The Swellers

A Wilhelm Scream / Only Crime / The Swellers: live in Orlandolive in Orlando (2007)
Nitro Records

Reviewer Rating: 4

User Rating:

Contributed by: BryneBryne
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on October 16th 2007On an uncharacteristicly balmy October evening (even for Florida), my friend Stefanie accompanied me into foreign territory: Island Oasis to check out A Wilhelm Scream, Only Crime and the Swellers. The first time seeing a show at a new venue can be interesting. There's the initial task of actually f.

On an uncharacteristicly balmy October evening (even for Florida), my friend Stefanie accompanied me into foreign territory: Island Oasis to check out A Wilhelm Scream, Only Crime and the Swellers. The first time seeing a show at a new venue can be interesting. There's the initial task of actually finding the place, and once I get there I wonder things before going inside. How big is it? How close is the stage? Will I be able to breathe or will the combination of smoke and sweat overpower my senses? Can I get a beer here for less than three bucks? Island Oasis turned out to be a cool place for a show, though. The stage was only six inches above ground level with no barrier, breathing was no issue and while I didn't drink, it didn't seem like the kind of place that would hurt your wallet for a brewski. And the 100 or so in attendance this night received a rare treat: a show where all five bands that played were at least decent! I can't even remember the last time I went to a show that didn't have some Throwdown tribute band or something worse as a local opener. Talk about a breath of fresh air.

Strike a Chord opened the show and their bursts of short hardcore were passable, if uninteresting at times. I'll give props where they're due, though. For playing just their fourth show ever, they sounded pretty tight. But yeah, nothing to write home about.

Years from Now were up next, sounding much like Strike a Chord, only the experience they had over the preceding band was blatantly obvious. They rocked an assortment of tracks from their We're Gonna Need a Bigger Boat collection, although covering "Bikeage" with Bill Stevenson in the building was kind of weird. I dunno. They do an admirable job with the song but the whole thing just reeked of MTV Icon-type campiness. But "Richie Cunningham" and "Big Bucks, No Whammies" sounded rad live.

After a lengthy soundcheck and cries of "JUST FUCKING PLAY!" from some inebriated concertgoer, the Swellers just fucking played, and played well. Opening with the My Everest 1-2 punch of "Vehicle City" and "Bottles," the band sounded much more tight and focused than the last time I saw them. Every song was brought across with great energy unmatched by the previous two bands -- even the mid-tempo "Rain Check" came across as hard and abrasive in a live setting. They also changed up the set list a bit from the last time I saw them, which was welcome. The set, as well as I can remember anyway, is below.

Vehicle City
Bottles
By a Thread
This Is My Everest
Rain Check
Skoots
The Flood
They All Float Down Here

Unfortunately, the beginning of Only Crime's set was marred by some dude jumping on my and Stefanie's shoulders and spilling what felt like a bottomless cup of beer all down our backs. Her knee was driven into the stage pretty hard, so we limped out of the pit and watched Only Crime's set from afar. They sounded great and the crowd was really into it, getting right into Russ Rankin's face and screaming along with standouts like "Eyes of the World," "Shotgun" and "To the Nines." Seeing Only Crime live made me wonder why I haven't listened to them more avidly. I'll try to change that.

The anticipation for A Wilhelm Scream's performance was at a fever pitch and the band wasted little time soundchecking before bursting into "I Wipe My Ass with Showbiz" and "5 to 9" back to back. The band kept it as tight as possible, which is impressive given the frenetic nature of their sound. Mike from Alucard filling in on guitar went off without a hitch, which was expected given that he wails. Everybody there was way into them, including yours truly. I'm usually pretty reserved at shows, but I couldn't help yelling along and pumping my fists. Seriously, if you're into punk rock there's no reason for you to not love the shit out of AWS. The set was extremely satisfying and comprehensive, with a nice selection from Mute Print on up to Career Suicide. The set list by album is below:

Career Suicide:

I Wipe My Ass With Showbiz
5 to 9
Die While We're Young
Career Suicide
Pardon Me, Thanks a Lot
The Horse

Ruiner:

Killing It
Congratulations
The King Is Dead (with the intro!)
Me vs. Morrissey...
The Soft Sell
The Kids Can Eat a Bag of Dicks

Mute Print:

Famous Friends and Fashion Drunks
Anchor End
William Blake Overdrive
The Rip
Stab. Stab. Stab.

That recollection is purely from memory, so feel free to leave a snarky comment below if I omitted something.

[originally written for What We Hate]

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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.

HugoChavez (October 23, 2007)

I guess I'm mainly referring to Bill Stevenson who was a complete fucking douchebag to everyone at the club. Apparently he says to The Swellers:

"I'm not sure what you kids do on tour these days, but back in the day we just used to fuck."

Awesome, dude.

maverick (October 23, 2007)

"Saw this show last night. Only Crime is awful, and a bunch of dicks. AWS was awesome, played pretty much the same set as the one below."

Are you referring to the Cleveland show? I was there, too. Why do you think Only Crime were dicks? I only caught the second half of their set but I didn't hear Russ say anything shitty to the crowd or anything...

AWS were fucking incredible, too. That new guitarist can shred harder than even Trevor, and that's saying something.

Pics/videos here: http://blog.myspace.com/colorsofinsomnia

-Scott

HugoChavez (October 22, 2007)

Saw this show last night. Only Crime is awful, and a bunch of dicks. AWS was awesome, played pretty much the same set as the one below.

Kursk (October 22, 2007)

score is for AWS' "Career Suicide"

gunner (October 18, 2007)

Yes! Skoots!

TJmoney (October 17, 2007)

I shoulda went to this show....wish I didnt have to work at 7 the next morning...

minus 5 punk points

baseball (October 17, 2007)

baseball

yea man, i think it was lifetime awhile ago, i think i saw you at lucero as well. ill be there tonight

hah, i didn't go to the Lucero show

punk_rawk_show (October 17, 2007)

Ordered the CD ages ago, in the pre-order thing and i still havnt got it. It better fucking come. My friend gave me a burnt copy and its alright. But so far i dont think its as catchy as Mute or Ruiner

nepaindiepunk (October 16, 2007)

Awesome show, Only Crime was kinda disappointing, but then again I'm not that big a fan of them. The Swellers and AWS killed though!

CapnHawk (October 16, 2007)

I love stages like the one described in the review.

My local bar has a stage like that(because we usually just have local bands and australian bands coming through on national tours) but The Queers played there with Mach Pelican a couple years ago and it ruled.

joetheinvincible (October 16, 2007)

Swellers setlist was:
Vehicle City
Bottles
Tunnel Vision
Rain Check
The Flood
My Everest
Skoots
They All Float Down Here

Wilhelm also played Hike from Benefits, and Check Request Denied, not Pardon Me.

thatsyouth (October 16, 2007)

ill say it again. someone really needs to let them know dreaming of throwing up is one of their best songs. but anyway. wilhelm fuckings rips. though i don't think career suicide was as good as the previous two all around cd wise, they have some great songs on it. And the swellers are amazing as well.

punk_rawk_show (October 16, 2007)

scores for the line-up

clamum (October 16, 2007)

"where's the career suicide review?"

No fuckin doubt!

cuapunkradio (October 16, 2007)

baseball

yea man, i think it was lifetime awhile ago, i think i saw you at lucero as well. ill be there tonight

baseball (October 16, 2007)

cuapunkradio:

tonight bmore motherfuckers

hey didn't i meet you at a show at the Black Cat you were at with Chris? i think it might have been Lifetime/World Inferno or maybe it was Lagwagon

i remember because we share the same name

batattack8 (October 16, 2007)

I wasn't able to make this show, but I drove down to the Tampa one the next night. No stage at all. Fucking amazing. One of the best performances I've ever experienced. Set List: (songs in order and titled as they are on the copy I snagged)

SHOWBIZ
5 to 9
KILLIN
CONGRATS
----------
STAB
FAMOUS
DIE WHILE
----------
HIKE (YOU'RE FIRED!)
WILLY -B.
SOFT SELL
BAG 'O' SCHLONG
----------
KING IS FRED
BORE-ISSEY
----------
CHEQUE REQ
THE NIP
HORSEFACEKILLA

cuapunkradio (October 16, 2007)

tonight bmore motherfuckers

danperrone (October 16, 2007)

career suicide really is album of the year. it is some of the most insane, pedal to the floor shit i've ever heard! you guys bitched about the slow songs on ruiner, and now you get a blistering punk album and you still aren't happy?

losers...career suicide, perfect ten

baseball (October 16, 2007)

seeing this tonight in Baltimore, only other time i've seen A Wilhelm Scream was with Lagwagon/Lawrence Arms so i have high hopes for a more intimate headlining show

set lists for this tour look like they will not disappoint, although i hope they start playing "We Built This City! (On Debts and Booze)" live

fallingupwards84 (October 16, 2007)

oh and at the show on Sunday they closed with Cancer Dream, rad

fallingupwards84 (October 16, 2007)

Well I'm just going to go ahead and say this:

THE NEW A WILHELM SCREAM IS album of they year.

LeightonESmith (October 16, 2007)

I'm just going to go ahead and say it.

THE NEW A WILHELM SCREAM IS A BIG DISAPPOINTMENT.

Sorry orgcorers.

justinius (October 16, 2007)

where's the career suicide review?

maverick (October 16, 2007)

I am getting so pumped for this show in Cleveland on the 21st. I haven't seen A Wilhelm Scream since the Less Than Jake tour in February '06!

-Scott

punkinohio (October 16, 2007)

Am I the only one to preorder this cd 3 weeks in advance and receive it 3 days after it hit the shelves? Fuck that. CD owns.