Show Review: Drop Dead Gorgeous, He Is Legend, Before Their Eyes, And Then There Were None

Back in June I went with some friends to a hardcore show featuring And Then There Were None, Before Their Eyes, He Is Legend, and Drop Dead, Gorgeous . Though we were mostly there for ATTWN, a hardcore-turned-techno outfit on Tooth and Nail Records, we were still able to have a great time with the more aggressive bands in the lineup. It was my friends' first hardcore show and our first time at the venue. The Note, a bar in West Chester, PA, seemed a bit incongruous to its surroundings. While West Chester has a bit of charm, the Note has a bit of grunge, with attitude to spare. Wrought iron railings and light fixtures gave it a Gothic atmosphere, and the balcony had leather couches that seemed well used…but still, it’s about the music.

And Then There Were None took the stage first, surrounded by pre-pubescent girls with dyed black hair, TWLOHA tees and Converses. The band only performed five songs, the best of which (“Hospital”) soon had me dancing in my usual nerdy way. With a surprisingly clear and earnest vocalist and melody driven lines, their switchover to the pop side of things was complete. They had a lot of energy, jumping along to bright synth beats and driving guitar riffs. However, the crowd was not impressed. Apparently, dancing is still a sin in West Chester, and my friends and I were the only ones to make an attempt to shake things up. We had a great time, and continued to cheer on the very loud, very computerized ATTWN. To give you an idea of their sound, here's a fan video of their cover of Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek":



After our favorite band left the stage, we were treated to Before Their Eyes, a seemingly inexperienced screamo band in the vein of Hawthorne Heights and the like. I found it humorous that they opened with the dialogue from Willy Wonka during the steamboat scene (“There’s no earthly way of knowing, what direction we are going” etc). They compensated for their youth and inexperience with energy and unexpectedly powerful vocals from their “compact” frontman, and shared the mic with a rabid young fan in the audience who gave the vocalist a run for his money. NOTE: during this time, a circle pit started to form, but it was promptly broken up by security members who take their job entirely too seriously.

He Is Legend took to the stage about 20 minutes later, with flippant and erratic frontman Schuylar Croom making his presence known. The unique “stoner-metal” quality that emanates from the band is simultaneously laughable and respectable. The flannel and long hair of all members contributed to such a label, but their music sets them apart from the other acts that evening. Playing songs from “Suck Out the Poison” and newest release “It Hates You” (ignoring their first, more hardcore album "I Am Hollywood"?), the crowd moshed (as much as security would allow) and screamed their approval in harmony to the powerfully driven metal guitar. It was clear that they were the crowd favorite.
Here's a video of them from the show:


The final band of the evening, Drop Dead, Gorgeous, had a sound that was almost entirely too loud for me to decode. Yes, I understand that hardcore shows are raucous, loud, and rightfully so; however, when volume prevents even basic comprehension of what the heck is being played, there may be a problem. This post-hardcore act was not as energetic or definitive as the other acts on the tour, but they were clearly engaged in their music, with focused performances from a skillful drummer, and pounding guitars. The front man took an arrogant stance on the stage, demanding the audience’s attention with deep guttural vocals, and the audience responded semi-positively. However , with not-so-remarkable breakdowns and an audience clearly more interested in the bands that preceded, Drop Dead, Gorgeous marked the end of the evening well.
With all hardcore shows, a key element is the audience experience. I was extremely put off by the needless insistence of security on ruining the night for so many members of the crowd. Though the crowd was small, and the number of people who actually started to mosh was smaller, they were denied their right to such expression. I enjoyed myself, and my friends did too, but I was not impressed with the management of the venue. As a bar, I thought The Note served its purpose, but as a music venue, especially for hardcore shows, it was not very hospitable. The music was still excellent, but the venue needs to loosen up a bit-it's rock'n'roll.

-Brittany Eltman

Show Review: Jimmy Eat World’s Clarity Tour (by Brittany Eltman)

On February 25^th a friend and I took a train down to Philly to see one of our most beloved bands. We grew up with Jimmy Eat World, a "heart"rock outfit from Mesa, AZ, so the show was centered around nostalgia, both for us and for the band. You see, Jimmy was touring to commemorate the 10^th anniversary of their celebrated (and underrated) album Clarity. We were very lucky, and a little crazy to have gotten in, as all of the shows on the Clarity x 10 Tour had sold out within a month of the on sale dates. I had never been to the Troc before, but I found that it had a kitschy atmosphere with a touch of the skeevy. Perfect for intimate shows, even if they are sold out. Aside from the very tall man with messenger bag right in front of me, visibility was great. I was surprised at how close we actually got to the stage.

First up was opener Reuben's Accomplice, a five member band with an atypical female drummer. RA had a classic pop punk vibe, amplified by the Clarity-esque heartfelt lyrics and vocals. I was especially impressed with the group's ability to switch up, and play each other's instruments. Bass guy went to lead guitar, lead guitar went to accessory perc, accessory perc guy picked up a guitar, and everyone kept it awesome. I was more impressed than I thought I would be. However, during their set, it was pretty obvious that everyone in the venue was waiting for Jimmy.

I speculated for a second whether Jimmy would play the Clarity album straight through, as released, or whether they would mix it up, but as soon as Jim Adkins, Rick Burch, Tom Linton and Zach Lind started up "Table for Glasses", I knew it would all go in order, as released. Which was just about perfect. My friend and I knew every word to every song, as I'm almost positive every other audience member did. It was neat to see a variety of age demographics as I looked around. As Jimmy has been together since 1994, it makes sense that they would draw such a wide range. Highlights for me include: the chorus of "Your New Aesthetic" which determinedly screams "Take Back the Radio!", the whole song of "Believe in What You Want", the three song chill set of "Ten" (surprisingly good live), "Just Watch the Fireworks" (which was almost my prom theme!) and "For Me This is Heaven" (absolutely awesome instrumental bridge, band got super into it), and "Goodbye Sky Harbor".

Now, "Goodbye Sky Harbor" is normally 16 minutes long, with extensive looping and jangly guitar/synth dialogues. With a live performance, the band did live looping and recorded playback with lead singer Jim Adkins doing a nerdy dance with the mic. This was absolutely priceless. Though, it wasn't quite comical. It was Jim Adkins, just as he is. It was honestly pretty cool. It was a marvelous rendition.

The band took a quick break and returned with a unique second set, starting out with "What Would I Say to You Now", a driving and angsty oldie from 1998. I was surprised at the choice, but it worked, especially followed by "No Sensitivity", a great lost song I hoped I would hear. They continued with some better known material, including "Pain" and "Work" from Futures. The best song of the night, hands down, was "23". After announcing that they had a request, and that they hadn't played this song in a while, Jimmy launched into one of their most beautiful songs. I was ecstatic. Listen to it and you'll see why. Maybe.

The band closed with "Sweetness", one of their most popular songs. As we belted out the last few words to this accessible anthem, I smiled with an inward satisfaction. I have never been to a better concert. Whether due to nostalgia, familiarity with the band, or the fact that they simply are excellent showmen, it doesn't really matter. Whatever it was, something special was in the atmosphere of that show, and I felt it, to be sure.

Picture links:

http://sotsdisc.smugmug.com/gallery/7458968_MAPgE/1/481166369_mK6wj#481166369_mK6wj

- Brittany Eltman