7-24 This is Hardcore, American Nightmare, Suicide File, Nails, Defeater, Cruel Hand, True Love, The Geeks, Malice at the Palace, Build and Destroy, Philly @Electric Factory

The first night of this is hardcore was going to be tough to top because Code Orange and Chokehold were so bad ass. But as I found out American Nightmare and Suicide File were ready for the challenge.

We were a little bit late getting to the show, missing the first two bands, but we were feeling good and ready for the sing along.

Build and Destroy - We missed them. I'd have like to have been there, but didn't get to see them.

Malice at the Palace - I wanted to see them too because their band name is so killer. I'll at least get to see them at Sincerity Fest

The Geeks - We got there just before the Geeks went on. It was a super bad ass set. I knew I'd like their live show, but I didn't know it was going to be good like that. Super high energy and great vibe. They're like a Backtrack style band, but the Korean version. I'll make it out to their next show in the area.

True Love - I hadn't listened to them much, but the few songs I did listen to reminded me of American Nightmare a bit. I don't know if that's accurate, but it stuck me that way. We had dinner during this time.

Cruel Hand - I listened to them from outside. Members of Outbreak reportedly had a very good set. I wish I'd have checked them out.

Defeater - They were super good. I didn't know any of the songs but the showmanship was great and the songs were good. I'd certainly see them again. This is the second time I saw them, both at This is Hardcore. This was their better showing at TIH.

Nails - Super heavy band. I don't particularly like them. They're maybe like All Out War with a new twist to the sound.

Suicide File - Killed it. Completely annihilated it. They were the band of the night by a large margin. They played all the hits, and were great on stage. The crowd was going ballistic and they stole the show.

American Nightmare - I think they played everything from Background Music and it was awesome. Their sound was on point and the live show was pretty good too. Despite knowing pretty much all of the songs AN played, I still liked Suicide File best.

High's - AN, Suicide File, the Geeks, beer and shit

Low's - None

We were happy to find that they had a "hardcore" beer special, a $4 PBR. That's barely acceptable. It's certainly better than last years $6.00 for a PBR. WTF is up with drink prices in big venues? Criminal. But we sucked down $4 cans all night. Good times.

7-23 This is Hardcore, Eternal Sleep, Break Away, Blistered, Agitator, Foundation, Morning Again, Code Orange, Chokehold, Snapcase, Philly @Union Transfer

This is Hardcore is pretty the only thing I look forward to every summer. It's such a good time, every time. This year, as we've become accustomed to, we went out for all 4 days of the festival. How could you not? Every day is a complete ripper. The Thursday show wasn't at the Electric Factory as it had been in recent years, instead it was at the Union Transfer. Union Transfer is a decent venue just a few blocks from the Electric Factory.

Eternal Sleep - I had just seen them a few days earlier in Pittsburgh. This band is one of the best newer groups in hardcore. They're heavy enough to get the pit going and fast enough to keep it good. It was good to see two Pittsburgh bands represent well at TIH. Until Code Orange plays, this is the best set of the night.

Break Away - They are a youth crew style hardcore band. Plenty of mosh parts. I didn't like this group a whole lot. The varsity jackets and Nike socks thing is kind of whack. I didn't really like the singer, or the songs a whole lot, or much of anything about them. I can say for sure that the first few songs were much better than the last bunch. They lost a lot of steam.

Blistered - I liked this band well enough to watch all the songs. The lead singer had something weird about him. Like Break Away, they started out good but ended a little weak. They had good energy and I would like to see them again.

Agitator - This group got a great response. Last show ever in their hometown of Philly. I don't really know any Agitator songs, but they put on a good show. Crowd support was right where you would think it would be. Good set, good songs. Had some good banter about being straight edge and shit. It was good.

Foundation - I don't like this bands songs a whole lot, but I do think I like this band. I like the shit the singer was talking about. A few of their songs are good, Pray for Atlanta and shit, but no bangers in my opinion. Good band, but not one of my besties. Heavy get your mosh and headbang on type of shit.

Morning Again - I was pretty disappointed with this band. I didn't see anything special there. Of course now that they're all fat and out of practice doesn't help at all. I had been listening to their albums from the late 90's, and I just don't love it. They were ok. I probably wont go out of my way to see them ever.

Code Orange - Without any doubt the best band of the night. They killed it. I'm not sure why they don't play Violence live, but that's a little bit disappointing. Regardless, they put a killing on the set. The pit was going off. Everything was perfect for Code Orange. Their songs can get pretty choppy, but the heavyness takes over and makes it rule. Great presence and intensity on stage too. Loved it.

Chokehold - They were great. For not having played many shows in forever they completely killed it. There was all this controversy going on because a few nights before TIH the band got into a fight with someone who called them racist. It's all shit. They killed the set. Great energy and great songs. It was worth all the hype.

Snapcase - Speaking of a band not worth all the hype. The set wasn't very good. We only watched maybe 5 songs and then left. I like Caboose, but not much else.

All in all this was a very productive and awesome way to start out This is Hardcore weekend. On the foodie side of things I had some pork tacos from some food truck. They were the bomb.

Highs - Eternal Sleep, Code Orange, Chokehold, the venue, the food, good time.
Lows - Not a whole lot.

7-20 Harms Way, The Beautiful Ones, Eternal Sleep, Path to Misery, Killing Thing, Pittsburgh @Cattivo

Harms Way is one of the great current super heavy bands in hardcore. They have great energy and I always like seeing them. This was my first time to Cattivo, it's a good place for shows.

Killing Thing - My first time seeing this Pittsburgh band. They are fast and heavy. Good hardcore. I'll go see them again.

Path to Misery - Super heavy, political, Pittsburgh hardcore machine. I'd rather see this band than almost any. It still blows my mind how little I care for this band on recording, but I love the live show. AJ's a swell guy.

Eternal Sleep - Most certainly the fastest up and coming Pittsburgh band in the hardcore scene. This show for them and Harms Way is on the way to This is Hardcore, where they all play in a few days. Eternal Sleep was very good. Good beatdowns and great headbanging shit. I'm going to have to get into this group more.

The Beautiful Ones - They kind of sucked. I didn't love or hate anything about them. Very meh. If it's convenient for me I'll check them out again sometimes.

Harms Way - Pulverizing heavy hardcore. I love the singer. He's always jumping and punching. He's a physical monster so it looks especially intimidating when he does. I love the range of songs they play. I back this band completely. Great songs, great energy. Harms Way rules.

Highs - The bands, good venue
Lows - Not much at all.

5-31 Iron Reagan, Angel Du$t, Noisem, Knife, Pittsburgh @Gooskis

It had been a grip since I went to a show. Though, not as long as it seems in blog time, because I got super lazy and didn't write about the last one. Gooskis is a great show space, and we were super stoked for the entire lineup.

Knife - They're a d-beat'ish hardcore punk band. I really enjoyed them despite the super drunk punk holding his knife up in the air the entire set. I was a little bit put off by that dude. But Knife plowed through everyone's ass, sounding like Tragedy or Wolfbrigade or something. Good set, I'll go see them again.

Noisem - The longhairs were in effect for this jam. They're fast and heavy, definitely the least melodic of the metal going on this night. I've seen them before, though I think I enjoyed them more this time. Good set from good metal ragers.

Angel Dust - I've only seen this band once at This is Hardcore last year, so it was awesome to see them in a smaller place. I really like the surf punk overtones. Great for some rocking out. People were into it.

Iron Reagan - Killed it. Played some fun thrash metal and talked some shit on the bigger promoter who tried to book them in Pittsburgh at the Smiling Moose. They were super good and the 'your kid's an asshole' shirt I got is the shit. It has Bush senior holding an exploding baby on the front. Awesome.

Highs - All the bands and the cheap booze.
Lows - Nothing at all.

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.