New Jersey is known for having one of the best local scenes around, usually ranking just under the Philly market for having really passionate fans and some wild shows. The School of Rock in South Hackensack, an essential piece of the NJ punk rock scene, closed its doors in 2011 and left an entire region full of kids without an all-ages venue that supported big tours as well as the local scene. Since it closed, I had yet to find a venue that offers a place for the younger crowd while still booking awesome shows. Thankfully this past Saturday, the new venue GameChangerWorld in Howell is giving NJ what its lacking. Opening up this past January, the venue has two stages, a main stage for touring bands and a small stage in the back for local bands to play in between sets (it's actually genius). All night, I watched hoards of kids move from stage to stage, appreciating the music and having an awesome night- exactly the way I had a couple years back at School of Rock. Also, the venue was super clean and the staff was incredibly nice which, being an old woman trapped in a 19 year old's body, I appreciated. GameChanger is booking more shows and is in the process of really getting going so if you have a chance to see a show there or are bored one night, stop by and support this venue and your local scene.
Madison: The boys of Better Off from Nashville, TN kicked it off for the touring bands and were a very strong start to the night. Their sound is extremely versatile and seemed to appeal to everyone in the venue, from the young pop-punk defenders anxiously awaiting Major League to the emo-lovers (aka Don and myself) who couldn't wait for Have Mercy. It'll be cool to see where these guys go, having just released their debut album in September of 2013. They've since toured in Canada and as of Saturday, completed a full US tour. They have a ton of talent as well as potential, reviving early 2000's rock. Give these guys a little more time to get some press/ build a fan base and I think we will be seeing a ton more from them.
Madison: Keeping up the energy but switching up the sound, the Canadian pop-punk outfit Seaway got the crowd moving. Having elements that all good pop-punk has, the set was fun and upbeat. All the Major League fans seemed to lose their cool as the set list definitely complimented that of the headliner. Most notably, they asked about the score of the Maple Leafs game mid-set and played a song called "Keep Your Stick on the Ice." What do the the citizens of Suppy Nation love? Hockey, that's what. So that definitely scored some brownie points for those who didn't know the band already. Well played, Seaway, well played.
Donald: Somehow, it seems like every year I completely miss the boat on a band whose album gets a good amount of buzz, and even a few friends who swear by it. The early runner for that award from 2013 is Have Mercy. Ever since I gave their debut full-length The Earth Pushed Back a spin a few weeks ago, the band has dominated my car stereo with their emotional post-rock/emo blend that comes off gritty, sincere, and powerful. This tour has been a true test for Have Mercy, as they've encountered countless roadblocks on the way to the end of the tour at Gamechanger World. The chief issue at hand was the band's drummer, Aaron Alt, being forced to leave the tour after being hospitalized with just a handful of shows remaining. What happened next was a true example of making lemonade out of the lemons they've been given. The band's frontman and main songwriter Brian Swindle went on playing a few solo acoustic sets, before being joined on those acoustic sets by fellow guitarist Andrew Johnson. For the last night of the tour, however, the band's bassist Nick Woolford rejoined them, and they received a helping hand from Major League drummer Luke Smartnick to do one final full-band set to close out the tour. Boy, was it a memorable one. Opening with a bold statement by playing "Let's Talk About Your Hair," the shining star from The Earth Pushed Back, Have Mercy had the crowd in the palms of their hands from the opening note. With a set that mostly focused on songs from Earth, they found a way to sneak in "Pete Rose and Babe Ruth" from their recent split with Daisyhead. Closing the set with the title track from the band's debut EP My Oldest Friend, Swindle began the song alone onstage, before being joined by almost every member of every band on the tour to sing the song's final lines, with Johnson singing the lines on the venue barrier, surrounded by fans. Thanks to Smartnick's wonderful relief work for Alt and a precise performance, Have Mercy have certainly solidified themselves in my mind as a must-see act in the future. What's even better, Madison and I had the privilege to interview Swindle and Johnson before the show, and you'll be able to read that in the coming days! Thanks to the band for a great time, and Keep Calm extends its best wished to Aaron Alt for a speedy and complete recovery.
Madison: If you want to see the citizens of Suppy Nation lose their shit, come see a Major League show in New Jersey. Hometown shows are always special, no doubt about that. But in a community that is so tight-knit and proud of bands that emerge from it, the positive energy is undeniable. Throw in the fact that the show was at such a fantastic new local venue and you have a ton of NJ pride going on. While I may not be a Major League fan, I will give some serious credit to them for their passion and tight sound. After fixing up technical issues with some equipment not working for the first couple songs, they sounded awesome, which is impressive due to vocalist Nick Trask leaving the band in January. Fairly new to main vocals, Brian Joyce had effortless command of the crowd. They played a new song that will be featured on their new album that they will begin recording with Will Yip in the upcoming weeks. I couldn't tell if the song had more of a hardcore sound due to the fixed equipment or if Major League is actually trying to head that route but either way, I'll even admit that it was a solid song and hopefully an indication of a solid album. While I may not be completely sold on their overall sound or even that anything from that section of the genre, Major League was entertaining as hell.
Donald: I just wanted to chime in here as well. I agree with everything Madison said, and I was really taken back by the sincerity that poured forth from Major League's performance onstage. They had a great, energetic crowd, and from what I saw, they've certainly earned it. Overall, I really enjoyed this show, and while I was initially more enthusiastic about Have Mercy, the performances by Major League, Seaway, and Better Off made for a great night. GameChangerWorld appears to be another great addition to New Jersey's respectable list of venues, so if you happen to notice a band you like playing there, it's highly recommended you check the place out. Until next time, bang your head and we'll see you at a show!
Support the scene:
Very interesting topic
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