"Dang, DFW really showed out." New Band Showcase

It was another blazing hot Saturday. According to Pete Delkus, it was the 42nd day in a row for 100+ degree weather. Fortunately, I am blessed enough to have cool A/C running in my vehicle heading to Growl records on that evening. Although there is no excuse for tardiness, my midday nap followed by a healthy meal was enough to immobilize my energy. As always, I was fully aware of what I was getting myself into; a small venue packed by like sardines of band members, their supporters and the increasing number of new comers. Tonight was special in many ways. The event featured new bands or newer bands reaching the surface. Members of the bands have been around for quite some time but still new bands nonetheless. The anticipation to see Crucify and Force of Will live was at high level. More importantly, I wanted to be there for the Martin siblings’ first show. I was sure it was going to be a magical moment for the friends close to Olan and the family. Furthermore, the multiple flyers alone were a clear indication the night was going to have more action than the first three Lethal Weapon movies.

Upon arrival as far as the eye can see, there was no parking spaces in sight where my truck could fit. Luckily I was directed to park right behind a compact car, which seemed to be the only parking spot left in the area. Unbeknownst to me, I parked in front of a small bar catering to the 30+ crowd. Before exiting the vehicle, I made sure to have my camera on the correct setting and sprayed some fragrance. A brief walk later, I was in the thick of the packed house. From the looks of it, it felt as if there was suppose to be a big, out of town headliner performing, but that was not the case. I began to scan the crowd; the record store was filled to the brim with people, all there to see local bands. Back in my day, there were a good amount of locals shows holding a similar capacity inside a venue, wall to wall of juveniles ready to explode at the first riff. This is time was a bit different. The amount on young, savage energy, engulfed in the summer heat. The amount of new faces was staggering. I felt the essence of pride as I spectated the current state of the scene and its glory.

Crucify was about to start. I had to find a good spot to shoot photos while simultaneously enjoying a show. Before the band begun, I had a brief conversation with Chris Rissler, a fellow photographer with a wicked eye for getting the perfect shot. Having him at a show to shoot photos is treat. Its a fact he is going to get a full frontal view for a shot, which inadvertently causes me to capture the show from another POV. I like to think he is there to take the photos that makes everyone look like the star of the moment. On the contrary, I merely shoot intentional wide angle shots to create more of a story, bringing a bit of cohesiveness to my storytelling. The brief moment before the band hit the first note, I took a quick glance at Liv. Although young and prosperous, they looked like they have been on stage for quite sometime. From a different perspective it is what I appreciated about hardcore; new band or not, whoever is on stage looks as if they know exactly what they are doing. Everyone seems to be so comfortable holding the mic in front of a huge crowd. The moment they began, I felt the energy accelerate from neutral to mayhem. The scene enfolding in front of me showcase a mixture of thrill and amped up vitality, equivalent to the nostalgic, riotous energy of the previous generations. The vibes maintained its consistency throughout the duration of their short set. When the band played their last song, Trailblazer, I was able to notice there was a difference in the atmosphere. It was Olan’s spirit presenting itself , using the individuals closest to him as a host to show itself in the physical form. I can’t remember the last time I felt that particular brand of intensity.

The struggle to breath inside the record store became apparent, causing people to make a quick exit through the front. In comparison to the air outside, it felt like standing in a sauna while watching Crucify as they ended their set. Eventually, after exchanging words with friends and acquaintances, I found myself resting on the the ground with my stomach running on empty. Fuzzy’s Tacos was across the street and I couldn’t help to imagine a plate of tacos sitting in front of me. Within the moment, I decided to wait. Force of Will was about to go on next, and I wasn’t going to miss their first set. This was another special moment of the evening. There were a couple of times I imagined Chloe on vocals for a band, before Force of Will formed. Fast forward to the present, I am able to witness her front and center. She resembled a fierce ball of energy, ready to explode into a frenzy in the next second. As soon as the band started, she did exactly that. The power and conviction in her vocals and stage presence matched what I imagined. I felt elated looking at the band as a whole playing behind the speakers. It was one of the coolest performances I’ve witness in a while. It was awesome to see Force of Will play, it was a lot of fun to finally see on her on stage taking control. It was a blessing to be able to say I was there to soak in the moment.

The golden hour was disappearing and the blue hour was beginning to enter. The more time passed, the deeper my stomach rumbled. I questioned myself, wondering how much longer I will be able to hold out before I walk across the street to fill my belly. Fully aware of the duration of the event, I was ashamed at my lack of preparation. I thought about how I should’ve had a protein bar and pack of almonds in my pocket, even though it wouldn’t have been enough for satisfaction. By this time, the record store was fully packed, not much room to move your shoulders without bumping into anyone. For a brief moment, I nodded my head in approval and whispered to myself, “this is how it should be”. As Bed of Nails began setting up, people started piling inside the store again, leaving a bit of room of open for moshers. The Bed of Nails sound is a bit more thrashy so I expected to see a good amount of side to side and two-step action. As they began to play and the pit was getting active, I noticed something I haven’t noticed before; it was not Zach on stage. Prior to the evening, I was fully aware of Zach’s Cuban ethnic background. I’m not sure of the percentage in his DNA but it’s a considerable amount. My thing was I was able to see his Cuban side depending on how the light shined on him. Sometimes he would look like a southern, white, American male. Not this evening, not during the Bed of Nail set. With mic in hand, the Cuban side started to come out by every 30 seconds. It wasn’t until his camo hat came off of his head when he turned full Cuban. He wasn’t Zach anymore; it was Ricardo. It was a bit startling to see Ricardo appear out of this air but it intensified the performance. To my knowledge, the set was the first time I have witnessed a vocalist switched for one ethnicity to another. It was truly amazing. Alongside Christian’s comedic moments in between song and the consistent amount of two-step parts, Bed of Nails put on an awesome set.

I took about five steps exiting the building before I made the decision. It was time to get some food in my belly, I wasn’t able to suppress the rumble any longer. Luckily, River was outside and accompanied me to Fuzzy’s. It was fortunate she knew the contents of the menu because I had no clue. I ended up getting chicken baja tacos with no feta cheese and a frozen margarita. As we sat down to wait on our food, I felt ashamed to miss the Turfburner set. It was bad enough I missed 2death and Misanthrope, but I was starving. I wasn’t able to resist the pain of an empty stomach. Chloe entered the building, followed by Abby and Paul, then Zach and Val. I couldn’t help but to notice the bright yellow,red tables and chairs scattered throughout the space. It felt like I was at Bikini Bottom. A few minutes later, our food was ready. After I retrieve our plates sat back down at the table, it was time to eat. After that moment, I was unable to hear anything else other than my mouth chewing up the food. My vision was impaired with only the sight of the tacos I was eating. The only thing I felt was the food entering into my stomach. My body felt at ease, I started to become relaxed. I had no clue what everyone else was talking about, in the moment nothing mattered other than tacos and the frozen margarita. After I fully digested everything on my plate, I became cognizant of what was going on in my environment again. I was able to make out what everyone’s face looked like again, came back to reality. I was suddenly able to hear again and was able to differentiate sounds and voices. Not long after, I was notified Sanity Slip was setting up to play. A few gulps of the margarita and we headed out of the door.

This was the last set of the night, the finale, the headliner. What a better way to end off the night than to end it off with Sanity Slip. No matter where or when, Sanity Slip puts on an awesome show, without an ounce of doubt. Everything I watch them live, its nothing short of a juggernaut performance. Although I was full to the brim with food and a beverage, I had to get up close and personal during this set. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to miss a thing. A Sanity Slip set is one of a kind. The pit is as intense as it is hectic, it is not for the fragile. From start to finish its warfare, the real life version of the old school game, Battleship. Moshers start meeting in the middle with little to no regard for themselves or others, everyone is a target. It came to no surprise when they played their heaviest bangers and the pit got crucial. The moment I was taken by surprise is when they played the Shattered Realm, “All Will Suffer” cover. I was upset that I was unprepared for it. It has always been a dream to see them live and the cover was the closest I was ever going to get to the dream. I vowed to myself the next time they played the song, I was going to be ready. Shortly afterwards they played a few more songs including a last second banger before the night ended. After a few goodbyes, I headed out back and hung out with Zach and Val before it was time for me to head home. Another great show, another great night, another great memory for DFWHC.