5-20 Punk in Drublic Music and Beer fest, NOFX, Bad Religion, The Interrupters, Mad Caddies, Bad Cop Bad Cop, more, Pittsburgh @Highmark Stadium

Originally when I got the tickets for this I was under the impression that this would end up with a bunch of bands and be an all day thing. Ended up with the 5 advertised bands and at least one local who we didn't see much of. That's all ok, though. Because the bands were all good. I was worried about the freeness of the beer. Lines were long for the free beer, but it wasn't so bad because there were tons of breweries and the lines went pretty quick. I think the free beer in the tiny glass thing went really well. Too bad they cut everyone off right at 4.

Something I loved. So at the footstep of everyone's tent was a bucket where people could dump their beer if they didn't like it. At the end of the night they poured all those buckets into maybe 10 total buckets to make big nasty 20 gallon pales of mixed swill. Then they set those out in the field so you could fill your cup for free if you really wanted to. I didn't see anyone partake, but it's a novel idea and I loved it.

Local - No idea. We were really just getting in there and getting our bearings.

Bad Cop Bad Cop - I hadn't listened to them before, and they were playing while we were getting cup after cup of free beer. Lady punk rock on the easy side. Nothing funny or too hard or fast. They were good to listen to.

Mad Caddies - Killed it. They covered Anti Manifesto by Propagandhi and it was sick. My dude Raf used to love this band back in the day, and this band still kills it. Good pick Raf. Easy going ska band with some killer tunes. I especially enjoyed the stage presence of the trombone player. Best band of the day.

Interrupters - They were really good too. Punk band with dudes in suits who were all brothers and a chic singer. It was good, not great though I wouldn't say. Punk rock, not too hard not too slow.

Bad Religion - The reason I went. They were super good. Greg Graffin has the best voice in punk rock maybe. They're all old dudes by now, but they put on a super good show. It was a treat and a curse at the same time because they played their entire 1988 release Suffer. There are 2 really good songs on Suffer by my count. Opening with You Are the Government was killer, then of course playing Do What You Want any time is killer, but to me the album is a bit of filler. But when it's 30 years old you gotta play that shit. It was awesome to see a set that they'll likely not perform ever again, because of said filler songs on Suffer. They played a few other songs too that were not on Suffer. In the end I loved the set, but wish I had made the setlist myself.

NOFX - They played a short set because evidently someone from the band fell off the stage and cut his hand and had to get stitches. Sucks. I wanted to hear Murder the Government.

Highs - Bad Religion, Mad Caddies, swill buckets
Low's - Stadium beer prices after the free was gone

4-25 Sanction, Settle the Score, Facewreck more, Pittsburgh @Mr. Roboto Project

A free show. Kinda free. I put $5 in the bucket raising money for someone. Worth it.

We got to the show a touch late and missed a band or two I think.

Facewreck - Good heavy tunes. The Crutch song was killer. Hate the band name, but really liked the music.

Settle the Score - A heavy local band that has been playing for a while now and is pretty good.

Sanction - I saw them at Altoona Fest for the first time. They killed it there, and they killed it at Roboto. Up and coming hardcore from Long Island. They bring the heat kinda like Incendiary, similar style. Good time.

Highs - I'm torn on the Roboto floor show, as opposed to setting up on the one foot stage.
Lows - Nothin'

4-20 Russian Circles, King Woman, Pittsburgh @Spirit Hall

The pizza at Spirit really hit the spot. So much in face that we ate pizza through all of King Woman. I'm not entirely upset about that. I didn't listen to them at all beforehand so I don't even know anything about them. Oh well, we were there for Russian Circles anyway.

Russian Circles - Really good set. Pretty much every song is really good. They have the pace down pat. Their first half of the set was pretty drum heavy and it was really good. The second half of the set was really guitar heavy, and that was good also. All in all great set. I like that they don't have any lyrics. The one thing about this band is it's a really stationary show. No crowd movement or sing alongs and such.

Highs - Spirit, pizza, Russian Circles
Low's - The just too cold to be nice weather

4-8 Integrity, Ringworm, Midnight, In Cold Blood, Lakewood OH @The Foundry

I figured this show was going to be pretty awesome. It was. We'd never been to the Foundry before. The show was sold out, 300 people, so you can imagine the size of the venue is a bit small. That's pretty ok by me. The venue was long and narrow. That's a good thing for tall people, bad for short people or those who don't push to the front. I didn't have a problem.

We especially liked the police officer at the door telling everyone to smoke weed in between bands and not to bring it in. Thanks.

In Cold Blood - Very good band. Reminds me of Steel Nation a bit. Heavy dual singer metal hardcore. Good shit. I'll see this band again I hope.

Midnight - Honestly if Midnight wasn't on the show, I'm not sure I'd have gone. They were awesome. Motorhead sounding metal in the especially fun and evil variety. Sick band, I love them. The hardcore crowd wasn't especially into it, but I was.

Ringworm - A completely underappreciated band all around. This was probably the best I've ever heard them or seen them. Somehow songs other than Justice Replaced by Revenge got the biggest mosh. Great set, Human Furnace is great.

Integrity - They played a ripper of a set. Played pretty much everything you wanted to hear, and only two new songs. Heavy as fuck and super good. Good venue to choose for this hometown back to back.

Highs - All the bands, the matinee with a 3 hour drive.

Lows - Nothing at all.

3-23 Weedeater, BASK, Hyborian, Pittsburgh @Cattivo

I love the late show. It was super decent that this started at 11. I'm guessing that there may have been an earlier show that they had to clear out? Either way Cattivo was a good place for this show.

Hyborian - I hadn't listened to this band before. I didn't like them right off the bat because they stopped playing their first song four times because the bass guitar was fucking up. They should have just played through it. I don't know what that was all about really but it was a momentum killer. They had a good riff or two but all in all very average leaning towards sucking.

BASK - This band is a bit on the easy side of metal. They were good, better than the opening band. A little bit poppy at times and in general happy sounding. More so than I expected at least. Half decent band, I didn't mind watching the whole set.

Weedeater - They were pretty much better than I expected. They played their best album in it's entirety, it was very very good. I like the bass player, he was drinking whisky straight from the gallon bottle. Great energy from the band. Though the crowd left a bit to be desired. I don't think anyone there knew the words to a single entire song, but that didn't really take away from the night at all. Good metal, good set.

Highs - Weedeater, beer
Lows - Trash band.

3-5 Propagandhi, Iron Chic, La Armada, Pittsburgh @Rex Theater

Any time Propagandhi is going to be around the area, I'm going to see them. Last time they came through was a few years ago with Comeback Kid. It was awesome. This time had promise to be the same.

La Armada - This band had been to Pittsburgh a few times over the years, but I hadn't ever paid much attention to them. They were good, a bit on the heavy and choppy side. I really liked the guys in the band. When they talked about things they seemed sincere and genuine and I really liked it. I very much wanted to be way into the music, but it just wasn't so.

Iron Chic - More or less a pop punk band. Maybe a little in the vein of Hot Water Music or something like that. Not quite really poppy, but not heavy or fast or angry or anything like that. The singer had a gnarly beer gut holding him back. The songs were good. Maybe I'll download them sometime.

Propagandhi - The best set I've ever seen them play. Great shit. They opened with a bunch of bangers consecutively, then played some new mixed with old, then they rocked it out to end. Great sounding set. Great everything. One issue here with this band, the cheapest merch was a $25 t-shirt. That's fucking astounding pricing. I feel like that's Metallica or Kenny Chesney prices.

Hi's - Drunk, bands, yay

Low's - Those shirt prices. Fucking fuck.

2-27 Mammoth Grinder, Concealed Blade, Ritual Mass, Pittsburgh @Rock Room

Rock Room shows are always the best. Though of all the food special days, hamburger days are the worst. But the $1 PBR pounder specials are where it's at.

Ritual Mass - Heavy new hardcore metal band. Relatively new at least. Heavy and pretty good.

Concealed Blade - This band rules. Great mosh parts. I love watching them in smaller spaces like the Rock Room. It was packed in and a great time. I know Blood Pressure is on tour in Mexico for a while, so we probably wont see any Concealed Blade shows for a bit.

Mammoth Grinder - We were excited to see this band for the first time because of the Power Trip and Iron Reagan pedigree. They were pretty good, but I felt the set dragged on pretty long. Or it could be because my belt broke and I was fidgeting with that.

Hi's - Rock Room, all the bands

Low's - Not a thing.