|
Review Navigator   FeaturesContestsReviews
| Strike Anywhere / A Global Threatlive in New York2005 live show   Review by: Brian See others by this writer ![[staff]](/images/icons/staffsticker.gif){kind=icon}
Strike Anywhere (link) Only registered users can post comments 
 
Published on December 13th 2005
Strike Anywhere, Paint It Black, and Hot Cross in the same room on one night? At NYC's tiny, beautifully sized Knitting Factory? Damn it to hell if I was going to miss this.
Paint It Black was next to tear shit up. I cheated before the set started, glancing at the set list to see FOURTEEN (14!) songs. Wow. A pretty ridiculous number for a band playing in the 2-of-4 spot, even for one whose songs have never once eclipsed the 2-minute mark on record. Dr. Dan only seems to have one singing pose, where he stands sideways and glares at the crowd as he holds out the mic and very seriously spits into it with a crazy look in his eye. His lack of variation in that one position was just fine, however, as his intensity was so high you could quite literally see several veins bulging nearly right through his neck. The hardcore punk veteran helped lead a furious charge through songs new and "old," with the more melodic, paced numbers from my favorite album of the year, Paradise, helping to mix things up wonderfully. The band had somewhere in the range of 2-to-3 dozen fans in attendance and it made the camaraderie all the more inclusive. At any given second, everywhere you looked a finger was pointing vertically. Definite highlights included "CVA," "Pink Slip," "Cannibal," and the anthemic, room-inviting finish to "Memorial Day." Great set, including a stellar Stella reference by the guitarist and bassist, and not just any reference ([heavy Italian accent]"I want a real fuckin' Brooklyn pizza!"[/heavy Italian accent]). Fucking great, expletive stressed. Set list:
A Global Threat was next, bringing out the street (fashion) punx by the dozens. Several dozen, anyway. I know next to nothing about these guys, so I'll keep it short: Their more-hardcore-influenced-than-usual streetpunk was enjoyable stuff, and they played downright solid. Circle pits and crowd movement were aplenty, if even their own fans didn't seem to recognize any songs until several tunes in. Still, it was quite a good set that kept things moving smoothly. Also, they did an encore and thanked Strike for letting them do such and take up a bit of their set time. So here was my third time seeing Strike Anywhere, and I was looking forward to it just as much as the previous two. And boy, they delivered, confirming my belief that the RVA melodic hardcore outfit is a great, great live band, perhaps one of the top 5 in punk rock going. Their cohesiveness is ridiculously spot on, their energy is abundant, their playing is more together than some bands twice or more their experience, and their passion is conveyed in spades. The act walked onto stage and Thomas yelled at the tip-top of his lungs "TO LIVE IN DISCONTENT!" to which the crowd responded appropriately, "anti-establishment!" It was a greatly unexpected way to kick things off, and everyone in attendance seemed to agree. From there we were treated to a fantastic, rousing display. Thomas included some banter here and there, at one point giving information on how to sign up for a petition to prevent military recruiters from visiting school campuses, another time explaining how the No Child Left Behind Act is really a euphemism for a crude invasion of privacy. Some other banter of the non-political area included announcing a September 2006 release date (oof) for their forthcoming Fat debut, with the one new song played very much in the vein of Exit English, in the mid-to-fast tempo range. Fans who still prefer the older, rawer, less musically developed Strike may not be so stoked, as you can imagine. I couldn't get ahold of a set list, but I know for sure it included the following as well: "Chorus of One," "Timebomb Generation," "Refusal," "Sunset on 32nd" (of course), "Laughter in a Police State," "Chalkline," "Asleep," "Amplify" / "Blaze," "Infrared," "New Architects," "Modern Life," and "To the World" to close it out. This was an incredible show and met just about every expectation I had. Even Dr. Dan, ever the hardcore fanboy as well as performer, was in the crowd for SA's set, diving from the stage a few times himself. It's this type of show and this variety of stellar bands that remind me why I got into punk rock. People who liked this also liked:   ![Relics - Demo [7 inch]](/images/covers/thumb/relics-demo.jpg) ![Dustheads - Tall Tales I / Tall Tales II [7 inches]](/images/covers/thumb/dustheads-tall_tales.jpg)     ![Soul Control - Soul Control [7 inch]](/images/covers/thumb/soul_control-soul_control_7_inch.jpg) ![Botch - American Nervoso [reissue]](/images/covers/thumb/botch-american_nervoso_reissue.jpg) Please login or register to post comments. What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?
Thomas is a spokesman for PETA. I think I will send a Bacon Of The Month Club to him for Kwanzaa seeing that he also probley thinks that all people of African descent must be saints due to almost all whites' racism. could anyone post global threat's set list?? I thought once you had HPV you had it "4life"(said as gangster as a witeboy from the farmland could say it) yeah, that knitting factory show was amazing. set list: The trannie hookers are on Allen, I'll have you know. RVA just sucks, face the truth. Everyone from RVA can go hold a vegan-bisexual circle jerk on Monument and wait untill Avail comes home as far as I care. It's not the Big City, it's just a hellhole with halfway houses, redneck trannie hookers and HPV infested college kids. Thomas is one of the most genuine people I've ever met, especially in music. He definitely practices what he preaches, and does it in a way that more people should take notice of. As one of the "shits" from Chesterfield, I don't know anyone who moved to Richmond, unless they were going to college in the city. College, a concept with which you are clearly not very well acquainted, usually lasts 4 years, from the time you are 18 until you are 22. So yes, there is a constant influx of young adults who move to the city during their "wild years", only to leave a few years later. Some of them happen to listen to punk rock. That does not make them scenesters, nor does it imply that they are trying to earn scene cred by living in The Big City. Fucking kids. I can personally tell you about Thomas' actions, based on his words. Everything he sings.talks about, he supports 110%. When he lived in Richmond, he was extremely active with everything from the Richmond Coalition for a Living Wage, to helping mistreated pets find better homes. "No, the city of Richmond is broke, but little scenster shits come from Henricho, Chesterfield and wealthy DC suburbs. No, the city of Richmond is broke, but little scenster shits come from Henricho, Chesterfield and wealthy DC suburbs. "Thomas needs to shut the fuck up with his hippy act. I guess I'd be a white guilt liberal too if my parents payed the bills." Oh man, if there was a strike anywhere/avail/smoke or fire tour, i'd be on the first plane over, i shit you not! I wouldn't bank on the non trust fund thing Who played drums for Paint It Black? Wags wasn't there for their mini-tour for the Fest 4, so they had the Bouncing Souls' drummer fill in. I would give away my left foot to see Hot Cross play Pretty Picture of a Broken Face. I can guarantee no one in this band's parents pay thier bills...they's grown ass men. Scores fo A Global Threat Little birds in my ear told me the With Honor/Strike Anywhere tour was Jan/Feb. Sounds fooking great by the way. Gotta love the Dan Thomas needs to shut the fuck up with his hippy act. I guess I'd be a white guilt liberal too if my parents payed the bills. I hope to see the RVA Strike Anywhere/With Honor show in a couple of months PIB is terrific. Strike is kind of a yawner. There's "talks" of a Avail/Strike Anywhere/Smoke or Fire tour. There needs to be an Avail/Strike Anywhere tour. Great review. Its refreshing to read one that doesnt simply rattle off the songs played, and a gripe or two about the crowd. I totally know what you mean when you said that at nearly every point durin PIB's set someone had a finger and arm vertically outstretched. Well done conveying to the readers what the overall atmosphere of the show was. Man, this is a pretty great line-up, although the listing of "SA / AGT" doesn't make a lot of sense. I was at this show. Holy shit was it great. Strike Anywhere's set was so inspiring to me...This might have been the greatest show I've ever been to. go buy a global threats "what the fuck will change?" Saw this in Philly and it was amazing. PIB's new guitarist was right on, and Dave Hause was there to sing on "Memorial Day." Plus it was the only time I saw Strike Anywhere that the vocals were perfect in the mix, but no Hot Cross, damn. I've never checked out strike anywhere, and this review finally made me do it. Amazing show except for Hot Cross. The lead singer had no stage presence at all. score is for me for failing to go to this show "Thomas included some banter here and there, at one point giving information on how to sign up for a petition to prevent military recruiters from visiting school campuses, another time explaining how the No Child Left Behind Act is really a euphemism for a crude invasion of privacy. " what a great time i had at this show. felt just as good as my first show did 10 years ago. strike anywhere was awesome and inspiring. Sounds like a fucking amazing show. Man, I wish stuff like that would here. I wish I woulda gone to this (was out of town). Sounds awesome, PIB and SA are awesome. Fortune Teller is such a good song live. Probably my favorite song of theirs overall. Saw this tour when it played the Church in Philly... Fuckin' sweet ass performances by both PIB & Strike... global threat was fuckin terrible in my opinion tho So glad you picked up on the Stella reference........it's cuz....it's cuz i've got the farts.... sounded like a good show. paint it black is fucking great. this was a fantastic show, dr. dan remembered me from abc no rio last month and reached into the crowd and shook my hand, great guy i bet this show was way better than the dep show |
