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.
The
entire Keep Calm and Carry On team got together at the Starland Ballroom on
December 28th to celebrate 2013’s holiday season with Bayside and
friends. One of many holiday shows this
year at Starland, this was something quite special as it was the first show
Bayside ever headlined at the popular venue.
Even with that, the band had no trouble filling the place with excited
and energetic fans.
Modern
Baseball was all smiles as they kicked off the show, playing songs mostly from
the year-old LP Sports as well as
their new song “Your Graduation,” the first single off their upcoming album You’re Gonna Miss it All. Full of good vibes and energy, their set
contained all the aspects of watching your best friend’s band play in a
basement without the cramped space and bad acoustics. Sounding great while looking like they were
genuinely having the time of their lives, Modern Baseball got the fans going,
an entertaining and energetic start to the evening.
Up
next, A Loss For Words picked up where Modern Baseball left off, absolutely
exploding with energy and that holiday spirit.
Most notably, however, were the nice words from vocalist Matt Arsenault about
a good friend and marine who recently passed away while deployed. Following a moment of silence to pay respect,
the crowd began chanting “USA” after honoring all of those who couldn’t make it
home for the holidays while serving our country. From there, AL4W jumped right back into the
music, playing new and old favorites which made fans of all ages bang their heads.
Man
Overboard opened with a slowed down holiday song before breaking into their set
list. Their pop-punk defenders appeared
in full-force, spending the entire set surfing up the barrier for the chance to
high-five whichever vocalist they could get close enough to. Personally, I am
not a fan of Man Overboard’s recorded material and did not find their live
sound impressive either. Although I will
probably never understand their appeal, I can’t dispute that they are a New
Jersey fan favorite as kids seem to completely lose it during their set.
Every
time I see Bayside play, I get more and more confident in saying they are one
of the best live bands out there. It is
almost effortless in the way each member commands attention without overpowering
the other. 2014 marks ten years since
Bayside’s release of their first full-length Sirens and Condolences, but these guys still have the energy and
the stage presence of the young up-and-comers in the genre. Yet, in these ten years, Bayside has mastered
showmanship and live performance that has kids in high school and adults in
their forties alike flocking to venues to see these legends do what they do
best. At one point, vocalist Anthony
Raneri joked about the audience getting old, suggesting just how long these
guys have been at it while maintaining the ability to keep fans excited about
their music for a decade. As a fan that
has been around for 8 years now (it’s actually scary to think about), it really
does seem like Bayside hasn’t aged a bit while continuing to build their
discography. After playing a lengthy set
with the energy just as high at the end as it was in the beginning, I’m
convinced these guys have more stamina than most twenty-year olds. Standing in front of guitarist Jack O’Shea, I
spent half the show in awe over his ability to make every flawless solo look
incredibly easy. While the holiday shows
may be over, don’t be discouraged, reader!
Bayside will be headlining an American tour beginning in March as well
as opening for Alkaline Trio’s European tour that starts in April so no matter
where in the world you might be, be sure to catch these guys in the upcoming
months. You won’t regret it.
For
many fans, it is surreal seeing The Story So Far play to sold-out large venues
across the country. Not long ago, TSSF
played VFWs and basements across the country but after seeing them play the TLA
in Philadelphia last week, they seemed like seasoned pros. With Stick to Your Guns, SUCH GOLD, ROTTING
OUT, and Souvenirs also on the ticket, nearly all sounds of the genre were
accounted for. If the tour hasn’t
reached your city yet and you’re holding out on buying tickets, stop what you’re
doing, buy some tickets, and then come back to reading this. It’s not surprising that these bands are
selling out venues all over the nation.
Souvenirs
kicked off the show with an emo inspired sound that essentially pulled in the
crowd. Emotional lyrics and tight instrumentals
started off the night on a sad note but seemed captivate those watching. The older kids in the audience (aka anyone
out of high school) seemed to really appreciate the sound as it is reminiscent
of early 2000’s emo. Souvenirs has the potential to be one of the
next big names in the genre so keep an eye on these guys.
Souvenirs at the TLA in Philadelphia 11/21/13
ROTTING
OUT was next and brought the heavy. With high energy and a ton of breakdowns, they
immediately had the crowd jumping off stage and throwing themselves
around. Their set, however, had a
seemingly equal music to motivational speech ratio. Vocalist Walter Delgado mentioned everything
from finding good friends to things getting better to the underground hardcore
scene. For those going to just enjoy
some music and thrash around, this was a little much. Yet, for any kids needing a pep talk or some
assurance while going through a tough time, I’m sure his words were
appreciated.
In
direct contrast to the previous set, SUCH GOLD kept the talking to a minimum
and played a jam-packed set, featuring two new songs. The lack of barrier at the TLA kept fans
hopping on stage and subsequently tipping over vocalist/guitarist Ben Kotin’s
mic stand. That didn’t seem to shake
SUCH GOLD though as they played one of my favorite sets of the night. Marked by a ton of energy, crowd interaction,
and great sound, the band really got the crowd going for the rest of the night
by playing some old favorites and new material (click here to hear what Jon and
Devan of SUCH GOLD think about the new songs in their set).
SUCH GOLD at the TLA in Philadelphia 11/21/13
In
order to fully appreciate Stick to Your Guns and understand their huge and
dedicated fan base, you need to see them live. Each band member seemed to be
having a great time whether it be singing along to every song or smiling and
laughing with the fans who were about to dive off the stage. It’s clear that this is a band that is much more
than just music. While connection with
big fans was a prominent aspect of their set, Stick to Your Guns still pleased
those wanted to take in the hardcore music as their fan’s appreciation only
seemed to fuel the band as they played.
Jesse Barnett of Stick to Your Guns at the TLA in Philly 11/21/13
When
The Story So Far took the stage, the entire venue seemed to lose their
cool. From the first song through the
encore, TSSF kept the energy at an all-time high while still sounding great. I’m not sure if the audience would’ve even
cared if they didn’t as the entire crowd screamed the lyrics along with Parker
Cannon. At one point, he jumped into the
crowd and it took security about a third of the song to fish him out. Yet, it is that type of behavior that is
appreciated more at these types of shows.
We all know Parker Cannon can sing.
We all know that Kevin, Will, Ryan, and Kelen tear apart each song they
play. It was their ability to take a
sold-out show at the TLA and make it feel like a small show in the middle of
nowhere that it truly commendable. As
time goes on, TSSF shows will only get bigger and rowdier. However, if their performance last Thursday
is any indication of how they will continue handle this newfound fame, their
old fans won’t be going anywhere.
Parker Cannon of The Story So Far at the TLA in Philadelphia 11/21/13
The Story So Far at the TLA in Philadelphia 11/21/13
Title Fight just wrapped up their headlining tour with
Balance and Composure, Cruel Hands, and Slingshot Dakota and I hope for your
sake, you made it to one of the shows.
This tour was nothing short of unbelievable and definitely the best show
I’ve seen this fall. Passing the venue
a couple hours before doors, kids were already lined up. By the time I came to pick up my ticket
before doors even opened, the line began to wrap down the block. The sold out hometown show at the Union
Transfer held an excited crowd who exuded positive energy and enthusiasm from
the moment of entering the venue.
Slingshot
Dakota kicked off the show. The newlywed
duo (but seriously, they got married on this tour) consists of Carly Comando on
keyboard and vocals and Tom Patterson on drums and backup vocals. Despite playing much lighter music than the
rest of the ticket, they kept the energy up and entertained the crowd. On a lot of tours, there is one band that
isn’t in the same genre as the others and it totally kills the vibe in the
room. However, this was not the
case. Playing to a crowd who moshed the
entire way through the other three sets, everyone seem to be enjoying the poppy
sound of Slingshot Dakota with plenty of head bobbing and foot tapping. Not
only did Comando sing her heart out and wail on the keys, but Patterson also
impressed everyone with his quick hands on the drum set. It was clear that their punkish pop had just
as much heart and emotion as anyone else on the ticket, explaining why they
were so well received by a different crowd.
Carly Comando of Slingshot Dakota playing at Union Transfer, 10/12/13
If we
say Slingshot Dakota eased us into the night, then Cruel Hand’s first song was
as subtle of a transition as a train wreck.
The second the bass kicked in, vocalist Chris Linkovich began jumping
around the stage while the crowd followed suit.
By the second song, there was a seemingly constant flow of people
surfing up to the stage and front flipping back into the crowd. The pit had opened up and for the rest of the
night, consumed about a third of the floor at Union Transfer. By the end of the set, the crowd was so hyped
that Cruel Hand could’ve closed with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and kids would
still be throwing themselves around.
Nate of Cruel Hands at the Union Transfer, 10/12/13
Balance
and Composure was up next and they were as entertaining as ever. After releasing a new album just over a month
ago, they played a solid set of both old and new songs. As a big Balance and Composure fan, I was not
a bit disappointed as each member of the band gave a performance that did not
only sound flawless but also was full of passion. The group of girls behind me said they “had
the feels” after their set which is probably the most accurate statement I can
think of. There was not much else to it
other than it was just really freakin’ good.
It was a hometown show for these guys which may have made it more
special than other shows but in all honesty, I have yet to leave one of their
sets without being in complete awe. This obviously was no exception. If you get the chance to see them, do it
(they’re on tour now with Coheed and Cambria ~hint hint~)
Balance and Composure at the Union Transfer, 10/12/13
