OK folks, let’s get one thing out of the way here. If you go to a hardcore show there is this thing called a circle pit. People run in a circle that’s very much like the running of the bulls where, if you jump in, you may get hurt but, if you stay out, you will likely be less likely to be hurt. I say less likely because, of course, you’ll sometimes get pushed, shoved, or even elbowed but that’s not done on purpose but is the result of a simple accident that goes with the territory. Let’s face it, generally speaking, Hardcore kids are about community and not about banging heads. So why the fuck is it at a JonBenet show like Friday’s Dannzig performance do you occasionally get a small group of mentally deficient meatheads who probably just drove in from the suburbs to play a game of hardcore for a night? I’m not saying this is reflective of all the JonBenet fans in any way but all it takes is like 3 or 5 morons to be a bother. Seriously, this same shit happened at the Hallow Men show last year where the band (as they did Friday) had to tell some morons to chill. Sorry, I know you THINK this is how hardcore is supposed to be but what you are engaging in isn’t a circle pit - it’s a circle jerk; put your tiny dick back in your pants, go home, and play in your little boy’s only clubhouse. Not cool, not punk, not hardcore, just self-absorbed poseur bullshit from a bunch of thick necked apes.

Ahhh OK now that I’ve addressed that idiocy can I get to the rest of the evening? It was actually a pretty good evening and, mind you, the morons I speak of couldn’t ruin it.

I missed the always fun the Wild Moccasins but got there in time to see Young Mammals who were looking to bat 300 with this - their third - performance as The Pixies. Jeff of Bowel/Brian’s Johnston filled in on the drums dressed as The Hulk (pretty hilarious as he’d grimace like Lou Ferrigno while holding his sticks). But his stage presence and antics aside, my one small quibble for their performance was that his drumming style is a better fit for some plodding sludgy metal than the upbeat driving pop of the Pixies. Again that’s quibbling as, despite that “Is my turntable running just slightly slow?” feeling at times, the band hit the songs solidly and had the crowd singing and dancing. I mean you can’t fail with Cley Miller’s guitar work and guest Mlee Suprean handling Kim Deal’s parts.

News On the March followed with a good performance but not their best. They had a blast on stage with some silly Halloween bit where this was supposed to be a News On The March reunion twenty years in the future where we got to see see what will have happened to all the members . It was funny and cute to be sure but, in hindsight (and having seen the band at Walter’s before with impeccable sound), the antics got in the way of the music and the performance. The humorous asides and silliness simply seemed to stall any momentum the band had built up. That’s not to say that people weren’t amused and having a good time, but I’d wonder what, if any, impression News on the March would have made to those not already familiar with their work. Is that quibbling? Maybe it is, as the songs were played well, but there is a reason why bands dread things like breaking strings and that’s because building momentum and keeping a flow is so crucial. Still it’s Halloween the important question is was it fun and that was a resounding “Yes!” so let’s not over analyze.

The Monocles meanwhile didn’t bother with skits (though Jeoaf was sporting a dashing police uniform). No, fuck that, just start her up, grab the wheel, and put the pedal to the floor. Damn straight, you don’t need any frills, just straight up garage with the pop pop pop of drums, an overdriven guitar, a driving bass and a whole lot of sweat. Not just any sweat - rock and roll sweat - the kind that has you dancing and shouting “Monocles! Monocles! Monocles!” Well done lads.

Dannzig (the always brilliant Jonbenet) closed the night with a pitch-perfect tribute to Glen Danzig. For my taste, I’d have liked to have heard a bit more Misfits material in the mix but, again, I’m in a quibbling mood this morning. You know the score - shirtless blood-soaked men playing loud - and that’s exactly what you got. People were packed at the front of the stage with their fists up in the air and singing along. Sure there were the handful of meatheads I mentioned in the beginning of this review but even their idiocy couldn’t mar the performance and the audience’s revelling in all things Danzig. I’ll bet you any amount of money that if you saw the real Glenn Danzig on Wednesday at the House of Blues, you probably got a shittier show for more money. Ironically, this was the real deal.

Links:
More Pictures on my Flickr (Link)

Young Mammals (Link)
News On The March (Link)
The Monocles (Link)
The Jonbenet (Link)

Hearts Of Animals (Link)
Bowel (Link)
Bryan’s Johnston (Link)