12-20 The Gotobeds, The S/cks, Blood Pressure, Pittsburgh @Gooskis

Hadn't been to a show in a while so going out for these local bands was practically a necessity. Gooskis is almost the perfect place for dirty local shows. It's dark and shitty, narrow and smokey and cheap. I really like going there.

I don't know if we were ill informed of what time the show was to start (which we were under the impression was 8PM), or what, but it didn't start until 11 PM. But that's really ok. The Pens game was on, and we got tuned up real good on PBR and pitchers of Yuengling.

Blood Pressure - The best band of the night. Members of other Pittsburgh bands, they're real fast and real yelley. Something like Heartless but not as heavy or maybe Tragedy but a little less d-beat and more hardcore. Either way, sweet set. The singer is entertaining. I liked everything about it. Certainly the band of the night.

The S/cks - This band was pretty good. Fast modern style punk rock. Not poppy at all. I enjoyed the set, but they didn't have songs as good as Blood Pressure.

The Gotobeds - They kinda sucked. They're like Hot Water Music but a little more poppy. I didn't hear anything at all unique or decent... for two songs so we rolled out. It was late as fuck anyway.

All in all great show, got me jonesing again real bad for some more. Tuesday's a sure thing now.

Hi's - Blood Pressure, The S/cks, Gooskis and beer.
Low's - The Gotobeds.

11-1 Sincerity Fest Halloween Edition, Steel Nation, Axis, Eternal Sleep, No Reason to Live, Gut Feeling, Jukai, Not Til Death, Black Mask, Hatebreed cover set, Buried Alive Kids, Driver, Purge, New Vegas, Restoration, Enraged Youth, Qualms, No Good Deed, Pittsburgh @Springdale VFD

Sincerity Fest is always on the list of shows to go to every year. It's always a great time. I realize that going to the car to drink a few times throughout the day doesn't fit into what the day should be, but fuck it, I'm trying to party. I support the fest and the bands as much as anyone.

So there were a bunch of bands we missed because we got there a few hours after the show started. We missed No Good Deed, Qualms, Enraged Youth, Restoration, New Vegas, and Purge. I would have liked to see Enraged Youth, but it didn't work out for me.

Driver - They're like an indie rock band with a little punk influence. I liked them.

Black Mask - They weren't supposed to play at this time, but they did. I was really expecting them to sound a lot different, like more on the punk side. But they're a really heavy hardcore band. They were ok, nothing amazing. A little uninspired at times.

Hatebreed cover set - We didn't care to watch this, so we ate chili, ate a bunch of burgers, drank some.

Jukai - They kicked ass. I really liked this band. Heavy hardcore sang by Waluigi. The singer was real good and entertaining. I guess this was only their second time playing outside of NY state. I hope they come back because it was good.

Not Till Death - I've never really liked this band a whole lot. We watched two songs and they were not good.

Buried Alive Kids - Once again, cover sets don't really do anything for me. I like the Code Orange Kids, but didn't care to see them play Buried Alive covers.

Gut Feeling - I fucked this one up. We missed them because I lost track of time. Shit. The one song we watched was killer.

No Reason to Live - They're a super heavy beatdown style band. They're good. I like that the singer is the guitar player. Makes it kinda cool.

Ghost Ship - They were really good. For a beatdown style band I really enjoyed it. They're not a strictly beatdown band, but similar. I don't really hear any Architect influence in there though.

Eternal Sleep - I'm not a big fan. Didn't watch.

Axis - The band of the day. They killed it big time. I enjoyed the shit out of this set. Super heavy and really really good band. I got a shirt and I'll for sure see them again.

Steel Nation - I always love their sets. They played good, but didn't kill it as I had thought in the past. The new songs are good, can't wait until they're out on an album for me to get. Great PAHC band always.

Hi's - The food, the fest.
Low's - Nothing.

9-28 East Coast Tsunami Fest, Ignite, Bane, Strength for a Reason, Skarhead, Stick Together, Homewrecker, Born Low, Reason to Fight, Menace, Heavy Chains, Reading @Reverb

Similar to the day before, we didn't go until half way through the day. There weren't near as many people there for this day as there were for the previous day. And that's saying absolutely nothing.

Heavy Chains, Menace, Reason to Fight, Born Low, Strength for a Reason - All bands we didn't watch.

Homewrecker - They kicked ass like they always kick ass. They're not so much a mosh hardcore band as they are a weirdo metal hardcore band. I always like them. Will see again.

Stick Together - The only other time I ever saw them was at This is Hardcore last year and they kicked ass then. Part of what made me really like them is how hype the crowd was when they were playing. This time maybe 100 people were in the building and 3 of them got into this band. The band was good though. A little boring maybe, but that's what happens when you play a huge ass place and 3 people give a shit.

Skarhead - I'm sure Ezec was really disappointed with how many people were there. I'm guessing 150 were in the building max, and 20 were close to the stage. It was soo weak. But it was awesome because Skarhead is a great silly shit time band. Ezec said some really funny things and was apparently really high on E. But thats ok. They killed it and they were one of the best of the fest. One thing suprised me that maybe summed up the entire fest for me, Ezec said "Who here is from Reading?" and not a single person was. Not one. That's probably why turnout is so shit and the energy is weak. He was like, "fucking really?"

Bane - Killllled it, like always. No matter what they play I'll always be disappointed because I like too many of their songs for them to play. The new songs, Calling Hours and Final Backwards Glance are bangers. I'll always see this band everytime.

Ignite - A band I had never seen before. They killed it, even if playing a bit too long. Zolly has a a great voice and is on point all the time. There wasn't anything not to like from them and if they ever play PA again I'll be there.

High's - Ignite, Bane, Skarhead, Homewrecker.

Low's - Turnout big time. If they have ECT fest again next year I'll go again. I just hope more people do too. I think it's a little too close in every way to This is Hardcore to be a huge draw.

9-27 East Coast Tsunami Fest, Obituary, Wisdom in Chains, Sick of it All, Cro-Mags, Fury of Five, Lifeless, VOD, Hoods, Penntera, Next Step Up, Suburban Scum, Palehorse, Brick by Brick, Yesterday's Youth, Reading @Reverb

Going to this fest we were expecting a repeat of what we witnessed last time when Blood for Blood played. It turned out pretty disappointing for this first day. I'm not sure if it's the venue or the timing, but ECT can't hold a candle to This is Hardcore. Both days we went in pretty late, we didn't care too much to see the first half of the day.

Yesterday's Youth, Brick by Brick, Palehorse, Suburban Scum, Next Step Up, Penntera, Hoods - We missed them. I don't feel too bad, I'm assuming no more than 300 people saw any of them.

VOD - Pretty disappointing. I wasn't into them. I used to like them, then I didn't listen to them for years, and now I can't get into them for the life of me. Sucks.

Lifeless - I'd rather drink in the car than watch this band. So that's what we did.

Fury of Five - I hadn't seen them before, and I'm glad I got to this time. They kick ass. Heavy old school NYHC style street level hardcore. I don't think I'll ever binge listen to them, but I really enjoyed the set.

Cro-Mags - I wasn't at all disappointed in their set, but the crowd was really a piece of shit. Practically no movement or anything. I really liked the band though. Good energy, and of course good songs.

Sick of it All - They killed it, as you would expect. They didn't play a few songs that I really like, like Sanctuary, America, Potential for a Fall, and a few others. But they just killed it. The crowd didn't care too much. Maybe like 40 people gave a shit.

Wisdom in Chains - They were the most hype band of the day. They killed it too. The new songs are bangers, the old songs are bangers, it's all banger shit. When We Were Young. I'd estimate maybe 80 people gave a shit.

Obituary - To end up the day, metal gods Obituary got like 10 people into it. Super disappointing. They were heavy and super good, but just like the rest of the day and most likely the entire weekend, no one cared real much.

High's - Wisdom, Cro-Mags, Obituary, Sick of it All.
Low's - The price of beer, attendance, the hype level.

8-22 Skull Fest, Neutron Rats, Iron Reagan, Thulsa Doom, Arctic Flowers, Submachine, Blanks 77, Pittsburgh @Belvederes

We new going in that this show was going to be a total ripper. And it was.

Neutron Rats - Metal punks who brought it heavy. There weren't all that many people there for the band, but they brought it real heavy and fast. I liked them.

Iron Reagan - They killed it like they did every other time I saw them. They're the best band in the new wave of thrash metal. They're fun and loud. I'll always be trying to see them.

Thulsa Doom - Definitely the most disappointing band of the night. The songs were good and there wasn't anything in particular I didn't like. But the punks weren't into them, and it seemed like they might not have played for a while or something. All in all it was good music and mildly entertaining.

Arctic Flowers - This was the first of two times I'd be seeing them this weekend. They're a really good easy listening punk band. I like their energy and they're very good at playing their songs. I'll see them again for sure.

Submachine - Old Pittsburgh punks getting it. They played very well and were received well too. I'd seen them before and I'll see them again.

Blanks 77 - Somehow I've never seen them before even though they'd been playing forever. The set was good. They used the word cunt a lot. I guess some people didn't like that, especially when he was calling their female guitarist a cunt. Oh well, punks will be punks. I liked the show. Fast pogo punk in the old school vein.

Hi's - The venue, the show.
Low's - Nothing.

8-23 Skull Fest, Zex, Arctic Flowers, New Regrets, Pittsburgh @Rock Room

This was the Skull Fest aftershow for the Infest show. We went straight over because we weren't near drunk enough, and Mr. Smalls wasn't near packed and shitty enough. And we needed to get our punx on.

New Regrets - This band was really really good, and also from Cleveland. Cleveland stepping up big with awesome bands this weekend. They were a more rock and roll influenced punk rock. I remember them being funny. We struck up a conversation with the singer outside the venue, cool dude, and if I wasn't 75% hammered I might be able to recount it for you. I'll be all over seeing this band again.

Arctic Flowers - This band isn't my style, but they put on some great shows this weekend. They killed the Rock Room with their easy punk style.

Zex - We didn't get to see them at the other Skull Fest show they played at, but I wish I had. The singer played with her boobies all out, it was cool. Fast hardcore weirdo punk. Very good set.

Hi's- Everything
Low's- Nothing

8-23 Skull Fest, Infest, Dream Death, Occultist, Fuck You Pay Me, Killer of Sheep, Pittsburgh @Mr. Smalls

This was the main attraction for me of all the Skull Fest shows. What sucked about it is that the place was way too big and way out of the way from the rest of the Skull Fest venues. Most of the gutter punks wouldn't want to go here for a show. The venue also has a stigma about it because of the barrier in front of the stage, expensive drinks, expensive door fees, getting patted down, and the police station literally next door. So needless to say turnout was disappointing. I'm guessing 200 people absolute maximum.

Killer of Sheep - They were good but I remember the singer having a bad attitude. That just sounds funny but I think he was pissed about something. The worst KoS set I've seen.

Fuck You Pay Me - This band is awesome. The best thing to come out of Cleveland since Ringworm. They're fast and heavy, kind of in the vein of Coke Bust. I really enjoyed the set, especially the singer's hatred of the barrier. He stood on top of it for a lot of the time.

Occultist - I've been all over this band for a long ass time. But time and again I'm disappointed by their not playing Death Sigils. They still killed it. Heavy as fuck, bringing the metal to Skull Fest big time.

Dream Death - All their songs are super long, and without a packed crowd it all seemed a bit lackluster. Good long metal though. I liked them.

Infest - Their first time ever in Pennsylvania, which is amazing for a band that has been around as long as they have. They killed it. The singer pretty much said fuck the barrier and stood out in the pit the whole time. They played all the hits, it was glorious. I loved this set so much.

Hi's - Infest, Occultist, FYPM
Low's - The venue, the location, turnout.