Show Update #19 - Saturday Night at the Trinity Cathedral
A pretty big crowd made their appearance last night. I wonder how many people found a flyer from good ole' Best Buy.

First band up was The Conspirators. Featuring a banner, a big group of fans to the right, and a potential to do well, this band was good. They played some quick rhythms that continued to carry the crowd. The vocalists went back and forth, sharing punk rock type voices. The bassist was pretty quick even while using a pick. Also the band covered Operation Ivy, which just adds too the overall goodness of the band. Although rough on the edges, The Conspirators had a pretty good sound and set and thats why I bought a shirt.

The next band would be marked by technical difficulties with their equipment and a substitute for their lead guitarist. Ku Da Ta still played an amazing set. They remind me of an old UK style punk band even though I was later told they're more of street punk band. Ah well, fuck genres, they're just good stuff to listen to, to mosh to. The fill-in guitarist had to keep looking and asking what to play, and was often out of synch with the rest of the band, but you really didn't notice it that much if you weren't looking for it. The singers screaming caused some mosh pits to break out and a couple people to bust a move. A little too many oi! oi!'s to a not so oi! crowd, but no matter. Their set was crazy, especially when the lead singer kept running up and pushing me into the rest of the crowd...I wonder if it was the hands in the pockets or the head nod that is so charactistically me...

The band, Dirty Tactics, was a little bit more standard for a punk rock sound. Pretty much the first band of the show that wasn't rough because of style or difficulties, you could understand what they were singing about. The crowd took up the energy and made a circle pit around the center. There were vocals given by both the bassist and guitarist with similar voices. They also covered the Clash, which deserves high fives and pats on the back. Not too much to say other than they played a really good set, with really good energy so much that the guy filling in on guitar for Ku Da Ta broke his leg and had to be rushed to the hospital. If the band had any merchandise I would be sporting it right now.

Due to the name, I thought this band would probably be pretty stinky; and then Bum Ruckus started playing and through a mass of people, a trombonist and trumpeter, ran through. Native to Miami, Florida, this band was a bit on the hardcore side with grinding rhythms and powerful screams echoed by the lead singer. The only thing was they were happy. Every hardcore aspect was matched by upbeat ska guitar chords and horns. The end result was a bit of goodness to skank to and punch people in the face to, if the urge arised. People were having fun. The band was playing a great set with a lot of energy. There were slow songs for the tranced and quick, hard songs for the uncoordinated. Far from the stereotypical ska band, Bum Ruckus played with energy that flowed through the crowd and caused a bunch of unrelated people to skank around the pit together.

With an ACDC shirt worn by Dan O'Day and an attitude already present before the band began even setting up, River City Rebels took the stage. The crowd swayed in excitement and amassed to great numbers in anticipation. Then Dan O'Day coughed and spit a loogie into the crowd landing plop, right next to my foot, and the band started off. There was a small pit full of tall guys or atleast average sized guys throwing fists everywhere. When the band called us in closer, by the next song people were pushing every which way, getting punched in the face or elbowed in the ribs. Three times, Bopper hopped off the stage and started a mosh by running into the crowd pushing everyone, one of the times I found myself pushing back until with no one left I was pushing Bop, himself, back.
Lyrics peircing holes through God's ears, right in his house, and amazing rock n' roll guitar riffs backed by heavy bass and hard drums. The package was completed by horns that blasted through out the scene. They sang about religion and the working man with an attitude that was like flipping off capitalism scum with words. Everyone was into it. When they originally ended a chant, "ONE MORE SONG!", began with 100 voices all screaming the same thing. River City Rebels seemed to have influences from old school punk or street punk or who cares. It was just sick, with a revival of punk rock, knocking all this pop shit today out of the water. As stated in a review by Victory Records, "River City Rebels are on their way to making history". And now I have a shirt of history.

Last set was The Cryptkeeper Five and their God damn rock n' roll. A change from the punk rock, but not for the worse. Their stage lighting set up and the microphones unloaded, the band took the stage. After standing in the back enjoying the backs of heads sillouhetted in front of The Cryptkeeper Five for two songs, I followed Joey, pushing through to the front. Of course, me being 6'2 I have to be the one complained about by the girls behind us. I continued singing the lyrics I could remember, ignoring the taps on the shoulder and rude statements made behind my back. The band covered "Roots Radicals", with Scotty on vocals and a bunch of people went up on stage to help out with lyrics. For the choruses of a couple songs, Johnny gave us the microphone which is always cool. Then for one of their songs Nick from The Checkers played Johnny's guitar. It was raised that Cryptkeeper is greater than the Rebels, or visa versa...in my opinion they can't be compared. Nothing can be compared to the Cryptkeeper Five. They are just God damn rock n' roll.