last nights show was so awesome!!! of course though, i stood the entire time and didn’t get involved in the moshy stuff, but that’s okay because i’m sort of past that young demeanor anyhoo. i mean, if the circumstance were a bit more engaging for me, and if i knew all the freekin’ lyrics, AND if it wasn’t a work night, i most likely would have joined in the hardcore sing a longs and pile ups, but in this case, i stood to the side and observed the bands demonstrating their talents and giving good performances to a crowd of 50 or so on an oklahoma wednesday night. let’s see, i believe there was a total six bands that played, with the two opening slots going to some local acts. i must have got there for the second band, because right after they finished the band, Transit, came on and really impressed me. i’ve had their second ep for a little while and i have to say, their much better live than on record. the lead singer showcases a wide range of emotional styles and really gets into his vocal performance. the rest of the group is equally as talented and what amazed me so much from these guys is how young they were. of course with this sort of pop punk/hardcore mish mash, you’d figure the bands were all full of young kids, and that is almost true. these young guys presented a mature workmanship that proves how much they care about their art. it wasn’t sloppy and mailed in. instead it was inspirational and left me wanting more. keep a lookout for these guys because they should be, and hopefully will be, huge.
now, as for the other bands, Man Overboard were decent, but by the time they came on the stage i was wanting to go outside and write some notes on a few bands back in my car. (i usually take notes on artists to check out based on concert peoples opinions and t-shirts…) so yeah, i missed just about their entire set, but by the time i came back in The Swellers were setting up and it was exciting to feel the tension. (at least in my stomach…) i’ve wanted to see them since i first listened to their ep, Beginning of the End, so this was my moment. after what seemed a short time, they began their set, tearing and shredding through a good portion of their catalogue, but with more focus on their recent full length, Ups and Downsizing. they even threw in a Lagwagon cover, so yeah, it was jawesome!!!
oh, and last but not least was Fireworks. i can’t believe i stayed for just about their entire show. nothing against them, it’s just that i such an unbelievably hard person to wake in the morning, so i knew that staying out late would effect my thursday work performance. anyway, i managed to stick it out and it was pretty good none the less. the band gave a good performance and i can see how people really associate them as New Found Glory rip-offs. still, the music speaks for itself and the kids loved it. the band had the biggest reaction of the night and i believe this transitioned into them appreciating oklahoma and giving a good set instead of some sleepy/no care sort of thing.
all this is just the pre-warm up for what’s coming on saturday, september 11th. on that day, The Conservatory will host New Found Glory!!! i still can’t believe this is happening!!! i have always dreamt of seeing these guys play a small club such as this, and with the opportunity finally here, it’s become a reality. i already got my ticket, and i know the place will be more packed than a welfare office, so i need to get there at a good time. it’s gonna be zoppity!!!
so, what music do i feel like posting on right now??? i’ve been thinking on it for most of the day and while doing that, i scrolled through my ipod and came across the band, Moneen. i think they’ll do the trick…
moneen are a five piece indie/emo rock band from brampton, ontario, canada that formed in 1999. (they got bigfoot’s up in Canada…) they are one of canada’s best bands, along side other acts like, Billy Talent, Alexisonfire, Broken Social Scene, Metric, Stars and Barenaked Ladies. they are currently signed to emo powerhouse, Vagrant, records here in the us and have toured with many artists from that label. i had the opportunity to see them at warped tour back in 2006, but passed because of a conflicting schedule with the band, Thursday. (i don’t regret that decision. i love thursday…) time passed and another chance came this past year in oklahoma, but the show was cancelled.
for me, moneen represent the best aspects that have come about in the first ten years of the new millennium. this is still my least favorite decade in music, but i’m not so ignorant as to write off everything completely. like i said, the band represent the best parts of this wave of music and style. (indie/emo) they seem sincere and energetic, as well as lovers for what they do. i can tell this just from the first notes from whatever song i hear by them. it’s genuinely good stuff and i think tons more artists need to take notice of this kind of workmanship and respect for the craft.
yeah yeah, enough with my nit-picking. let me swing for the fences by trying my best to post their entire discography for you all today!!! moneen have made a great disco of music over these past 12 years or so, and it's something worth checking out. our first item up for grabs is their debut ep titled, Smaller Chairs for the Early 1900's. we then move to their first full length called, The Theory of Harmonial Value and it's an amazing effort and the band is only getting started from there!!! next is the album, Are We Really Happy with Who We Are Right Now? and it proves to be their next plateau. after that comes a quick little split with alexisonfire called, The Switcheroo Series: Alexisonfire Vs. Moneen. now we come to my personal favorite release by the band and it's an album called, The Red Tree. this is then followed by the acoustic ep Saying Something You Have Already Said Before: A Quiet Side of Moneen and then another ep titled, Hold That Sound. and lastly, we finally come to their most recent release which is the album called, The World I Want To Leave Behind. moneen add another collection of albums and songs worth your time and i really hope you check it out. toodles!!!
battling my way through the hordes of people at my local best buy and walmart, i stumbled upon the holy grail, or at least something that was ten dollars cheaper than anywhere else. with my hands sweaty, i leaned forward and grabbed the last copy of Lost: Season 5 on bluray, and quietly took it to the trolls counter. after sacrificing my christmas money to the corporate demons, i descended from the electronics section and made my way to freedom from the dangerous catacombs of low priced stores. all was well once i made it to my trusty steed, "Jeep Grand Cherokee: 1996 edition". with my music coming out only on the left side, i made the journey home through the treacherous ice covered streets of oklahoma, and onto the horizon sky with my treasure intact. along the way i passed many more obstacles like the gargoyle known as "star bucks" and the hell beast that guards the "little caesars pizza" joint. over city tundra and past broken down horses trapped under many feet of snow, i eventually made it back to my castle safely. i departed from my trusty steed after patting him on the dashboard, and walked the last walk to the large metal screen door that keeps me and my family safe from the outside world. once in, i took off my battle armor jacket and soft beanie helmet and took a long rest in front of my television. i popped in one of my newly collected dvd devices and started to watch crude adult humor programming. my quest was finally over, and just in time for dinner.
i have never been to canada, but i hear it's an amazing place to see. all the forests and untouched land just begging to be explored. of course if i went i wouldn't travel too far. i don't want to end up like the grizzly man... anyway, our northern neighbors have produced some fine artists that make creative music for people who care. i know this because i listen to a ton of them!!! artists like Broken Social Scene, F*cked Up, Metric, Billy Talent, and today's profile band, Alexisonfire.
i first heard this band through my early days of music exploration once i got my first desktop. this was way back in 2002 or so. these guys started in 2001, producing their own ep and gaining an underground following. they describe their own music as, "the sound of two catholic high-school girls in a mid-knife-fight." in reality, it's post-hardcore screamo/skrams stuff which i just dig so much. it's chaotic, but technically beautiful and full of so much angst that you can't help but sometimes scream along.
since the release of their debut album, the band has gone on world tours and dropped three more lp's. oh, and for those who don't know, the band's name is pronounced (alexis on fire). he he so with that brief history run-down, here is the debut album which is self titled. this is where they started and you can tell that right away because the music is sometimes off, and sometimes sloppy, but oh man, it's full of heart and delicate care towards the source material. check this out and give our friends from the north a listen!!!
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