7-26 This is Hardcore Fest, Code Orange, 100 Demons, Harms Way, All Out War, Jesus Piece, Death Before Dishonor, Inclination, Eternal Sleep, Bloodbather, Enemy Mind, Facewreck, Payback, Philly @Franklin Music Hall

Going into the fest I thought Fridays show was pretty obviously the most stacked. Perfect way to kick off TIHC weekend 2019. I know there was a pre-show on Thursday, but we didn't attend so this was the beginning for us. This was Pittsburgh day at TIHC.

Payback - I hate that they open the doors like 5 minutes before any bands play so almost everyone is waiting in line outside missing them. Not usually a big deal for me, but on this day I really wanted to see everyone. Payback sounded good from outside.

Facewreck - The best new band in hardcore. A funny band when you get past all the mosh. We missed the first half of the set because of the line getting in. Singer had a few funny lines about following proper protocol while entering the venue. Good tough guy banter also. Great energy from the crowd for the second band of the day, and one of the best sets of the day. Pittsburgh band #1.

Enemy Mind - A heavier hardcore sound. More metal involved here. I like this band, and they sounded really good. Pittsburgh band #2.

Bloodbather - Super heavy hardcore from Florida I think. They were pretty good.

Eternal Sleep - They've been playing songs from their most recent album for a few years and it's good to hear they are going to record again. They played all the bangers like Red Herring and Dead Like Me, and the new song was good too. A really strong set. Pittsburgh band #3.

Inclination - Heavy straight edge hardcore. They were good. The crowd was into it big time. They have some really good songs. Killed it at times.

Death Before Dishonor - Old heads releasing a new album. The old songs were good, the new songs were good too. They started the trend of bands who I've seen at TIHC to really poor reception in the past who were treated much better by the crowd this time around.

Jesus Piece - When this band plays you can expect the pit to get scary. No difference this time. I really like Jesus Piece but I make sure to stay something like 15 feet back from the edge of the pit because someone is getting wrecked. Bang your head to this stuff.

All Out War - They almost always play, and they almost always kill it. They did it again. More old heads dropping a new album to great reception. So freaking heavy and a perfect band to go together with the rest of the show.

Harms Way - My favorite set of the day. Hulk is a good front man for a band so heavy. The new songs are good, the older bangers are still good. I'll always get down to their live set. Killed it, no surprise I think the whole building felt that way.

100 Demons - There were no disappointments on this day, but 100 Demons was the closest. They didn't sound bad, it just wasn't great. They played with the original singer for the first time in almost 20 years, and evidently those guys for a long stretch didn't get along at all. The songs were good and I very much prefer the old singer to the current one. That first album is a complete banger. Crowd support was good, but not as intense as anticipated.

Code Orange - Pittsburgh band #4. It's amazing to me this band's live show right now versus the first time I saw them like a decade ago in a punk house living room with 6 people in it. The live show is pretty much uncontested in hardcore right now. They walk the line between a hardcore show and maybe an industrial metal feel with the lighting and video stuff. I noticed some of the older songs I really like they played updated versions of the songs. Interesting. No need to say they killed it and are the perfect band to headline Fridays show.

My high expectations for this day weren't let down. Every band was worth watching. The crowd was awesome and reasonably respectful.

Best Bands:
1 Harms Way
2 Facewreck
3 Eternal Sleep

6-7 Sworn Enemy, 156 Silence, Inconsolable Wretch, Circle of Caina, New Kensington @Preserving Hardcore

This was my first time going to Preserving Hardcore. I hadn't ever been to New Kensington before. I was under the impression that New Kens was a dump. After getting there it turns out that New Kens is a dump. That's ok. Preserving Hardcore is in a great basement spot right next to the PJ's. Nice record store, nice little show space. A little tight once people start dancing, but the mosh was pretty respectable all night.

Unfortunately I don't know any of the bands that played before Sworn Enemy. I didn't know them going in, and I don't think even one band clearly said what their name is. So even when leaving I didn't know who was who. After doing some googling I think I might have figured it out.

Circle of Caina - Heavy hardcore metal. Nothing too memorable here.

Inconsolable Wretch - Heavy hardcore metal. The guitarist is the singer. I think other than Sworn Enemy they were the best band of the night.

156 Silence - The best known local on the bill. They are good and heavy hardcore. Again, nothing too memorable.

Sworn Enemy - Pretty much killed it. They played a few new songs too. One of them is real good, it's the song they have the video for. The new album is hit and miss, but the live set was awesome. They hadn't been in Pittsburgh for a decade, it was good to have them back. I should have got the white shirt.

Preserving Hardcore museum was pretty awesome. I wasn't expecting so much. A lot of local band shit in there, which is awesome. Some awesome old jerseys in there like the 25 Ta Life hockey jersey. Great place, too bad it's like an hour and a half from where I live or I'd go there all the time.

Highs - Sworn Enemy, the space.

Lows - Nothing.

6-6 Ringworm, Unreal City, The Grip, Pittsburgh @Rock Room

This show hadn't been announced for very long. Somewhat of a last minute thing. I'm thinking Ringworm wanted a warm up show for their tour. The Rock Room was a great place to do such a thing.

The Grip - Good band. Good energy. Younger folks playing hardcore punk. More hardcore than punk. I like the singers cross country skiing move. Philly band. Not sure if they're on tour or what. Had nice white hats for sale.

Unreal City - Awesome band. Good songs. Same singer as Eternal Sleep. They really occupy the same space in hardcore as Eternal Sleep but Unreal City isn't as heavy and a little faster. Maybe more friendly sounding. Good set, good Pittsburgh band.

Ringworm - Well known Cleveland hardcore metal. The new album is good, and they played some headbangers off of it. I like it how they're fine with slumming it up at the Rock Room on short notice. Good energy, killer riffs always.

Hi's - Everything, pierogie night

Low's - Turnout was a little bit light.

6-2 Sick of It All, La Armada, Dead Batteries, Pittsburgh @Cattivo

Wisdom in Chains was supposed to be on this show. Unfortunately they cancelled their entire tour because of some health issues. So that's a bummer because they're pretty much the best. Either way, replaced by.... Dead Batteries. Bummer again. Through two bands I thought there were 70 people in attendance. After La Armada people crawled out of the woodworks.

Dead Batteries - Weren't bad. They remind me of Hot Water Music or something like this.

La Armada - I thought this was their best show in Pittsburgh that I had seen. And I had seen them a few times before. Hardcore punk weirdness. The music is choppy and hard to get into. They know this I'm sure. But all in all great performance. The crowd wasn't into it all that much, but they were very good.

Sick of it All - Also the best I'd ever seen Sick of it All in Pittsburgh. They killed it. Some of the new songs are a bit heavier in parts, and it came off really well. They played the old bangers. Opened with Clobbering Time. Scratch the Surface, Sanctuary, no Potential for a Fall but that's ok because they played Injustice System too. Great set. I didn't like any of the shirts all that much, but I got one anyway just because they were very good.

Hi's - Sneaky good attendance, all the bands.
Low's - No Wisdom in Chains.

5-20 Antisect, Behind Enemy Lines, Eel, Destitut, Pittsburgh @Cattivo

Not sure what happened with this show. The price wasn't bad, but turnout was. There was maybe 70 people there, something like that. It wasn't good. Behind Enemy Lines deserves better than that, so does Antisect.

Destitut - Pittsburgh punks. Very forgettable.

Eel - Not sure what happened there. They didn't show up. Rumor is that they broke up, maybe today. Either way they didn't play, and it didn't look like anyone from the band came to the show at all. Skull Records also had a table reserved, it remained empty all night.

Behind Enemy Lines - Killed it like every time I've seen them. Fast Pittsburgh hardcore punk with the best lyrics in the punk universe.

Antisect - They were very good. I expected a lot of the older metalpunk sound, but they played a ton of more modern sounding hardcore punk jammers. Great set. One original member I think, but that's what happens when you play for 30 years. The band was on, the sound was good, the crowd was extra weak.

Highs - Antisect, Behind Enemy Lines Low's - Attendance

5-16 Eyehategod, Sheer Terror, Negative Approach, Phobia, Killer of Sheep, Pittsburgh @Cattivo

Even after Fuck You Pay Me dropped off the bill the show was still stacked. I was a bit surprised though, because I thought the place would be jam packed. I'd say somewhere around 120 people were there. Must be the price that kept some people away.

Killer of Sheep - Hardcore punk mainstays from Pittsburgh. If you've been to a show, you've seen them. Good set.

Phobia - They've been around for a long time and I've never seen them before. Grind hardcore punk. Fast parts, bang your head parts, they killed it. I'd like to see them in more of a Skull Fest type setting, with all the crustys instead of the metalheads.

Sheer Terror - I thought hardcore would come out for this band, I guess not. They were very good, playing all the songs you wanted to hear. I like the lead singers banter, even if the joke about a dog was a dud. Angry depressed hardcore legends from NY. Sidenote, I really thought they'd be on the This is Hardcore lineup this year.

Negative Approach - I thought this might have been the best I'd seen Negative Approach. I like the way the lead singer says 'man'. He got some kind of accent going on. Played Ready to Fight and Lead Song and all the other bangers. Not a whole lot of crowd response, but a great set anyways.

Eyehategod - Not a band I'm super into, but they're worth seeing. It was very odd how the room emptied out about half way into their set. Weird crowd tonight. I don't know any of their songs off by heart. The energy from the band was good, I'd like to see them again.

Highs - All the bands
Lows - Turnout and FYPM not being there.

5-10 Iron Reagan, Sacred Reich, Leeway, Enforced, Pittsburgh @Cattivo

This show was killer. A lot of people there too. Close to sold out I think. I don't love the venue, but it's good enough for most things.

Enforced - Heavy hardcore metal thrash mixture. They were really good actually. Didn't listen to them beforehand, but they brought it. Good energy, good headbang parts.

Leeway - Eddie Leeway is such a strange dude. Super skinny too. Some of their songs are really good. A lot of them are pretty boring. Good set all in all. He's fun to watch because he's weird. Always cool to see the old time NYHC people play for the first time.

Sacred Reich - I hadn't given this band much listen beforehand. They were ok. My first thought was this sounds like Metallica. But it sounds like this band has been playing for decades so they deserve more than to be called a Metallica knockoff. Good band, good songs. I enjoyed it. I think a lot of people were there more to see them than Iron Reagan.

Iron Reagan - They killed it like they always do. Such a fun metal sound and energetic set. They didn't come out for an encore, in which they may have played Eyeball Gore or Close to Toast or another great song I'm overlooking. The set was awesome. My favorite live metal band.

Highs - All the heavy songs.
Lows - It was a little chilly out, and the parking situation was balls.