrong, Converge, Evergreen Terrace

Birmingham was actually a great city and very accomodating. No problems with anything anywhere. Little italian pizza bar is good. The Furnace is a good place for a fest this gigantic. See you next year Alabama. I hope.

9-24 Furnace Fest, Converge, Defeater, Every Time I Die, From Autumn to Ashes, Seeyouspacecowboy, Terror, Thursday, Walls of Jericho, With Honor, Zao, many more, Birmingham Alabama @Sloss Furnace

Back in the day we didn't ever go to Alabama for Furnace Fest. Young me was just getting on this hardcore punk metal journey. Furnace Fest was pretty much the first festival announced after COVID restrictions were lifted, so we were like IDGAF how far the drive let's go. So we went. 4 hours to Huntington then 8 from there to Birmingham. 3 stages with mostly metalcore and emocore and such all day. 3 day fest, we're going the first two days. Many bands played, I'm only going to write up the one's I watched, obviously.

Seeyouspacecowboy - I liked this band when I saw them with I think Sanction. Good heavyish stuff. Enjoyed watching them in the sun.

As Cities Burn - I didn't know this band at all. This was during the portion of the day where I didn't know any bands. This was inside and in the shade so it's where we ended up. They're a metalcore, post hardcore type of band. No big time mosh parts. I didn't hate watching them.

Cave In - Not a horrible band either. One guy plays with Converge. They played some heavy songs and some softer songs. I like all the vocals and enjoyed the set. Their set was the beginning of nonstop bands I wanted to watch for the rest of the day.

Terror - The best band of the fest, as is usually the case when they play anywhere. They recently released a brand new single that they didn't play. That's ok because with a prime time spot you probably just want to play you're known ragers. They did. And killed it. The crowd was rowdy.

From Autumn to Ashes - I felt like they played heavier than they are on recordings. I liked the set a lot. One of thoe bands where the live set is them at their best. Left there to get drink and whatnot before With Honor.

Stavesacre - It seemed like some people watching really liked their stuff. More of a rock band than anything else. Had good energy and fine to watch and have a rest.

With Honor - I thought they sounded really good. I like the singer and his positive vibes and message. My friends thought they didn't sound so great. I liked the stuff they played from the first album, and was suprised at a few songs they played off the not quite so old albums that people really knew. Good set, one of the bands that I definitely wanted to see.

Thursday - Live they sound every bit as good as they do on recordings. I only watched a handfull of songs because their set bumped up against Converge, and I wanted to avoid pushing through a few thousand people to get to a decent spot. The only song I knew that I watched was Cross Out the Eyes, which is a killer song.

Converge - They are right up there with Terror as the best band of the day. Killed it. The vocalist is supremely entertaining. I like his body language. They opened up with A Single Tear and Darkhorse which was awesome. They played in the middle of the set Eagles Become Vultures and You Fail Me, again awesome. Closed with Concubine. Obviously leaving a few really popular and good songs off the setlist, but that's fine and that's what they do every time I've ever seen them. Great set.

Underoath - Listened from the distance. It was alright.

Highs - Once we figured the place out, the grounds of the Furnace is a great place for this event.
Lows - Food lines, beer lines, at times portajohn lines. Just freaking lines everywhere.

8-14 SMPF, Sloppy Seconds, the Cheats, Mud City Manglers, Idleminds, Subtastics, Middle Age Brigade, Cumberland MD @Mezzos

Day 3 of Savage Mountain Punk Fest. Has been a good time all around. Road adventures, walking adventures, and punk rock mostly with bands I'm not familiar with. This was the best. Fuck COVID and shutting shit down. Punk is back, at least a little bit.

Middle Age Brigade - I really enoyed this band. Middle aged dudes, plenty of tongue in cheek going on. Hardcore punk, but the easy hardcore punk. Nice riffage going on at times. I thoroughly enjoyed all of it. I'll check them out agian if possible. I hear they have a show coming up in Frostburg and another in Altoona.

Subtastics - Not a good thing, I honestly don't remember anything about this band. Not even what they look like. Maybe if I ever see them on a bill I'll go just because I want to pay pennance for this debauchery.

Idleminds - They're a localish band, and sound exactly like Pennywise and Bad Religion mixed up together. I didn't love it, which is somewhat odd because I love Bad Religion and like Pennywise. They sounded good, just not my fav.

Mud City Manglers - A very entertaining rock and roll metal punkrock type band. Good beats, good show. I'll prbably listen to them more. Some band members looked very familiar, I suspect I maybe have seen them before or seen other bands they're in.

The Cheats - Rock and roll deathpunk style from Pittsburgh. They're a good band. Lots of eye makeup. I've seen them a few times before, and I'm sure I'll see them a few times again. I would have preferred a more up tempo band before Sloppy but the Cheats were fine too.

Sloppy Seconds - They were great. The singer has a bum foot, or maybe it's a bum body. Doesn't matter because he still sounds awesome. I know the band wasn't pleased with the sound because they coudn't hear shit right, but when you've been banging these songs out for as long as they have, you can tell they don't need the monitors really. They played a ton of good songs. Opened with Black Roses and played bangers exclusively from there on. I didn't expect them to play Nightmare Theater, and they didn't. Oh well. Had a great drunk time.

Highs - Savage Mountain Punk Fest was a really good time. It seems like they've been having it every year and if they have it again next year we'll have to go.

Lows - The hotel wasn't extremely cheap, but should have been because we were on like the 7th floor and when we got back to the room there wasn't any power and no elevators. The walk up the stairs was balls.

Best bands: Sloppy Seconds, Submachine, Typhoid Rosie

8-13 SMPF, Reno Divorce, Submachine, Reckless Threat, the Downstrokes, Typhoid Rosie, the Lousekateers, Cumberland MD @Mezzos

Second day of Savage Mountain Punk Fest. All three days are at Mezzos, which is fine by me. Cool place, all ages type situation.

Pop Tarts hooked us up with a local place to stay. This enabled us to screw around all morning and day. Got breakfast at Klines Restraunt. Good call, the breakfast was reasonable and good. Then we went to Rocky Gap national park. Another good call becasue this place was empty and we got to chill and explore for a while and get in the water just right.

The Lousekateers - Easygoing lady vocal style punk band from New York. Cool band, set thing off right.

Typhoid Rosie - I loved this band. From Brooklyn, she singer lady was wearing some sort of Xena outfit and was doing karate shit and whatnot. She was really funny too, enjoyed the band thoroughly. Punk rock and roll done right. They said they have a new album out, I'm going to listen to it right now.

The Downstrokes - the dude putting on the fest, this is his band. Cool band. Medium tempo punk rock. I didn't hate this band, and it was pretty obvious that people support this band somewhat. Love the dude putting on something like this.

Reckless Threat - Three piece from Tennessee. Good band. I didn't love many songs, didn't hate many either.

Submachine - Classic Pittsburgh hardcore punk band. I'm stoked they're still playing. They pretty much killed it. During their set this dude fell and hit his head on the floor busting himself open. Dude was fine and in attendance with stitches the next night as well. Submachine played great in my opinion. Played some bangers. Was too drunk after to pick out a decent shirt, but thats ok, I'll wear the ok one. Bull in a China Shop is my favorite song.

Reno Divorce - They've evidently been playing for a long time. Rock and roll, rockabilly, punk rockish band. They were good. Good songs. Not quite something I get excited about, but worthy of support.

Highs - Submachine, Typhoid Rosie, good vibes all around
Lows - I can't remember what we had for dinner.

8-12 Savage Mountain Punk Fest, Beatnik Termites, the Jasons, the Nuclears, McRad, Wayward Brigade, the Wasted, Cumberland MD @Mezzos

Well, if there's no This is Hardcore in Philly and no Skull Fest in Pittsburgh, then the next best things are Furnace Fest in Alabama and Savage Mountain Punk Fest in Cumberland. This weekend, it's Savage Mountain. We had never been to Cumberland before. But when we saw that Sloppy Seconds was headlining a fest, we knew we had to go. Sloppy is pretty much the best.
Either way we decided to go to all 3 nights of shows, just cuz shows are happening again.

Turns out Mezzos is a completely fine place. The upstairs portion is a nice open concept bar and restraunt with great temperature control. The downstairs is a small/medium music space with a poorish layout and cheap PBR. We didn't try the pizza here, and that was probably a bad call.

We got pizza at Jacks before the show. Good call, bomb pizza.

The Wasted - They have an EP or something coming out on AF Records soon. This was the perfect band to open up more or less any fest. The variety of punks we were hoping to find at SMPF. Two piece punk band. Smelled like a 2 piece punk band. It was perfect. I'll listen to the album when it drops.

Wayward Brigade - This band was ok. Local punk outfit. The singer, who looked like a former contestant on Daisy of Love (VH1 obv), started the set off saying something like, it's not okay to call ladies bitches. Which I agree with, however, it was poorly done. Meh punk band, not aggressive enough to be dangerous.

McRad - The worst band name on the bill, but the second best set of the day. Another two piece, one lady on the drums and one dude on guitar and vocals. The guitar riffs ranged from metal to rock, and the vocals were fuzzy exactly like you want them. The whole set was a head nodder. They didn't sell any merch, or promote any other shows. The drummer looked super happy and she's the best. Upon farther research I think the singer used to be a pro skateboarder and McRad was a hardcore punk band in the 1980s, and the singer filled in on vocals for Bad Brains at times after HR left that group. I kinda want to write an article about this band.

The Nuclears - They're a 5 piece rock/punk band that has a lady singer who is very good. The energy was great and the people in attendance loved it. From Brooklyn. Not necessarily my favorite, but a good band for most shows.

The Jasons - Probably should have been headlining, they were really good. Second time seeing them. The schtick here is that they all dress up like different iterations of Jason the horror movie serial killer. Jason 3d etc. Good punk rock songs, nothing too heavy, everyone got into it.

Beatnik Termites - From Cleveland, they're a super easy listening band. They sound like something from the beatnik era maybe. Our impression was old ass songs. Ok band, not aggressive enough for me.

Highs - Jasons, McRad, venue
Lows - not much

Met a dude named Robert who was cool. Local wearing a DMX outfit. Super friendly, lit his pocket on fire.

8-11 Death Before Dishonor, Steel Nation, xRepresentx, Contemptment, Pittsburgh @Preserving Hardcore

I hope this trend continues with awesome shows at Preserving. Steel Nation plays and we do pretty much whatever to make it. Last time we came up here we noticed a brewery called Voodoo literally one block away. 3 minute walk. This is perfect becaue I don't really want to disrespect the drug and alcohol free venue by gooning it up. Though I'm not above that. So we got pizza and beer at Voodoo before the show. Perfect.

xRepresentx - They canceled. The singer was still there. Heard someone else in the band wasn't well.

Contemptment - First time hearing them. They were good. Hardcore, not so different from Watcher. Nice set.

Steel Nation - Been so long since I saw Steel Nation. Heavy hitting harcore with just enough metal parts and fast parts. The new album is a ripper, though they didn't play the two best songs somehow. Bloodsucker and Self Defeated. They mentioned they're working on a Forever Wounded front to back set. I hope it happens.

Death Before Dishonor - This was the last show of their tour. The new album is good. You know the old stuff is good. Get your mosh on. Get your sing along on.

Highs - Everything music related and beer and pizza related
Lows - Nothing at all. Didn't even have to drive through a storm.

7-30 Human Animal, Watcher, Hurtpiece, Narakah, New Kensington @Preserving Underground

This was the first hardcore show I've been privy to in a long time. I know they've been going on in secretish, but no one tells me these things. This was my first time to Preserving Underground since they moved into the church. Great space. Awesome for shows.

Narakah - This band was ok. The singer has a baby face. Death grind is what the singer said they are, with some neandrethal parts. New band I think, decent set.

Hurtpiece - Hardcore. I dont think I had seen them before. Ok set.

Watcher - Members of Built Upon Frustration. They played some BUF songs, and some of their own songs. Nice set, heavy band. I know they're not a new new band, but they're new to me. Heavy hardcore, not so different from BUF.

Human Animal - Erie hardcore at its finest. I thought they were exceptionally good. The new album is good too. Fast hardcore, easy on the mosh for the most part.

Highs - The bands, the show space, New Kensington in general.
Lows - Nothing, driving an hour fifteen isn't all that big a deal to us.

7/24/21 Cruces, Lawjaw, Joey Molinaro, KMFD, Flash Thunder, Pittsburgh @Babyland

This was the last show ever at Babyland. Sucks. This place is pretty near perfect for shows in terms of location. Nestled in the middle of some warehouses, noise and funny business aren't an issue. We went to this show just to say goodbye to Babyland. We didn't know any of the groups going in.

KMFD - This guy is an electronic musician. I dont really know what to call him. Not a DJ, he didn't spin records or whatever. He just had a few machines that played sounds. I didn't enjoy this a whole lot, but it was something different.

Flash Thunder - This band was pretty good. No guitar player, bass, drums, singer. 3 piece hardcore band. The bass riffs were awesome. This was their first show. Enjoyed greatly.

Joey Molinaro - Hardcore violin player. He was interesting. For about half of his set he had a fucked up cable and too loud stomping. Eventually he fixed that stuff and it was pretty cool. He had some really good parts, and some whatever. Again, something very different.

Cruces - Metal band that was really good. I hadn't heard them before, but I understand they've been playing for a while. The lady singer was very good and the band has good musicians.

Lawjaw - Screamy indie rockish group. We watched a few songs, weren't super into it.

We left before the dance party or whatever started. My feeling was that most people probably did too.

Highs - A nice assortment of music and people
Lows - RIP Babyland