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Street Dogs - State of Grace

This Is Hardcore Fest 2007 kicked off (officially) on Friday, August 17th, with a small, diverse gathering of bands under the fest's genre banner. Here's some thoughts on the bands that day, with overviews of Days 2 and 3 coming in the next week...

Up first was Reign Supreme (6:51-7:07), playing a set of thick and heavy hardcore not entirely unlike the other bookend of the festival. Their style isn't normally my thing, and the singer's mosh commands to the crowd were a little tired and cheesy, but he had a strong, somewhat original scream considering the style and they managed overall to kick things off to a decent start, with the swelling mob on the floor seeming pretty into it. They have an EP coming up on the newly Deathwish, Inc. imprinted (albeit several-years-running) Malfunction Records, as well.

If you were to tell me I'd find a band called Fight Like Hell to be half-decent, I'd fight you like hell (not really). But that was the case with a set from the band of that very name. Songs like "Ravenous Wolves" were carried by predictable but well-placed mosh parts, and while their crowd response seemed slow at first, audience members came out of the woodwork after several songs in.

This was roughly my eighth time seeing Verse, and it was easily the best. Everything from the song selection, to the performance, to the crowd response was nearly flawless. I even found out later they'd planned on playing "Stolen" (but simply forgot), which would've been my first time witnessing the live execution of my favorite track off last year's From Anger and Rage. Their passion came through more clearly than ever, and Sean Murphy's speech about the band's convictions was actually sort of inspiring (offering "no fucking apologies" for the leftist slant of the aforementioned album). Their response wasn't exactly overwhelming, which was a little disappointing, but I personally found them better than ever and deserving of much more.

Set list (7:45-8:12):

  1. Hard to Breathe
  2. Tear Down These Walls
    3. -----
  3. Weather to a Stone
  4. From Anger and Rage
    5. -----
  5. Saying Goodbye
  6. Lost
    7. -----
  7. ?
    8. -----
  8. Follow, Conform, Repeat
Wisdom in Chains (8:22-8:49) played a set of Oi!-influenced, working class hardcore that was actually rather refreshing in the context of the weekend. I wouldn't likely go out of my way to check out their albums, but they had a strong following piling on for a ton of their songs, including the stupidly catchy "Life Isn't Fair" and a Cocksparrer cover for good measure, and had me at least bobbing my head here and there.

I wasn't particularly into Iron Age's Constant Struggle when I first heard it, and their live show didn't change much. They played well enough (9:00-9:26) and didn't struggle in motivating bodies to dance across the floor, but listening to them all could be heard were decent metallic riffs and little else.

Have Heart was a spectacle as per the norm, and it was nice to get a solid half-hour set from them too. They pleased fans old and new with a set consisting of a couple from 2004's What Counts EP and a bunch from last year's The Things We Carry. Patrick Flynn stormed across the stage for nearly every note while the rest of his comrades energetically jumped around. Audience participation was predictably strong, and the band predictably ended with "Watch Me Rise," but both factors went a long way into ensuring Have Heart had one of the best sets of the weekend. That and the band always seem to play every one of their standouts (not that 18 songs is a huge stable, but you get the point).

Set list (9:38-10:09):
  1. The Unbreakable
  2. Lionheart
    3. -----
  3. Life Is Hard Enough
  4. Watch Me Sink
    5. -----
  5. Something More Than Ink
  6. The Machinist
  7. Armed with a Mind
    8. -----
  8. ?
  9. Watch Me Rise
Exhausted from the trip and a long night, we decided to call it a night after Bloodclot (10:35-11:16), forgoing All Out War and Agnostic Front. They played decent, traditional NYHC (think Sick of It All / Madball) and got massive responses when they threw in back-to-back covers of Bad Brains and Cro-Mags. They had the occasional political bend, which was nice, and a weird melodic vocal moment in one of their new songs, which wasn't so nice. Not a terrible finish to a good night overall.



People who liked this also liked:
Dignan - The GuestVarious - Our Impact Will Be Felt: A Tribute to Sick of It AllThe Humanoids - Are BornHoly Roman Empire - The Longue DuréeSeasick - Awakenings [10 inch]Kill Your Idols - Something Started HereBridge and Tunnel - Bridge and Tunnel [7 inch]Ruiner - Prepare to Be Let Down108 - A New Beat from a Dead HeartShook Ones / Easel - Split



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    Posted by counterfiction on 2007-08-25 09:49:49

    you're an idiot. i just can't believe you didn't stay for Agnostic Front. that's like watching Sum 41 and the RX Bandits and not staying for The Clash. retard.

    Posted by maxethunders on 2007-08-23 19:47:01

    4 hours at a concert is not a long night and you skipped Agnostic Front. My suggestion go later and catch the band I hope you went for or stay later.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, August 23, 2007 at 5:12 PM (EDT)

    i farted

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, August 23, 2007 at 4:52 PM (EDT)

    seriously? skipped AF? really? what? seriously? no...

    Posted by WhiteCollar on 2007-08-23 15:09:36
    My Score:

    seriously...who stays through most of the fest and then bails on agnostic front! the bands that played before are all good, but they are also on tour constantly and can be seen almost once a month, where as neither of the last two are not on tour nearly as much and are infinitely times better than everyone who played before...MORON

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, August 23, 2007 at 12:54 AM (EDT)

    this is the weak version of sound and fury

    Posted by jbright on 2007-08-22 13:41:06

    saw Iron Age at sound and fury and they were boring to watch and noticabely repetitive. in all honesty they sucked.

    Posted by etwiels88 on 2007-08-22 11:31:45

    Also, wisdom in chains rule. Fuck you. Iron age - burden of empire.... Oh wow

    Posted by etwiels88 on 2007-08-22 11:30:18
    My Score:

    The Rick Ta Life thing definitely happened.

    Fest was awesome. Sunday was the best by far though.

    Posted by asxyouxwish on 2007-08-22 08:21:55

    i heard a story that an r5 staffer hid at rick ta life's distro (he keeps all his stuff in bags) and jumped out and scared the shit out of him. score is for that image.

    Posted by usversusthem on 2007-08-22 03:10:23

    score is for wanting people to die... especially wanting dan yemin to die.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, August 22, 2007 at 2:03 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    If every venue during this "fest" had been pumped full of Zyklon B the "hardcore" scene would be a million times more vibrant and interesting afterward. The generous score is for everyone who listens to any band that was on this bill.

    Posted by asxyouxwish on 2007-08-21 22:18:28

    i absolutely refuse to believe you skipped out on agnostic front. this is a joke, i know it!

    Posted by skankin_in_the_pit on 2007-08-21 21:16:39

    Iron Age is definitely the best band that played that is mentioned in this review. Unless you ignore the last few Agnostic Front albums. They would obviously be the best if that were the case.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 6:57 PM (EDT)

    Iron Age is fucking awesome. better than half the bands that played this fest for sure.

    Posted by mustard on 2007-08-21 18:36:53

    Have Heart isnt overrated, they're just really that damn good.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 6:17 PM (EDT)

    Fuck Iron Age.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 5:50 PM (EDT)

    clueless review... yeah hey bloodclot "covered" cro-mags.... but then again what should i expect when buddy sucks off a mediocre melodic hardcore skidmark like verse, but dismisses an amazing live band like iron age.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 4:36 PM (EDT)

    All Out War, seriously. If you had been at any of their shows on the East Coast between 97-2000 you would feel the same way

    Posted by inagreendase on 2007-08-21 16:27:29

    I know everyone's entitled to their opinion, but...All Out War? One of the best bands? Really?

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 4:03 PM (EDT)

    I can't believe this fucking review. You go to the fest, take the time to write out a set list for overrated Have Heart and didn't stay for the two best bands, especially All Out War.

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