Acadia, a pop-punk group from Portland, ME, have released the first single off their upcoming EP "In Focus." The song, 'Pawtucket Street' features Langdon Alger (Jordan Black) of Canadian band Like Pacific.
The EP was recorded at The Halo Studio in Maine by Kevin Billingslea of Too Late the Hero, and mastered by Adam Ayan of Gateway Mastering.
Yellowcard are calling it a day after nearly two decades of activity. The following is taken directly from their website.
Putting this into words hasn't been easy. When saying farewell, it is hard to know where to start, especially when there are so many reasons not to say it, but the time has come to share this news. After countless discussions and months of thought, we have decided that it is time for Yellowcard to come to an end. This will be our last album and our final world tour.
The decision was an incredibly difficult one for us to make. We considered so many things - our families, our health, our future endeavors. In the end we realized that this was the right time to step away and preserve the legacy and integrity of the band. It is with you, the fans in mind, that this decision was made, We wanted to have the chance to share our farewell with as many fans around the world as we could, and now is the right time to do just that
We went into this record knowing it would be the last, which is why we chose to have Ryan Key and Ryan Mendez produce it. The motivation behind this was to make sure these songs came from a place that was deeply rooted in us. We wanted to push ourselves to create a lasting finale for this incredible story on our own. It is also why we chose to self-title the album. We were lucky to still have our friend and mentor, Neal Avron, on board as Executive Producer and mixer and we've made one of the strongest records of our career and a fitting final creative piece.
Once this final chapter for Yellowcard comes to a close, we will all be heading in new directions in our lives, but these memories will never leave us. We can only hope that the memories we have made together with you will stay in your hearts as well You have stood by us through all of the highs and lows on this unbelievable journey.
We will be forever grateful to Yellowcard fans all over the world for the opportunities you have given us. We have played shows for nearly two decades on six continents, and had the chance to keep recording the music we love year after year. While it is with sadness that we say goodbye, it is with gratitude and amazement that we look back on a career we can be proud of, and were so very lucky to have had.
Please come and join us on our last trip around the globe. We hope to share this final record and tour with each and every one of you.
"I won't be with you, but I won't be far away and this is goodbye."
-Ryan, Sean, Ryan, and Josh
Their final, self-titled album will be released on September 30 via Hopeless Records. You can hear new song 'Rest in Peace' below.
Yellowcard is currently out on Vans Warped Tour and will have a small stint around the US in the fall followed by a trek around the UK and Europe in December with support from Normandie and The Kenneths.
DECEMBER
07 - AMSTERDAM Melkweg OZ
08 - COLOGNE Live Music Hall
09 - COLOGNE Live Music Hall
11 - BRISTOL Academy
12 - GLASGOW ABC
14 - MANCHESTER Ritz
15 - LONDON Shepherd's Bush Empire
17 - NOTTINGHAM Rock City
18 - BIRMINGHAM Institute
Listen to Save The Lost Boys new single “Bad Names” from the Ohio punkers upcoming album Temptress. Before its release on July 15th, the band will be performing new songs from Temptress this summer as part of the New Noise Magazine sponsored “Long Days, EZ Nights Of Summer Tour,” which kicks off tonight in Philadelphia at the Underground Animal.
On the track, vocalist/guitarist Lee Weiss explains, “‘Bad Names’ is the track that captures all the emotion that comes with a bad breakup. It's also semi-autobiographical in the sense that all of the things discussed have actually happened within my or Josh's (Hall, bassist) relationships. It's truly one of my favorite songs on the album!”
The ‘Long Days, EZ Nights Of Summer Tour’ with Victory label mates ABANDONED BY BEARS begins tonight and includes stops at the EZ East Fest in Staten Island and the Take It Easycore Fest in North Carolina before wrapping up in NYC on August 13.
Atlantic, Columbia, RCA, Elektra - Although these record labels are still very much alive and well today, they are also a symbol of days gone by, a time when artists were snatched up in their near infancy and coddled into stardom. Labels were responsible for making people into larger than life characters, making sure they get airtime by famously buying out some of the biggest radio personalities of the day, and making sure that bands get to play at venues that best fit their stature as performers. Record sales dominated, the money was rolling in and there was enough to go around for both sides and then some.
What these companies could have never planned for was the word "free." With the natural progression of technology, websites like Limewire, Napster and Pirate Bay devastated the music industry by providing for the first time a way to listen, view and own music without the hassle of actually paying a dime for it. Lets all be real for a moment. We've all been there. We've all dabbled in torrents and downloading our favorite band's albums before. We're not here to play the blame game, but never the less the music industry has had to completely reinvent itself to stay afloat. More bands than ever before are being forced, or even by choice, to be their own agents, their own labels if you will. While there is something to be said about stylistic freedom that comes along when being a Do-It-Yourself band, the problem is more rooted in the shear workload involved. Instead of focusing on making great music and putting on a good show, now many bands are responsible for branding, promoting, creating relationships from scratch, finding gigs, financing tours, maintaining a website, buying and selling merchandise, etc. The music can sometimes take a back seat, so rather than a band pumping out an album every two to three years, what we get instead is an EP every four or five years and the band never finds a way to gain traction with large audiences.
Despite all of these added burdens, somehow DIY bands are still finding ways to create top-notch quality music. The tragedy today is that they are not being heard. We are all on the front lines of our favorite bands. We are their foot soldiers, the ones who carry the torch to other potential fans. Supporting your favorite bands can only lead to what you want in the end – more awesome music. In the infamous words of the actor and artist Shia LaBouf, “JUST DO IT!” Don’t let your local band’s dreams be dreams. Help them find their audience and we can guarantee your time will be well spent.
New Orleans’ rising heavy-rock band Cane Hill has premiered a video for their brooding new song, “You’re So Wonderful.” The video comes just days before the band kicks off their summer run on the Vans Warped Tour and less than a month from the release of their debut record, Smile, which comes out on July 15th via Rise Records. Fans can also pre-order Smile now at http://www.wearecanehill.com/.
"”You're So Wonderful” is the most self deprecating song we've ever written, and probably the most honest. We wanted to try something really 'different' for us." - Elijah Witt
In the last few months Cane Hill has quickly achieved international notoriety with furious and fearless tracks like “(The New) Jesus” and “True Love,” which have sparked excitement and controversy for their new albumSmile. The band was recently dubbed “Download Festival’s Most Dangerous Band” by RockSound.tv and took home Kerrang’s award for “Best International Newcomer.”
Now, Cane Hill returns home to the U.S. for what can only be described as unadulterated mayhem on the Vans Warped Tour.
Detroit rock band I Prevail has announced today the title and artwork for their forthcoming, debut album. The record is called, Lifelines, and it’s expected out later this year from Fearless Records.The band’s first full-length record follows the band’s 2014, breakout EP, Heart vs. Mind, which featured their massively successful cover of Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space.” They went on to sell 300,000 singles, generated over 40 million streams and were introduced to a worldwide audience of fans.
Nominated for Alternative Press’ best “Breakthrough Band” at the upcoming 2016 APMAs, I Prevail returns with one of the scene’s most anticipated albums, Lifelines. The new record was recorded at Wall of Sound Studios in Riley, MI with producers B.J. Perry and John Pregler.
"Making this record pushed us to our limits, which is exactly how we wanted it,” says vocalist Brian Burkheiser. “That's how you know you've put your all into something. The writing process took over a year because we just refused to settle. We're going to prove to the world that we're here to stay. Our heart and soul is in every track."
"We really wanted to stay true to our sound, but also find a way to continue maturing at the same time,” adds lead guitarist Steve Menoian. “I think we found a good balance. The choruses are bigger, the heavy parts are heavier, and we were able to express a message that is really meaningful to all of us."
Fans can get a taste of what’s to come on I Prevail’s upcoming North American headline tour, which kicks off in Grand Rapids, MI on July 14th. Follow the band here for more updates.
Photo: Lindsey Byrnes
I PREVAIL Tour Dates:
July 14 - Grand Rapids, MI - The Intersection
July 15 - South Bend, IN - Cheers Pub
July 16 - Cadott, WI - Rock Fest
July 19 - Saginaw, MI - The Red Room at the Dow Event Center
July 20 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge
July 22 - Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre
July 23 - Omaha, NE - Sokol Underground
July 24 - Des Moines, IA - Wooly’s
July 26 - Little Rock, AR - The Metroplex
July 27 - Clarksville, TN - The Warehouse
July 29 - Cincinnati, OH - Bogart’s
July 30 - Detroit, MI - St. Andrew’s Hall
July 31 - Pittsburgh, PA - Altar Bar
Aug 2 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theatre
Aug 3 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts
Aug 5 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall
Aug 6 - Bangor, ME - Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion
Aug 7 - Montreal, QC - Parterre Parc Jean Drapeau
Aug 9 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Soundstage
Aug 10 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre
Aug 11 - Charlotte, NC - The Underground
Aug 12 - Jacksonville, NC - Hooligans Music Hall
Aug 13 - Bristol, TN - Patton-Crosswhite VFW Post 6975
Aug 16 - Memphis, TN - New Daisy Theatre
Aug 17 - New Orleans, LA - The Parish at House of Blues
Aug 18 - Houston, TX - House of Blues - Bronze Peacock
Aug 19 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues - Cambridge Room
Aug 21 - Scottsdale, AZ - Pub Rock
Aug 22 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues
Aug 23 - Anaheim, CA - Chain Reaction
Aug 24 - Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades
Aug 26 - Englewood, CO - Gothic Theatre
Aug 27 - Colorado Springs, CO - The Black Sheep
Actor|Observer’s The Longer Now dropped way back in March of 2015, and I’m honestly a bit disappointed with myself that it took me this long to uncover it, as it. The project has a 9 tracks, and should be on the list of any post-hardcore fan. The 5-man, Boston-based group has achieved a sort of ideal post-hardcore quality in this album. One doesn’t need to look much farther than their title track, Steel Yourself, to see this combination of ingredients working together seamlessly.
The heavy introductory riffs and vocals grab you by the seat of your pants, then the smooth chorus picks you up and floats you into the rest of the song. I’m a super picky guy when it comes to vocals, but Greg Marquis’ vocal work is extremely powerful throughout both this track and the entire album. Towards the end of the track, you can hear his voice growing more ragged with effort, and whether this was deliberate or intentional, the raw, emotional power that this gives the track is undeniable. The vocals are paired with well–composed and thoughtful guitar work, which doesn’t detract from the vocals, and does a fantastic job creating and complementing the mood of each song. The percussion also melds right into each track, creating an immersive experience that’s easy to simply get lost in. This balance is what the guys at Actor|Observer seem to thrive on. Many of the tracks on this album achieve this delicate balance between melodic guitars and smooth vocals and raw screaming.
The lyrics hold up, and certainly maintain the feeling and flow of the album, but they definitely lean to the formulaic side. A post-hardcore fan, for example, will run into many of the common subjects found in post-hardcore music. Breakups, sadness, not fitting in, questioning your position in life, etc. However, the obvious sincerity and urgency with which these lyrics are delivered make each song (while formulaic) feel personal on an individual, unique way. I would’ve liked to see a bit more branching out in terms of song subject, because Actor|Observer clearly has both the ability and the talent to do so. I’m extremely excited for what their next project brings.
Personally, my favorite track on the album is Glass Eye, which leads off with one of the most unique hooks on the album.
This is one of those songs with an extremely catchy chorus that you can’t help but sing along to, and I found myself going back to this track the most often, and really getting into it every single time. The track builds up to a fantastic, blowout ending (which you’ll know when you hear it). As a whole, I think this project is a huge success, and further solidifies Actor|Observer as a heavy hitter in Boston’s post-hardcore scene. Actor|Observer’s heavy breakdowns, smooth guitar transitions, raw vocals, and introspective (but not too corny) lyrics come together seamlessly to make a complete post-hardcore breakfast.
What do you think? Give the rest of The Longer Now a listen here: https://actorobserver.bandcamp.com/
And as always, stay tuned to CSC for the latest news and updates!
The 5th annual Summerland Tour with Sugar Ray, Everclear, Lit, and Sponge will be coming to House of Blues in Boston on July 24th.
The Summerland Tour, previously heralded by Rolling Stone as one of the "10 Hottest Summer Package Tours" will include more than 25 dates throughout the US before wrapping on August 21st in San Antonio, TX. This year's lineup is set to include notable nostalgic alternative rock bands, Sugar Ray, Everclear, Lit, and Sponge.
Tour founder and Everclear frontman Art Alexakis explains:
This is the kind of lineup I've dreamed of when I started the Summerland Tour. We kicked it off with Sugar Ray for the first year, so it feels great to have the band join us for the 5th Anniversary . We love Lit and Sponge and cannot wait to share the stage with them. This lineup is stacked and this summer is going to be an adventure.
Tour dates are listed below
Andrew McMahon, frontman and pianist of Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, has one of the longest resumes in the music industry today having worked under several different band names over his entire career. McMahon first started writing songs on the piano by the early age of nine. McMahon formed his first band in 1997, which later morphed into his breakout group Something Corporate in 1998. After McMahon broke off from Something Corporate he went on to form the group Jack’s Mannequin. Today, McMahon is releasing music under the name Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. With the misfortune of musicians rising with fame over night and dying out just as fast, how is it that one musician has been capable of staying relevant all these years? One strategy McMahon seems to keep using is keeping things fresh in his creative ventures by forming a new musical group every so many years.
Andrew McMahon’s work was brought to national attention through his first “real” band Something Corporate’s major label debut (Drive-Thru/MCA) Leaving Through the Window. The album, reaching the number one spot on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart and was a breakthrough success for an alternative rock group in 2002 at a time when pop punk, punk rock, and alternative rock were all taking over the radio, MTV, and listeners alike. It didn’t take a game changing masterpiece to see success for many bands in these genres such as New Found Glory, Good Charlotte, Weezer, Taking Back Sunday, Simple Plan, The Starting Line, Motion City Soundtrack, and Bowling for Soup, all of whom released music in 2002; but it did take something special to stand out. McMahon, being the primary writer to the majority of SC’s material, used his skills on the piano to create a piano driven rock meets punk rock sound, as opposed to the popular sound of the time that included goofy lyrics and simple, loud guitars, that helped the band sound unique throughout their career. However unique the band was, McMahon yearned for a return to his original style of music writing which drove him to form side project turned primary project called Jack’s Mannequin. This move to McMahon was a move from songs about girls and heartbreak to therapeutic songs about life.
In 2005, Andrew McMahon released his secondary project’s debut album Everything in Transit. At the time of the release of the album, the majority of bands that saw success in 2002 were either experimenting with their sound, and in hindsight releasing their least favorable music according to fans, or breaking up; McMahon was doing quite the opposite. McMahon was releasing music he proclaimed as a return to his roots and as the style of music that he originally brought to the table in Something Corporate. Besides being some of McMahon’s most highly regarded material to this day, several other factors increase the quality of Everything in Transit. McMahon was so focused on creating the album he wanted that he spent a great deal of his life savings and earnings from his time in Something Corporate to allow as much time in the studio creating the album as was needed. By the time the album was completed (as a record label had not yet picked up his new project to finance an album) the cost of the time in the studio was upwards of $40,000 of McMahon’s own money. The hardship on McMahon only continued as he continued working on the project. On the day the album had completed the mastering process, McMahon was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, causing him to postpone any work on the new album to immediately undergo treatment. This setback only brought on more obstacles as McMahon could not tour or promote his Jack’s Mannequin. By the time of release and McMahon’s recovery, the album had close to zero promotion and still went on to sell over 20,000 units in the first week, bringing it to the 37th spot on the Billboard Top 200. All of these setbacks caused the album to have an additional value to it, and while it wasn’t an intended series of events by any means, the turnout allowed this album and the group as a whole to stand out amongst their competition for years to come. McMahon went on to release two follow up albums under the title Jack’s Mannequin, but the same reason that made Jack’s Mannequin special and unique was the same reason McMahon ultimately decided to yet again move his career in a new direction. McMahon felt this project was too associated with his illness and he was ready to move on, this time as a solo artist.
McMahon recognized his lengthy career and success in the spotlight with the debut EP as a solo artist, The Pop Underground. McMahon spoke on his leadership and his tenure in the “pop underground” in a piece with the Huffington Post at the time of the EP’s release:
I am proud that night after night and album after album, a mass of humanity I now refer to lovingly as the pop underground, come together and sing. Whether it's in theaters and concert venues around the world, in the privacy of our own homes or the constantly shifting landscape of social media, we are a scrappy tribe and we stand for something: Music that is found, shared and cared for despite access to traditional outlets; music that lives virally and through word of mouth; music that tells a story that people want to retell.
When Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness released its debut self-titled album in October of 2014, McMahon saw success and reached new levels like never before; the group has had continuous radio play since the release of the album and a greater number of television appearances than any other group he has previously performed under. However much success has come from this relatively new group, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness has kept a low profile and is currently playing small, b-rate clubs. The group has roughly 4.5 million views on their hit song on YouTube, nearly 330,000 followers on Facebook, close to 75,000 on Twitter, and is currently opening for Weezer and Panic! At the Disco on their summer tour.
With a family at home, being well into his 30s, and having a lengthy resume, maybe McMahon’s strategy this time around is being low-key, heartfelt, and having fun. And although he keeps a low profile to the public, McMahon’s concerts and performances show quite the opposite with large production set ups and audience interactions throughout his set.
Perhaps McMahon likes to keep things fresh with a new band every few years, perhaps he likes to keep it weird, perhaps he like things on a low-profile, or maybe he just doesn’t know how to take the standard root of a band. One way or the other, McMahon has yet to disappoint his cult like following and continues to gain radio airplay as well as stand out performances at all of his shows. From copies of Something Corporate albums on vinyl selling for upwards of $200, Jack’s Mannequin reunion tours being completely sold out, and the rising popularity of Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, McMahon must have some trick up his sleeve that has yet to fail him yet.
Andrew McMahon will be leading his band as the opening act on the Weezer and Panic! At the Disco Summer Tour 2016 across North America including the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, MA on July 1st, as well as sporadic concerts and events surrounding the dates of the tour such as on June 27th at Fête Music Hall in Providence, Rhode Island.
For more on McMahon, see his website - http://www.andrewmcmahon.com/
We had the to briefly talk with Thrice about their new album To Be Everywhere is To Be Nowhere and tour with La Dispute and Gates.
The album debuted with much anticipation as it was the first in four years from the California-based group. "As someone who considers himself a Thrice fan," our review of the album reads, "I never loved anything after Vheissu. I enjoyed listening to all of their work and hearing them grow and progress a musicians, but some of it was just not doing it for me." Still, though, the album received a four-star review from our panel.
The album was recorded at Palmquist Studios at Infrasonic in Alhambra, CA. When asked about the writing and recording process the band said it was "Exciting because we were doing it for the first time in five years, challenging because of geography and time constraints, creatively fulfilling because nothing quite feels as good as making music with these guys, and experimental in that we entered the studio with song ideas that were fairly flexible, which gave us an excuse to take chance with tones, arrangements, song structures, etc."
Though there is no particular message the band is trying to send with their album, they told us that the lyrics deal with "a variety of topics ranging from love, to greed, to fear, to foreign and domestic policy, to communication." Quite the impressive range if you ask us.
Thrice says the tour has been great so far. "We've had some incredible sets," they told us. "The set feels like it’s flowing well, La Dispute and Gates are outstanding musicians and friends, and everyone is happy and healthy. We really couldn’t ask for anything more." Fans have been responding well to the album and the band says they are beyond grateful for that.
Coheed and Cambria have announced a headlining tour with Saves The Day and Polyphia. VIp tix go on sale tomorrow (6/15) while general admission tickets go on sale Friday, June 17. Full list of dates below.
With our plan in invade Warped Tour in place we wanted to share some tips to maximize your Warped Tour experience.
After the tragic incident that took place in Orlando we first need to take time to remember those affected.
It was a hate crime, plain and simple. The club was chosen because it was a prominent LGBT space in the city, and that makes our hearts ache. Now more than even we need to come together as a scene, as a community.
Please know that if you are ever at a show and feel unsafe you NEED to speak up. Find a tour manager, find security, a bartender, FIND SOMEONE. There is absolutely no reason for anyone, LGBT or not, to feel unsafe at a show. Most recently PUP released a statement about an incident at their show in San Diego:
Last night in San Diego, it was brought to our attention that a few women were made to feel uncomfortable at our show. This is flatly unacceptable.
Hear us and hear us loud and clear: if you engage in the type of behaviour that makes ANYONE feel uncomfortable at our shows, you are not welcome. Period. There will be no discussion about that.
Our shows are communal safe spaces for everyone to enjoy themselves without any fear whatsoever. We are committed to that ideal, and do our best to uphold it, so we ask that all people who purchase tickets to our shows uphold it as well.
Most importantly know that all of us at Crowdsurf Central stand with you. If you ever need someone to talk to please do not hesitate to contact us. Together we can start healing. Do not be afraid. Love will always be greater than hate. Love will always win.
One of our favorite Ska Punk bands, Behind Deadlines, has just dropped a new video for their song “Making Change” which will be on their new album “The Reconstruction” due out sometime this year.
These guys just got back from Brazil and they certainly looked to be having a blast. After sandboarding in Florianopolis and eating and drinking a bunch of Caipirinhas and Coxinhas (don’t worry, we had to look it up too), these guys are putting out some amazing stuff.
"We toured the beautiful land of Brazil, met a bunch of brilliant human beings, documented the best time of our lives, and only one of the five of us contracted Zika!” the band told us, “That's an 80% Success Rate! So based on that, the critics can't give us anything less than a 4/5! Watch this video! Visit Brazil!"
Trophy Eyes, not to be confused with local RI punks Trophy Wives, have released a 42-minute documentary about their North American debut from Warped Tour last summer.
The Ghost Inside were involved in a horrific crash just outside of El Paso, TX on November 19 which resulted in injuries to all members, of the band and sadly, the death of their driver. Drummer Andrew Tkaczyk had to have his right leg amputated just above the knee. GoFundMe campaigns were set up to help both TGI and the family of driver Greg Hoke and the music community responded amazingly.
Now, nearly seven months later Andrew is in excellent spirits and recently showed off his a custom kit from SJC Drums:
It's no surprise to us, as we have been following Sum 41's progress on their new album on PledgeMusic, but the band just officially announced their first new album in five years. "13 Voices" is due out October 7 via Hopeless Records. Frontman Deryck Whibley made the announcement on the bands Facebook page earlier tonight:
"I am really excited to be releasing an album after everything I've been through recently. This new music represents the journey I've been on throughout the process of making this record. I had to fall in order to rise, and nothing feels better than to have something you love that you had to really fight for' I can honestly say that #13Voices saved my life and I cannot wait to share it with all of you."
The band also included the track listing:
Sum 41 will be on Warped Tour all summer long.
Taken from a Facebook post from June 2nd, heavy metal band Incited remind us just how lucky we are to be able to go to shows:
Last night we played a show in Pocatello, Idaho. Most people are probably wondering, "where is that?" Honestly, prior to the show, we were also. It's not a major market, the closest known "scene" is Salt Lake City which is 2 and a half hours away, and from what I understand, no moderately well known touring band has been there in years. The experience we had there as a result has truly been unparalleled.
Prior to our arrival, we were invited to a pre-show BBQ at which we were greeted, fed, and more than welcomed by the promoter, members of opening bands, and other individuals from their community. During the show, the room was packed, almost every kid in the room had a huge smile on their face, and those who like to move around moshed from the first ring out of the opening band all the way to the last word from our tour package. After the show, almost every person made an attempt to thank us, get to know us, and express their gratitude for us taking the time to travel to their city. I've never been more humbled to see the affect three moderately known touring bands could have on a local community of show goers by simply showing up when apparently nobody else does.
Ultimately, this all made me realize how spoiled some of us are. Being from Florida, we rarely miss any size tours and even most of our local shows are thoroughly frequented from city to city. The same applies for a lot of places in the US and I'm not saying that's a bad thing. Someone at some point, years and years ago, started these local scenes with nothing and built them to what they are today, just like the promoter in Pocatello mentioned he was trying to do now. However, the one thing that struck me was the difference in attitude between the kids in Pocatello versus most of the markets we play. They were having fun. They didn't care about being cool. They weren't "trending." They were there for the music, they wanted to be our friends, and they made more than an effort to welcome us to their community and express their appreciation of our travels. It was pure. It was genuine. It was the sense of community that attracted me to hardcore nearly two decades ago.
Now I'm not saying that I expect anyone to throw us a BBQ or go out of their way to get to know us. Nobody owes us shit and we have always paved our own way and earned the friendships and respect we have. I'm also not saying we don't feel welcomed anywhere else we go. That's simply not the case. However, there was a distinct difference in energy from that show, than most we ever play. I don't believe it had anything to do with us or the other touring bands. I believe it has everything to do with their love for the same release we all seek at shows, and the fact that they are deprived of the same access most of us are afforded.
But the question I ask is this. Why should it be any different? Why should a show in a major market be any less energetic than the same show in nowhere, Idaho? It's because there are too many people taking shit for granted in more frequented locations. People who haven't done shit to build their scene so they don't truly know what it's like to appreciate its growth and preservation, and they sit in the corner appearing to judge everyone, or they're just there to take and give nothing back. There's no apparent entry fee into hardcore (other than each show price) but the reality is, somebody before you put in some serious work to create what you're benefiting from. Somebody already paid a price with their time, money, and energy and sacrifices so you get to experience something that has literally saved lives time and time again.
Bottom line is this. Appreciate every show you get. Every band that travels to your town. Every promoter who's probably taking a financial loss but doesn't care because they simply do it for the love of the music. Have fun at the shows. Respect the venues. Respect each other. Realize that everything comes with a price and if your scene is one that's thriving, at some point somebody like the people in Pocatello made serious efforts to get it there. Fuck the trends, fuck the fashion, and fuck taking anything for granted. Appreciate what you have and do your part to preserve it. And if you didn't build it, you have no business breaking it down. You never know when one fight or lost venue can cripple an entire scene. I've seen it before. Put in work and bring something productive to the table. That's the true unspoken fee to being in this community, one of the purest things I've known my entire life in a society full of shit. Ask yourself if you're honestly doing your part.....
I'll leave you with the words the promoter impressed upon me before we left Idaho the other night.
"We're trying to build something here."
Get with it.
Respect.
There's so much truth behind this and completely grasps what we have been saying for months. GO TO LOCAL SHOWS.
A local Army veteran is on a mission to bring rock and roll to a part of the world you least expect: Uganda.
After an honorable discharge from the Army after tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, local musician Justin D'Addario has been looking for that one thing that makes him happy on the inside. A very passionate veteran for peace, who is against the war on terror says he may have found that thing in his project, Rock and Roll for Uganda.
"I was so, so angry at the world," Justin told us in our interview. "Angry at world, life, and everyone I knew. I just had to get up and do something meaningful. I found the cheapest program in the world to volunteer with and they asked me where I wanted to go. They had about 30 countries to choose from and I asked which country needed the most help and without hesitation they told me 'Uganda.' Long story short I ended up not being able to afford the program so I just went by myself. I figured if that country is as poor as everyone claims it is then finding a place to help shouldn't be hard. I was right."
When asked about his first impression of the country Justin didn't hold back. "Poor, very poor," he said. "People living in mud houses with sheet metal doors and roofs... Uganda's entire clothing supply is comprised of donations from around the world, and clothes are cheap, so everyone dressed unusually nice. It was interesting to see so much dirt and mud but so meany clean, well-dressed people." But how did a missions trip to Uganda turn into Rock and Roll Uganda?
After arriving in the country Justin went to his hotel and began to walk around the capital city of Kampala. "I didn't see a single child," he told us, "I was petrified, scared out of my wits, and I also felt stupid. I went back to the hotel and asked the guy at the front desk if I was going to die and he said, 'No, but what are you doing here?' and I told him, 'I'm here to help the kids, where are all the kids?' and he called his friend who picked me up on a motorcycle and took me to a place called Rainbow House of Hope. I literally walked up to the door and said, 'I am from America and I'm here to help.' We talked about how I could help and when I told them that I played guitar their ears kind of perked up and they asked me if I could fix their broken guitars. I said yes, moved in the next day, fixed some of their broken guitars and started giving lessons."
Justin continued to tell us, "I had plenty of students, some more committed than others, but I had three students who wanted two lessons a day, everyday. After teaching them Smoke on the Water they asked to learn whole songs, so I taught them what I knew: rock music. They totally fell in love with it and by the time I left they were able to play Where Is My Mind by The Pixies - one lead guitar, one rhythm, and one guitar acting as bass. After I left they started teaching people but found themselves in need on a guitar so they made 75 bracelets mailed them to me, and asked me to sell them in order to raise some money. Things went well and I raised $1000 with which they bought six guitars."
The goal now is to get them a secure building that can hold plenty of people, and a place for the volunteers from around the world to safely live in while they teach.
They have a GoFundMe page set up but their main source of income comes from handmade bracelets. Students made nearly 1,000 beautiful bracelets from thread and plastic bands used to secure large rice bags and are given out in exchange for donations at shows and anywhere else we can set up. They money generally goes towards daily struggles like paying rent and fixing guitars. The hope is to build the unit and to back with ten local musicians plus a camera crew to film the whole experience to show the world what they are all about. Once it has been established musicians will be able to go over for free and teach.
Their GoFundMe can be found here.
