3-3 Power Trip, Iron Reagan, Protestor, Concealed Blade, Pittsburgh @Spirit

This was my first time going to Spirit for a show. I really like the place. The show space is plenty big and the bar downstairs is especially spacious too. Great place. The show started about an hour late. But that's all good because we got to drink free beer in the whip for an hour. The Pens were playing so we got to listen. Good thing too because Spirit has zero televisions. I like that though. TVs at bars suck the energy out most of the time.

Protestor - They were really good. Straight edge didn't go over particularly well but that's to be expected in Pittsburgh. They were better on this night than they were at This is Hardcore. A good set. I was surprised that they opened instead of the local. But in terms of the better band it was right on. Concealed Blade - Quickly becoming my favorite band in Pittsburgh. A good mix of hardcore and punk. Perfect vocals. Great band, great mosh parts.

Iron Reagan - They're pretty much a perfect band. Just the right amounts of punk and metal. They played all the bangers. They once again had awesome merch. How do bands touring with them make any money? I assume everyone buys the Iron Reagan shit because it's all badass.

Power Trip - Holy fog machine. They had that shit cranked up to 500. Power Trip killed it of course. They didn't play some older favorites like Heretics Fork, but that's ok because the new songs are ragers too. The intro killed, as you would expect.

High's - Everything
Low's - The cold weather.

2-9 Every Time I Die, Knocked Loose, Harms Way, Eternal Sleep, Morgantown @Mainstage

I hadn't been to a show in Morgantown for over 15 years. I'm not sure there had been a worthwhile show in Morgantown in 15 years. But this one warranted the trek. I'm not sure if ETID shows are always that pricey, but $25. Shit. You can get into festivals and shit for that much. Somehow at the end of the night it was worth it. Mainstage is a good venue. I'd go back there for a show for sure. Though, I don't think they were ready for a hardcore show because they ran out of PBR.

Eternal Sleep - Wasn't the best I'd ever seen them play, but they were really good. I've been getting into the new record, it's really good too. They played a good lengthy set. Great way to start it off.

Harms Way - The best band of the night by my account. Played a few older songs, and a few off of Rust, the newest album. Killed it. Their frontman is super energetic and pretty much just rocks out like he was in a room all by himself. Loved all of it.

Knocked Loose - Real good set again. They came out of nowhere last time I saw them, but I was ready this time. Heavy and good. I liked pretty much every song.

Every Time I Die - They're a good band. Been around for a while now, I don't think they've done a tour in a long time. I don't know their music too much, but they played a few songs that just sucked. Not that they didn't play them well or whatever, but I thought the songs sucked. Still a very good and entertaining set.

The only thing that sucked is that like at many shows, when someone spilled something in the pit area, no one cleaned it up and it got slippery. Oh well.

Highs - All the bands, good venue, cheapish drinks.
Lows - Not much. The cold, the parking tickets, and the slick floor.

1-13 Code Orange, Incendiary, Wisdom in Chains, Eternal Sleep, Enemy Mind, Drawing Last Breath, Pittsburgh @Rex Theater

We were stoked for this show. One of the best lineups to come to Pittsburgh in a long time. Parking in the South Side is poop all the time, it took a while to find something so we missed the first band.

Drawing Last Breath - From Florida. We missed them.

Enemy Mind - I'm really not a big fan of this band. The music is uninspired and the cookie monster vocals are pretty normal too. The best part of the band is the lead guitar player. He was good. They got good crowd response though. Fans of the generic mosh were in attendance.

Eternal Sleep - Somehow this band got less of a reaction from the crowd then Enemy Mind. Totally should always be the other way around. Eternal Sleep killed it. They have one of the best live shows. Very heavy, bang your head hardcore. Sometimes they remind me of Blacklisted.

Wisdom in Chains - Typical for a Wisdom show, they got a pretty weak crowd response in comparison to the rest of the show. They put on an awesome set though. Fans just don't get all rowdy for the sing along like they should. Either way there were a fair amount of people into it. They have too many good songs to play them all, but they played a decent mix. Great set, the best of the night.

Incendiary - This band kicks ass. After their set at This is Hardcore this last year I've been itching to see them. They didn't disappoint. The crowd went off, most energetic set of the night. Fast hardcore in the new style, not so much different from Backtrack and other similar bands.

Code Orange - Some of the new songs they played are going to be live show bangers once people get into them. The set was awesome. I'm not sure what they're doing with that one song that's really soft, but that is ok. It wasn't horrible. Regardless Code Orange brought it and the new album is killer.

Hi's - All the bands, the merch, the venue.
Low's - The usual South Side parking situation.

1-4 Cruel Hand, Eternal Sleep, Will to Die, 156/Silence, Settle for Nothing, Pittsburgh @Smiling Moose

I'm posting about this show way after the fact just so I remember a few crucial things.

Eternal Sleep - They are alwesome, always.

Cruel Hand - They were really good, and they don't play many songs off of the new joint. Good thing. Their 2016 album is poop toss.

10-25 Skeletonwitch, Iron Reagan, Oathbreaker, Homewrecker, Pittsburgh @Cattivo

This show was killer. We were pretty excited for this, even though I was pretty sure half of the show was going to be butt.

Homewrecker - Awesome band. I'm writing this way after the fact, but I remembered liking them.

Oathbreaker - This band was soft singy metal. It wasn't very good in my opinion.

Iron Reagan - Awesome band, like always. The live show is so fucking on point it's the shit. I remember them playing all the hits.

Skeletonwitch - The surprise band of the night for me. I thought they would suck, I hadn't listened to them before. They didn't suck, in fact, they were really good. Trashy with no singing.

Hi's - Having a good all around night, Homewrecker, Iron Reagan, Skeletonwitch.
Low's - Oathbreaker.

10-7 Alestorm, Nekrogoblin, Aether Realm, The Bloody Seamen, Pittsburgh @Smiling Moose

I was pretty pissed off that the night before I missed the Ringworm show. Fucking bullshit work. Couldn't get off. But that's ok because Alestorm was for sure going to be the better show.

The Bloody Seamen - They were less bad than the last time I saw them, but still I can't say I enjoyed the set. For a pirate band, they're awfully soft. Really can't get into anything about this band.

Aether Realm - This band was ok. Very bang your head metal. The lead singer was fun, he was wearing a fake bearskin. The bear skin wasn't what made him fun, I didn't like that so much. We watched half of the set, but left for drinks.

Nekrogoblin - This band was ok too. The vocals were very very screamy. I liked the goblin guy in costume hopping around on stage. He was fun too. Metal for metal.

Alestorm - The main event of course. Even though the front of the crowd was going bananas, I heard that the back of the room was super bored. Who cares. Fuck those people. Alestorm played tons of good songs. Really enjoyed the entire set and I will always go out to see them play.

Hi's - Everything.
Low's - Shitty Pittsburgh band that embarrasses pirates everywhere

10-1 False Profit, Submachine, Fuck You Pay Me, Getaway Car, Connellsville @Marlene's Corner Bar

This was billed as the meanest show ever to be held in Connellsville. I think they're probably right. This show was mean for Connellsville standards. This was a good day all around. Beer fest in Connellsville was earlier in the day, so we were tuned up and ready to go by showtime.

Enhailer - This band wasn't on the bill originally, but got added. They were actually a welcome addition to the lineup. They didn't have any vocals. I remember them as a melodic metal band. A little sludgy and doomy I remember. Good band.

Getaway Car - This band wasn't too good. They're a modern sounding punk band. The vocals aren't screamy, more like Misfits style but different. I was a little bit annoyed by the lead singer. The vocals weren't bad, but nothing about the band was too good either. I'm sure I'll see them again if they're going to keep having shows at Marlene's, but I won't be going anywhere just to see them.

False Profit - This band was ok. A little more of a crossover band. They were ok. I liked about half of the songs pretty well.

Submachine - It's a shame that none of the people I grew up with going to shows didn't come out for this. I know those mother fuckers still live in Fayette County, but are too old bitter and dumb to remember how to have fun. Fucking Submachine in Fayette County is pretty epic, but no one but the 40 or so people at the show gave a shit.

Fuck You Pay Me - Great band from Cleveland. They put on a great show. Fast and loud and mean, just as billed. We saw them at the Skull Fest matinee a few months earlier and it was pretty great and it was more of the same this time. Of course it's disappointing that Fayette County really has no concept of hardcore punk so no one was real into it. But I was super happy that they came to Connellsville anyway.

HI's - FYPM, Submachine, beerfest, Marlene's
Low's - Nothing