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Hot Water Music / Don't Look Down

live in Gainesville (2004)
Epitaph Records

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

Published on September 28th 2004

I arrived at the show on time, but due to parking and the line at the door, I unfortunately missed Strikeforce Diablo. Although I haven't heard anything by this band, I'm pretty sure I missed a good thing due to the fact that Matt Sweeting (assholeparade, tired from now on, true north) plays with them. And, pretty much every band from Gainesville on No Idea is almost a sure thing for a fun live show.

I was a little bit worried about entering the new Common Grounds (you can skip this paragraph if you aren't from Florida). I loved the old coffeehouse, personally, and I can't say I was a huge fan of the covered dish. The place has been totally re-worked, however, and the sound and atmosphere were dead on. Nothing to worry about there.

The second opener was a group called Don't Look Down. You've heard this sound before. Rhythm guitar playing slightly chuggy but upbeat power chords in drop D while the other guy is playing solos on the high strings. Vocals kinda singing without trying to sound like he is. This band wasn't bad, they were just not good. They could definitely play their instruments, but their presence and lyrics were pretty bland. I was digging them a little at first but was turned off by the fact that the lead singer could talk only in cliches (How are you Gainesville?! This one's a rocker! This is probably the greatest show we've ever played, thank you so fucking much! Give it up for the opening band!) and they mentioned the merch table between literally every song. We have a new CD, buy it! This is a new song, on our new CD, which you should buy! We have to buy gas... so.... buy our stuff!... etc. Anyway, they were loud, and there were a bunch of Warped Tour-y looking kids having a good time. The rhythm section wasn't half bad. This paragraph is unorganized. Oh yeah, also, Don't Look Down took almost 45 minutes to set up because they are rock and rollers.

After some enjoyable music over the loudspeakers including (appropriately) Leatherface, Avail and Tiltwheel, and pretty short set up time, Hot Water Music came out to the introductory sample from No Division. (If you haven't heard it, and don't know why it would be appropriate, I suggest you buy/download the album. You shouldn't be disappointed) and kicked right into the first song off that album, "Southeast First." The rest of the night was a prime example of how a band benefits from being around for 10 years and more than 130 songs (or so Scott counted). Upbeat, older songs (thought not as many old ones as anyone in the crowd would like, I'd think) were mixed skillfully in between the newer, more laid back and pounding tracks. I have to say, I am not a huge fan of Brian McTernan's work with the band - the tracks come off so much more driving live, the vocals harsher, the guitars louder, the percussion more urgent. The band also played Fenders for the bulk of the night - maybe my memory is fading, but I always remembered them playing Gibsons all the time.

In the crowd, there was no one quesitoning the band's integrity or criticizing them for "changing" their sound. There were just people, glad to be there, singing along, and a band playing their hearts out, still in love with the sweat and the heat after an entire decade. The choruses were fucking huge, the riffs were fucking slicing, the dualing vocals were fucking goosebump-inducing, the dance was fucking on, and the water was fucking free (score).

The highlight of the set came at the end of the encore. Chuck said that they were going to dedicate a new song to his fiance, but after a short band discussion, he came back and said they'd changed their mind. I was expecting one of the staple older songs that they hadn't played yet - Free Radio Gainesville, Turnstile, Just Don't Say You Lost It, maybe Manual. The crowd went nuts when the beginning of "220 Years" hit us like an anvil, and it sounded just as fresh as it did eight years ago.

In short, if you were ever a fan of the band, or honest music in general, don't pass up a chance to see these guys, even if your not a huge fan of their most recent work. I'll have to admit, I was not Caution or The New What's Next's biggest fan, but now when the discs spin all I can think of are dim lights and pile-ons. Not to mention, they seem to be the best out there at mixing in a good amount of older material at each different show. Recommended.

Oh yeah, and they had a voting registration table. Everyone should get on that.

Set List (more or less in order):
"Southeast First"
"Wayfarers"
"Paper Thin"
"No Division" (dedicated to the new Common Grounds)
"Under Everything"
"The Sense"
"At the End of a Gun"
"Giver"
"Jack of all Trades"
"Flight and a Crash"
"Position"
"All Heads Down"
"Keep it Together"
"Remedy"

Encore
"Kill the Night"
"Better Sense"
"220 Years"

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AmericanIdle (October 5, 2004)

Hot Vomit Jew-spic

Anonymous (October 5, 2004)

dEREK is in Alk3. He played drums in Europe for GC suposedly. Who cares. the man is a sick drummer. I'd play in GC. Probably pretty fun. Dude played drums on 'destruction by definition'. God I love that album .

Anonymous (October 5, 2004)

Ok, I asked in another thread and got no reply. This may be a little more suitable posting it here seeing as they did a spit with HWM. Does anyone know what the deal is with Derek from Alkaline Trio playing drums with Good Charlotte? I heard about it from a kid at work and I looked on the Good Charlotte board and the posts say that he is in Europe playing with them. Is he still in AK3? Anyone?!

He was on the european good charlotte tour, yeah, and he will be on tv today and tomorrow playing with the band. However they say that the other dude is just injured, but who the fuck cares? I only know this (here comes my excuse) because i have 9 (that's right, NINE) sister in the age group 12-18.

Anonymous (October 4, 2004)

That could not have been a better description of DLD. I put them on a show way back before they were signed to Nitro and they were just a bad time. I loved their CD so I was excited to put them on the show. During their set, the bass player complained about not having towels or some shit. It was at a friggin legion hall. I like their old CD.. but this new one is weak and I don't like them as people.

boldredletters (October 1, 2004)

yeah, i was happy when they came out with the gibsons. i was the kid in the this bike is a pipe bomb shirt, by the way. it'd be weird if we talked or something.

Anonymous (October 1, 2004)

I have seen HWM 20 times in the last 7 years and I have to say, this was the best set they've every played. SoutEast First is my absolute favorite song in their catologue, and I have never once seen them play it, until that night. I almost shat myself when I heard that sample playing when they walked out. That alone gives this show 100 stars. Then, they played Position, which I haven't seen them play since the 2001 Plea for Peace Tour with Thrice and Cave-In. They also played a lot of old stuff, which is awesome, and the newer songs they played were at least the better ones (not that they arent good, but they aren't classic). Anyway, this show gets a 100 stars out of a possible 10. Oh, and I thought it was weird how they played Fenders, too. But the old Gibsons came out for the encore. And StrikeForce sounded awesome.

kenjamin (September 30, 2004)

weak. Sooo... do they not play Rooftops anymore? Everyone singing along to that is one of my favorite concert going memories. In may, they played 4 songs off of No Division.

Anonymous (September 30, 2004)

Brand New eats fatballs

Anonymous (September 30, 2004)

no i believe it, they have a deja entendu poster in their van.
fucking hilarious.

Anonymous (September 30, 2004)

He was probably being sarcastic, you nincompoop.

Anonymous (September 30, 2004)

my band has also played with dld, and they are arrogant pricks. fuck that piece of shit band. Not only that, but they fucking SUCK. i saw them like 2 months ago and the lead singer was telling some stupid bitches if she'd ever heard of brand new and how they were the best band ever. he obviously forgot the "2 years ago" part after that statement. fucking homos.

Anonymous (September 30, 2004)

My favorite show experience was HWM, Fuel For The Hate Game tour stop at a Rastafarian-owned dump in
Baltimore, when I was young. I got to sing Turnstile to close out the set, and I felt like a million bucks. Good times.

swingline (September 30, 2004)

isnt Don't Look Down that horrible band sponsored by Hurley?