Ah, the Sweet Smell of Punk

A calm fell over the crowd in between songs. If you came back to reality in time, you could hear the deep, heavy breathing from the crowd, along with the hum of the amps and the glasses clinking from the bar; these were familiar sounds of a typical punk/metal show.
I took a deep breath to remember that moment at the sold out show at the Knitting Factory, seeing Strike Anywhere for the first time.
As I took that deep breath, I inhaled the comforting, familiar smells of a punk show: piss, beer, sweat, cigarettes... and hairspray?
It boggles my mind sometimes as to how appearance oriented this generation has become. From the tight jeans with Vans sneakers, to the bandannas, the heavy eye make up (both guys and girls), even to the excessive tattoos and piercings. To a lot of young people these days, I think they take music as a scene and to prove to others that they are better looking and more "hardcore", and are actually apart of a scene, rather than taking music as a genuinely personal, amazing form of art.

"I hope they realize that music is music, it's not a scene, not a style. Music is a beautiful fucking thing to listen to. It is not a thing to fucking preach to others about, it's not a fucking cause. It is what it is, and that's a beautiful art form," - Syn Gates of Avenged Sevenfold

Sure, when punk first started up in the 70s it was most definitely a scene, but it was a rebel-against-the-norm type of scene. Today's "scene" as evolved to many other levels.
It seems that being apart of a certain stereotype, and dressing a SPECIFIC, very detail oriented way has taken over.
The same mind set is not what it once was; instead of being truly knowledgeable in today's biggest topics (such as the war, presidential elections, etc), people say that they have an opinion, when in reality they're just going along with whatever sounds good and what others are doing. In a sense, many are still being followers, even though being independent has become somewhat of a scene.
Then there are some people, and bands, who still feel strongly about the world we live in and making it a better place by taking action in what we believe in.
Headlining band, Strike Anywhere, is a prime, present, example of a band who is very active in the way society is being handled.
Strike Anywhere emerged from Virginia in the late 90s, and have since become a popular underground political punk band voicing their opinions through their music on topics varying from politics to animal rights.
Their performance at the Knitting Factory was nothing less than amazing and energetic. The band's constant music and audience interaction created a rowdiness amongst the crowd and the pit, having the crowd in a never ending wave of movement.
From playing older songs such as "Three on a Match," their encore, "Sunset on 32nd" to newer songs like "Prisoner Echoes" and "Hollywood Cemetery," they pleased the crowd in every way possible.
In between songs, vocalist Thomas Barnett took a few minutes to let the crowd be aware of rallies that were going to be coming up, and turned the microphone over to those in the crowd that had similar shout outs.
Before many of the songs, Barnett voiced his, and the bands, opinion related to the song through a poetic, punk vibe as the song started.
Similarly, co-headliner band, Paint It Black, is also a political, hardcore punk group from Philly. PIB voiced their opinions against organized religion, and being vegan, topics that may seem generic, through a heavy, fast, hardcore music genre.
Their performance was most definitely brutal to say the last. Thick, loud vocals with heavy guitar strums, and the deep double bass kept the crowd in constant violent motion, creating circle pit after circle pit.
The Riverboat gamblers also opened for Strike Anywhere, and although musically they are mediocre, their performance was full of vibrant, in-your-face energy, getting the crowd pumped for the upcoming bands.

The sold out show at the Knitting Factory on Saturday, March 1st was nothing less than epic. All bands put on a great show and made the crowd appreciate live music, for sure getting their $15 worth.


http://www.myspace.com/strikeanywhere
http://www.myspace.com/paintitblack
http://www.myspace.com/theriverboatgamblers