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AFI / Snapcase / Recover

live in New York City (2003)
Universal Music Group

Reviewer Rating:

User Rating:

Contributed by: GreenVandal
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on May 13th 2003

Until this night....how big AFI was never quite dawned on me. I knew, but I had never seen. And since this was the first time I would be seeing AFI since 2000's warped tour, plus the additional bonus of seeing Snapcase again, I was very excited about this trip to good ol NYC.

So when I left the show pretty much a full hour early, disapointment would be a understatement.

The day started off fine enough. Me and my friend Jeff have never been to New York City, so we of course missed a few trains and bought some wrong tickets and got completely lost, but with the aid of my friends Mariam and Natalie, we made it to Roseland just fine. From my first impression of the venue, I thought this was gonna be one hell of a show. There was a hallway in the begginning where a merch booth was set up, and after that hallway was a sort of large chamber where the bands played to a enclosed wood floored "pit area". Around this pit area are balconys for people who splurged on more expensive tickets, and a carpeted area with seats beneath that for the tired. All this with a bar on the complete opposite side of the room. It had everything a man needed to party! (well except me, because I dont drink, but when there is a bar there is always fun!) After my observations were complete, Recovers banner was raised and the show kicked of.

I dont know anything about Recover, except that I saw them at Skate and Surf and thought they sounded like every other emo band that screams every once in a while to prove how emo they are not, except they had some really hardcore parts. Unfortunately these hardcore parts sound forced and lack precision, in fact, that sums up how I feel about all there songs. So when I went and stood in the massive merch booth line during there entire set after hearing the first song, you can tell I didnt enjoy them. I have seen worse openers. But thats not saying much.

So, after I heard a odd silence in the air, I realized the noise had stopped, and it was safe to emerge from the merch area without suffering anymore from Recover. When I walked out I saw Snapcases banner rising, and was quick to fight my way to about 5 people from the stage (well 5 people from the barrier in front of that stage, but ya know what I mean) after a unusually long set up time, they kicked into full gear opening with Coagulate, and then blasting into Caboose. The crowd seemed to be in a very confused state during Snapcase. Around me I saw about 20 heads bobbing, and fists pumping in the air, but about 200 people just watching with smiles on there face. I wanted to rock out and sing every word and jump around, but there were so many people on the floor that movement, and sometimes breathing, were impossible. Plus I was stuck on the left side of the stage, so I could barely hear Franks guitar. Now although the crowd seemed to be enjoying it, things turned for the worse when they began playing newer material like New Kata, and Last Word. The head bobbing and fist pumping stop, and the smiles faded form the childrens faces. AND I CANT UNDERSTAND WHY. It seems old fans just wanted to hear Incarnation, and the many many many little girls and boys dont like music that isnt simple to listen to, or they just wanted AFI. But on Snapcases behalf, they did decent...there were quite a few sloppy moments, and they didnt rock as hard as at Skate and Surf, but the main complaint here is the completely lackluster audience who were mostly just standing up front to save a spot for AFI. I dont remember all the songs Snapcase played, but I know they played....

Coagulate, Caboose, Bleeding Orange, Harrison Bergeron, Zombie Prescription, Typecast Modualtor, New Kata, The Final Word, 10 AM, Exile Etiquette, and (in a huge surprise they closed with this song because I never thought they would ever play it live, and it was also the lowest point for the audience who just seemed confused by the noise) A Synthesis of Classic Forms. With that Snapcase ended to some rather solid, if not half hearted applause, and AFI's banner rose to some cheers.

So anyway, like an hour after the banner rose, the band still hadnt started, even though all the sound checks were done, and they had there smoke machines going. Finally the first song off Sing the Sorrow Miseria Canteria or whatever its called started playing and of course the crowd went berserk singing the words. I was disapointed, I wanted to hear Strength through Wounding, but o well, this sufficed. After there intro they began with The Boy that destroyed the world off of All The Hollows EP, and this is when I realized I was not going to have any fun at all. This was by far the most absolutely horrible audience in concert history. Every single girl in the place is trying to get to the front, while the fat ones who did manage to get up there were not letting anyone up, and at the same time kids in the middle kept splitting open the audience to try and make a pit area, only to have both sides of the crowd smash there fresh pit closed again in a violent display of idiocy on both parts. And finally, large macho men decided they needed to touch Daveys vinyl pants too and began forcing there way up front. So basically, every person in the room was trying to force there way up front, but unfortunately, physics tells us that no two bodies of matter can occupy the same space. It also tells us that dickhead kids who only care about themselves and dont realize that it is physically impossible to get to the front ruin shows. At one point, during the thrid song, which I forgot the name of, about 20 people all fell down at once, and rather then getting helped up, a entire squadron of macho guys and tiny girls started to WALK OVER THEM. !?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!??!!?!?! I dragged like 3 people up, and then after almost having my arm broken by some kid in a black flag shirt trying to knock everyone in front of him over so he could touch Davey, I called it quits and escaped fom the audience.

From the very back I watched disgusted as one of my favorite bands rocked out for a audience on kids that probably hadnt heard any of their songs outside of those on "Sing the Sorrow". Its kind of funny actually...AFI's songs are all about being unaccepted, and going against the grain. Well here in front of me was a regular convention of teeny bopper girls and macho jocks all scremaing along to the incredibly peppy Davey Havok. While me and all the other "freak kids" sat in the back and wondered what the hell just happened. I guess I can understand why people hate it when their favorite band gets big now...nonetheless, the audeince sucked.

AFI actually played okay, but form the back you could hear that the drums were too high, and the guitars too fuzzy, but whatever. They had energy, and Jades funny little "Gentleman mod dance" has to be seen. (I cant describe it) Overall a rather solid performance.....I left duting morning star which I think was about halfway through there set, but the songs i heard were....

The Boy Who Destroyed The World, Totalimortal, A Single Second, Girls Not Grey, The Prayer Position, Morning Star, and their was more, but I cant remember. Some more stuff from their new album and one old tune.

In conclusion, this audience sucked out all the fun that might have been had here. I wa sincredibly disapointed by it. Needless to say, I wont be going to see AFI ever again. Snapcase gets a star for trying, and AFI gets half of one for Jades dance.

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Anonymous (October 13, 2004)

afi, and snapcase are gay, RECOVER rocks more then all those bands idiot!

Anonymous (December 28, 2003)

but fuckin hell, it's incredible.incredible. there re always people that pay attention to stupid details.but grow up man, yes grow up. but i (and i 'm not the only one)don't give a shit that AFI went mainstream ,that kids that only know sing the sorrow come to gigs, that they have a different sound (which is better in top of that), ..appreciate the music listen to it. stop these fuckin punk rocker clichés.

Anonymous (October 13, 2003)

reviewer: you are the biggest piece of elitist shit i have ever encountered. grow up asshole.

Anonymous (May 20, 2003)

fortyminuteswest blow me... i didn't know you needed to be a professional writer to post a comment. sorry if my swearing makes you uncomfortable...

Anonymous (May 18, 2003)

You guys are gay. Recover rules all and I know you're a lot younger than how long AFI has been around you stupid emo hardcore anti-mtv used to be pop punk ska dipshits.

Anonymous (May 16, 2003)

as i get older green vandal or whatever, i have come to hate almost every punk show crowd. thats why i go in the bar, cuz barring fake id's, there's no teenyboppers there, no moshing, but there is beer. i suggest u start drinking, take a seat or stand in the bar, and enjoy the music

FortyMinutesWest (May 15, 2003)

Wow, what a well-stated and intelligently conveyed comment. Your vocabulary is so varied, are you a professional writer?

Anonymous (May 15, 2003)

god all you people complaining about major labels this, mtv that... shut the fuck up pussies. it's so old. instead of being concerned about the music, let's make it into a fucking fashion show, and discuss the brands of the fans' clothes. cool. and when i saw afi in minneapolis, they fucking kicked ass. i moved all over the crowd, from the front to middle to the back. and in every spot, the people were cool. the crowd in minneapolis was nice and loved the music, and i don't think it fucking matters how long they've known about the band, or what they're wearing or other bullshit like that. what a FUCKING SHIT REVIEW. i don't give a fuck that you didn't have fun, you're unimportant to me. how was the band?? fucking moron.

Anonymous (May 15, 2003)

'I've actually had more fun at local shows than shows with nationally recognized bands recently.'

Yep, I've known this for awhile. It's true

Anonymous (May 15, 2003)

Im Aware but I was already trying to find new bands by the time it did come out.

Anonymous (May 15, 2003)

come on dude, by the time All Killer, No Filler came out, punk rawk was everywhere.

Anonymous (May 15, 2003)

To the person a few posts down that talked about how it sucks that people only listen to whats on MTV and whats fed to them. I kind of agree and kind of don't. I agree that it sucks that people don't go out and check local shows and find bands. But I think that sometimes and I stress SOMETIMES Mtv (mostly MTV2) play videos of bands that are almost going to make it big. Belive it or not Sum 41 got me into trying to check out smaller bands. I saw their video for "Makes no Difference" About 4 months before "All killer No Filler" came out and it was cool that I found a band that not many other people knew about. And when they got big I actually got to say that I knew them before they were big. And for everyones information I don't listen to pop punk ie G/C and Simple Plan But My point is MTV can help in that sense. Where they can make you wanna go out and look for other bands. Least they did with me. Anybody else see a bands video on MTV before they got really big,and then go out and find out about other bands?

Butthole (May 15, 2003)

i agree with the reviewer. i cant even go to a show besides really local bands anymore where the crowd sucks all positive energy out of me by either like chanting the name of the band before they come out or wearing drive-thru band t-shirts or wearing abercrombie clothes.... ahhh
afi should use their new famosity to preach politics because i know they are mega liberal goth dorks

FortyMinutesWest (May 15, 2003)

Yeah..Pittsburgh represent!

501 (May 14, 2003)

Good review fuck you all who think this is a bad review

I saw AFI in Pitts. I went to go see one of my favorite bands play a kick ass show, which they did. But as he stated, the fans ruined the entire thing. They misunderstand AFI, but they do go crazy over Girls not Grey. Everyone was pushing to get to the front during AFI, to touch Davey practicly kill people. And you could tell the real AFI fans were pissed off and wondering what the hell did just happen. I was dissapointed, pissed off. AFI played good but fuck those Sing the Sorrow kids. Fuck Much Music Fuck MTV and Fuck Major Labels. Fuck them for ruining music.

-501

Anonymous (May 14, 2003)

Whoever runs this website is an asshole for letting you review the show. Go back to hot topic and the mall. You have the worst opinion and I am guessing that you are 12 years old.

Anonymous (May 14, 2003)

Snapcase: and people complain about every pennywise song sounding the same

Recover is the only reason to go to this show.

-Scotty

GreenVandal (May 14, 2003)

Oh yeah...I think the first song after Misery blah blah (the terminator song) was "Lost Souls". I was having a hard time hearing, ya know, with the fighting to breathe and all.

Anonymous (May 13, 2003)

nice review

it was like a nice anthropological bit. i've only been to one show (trail of dead/secret machines in pittsburgh) and this was a nice look into what goes on at an afi show where the audience is full of dicks.

Anonymous (May 13, 2003)

YOUR REVIEW SUCKEDDDDDDDDD

You don't even know your shit. They played "Lost Souls" NOT "Boy Who Destroyed the World".

And any review that states the name of a song followed by "or whatever its called" is a crappy review in my book.

Thanks for wasting my time ass.

Anonymous (May 13, 2003)

And also, because a band goes gold in a few weeks does not necesarily mean they had a huge following before hand. I saw the All-American Rejects in October with 10 kids there. They went gold once they got on MTV. Once you get on MTV people think you are what they need, and when you add up how many kids saw that video, and went to buy the cd for that one song, because they were on MTV, it equals enough to be a gold record. There are plent of examples where bands sold barely any records, got on MTV, and all the sudden the record took off. I think a good example of that is Simple Plan. Their record had been out for a long time, didn't sell well, and they were on MTV. Kids then bought into their second rate pop-punk. Jimmy Eat World too. Bleed American was out forever before the big single came out, and then everybody bought the record. So therefore, your logic is flawed

Anonymous (May 13, 2003)

"I hate arrogant "I knew them first" punk rock kids. I'd say that by going gold in a matter of a few weeks, alot more people knew about them then you think before Sing the Sorrow came out."

And I hate fat losers who don't bother to look for bands. They wait until MTV or radio force feeds their fat faces on what is "hip". Then those kids go to the show, cry when they see the singer, and make the show awful, because like the previous guy said, the fat girls run to the front because they know they are going to score, and everybody else tries to follow the mic. You should try to discover bands for yourself, not let major labels discover them for you, then you don't have to be offended when people who were into the band before they broke get upset that the band has a mass of fucking idiots following them who think it would be rad if the new "in" band toured with Limp Bizkit and Saliva

Anonymous (May 13, 2003)

screw afi. i'm looking forward to the black flag show with henry and keith.

SOYBOMB (May 13, 2003)

One last comment:

TALL CANS IN THE AIR LEMME SEE EM, FUCK YOU!

SOYBOMB (May 13, 2003)

I was gonna go to the show, but my final was the day after in US History so I chose to just go down to Roseland and sell my ticket... man, it was crazy, the line wrapped completely around the building in segments, with guards having to split the hordes of mascara-clad lesbian girls with their "Boy's Lie" shirts... Other than that, I wanted to see how AFI would compensate on songs such as "Death Of Seasons"... That techno fill is hillarious. Nevertheless, the line was quite long... It was easily visible just from the line to realize how saturated Roseland was gonna be... Roseland is not that great a venue either... It really isn't.

Who's going to see Alkaline Trio later on this month in Irving Plaza? I'll be there probably wearing my Big D shirt.

Peace,
-SOYBOMB-

Anonymous (May 13, 2003)

I agree with wyzo about the crowd/major label thing. Of course, if the crowd bothers you then you have to make the decision of whether to live with it, abstain, or help with the process of creating shows/venues where that crap doesn't happen. I've actually had more fun at local shows than shows with nationally recognized bands recently.

Anonymous (May 13, 2003)

that was a horrible review. i dont care about the pit. i want to know what songs they played.

Anonymous (May 13, 2003)

I saw Garth Brooks at Central Park and it was pretty roomy and excellent crowd. AFI should have performed their music there.

Anonymous (May 13, 2003)

roseland is the worst place to see a concert. the crowd is always horrible, the place is too big, and you have to fight for your life up front. i boycott roseland and only do irving plaza or kntting factory small places like that - every concert ive seen at roseland has been a huge disappointment

Anonymous (May 13, 2003)

not sure if i'd go see AFI again, last time i saw them was at the white rabbit i san antonio years ago. Now i don't really care for them as much, davey needs to cut that nappy hair before he gets it caught on something

Anonymous (May 13, 2003)

I wasn't at this show, but I totally agree that Roseland sucks. It's fucking horrible, quite possibly the most unpleassant place to see a show ever. Any crowd, no matter how "punk" or how juvenile, can't be blamed for the way the venue is set up. It's stretches amazingly far back, and it's virtually impossible to see who's on stage from most positions. Less Than Jake sucked there, Sum 41 sucked there (but there was much nakedness, so that was pretty cool), and--goddamn--Dispatch really sucked there (my girlfriend's decision).

Anonymous (May 13, 2003)

"a violent display of idiocy on both parts"

Great stuff

-Dino Radja

Anonymous (May 13, 2003)

Dude - I was at this show and it was sick. The crowd was so into everything, singing along to every sing-along part, regardless of what album it came from. Had you stayed to the end, you would realize your "only know Sing the Sorrow" theory was COMPLETELY wrong when the whole crowd sang in unison "Through our bleeding, we are one" from the BLACK SAILS album to get them to come out for an encore.

I hate arrogant "I knew them first" punk rock kids. I'd say that by going gold in a matter of a few weeks, alot more people knew about them then you think before Sing the Sorrow came out.

Anonymous (May 13, 2003)

NYC audiences are the worst. At all the shows I go to, everyone just stands and stares at the bands.

fatman (May 13, 2003)

I'm going to see AFI on Saturday at the Stone Pony...which should be way over sold...so a little heads up to anyone going who hasn't been to an over sold show at the Pony. (see Weezer 2000) You won't be able to open up a pit..and your going to get tossed around like a rag doll.. As for me...I've learned my lesson..I'll be at the bar...

fAt mAn

Anonymous (May 13, 2003)

Without reading the review I would just like to state my hatred for AFI. What makes this band good? I think they are pretty boring and just as pop as blink 182. Plus everybody bitches about other bands signing to majors but this band has always been on a major as far as I know. Anyway, I just dont get what everybody thinks is good about AFI. Snapcase is pretty good though... I dont know about Recover... the one song I heard I didnt like. Anyway yea I think AFI sucks... oh and the lead singer looks like a girl.-BostonMusicGuy

seek (May 13, 2003)

have to agree with everything wyzo said, except i don't care much for recover.

Anonymous (May 13, 2003)

"it used to be that if you were near the mic, you could help sing with the singer, and the singer in said singalong hardcore band would go to different areas of the stage.

NOW, if the guy moves to the left side of the stage, the people who sang on the right have to wrestle over to the left to sing, and wherever the mic goes, they bulldoze there way so they can have that one aggro eye to eye with davey where they 'connect' and swear davey 'recognized me'. Which means no one really gets to sing along"

That made me laugh a lot, whoever it was down there who wrote it. Especially the whole " Yeah, man, I can't be to sure, but i'm almost positive that Davey was looking RIGHT at me and no one else for that one fifth of a second he was singing,we "connected."" That seems to happen a lot.

GreenVandal (May 13, 2003)

Well i was revieiwing the show by how much fun I had. And had no fun at all. It would just be wrong to say, "I was miserable, but the bands did good! 5 stars!" I can see how some would be mad about the overly low score even thoughthe bands did pretty good, but the crowd is most definetly a large part of the show, and the crowd here SUCKED.

inagreendase (May 13, 2003)

i've never seen two reviews posted for the same show. scott, was mine THAT bad and good at the same time?

Anonymous (May 13, 2003)

the crowd was only as bad as any other huge band you go to in a decently-sized club or whatever. taking back sunday @ sports plus was almost this bad too, its just something you deal with when you see a huge band you like. assholes will be assholes

Anonymous (May 13, 2003)

Snapcase is great. Their shows are energetic and impassioned. These people don't know what good music is. You're right - it's probably too complex and intellectual for all those complacent sheep.

Anonymous (May 13, 2003)

it used to be that if you were near the mic, you could help sing with the singer, and the singer in said singalong hardcore band would go to different areas of the stage.

NOW, if the guy moves to the left side of the stage, the people who sang on the right have to wrestle over to the left to sing, and wherever the mic goes, they bulldoze there way so they can have that one aggro eye to eye with davey where they 'connect' and swear davey 'recognized me'. Which means no one really gets to sing along anymore.

the irony is with that many people pushing forward, the back becomes the funnest place to be.

recover is good, but i understand the opinion. if i hadn't been ushered into them by a friend in texas before they got a following so i didnt know what kind of fanbase they would have, i would say the same. but give there full length a shot, their way more hardcore than you probably think. the new EP is real poppy, but isn't really indicative of there whole sound.

aren't they on a major now too? fuckin aint right, early 90's sure there would be the adventurous few who jumped to major, got dropped, then you kind of welcomed em back with a 'i told you so, no, your safe now, thats right, bad warner brothers man hurt you, no, i forgive you'. Everyones on a major, and the old bands that jumped were generally old veteran bands that at there age and accomplishment you couldn't really rag on them (samiam, jawbreaker, bad religion, ALL, and so on). NOW, its all bands that primarily only have one record out, or a record and an endless amount of re-issues of old EP's with 2 bonus tracks that are anything but bonus. They haven't proven they have more than an album out, and fuck, at least thursday had two great albums out, even thrice at least signed to subcity first. But all these hybrid we're metal but dont really rock overused and unnecessarily epic poetry bands shouldn't put out a demo, let alone be signed to a major. Everyone has gone to the majors now, everyone. And this time, i can't explain what good it'll do. At least most of the older bands that got dropped used the money to start there own labels. NOw, i dont see them spending on anything but clothing sponsorships. It makes blink-182 look like crass.

wyzo rocks out to sebadoh

ommaddon (May 13, 2003)

Disrgard my stars... I wasn't there.

Is this beef with the show really AFI's fault? How aware do you think they were of the crowd situation?.... Sensing the claustrophobic conditions of the crowd is pretty difficult from the stage...especially with a barrier. Without someone notifying the band (unlikely), AFI would remain oblivious. I've had shows ruined by such a dickhead crowd, but I don't ever really place blame on the band. If the crowd sucks, back off, get a drink, stand in the back with a your friends and enjoy the music. No band is in direct control of their fanbase, nor should they ever be.

I've seen AFI three times, and each show they gave it their all. They're usually pretty amazing live. I don't know...I just think show reviews aren't really meant to chastize a rowdy crowd as much as they are to review a musical performance. Sure the band is going to have some new fans, but it's not exactly like AFI is suddenly Linkin' Park or something. Let the band find some success. Davey's evil velvet pants and all that makeup and shit are probably expensive.

If you can't take the crowd, get out of it. I've had to. But go to a show for the music. And review a show at least mainly for the music.

And to the post below me... any logic that most kids only know AFI because The Offspring covered Totalimmortal...... no. Kids that mainstream probably don't even know that the song wasn't an Offspring original. It's not like The Offspring are exactly tearing it up and brining in a new fanbase now anyway. If anything, MTV's seldom video rotation might bring some... but to an AFI/Snapcase show? Naah. The fact remains that AFI really just IS that popular in the scene.

Sorry you didn't enjoy the show. But I wouldn't pass up an AFI show just because the crowd might suck. They're an amazing live band. Evil Havok lives.

- Jonathan

StratManX (May 13, 2003)

I hear ya man, big shows full of idiots ruins things. As for AFI I am sick of their new fans who have only heard one older song because the Offspring covered it. That being totalimmortal.