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Rx Bandits / Shafter / Over It / Amity

live in Santa Clara (2005)
Drive-Thru Records

Reviewer Rating:

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

Published on March 1st 2005

An hour drive and an hour's wait in line in the basement of Santa Clara's student lounge led up to this oddly matched show. I came for the Rx Bandits, and while I was glad I got their early (as the show sold out quickly), I could have lived without seeing any of the opening bands.

Amity was probably the best, as their kind of noodling, whiny emo pop-punk was the most interesting (yeah, that shows how horrible the others were). Nothing memorable, and overall a pretty bland stage presence. I can't really say much more, as there isn't much to say.

I'd heard some good things about Over It from some friends and other zines. I hope to God the band was sick that night. It's either that or their producer flogs them in the studio and pretty much makes the songs up in ProTools, as their live performance sounds nothing at all like their recorded documents. Add to that a complete lack of stage presence and some nicely out-of-rhythm drumming, and I'm pretty much done.

Shafter (heh, shaft) are Yellowcard without the hooks or the violin. They're local to Santa Clara, so people knew them, danced, etc. Still boring, and if you actually can hear the lyrics, you'll burst out laughing (as I did).

The Bandits played (finally) and killed it. Their set was composed of mostly stuff from The Resignation but included a few tracks from Progress ("Nugget," most notably for me) and one older song which I can't remember the name of. If you've never seen them, and appreciate their music in the slightest, you're doing yourself a great disservice. Their style of jam-influenced ska/reggae/rock is fully realized in the live setting, with crazy fills on the drums, impromptu between-song jams from the horn section and the intensity of an early 80's hardcore band. It's hard to say anything about these guys without just gushing, because they do what they do so well.

If you can stomach some horrible openers (or just come late or something) the Bandits are very worth seeing. After the show, you'll still be wondering why they're on that label.

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Anonymous (March 7, 2005)

rx bandits still play that shit? god damn....so boring.

Anonymous (March 7, 2005)

This review has terrible. For the sake of space resort to "gushing."
On a side note, from what I understand drive-thru had a thing with McDonalds to pass out a sampler or something, and the Rx Bandits were really against that, since McDonalds basically epitomizes corporate America.

Anonymous (March 5, 2005)

Stop polluting the internet with your anti over it agenda! this band is infallible!

xo,
jon

Anonymous (March 5, 2005)

Over It Rules!

stevejonestherealbones (March 4, 2005)

yeah, facing new york is good and amity suckas ass

-jones the b

Anonymous (March 4, 2005)

First off, he was talking to the reviewer. Secondly, the point he was making was that the first band was FACING NEW YORK, not AMITY. The two bands had a split CD out last summer, which is where the confusion might have been made. However, there's a huge distinction between the two. AMITY is bland, whack-ass riffy music you can find anywhere. FACING NEW YORK is actually a band that matters, as people will soon find out in the coming years (mark my words).

stevejonestherealbones (March 3, 2005)

"Amity in fact was FACING NEW YORK douche bag."

what the fuck are you talking about, and who are you talking to?

- jones the bones

- stevejones8770@yahoo.com

Anonymous (March 3, 2005)

Amity in fact was FACING NEW YORK douche bag.

stevejonestherealbones (March 2, 2005)

M-Park Unit...is that what mike is calling himself nowadays? i know its not, but that should be the title of his new solo stuff

- j the b

Anonymous (March 2, 2005)

They'd do so well on Asian Man, especially considering how they're all buddy buddy with M-Park Unit over there now.

Anonymous (March 2, 2005)

thumbs up to the Rxb

Anonymous (March 2, 2005)

I'd like to see em on Asian Man.

Joe

Fuzzy (March 1, 2005)

I'd like to see them on a label that gives them a bit more support, like the level of support that DTR gives their far less talented, but far more marketable acts. I know that a label is a business, but I just think that Matt & co. are worth it.

Anonymous (March 1, 2005)

THis scor eis for the Rx Bandits' live show.

Anonymous (March 1, 2005)

i totally agree with the post below me.

this new "no score" thing is kinda neat.

Anonymous (March 1, 2005)

I dislike that the RxBandits are on Drive Thru because I feel that there is a stigma attched to bands on that label, and I'm sure that some people write them off because of it.

The RxBandits are an excellent group and wouldn't want them to be shortchanged on any success they deserve.

stevejonestherealbones (March 1, 2005)

whoops,, i forgot to delete a line in my last post

- j the b

stevejonestherealbones (March 1, 2005)

"..just curious, so many people seem to dislike the fact that rxb is on drive thru, but what label would you like to see them on?

And really, what have drive thru done wrong? rx bandits doesn't have to support yellowcard and stuff just to get big. They get to do headline tours all the time. I don't like drive thru at all but in what way have they done anything negative against rxb except the fact that the drive thru logo is on the cd's?

And really, what label do you want to see them on? I'd think it would be cool to see them step down on asian man or something."

i dont think its about "what bad things has drive thru done to rxb", people care more that drive thru was so closely tied to and whored themselves out to a major label that basically had say over any band they wanted on drive thru..and that pretty much goes against the ideals of rxb...i dont know if things have changed now though, since drive thru and mca or whatever split...but i dont know, did drive thru hook up with another major?

also, i think people dont like seeing rxb on a shitty pop punk label , and would rather have them on a label with a little more variety and a label that wasnt run by two incestial whores

..just curious, so many people seem to dislike the fact that rxb is on drive thru, but what label would you like to see them on?

- jones the bones

- stevejones8770@yahoo.com

Anonymous (March 1, 2005)

..just curious, so many people seem to dislike the fact that rxb is on drive thru, but what label would you like to see them on?

And really, what have drive thru done wrong? rx bandits doesn't have to support yellowcard and stuff just to get big. They get to do headline tours all the time. I don't like drive thru at all but in what way have they done anything negative against rxb except the fact that the drive thru logo is on the cd's?

And really, what label do you want to see them on? I'd think it would be cool to see them step down on asian man or something.

CorpseOfMyMotivation (March 1, 2005)

This review is pretty weak.

Anonymous (March 1, 2005)

Love the name dropping of friends. I had my laugh for the day.

stevejonestherealbones (March 1, 2005)

because theyre not feeling creative

- jones the bones

- stevejones8770@yahoo.com

notfeelingcreative (March 1, 2005)

Why don't the Rx Bandits leave drive-thru?

Anonymous (March 1, 2005)

amity sucks balls...so i can imagine about the other bands suckity.

rx bandits are always good for a fun show though

- jones the bones

- stevejones8770@yahoo.com