Birmingham, AL has needed a great punk show to hit the heart of dixie, since New Orlean's own Pears came to town back in December 2014. So, July 3rd at the Spring Street Fire House was for sure as hell not going to be a let down. Before the doors opened we could hear Fucked Up practicing-- their sound booming out of the old building. One might think the walls would collapse if they turned it up any more notches. It was going to be the first show ever in Alabama for Fucked Up.
The doors opened a little bit before 8 o'clock and DOOMSQUAD a Toronto, Ontario 3 piece took the stage in almost complete darkness. Their sound was chaotic, though a meditative mix of futuristic-death-cult-sex music. Throughout their 30 minute set, people were piling in from the rain and heat outside to catch a glimpse of the mysterious 3 piece. By the final song of their set you could see people dancing in a slow rhythmic fashion as if it was the last night on earth and maybe in Birmingham, AL it could have been.
At about 10pm members of Fucked Up aided by DOOMSQUAD took over the small stage while Damian Abraham seemingly materialized in front of our eyes. The band stormed into 2009's "Year of the Rat". Those of us in the FireHouse were immediately whipped into a frenzy. While the crowd began to inch closer to the stage in what was sure to be a epic although intimate affair.
Next Fucked Up segued into the song "David Comes to Life" off of the 2006 debut release Hidden World. At this point Damian was giving all and everyone a chance to help him sing along by passing the mic, resulting in a punk controlled chaos. "Year of the Pig" came through the amplifiers white hot and polarizing, followed by "I Hate Summer". At which point Pink Eyes gave everyone a speech about spreading love to everyone no matter the body type, race, sexual preference.
After the song I believe the members of DOOMSQUAD left the stage-- while FU stormed through "Sun Glass" from last year's amazing Glass Boys album. The blistering "Black Albino Bones" brought crowd-surfers to the stage and Damian Abraham out into the crowd for most of the song. "Year of the Ox" might as well as tore the roof off the old Firehouse and I swear some old asbestos fail from the rafters during the epic song.
They ended the fiery set with crowd favorites "Queen of Hearts" and "Son the Father". Between those two songs a shirtless and sweaty Abraham announced the birth of his new child and that they'd be back to Alabama as soon as possible. Fucked Up left the stage to an orgy of hugs and thunderous applause. Between DOOMSQUAD and Fucked Up the show was nothing less than cathartic for those in Birmingham tonight.