4-30 Iron Reagan, Occultist, Common Nightmare, Curseborn, Pittsburgh @Smiling Moose

Going into this show I was super excited for Iron Reagan and Occultist. I didn't have high hopes for Common Nightmare or Curseborn. The Smiling Moose is a good place for this show. We didn't eat there though, we stopped at Primantis on the way home for food and beer.

Common Nightmare, Curseborn - So this show was over a month ago and I'm just now getting around to writing this. All I remember about these bands is that they sucked. I didn't enjoy their shit at all. I do remember some douche bags up front who were loving it. They kept standing up on the steps in front of the stage and trying to get everyone to pump fists with them. They failed. Shit metal bands. We watched a few songs then drank the rest away.

Occultist - They kicked ass. Heavy and fast punk metal goodness. The lead singer was pretty engaging and she was an entertaining frontman. They're coming back to Pittsburgh this summer with Infest for Skullfest and it's going to be the shit.

Iron Reagan - This band kicked ass. They're coming back for Skullfest too. Going to rule. They're like Municipal Waste Jr. I enjoyed the shit out of all their songs, fast and thrashy.

Hi's - Kick ass bands, food, drink
Low's - Shit bands

3-31 Stick to Your Guns, Terror, Expire, Hundredth, Counterparts, Pittsburgh @Altar Bar

If possible I'll always go see Terror when they come to Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, it seems that half of the time they play with a bunch of shit bands. F those bands. I was worried on the way into the show, because the sign on the door said no moshing no stagediving. At a Terror show, no chance.

Expire - Because I had to work this day we got there late and missed them. Sucks dick that they played first because they're really good.

Counterparts - Instead of watching them we sat in the car and boozed. Good call.

Hundredth - Not very good in my opinion. However, these seem like really good people, they're involved with some nonprofits that are stright up good. I like the guys, not the band so much, but I've no problem supporting the band since they support good things.

Terror - Kick motherfucking ass. I have a feeling that the 75% of the crowd, which was everyone behind me, was standing still. Either way, the songs they played were mostly new, and I'm not surprised by that because of the audience. But the older songs they did play were true bangers, and the new songs are fucking sick too. Win win with Terror everytime.

Stick to Your Guns - I think this band sucks. They have a few singy songs, which I've always had disdain for. And their other songs just aren't all that good.

Hi's - Terror, partying
Low's - The other bands, high price, not much else.

3-15 Eel, War Emblem, Dying, Blood Red, Pittsburgh @Romeo II

This show was pretty awesome. It was at a house that I'd never been to before, so that made it a little bit strange. But after we found our way around, feeling like circus freaks, everything came together. The bands played in the basement, which was tiny as fuck. But on the upside of everything, there were two restrooms in the house, so that was great.

Blood Red - This band kicks ass. Fastish hardcore punk. Reminds me of Good Clean Fun because of the witty banter of the singer. This set was very entertaining and funny.

Dying - This band ended up not showing up. Oh well. Based on the description they wouldn't have fit in all that well anyway.

War Emblem - I love the name of this band. They ripped. No specific memorable songs or anything, but they just kicked ass.

Eel - Local skunk punks playing the fast and noisey and loud. I always enjoy their set.

Hi's - All the bands that played, the venue being pooper friendly, funny people watching and encounters.

low's - Not much.

2-18-2014 Backtrack, Cross Me, Eternal Sleep, No Good Deed, Posideon's Wake, Pittsburgh @Mr. Roboto Project

It had been a while since I went to a show. Mostly because of work through the holiday season, then poor weather took me out of the running for a few shows, and Magic of course. But I'm getting back into it officially. Backtrack was a great way to do that.

Eternal Sleep - I've seen this band before, and they're ok. I don't like the Hatebreed cover, it's just begging a little too much for mosh. For 90% of the set I couldn't hear the vocals at all. Then for the last two songs I was able to move 2 feet closed because someone walked out, and all of the sudden the vocals were crystal clear. I don't know if they fixed the vocal situation all of the sudden, or if there is some strange sound dichotomy going on at the beginning of the hallway in Roboto. Either way, band was alright as always.

No Good Deed - Band straight up sucked. The guitar work and the drumming was uninspired at best. Sounds like 400 other shitty metalcore bands that no more than 4 people want to listen to. The mosh got turned up to scary let's try to hurt everyone in the room levels, but the funny thing about that is that the moshers who were being rediculous didn't even seem to like the band that much. They didn't know the words. They looked tempid for the whole set until it became time to hurt bystanders. I think they just wanted to look tough for the other boys watching them. Sooo cool. I hate idiots like that and bands that encourage their stupidity. But I'm sure to you my little rant here is invalid and I'm a pussy.

Posideon's Wake - Missed this band mostly because after No Good Deed played I really needed some beers.

Cross Me - Band from Wisconsin is stright up killer. I enjoyed the shit out of the set. The mosh was good, respectful. I'll go see this band again for sure. Heavy and fast not so different from Backtrack, but a little groovy like Turnstile or something.

Backtrack - I've seen them a bunch of times. Good time every time. Fast heavyish hardcore.

Hi's - Everything except one band.
Low's - Potholes freaking everywhere. Big nasty ones too.

11-26-2013 Alestorm, Trollfest, Gypsyhawk, The Bloody Seamen, Pittsburgh @Smiling Moose

I love Alestorm. The band can't do a whole lot wrong in my eyes. We get stoked as fuck for Alestorm to come to town.

The Bloody Seamen - They opened the show and sucked. Their songs weren't any good. They were wearing makeup and shit as if a pirate would ever do that. Disappointment city.

Gypsyhawk - I really liked this band. Like a biker groovemetal band. I'd see them again for sure. Second best band of the night.

Trollfest - We opted to drink downstairs instead of watching Trollfest. Though, my brother watched them and says they were pretty good.

Alestorm - Great set. Played tons of songs I know. I remember I enjoyed irritating the shit out of some dude who wanted more than nothing to be right next to his girlfriend. I took great joy in that.

Hi's - Alestorm, beer
Low's - Nothing.

11-13 Sincerity Fest, Pittsburgh @Springdale Firehall

Shiiiiit. I haven't documented a single thing in about three months, so in the spirit of getting back on the wagon I'm going to try to recount anything memorable about this past year's Sincerity Fest.

Like always Sincerity Fest is one of the best shows of the year. For one it's free. Two the food is good as hell. And the bands usually kick ass. Sincerity Fest v.2013 was no exception.

Since I've already screwed up remembering a lot of the bands, I'll go ahead and list all the bands from the fest that I don't remember at all. Some of them I'm sure I missed because I showed up too late, the rest of them I missed because I was eating or drinking or I did see them and just don't remember. Run Forever, Purge, Meth Quarry, Glass Lungs, Forebearance, Driver, Eternal Sleep, Egality, Black Mask, Wolfnote, GhostxShip, Human Animal. Sucks that that is most of the fest.

No Reason to Live - This band was heavy as hell. I enjoyed them very much. Haven't seen them since unfortunately. I don't think they play out very much.

Adventures - I remember thinking that the sound sucked. I really like this band, members of the Code Orange Kids. Pop punk with bad vocals at times.

Embludgeoned - Band is another good example of heavy done right from Pittsburgh. I enjoyed the set, but again, haven't seen them since.

Unit 731 - Super mosh zone band from Pittsburgh. I like them, but not so much as to go to a show just to see them.

Path to Misery - This band kills it. The singer is the one who puts on Sincerity Fest. I like his antics and the heavy ass political themed music. I bought the 'kill people who hurt animals' shirt.

Incendiary - This band was suprisingly way good. They were getting all the hype and they showed why. Not so much a different band from Backtrack or Cross Me or other similar styled bands. I'd love to see them again.

Harms Way - As always, this band is the definition of a heavy hitter. I liked the set, but still don't particularly like any of their recordings.

Code Orange Kids - This band grows on me every time I see them. Love the stompy heavy jams. Pittsburgh for life.

Hi's - I remember having a great time. The veggie burgers were kick ass and the chili. Bands and friends.
Low's - Nothing that I remember, everything I don't remember.

9-26 Danny Brown, Action Bronson, Trash Talk, Pittsburgh @Altar Bar

A little bit late writing this one. Show was an interesting one on paper. Two popularish rappers and a gritty hardcore band. I figured not many hardcore kids would be footing the bill for this one just to see Trash Talk. I was right. But it was still a kick ass show.

Trash Talk - Pretty much killed it. They played Walking Disease right off the bat. They played a decent mix of old and new. Fast and loud as fuck. I enjoyed the set very muchly.

Action Bronson - This fat white dude sounds a whole lot like Ghostface Killer. I liked the set. Good energy for a rapper. There was one part of the set where he walked across the floor to the steps and half way up the steps and was rapping his songs in the middle of the crowd. It was so funny because this ultra skinny white guy was on the steps with him dancing horribly having a great time. It was really really funny. I enjoyed that more than pretty much anything else after TT.

Danny Brown - We left before he played.

His - Trash Talk, Bronson, dancing white guy.
Low's - The upstairs was too packed.