Strike Anywhere/New Mexican Disaster Squad

live in Orlando (2003)

Kevin11

This was my 3rd time seeing Strike Anywhere, and they seem to get better each time. This time they came with Orlando's hardcore darlings The New Mexican Disaster Squad and Florida's flamboyant led The Young And The Useles, this was Strike Anywhere's 3rd time playing the Social, they played last summer, and their first time, in early 2002 with Avail.

The band that kicked off the night at a relativly early time was The Young And The Useless, aside from having a name taken already by more bands than you can name, this band's claim to fame is having a chugga chugga lead singer with high, girly voice when he talks. This band is ok, just sort of generic, chugga chugga hardcore, oh and this band does tambarine solos sometimes, brilliant, they put on a dissapointing and unmotivating set, but they put alot of effort in…i guess…

Next up were local favorite's The New Mexican Disaster Squad, these guys are probably the 2nd biggest band in Orlando, behind local Ska-Core legends The Spitvalves, anywho, I've seen these guys alot, and they still sound like minor threat, which is cool i guess, the crowd was, as always pretty into them and they put on a solid set, lots of fists in the pit, quite violent actually, but a solid set from these local hardcore kiddies.

After a seemingly short wait, the familiar drum beat of "You're Fired" began, thus starting the set of Richmond, Va's Strike Anywhere. Everyone knew the words, and it seemed like a type of Hardcore Dashboard show, there were alot of people there during the set, and 75% knew every word. After the first tune, the band blasted into "Laughter in a police state", another tune off of their first full length "Change Is A Sound" . Thet played more off of Change including "Detenation" followed by "TimeBomb Generation", after that, they played a new song, which the setlist calls "5th estate", this is off the new album which they said comes out September 30th. After that they played "Sunset On 32nd", "Earthbound", off of their ep "Chorus of one", then my personal favorite "Chalkline". The band, as always had tremendous energy, the crowd was really moving, lots of stage diving, and lots of idiots spinning. They ended with "Chorus Of One", "Three on a match" and their last song, "Refusal."

Overall the set was fantastic, unfortunately only 2 songs from the EP, but one new song and the best from Change makes a great set, check this out, and check out New Mexican too, fantastic guys.