Comeback Kid / the Loved Ones

live in Pittsburgh (2005)
Victory Records

Reviewer Rating:

Contributed by: Brian
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on August 19th 2005

For the Pittsburgh stop of the Rise Against / From Autumn To Ashes / Comeback Kid / the Loved Ones tour, only the latter two played (AKA the "It's Brian's last night in Pittsburgh So Let's Have One of the Bands He Really Likes Drop Off That Night Only Tour"). I'm not entirely sure why, but at the very least it was a chance to showcase the lesser known bands of the lineup, giving them a bit more "front page" action if you will.

Locals (or 45-minute live away-ers, however you see it) the Abattoir Murders were the first band to take the stage. The band's sound can be described as relatively professional sounding grindcore with some death metal vocals, interspersed metalcore breakdowns, and occasional interludes of whiny, emotional singing. If the band were to do away with those last 3 qualities, they would be rather enjoyable, but as is, is a heavy band with some heavy potential doing some heavily irritable things. Plus that lead singer's mustache needs to go. Seriously.

Shipwreck I Promise played an entirely too long set of really boring, straightforward metalcore.

Now, the Loved Ones: I don't know what it is. I want to like them. I really do. A band with an ex-Kid Dynamite member and one from Trial By Fire playing thoroughly Hot Water Music-influenced punk-pop / punk rock with lyrics seemingly penned by Matt Skiba should be something directly up my alley, but there just seems to be a key ingredient missing, and I'm not entirely sure what. Granted, the band seemed better live here than on record, and "100K" is a cool song and all (not to mention I love the artwork on their self-titled EP in question), but I really have no idea why I'm not into this band as much as I should be. Still, the set was plenty entertaining with a more than fair amount of crowd interaction. I.E.: Lead singer/guitarist Dave Hause early in the set noticed an introvertibly (this isn't actually a word, but you get the point), slightly rowdy group of kids in the otherwise indifferent crowd, and asked if they were under a certain influence. One girl from the group proudly pipes up, "I don't drink. I'm straight edge." Hause, groaning, then proceeded to rag on her both at that point (dedicating the next song to anyone who's straight edge), the song itself (insincerely throwing up some X's occasionally), and near the end of the set ("So what are your plans for after the show? Get a veggie burger? Buy a Bold CD?"). Needless to say, it was a pretty humurous exchange. And by exchange, I mean Hause's chiding.

Eventually, Canada's own took the stage for a fun 45 minutes-ish of melody-tinged hardcore. A fair mix of old and new was brought to the set, and I can honestly state that the band, performance-wise, was nearly flawless. Vocals, guitars, rythym section...it was truly just on, and everyone in the band had excellent energy, constantly jumping around. Vocalist Scott Wade made sure there was enough mic sharing to match the finger pointing aplenty as he ran across the stage left and right. "False Idols Fall" kicked things off, with "Partners In Crime," "Die Tonight," "Our Distance," "Final Goodbye," "All In A Year," "Wake The Dead," and pseudo-encore "Talk Is Cheap" roughly following, with at least one other from Turn It Around I'm sure I left off. They served their purpose greatly that night, managing to aptly finish with a bang despite originally serving as a crowd appetizer the majority of the tour.

Picture by Meg Reinecker

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

Anonymous (October 8, 2005)

fuck you scene pussies....honestly what do you know about music anyway??? in 5 years no one will remeber you or what you thought of the band you wrote your so-called "review" on. You are the epitome of toolbags across the world. Why don't you put down the pen and go into the real world and find a new concentration. Because obviously your "journalism" career is complete bullshit.

piss off.

Anonymous (September 20, 2005)

yah comeback kid is a really good band if you actually compare them with silverstein and those other faggot bands like bury your dead youll see what the fuck i actully talking about. They sound different and theyre videos are original and actually interesting not something that you would change the channel on.

Colton (August 24, 2005)

Wow, it didn't let me put that in all caps. FUCK EVERYTHING.

Colton (August 24, 2005)

It got rid of my score when i hit preview, fuck this shit.

Colton (August 24, 2005)

Brian, I saw your ass. Yous fuckin' crazy. Keep it crazy. L8r.

Score is for people all the same height.
And the camo.

Anonymous (August 24, 2005)

I wish the healiners weren't even on this tour, oh well. 2 months until I see Comeback Kid with BANE, if only With Honor and Sick of it All were on tour with them as well.

theundergroundscene (August 22, 2005)

Wtf you said comeback kid was good that's so gay no one should like them ew

Anonymous (August 22, 2005)

Jesus fuck, you people make me feel old.

-Ken

Anonymous (August 22, 2005)

If you've seen The Loved Ones more than once, you'll see that Dave pretty much makes fun of EVERYTHING - and he's pretty damn funny too.

I booked them at my college this past spring, and he opened the show with "Hey, we're The Loved Ones from Philly - you probably don't know us, but we're taking your parents money!" Gold.

- Little Guy

DiscoFucker (August 20, 2005)

This must have really sucked if you were into the two headlining bands.Why weren't they there?

Also,Comeback Kid is fucking incredbile, and one of the better live bands I've seen in a very long time.

Anonymous (August 20, 2005)

"the loved ones try 3% too hard id say. its weird when you see them walking around the club in t-shirts and jeans before they play, but when they take the stage they have on matching ALK3 jumpsuits on with leather jackets and ties and armbands. c'mon. just be yourselves!!!"

You mean when they put on a black dress shirt? No leather jackets, ties, or armbands.

Anonymous (August 20, 2005)

I'm sure that, now their career is over and most people have forgotten who they were, Alexisonfire will be grateful to BSD for reminding people of their existence.

Seriously, if you're gonna diss Anchors for liking a trendy band, pick a band that's actually still trendy...

Anonymous (August 20, 2005)

"Content, happy, and satisfied with life?

That's about right."

Um... Okay.

-BSD

Anonymous (August 20, 2005)

I saw the loved ones open up for decahedron and darkest hour i think it was maybe a good 3-4 months ago or something but the singer was pretty funny he making pot jokes on stage that night and any other time ive seen them he likes do something like that or make fun of someone i dont know that gy cracks me up.

I do agree with the review when he says they are missing that little something though i dont know they really should be pretty good but maybe i guess i should just sit down and listen to the cd a few times again.

-vanoise

Anonymous (August 20, 2005)

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile &friendID=3137240&Mytoken=20050819174526

This guy lost at life.

Anchors (August 19, 2005)

Content, happy, and satisfied with life?

That's about right.

Anonymous (August 19, 2005)

So where are you that I am not, Anchors?

-BSD

wehavecomeforyourchildren (August 19, 2005)

dear brian and theonetruebill,

100K is a great song and hooks everyone right away, but the rest of the EP is good too. it just takes more listens than it should to start really liking it. (oh yea, except "massive". that song sucks.)

wehavecomeforyourchildren (August 19, 2005)

rise against and from autumn to ashes dropping off the bill = the best stop on the whole tour.

Anchors (August 19, 2005)

My insinuation was that liking a specific band, not music as a whole, won't get you anywhere in life. This placing you in the realm of 'less than nowhere.'

Glad you caught the joke.

Anonymous (August 19, 2005)

Btw I have a sense of humor about straight edge people these days because they dont know anything about what it really is, so I would do the same thing if I were the guy from the loved ones.

Anonymous (August 19, 2005)

"Sounds like that asshole from the Loved Ones needs his jaw broken. Straight edge is dumb.

The Loved Ones suck, I really don't see why you guys all like them. Comeback Kid are okay. They're not very good."

BSD don't badmouth something you know nothing about, straight edge is very good if its followed in a non orthodox manner, its not supposed to be a movement, just an idea of having control over your actions. Why don't you go break his jaw BSD? You seem like a tough guy badmouthing people on message boards, douche.

Anonymous (August 19, 2005)

the loved ones try 3% too hard id say. its weird when you see them walking around the club in t-shirts and jeans before they play, but when they take the stage they have on matching ALK3 jumpsuits on with leather jackets and ties and armbands. c'mon. just be yourselves!!!

Anonymous (August 19, 2005)

By the way, your band sucks.

-BSD

Anonymous (August 19, 2005)

Wow, great one!1

Allular sounds like a real tough guy!!

Oh no, will you steal my lunch money? Hahaha. The people who usually contest me on this site are such dolts... Not to mention the fact that in less than a year I'll be out of school and in college. What will your excuses be then?

-BSD

Allular (August 19, 2005)

BSD sounds like he's gotten his lunch money stolen too much.

Anonymous (August 19, 2005)

Okay... There's the difference between you and me. You like music because it will "get you far". I like it because it doesn't suck.

So, yeah. I guess namedropping Alexisonfire will get you lots of 15 year olds in the sack... But I genuinely like what I like.

-BSD

Anchors (August 19, 2005)

I'm sure liking Alexisonfire will get me a lot farther in life than being a peon high school junior that acts like a jaded 25 year old, punker than thou toolshed.

Anonymous (August 19, 2005)

I'm 17, yet I'm not the one who jocks Alexisonfire. Weird world.

-BSD

Anonymous (August 19, 2005)

The Abattoir Murders are one of the best bands in the surrounding Pittsburgh area... But I agree about Anthony's moustasche. Yikes.

Anchors (August 19, 2005)

You're 17. Quiet.

Anonymous (August 19, 2005)

Sounds like that asshole from the Loved Ones needs his jaw broken. Straight edge is dumb.

The Loved Ones suck, I really don't see why you guys all like them. Comeback Kid are okay. They're not very good.

-BSD

elliot (August 19, 2005)

ughhh....making fun of people for being straight edge is sooooo boring.

Anonymous (August 19, 2005)

"but there just seems to be a key ingredient missing"

Exactly. Maybe they'll pull it together for their Fat/major label debut?

OC

CrookedSuperhero (August 19, 2005)

Brian...I wanted to give you a Pittsburgh hug before you left, but you took off.

TheOneTrueBill (August 19, 2005)

I agree 100% about the Loved Ones. 100K is an awesome song, but the rest of the EP isn't that great.

Infrarecon (August 19, 2005)

I saw this in DC, wasn't bad except FATA was pretty boring and comeback kid messed up one of their songs but other then that pretty good.

Anonymous (August 19, 2005)

Brian...I wanted to give you a Pittsburgh hug before you left, but you took off.

- Kirby