STRESSFEST
I basically detached from reality for a few hours and during the 3 out-of-towner sets I got more into live music than I have since my literal vomit session at my first Blood Brothers show. Here's a quick review of the band's a was able to see, as I got there late:
OLD SOUL ruined me. It was during this set that I really escaped from reality and soaked everything in. I had found out I was in a dire financial situation a few hours earlier after not getting a promotion I told I was going to get and this was the perfect escape. The band turned every head in Soybomb with their set of "Emerald", "Tome" and "Wick" and I was lucky enough to jump on vocals twice for a few seconds. Heaven, I say. Here's their full set in parts one and two.
WORST GIFT played more new songs of hard to define sludgy and dreamy three-voiced ginger rock.
BAD HISTORY MONTH put together a very engaging set of stripped down rock set with one acoustic guitar or ukulele and somber vocals.
NEW WINGS jammed shit up with their instrumental bedlam somehow contained, using only bass, guitar, drums and keyboard.
EDHOCHULI came through and, as per usual, destroyed everyone's preconceived notions about what a bunch of punk musicians can accomplish and ruined the place with epic, riffy and monster jams including a whack of new material.
SHAHMAN was introduced through a short poem read by a friend of the band which bled directly into their set, during which their friend bounced, danced and lost himself in the set as they pounded out punishing and lulling tunes, many of which from their new 12" 'Demise of a Body' on Revolution Winter Records.
BLACK LOVE also have released on Zegema along with Old Soul from this show, and they did not disappoint as they played old and new material as well as four tracks from their latest 'Black Love' 12" which was definitely one of the better and most interesting records of the year.
Zegema Beach Records mini-fest followed the Stressfest on Saturday night. The review is below, but to quickly catch a glimpse of the two festivals from Old Soul's angle (thanks Adrian for all the videos!) in this short 3-minute video linked here.
DINOSAUR SEX CHANGE brought one of the biggest crowds of the night and although I realized that I had forgotten my camera I noticed at least three people taking videos. I assume some are already up or will be soon. Until then check out the young foursome's other live videos from local shows I've done here and here.
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TERRY GREEN absolutely lit it up and from what I saw sold some of the most merch of the night, and pretty all they have is a demo tape, which you can grab here. The band mixes poppy, mathy rock riffs with throat-shredding screams not unlike a lighter version of State Faults or Versus The Mirror. My camera arrived via some friends after this set so unfortunately I have no videos, but I have recorded them and posted videos here.
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JIMMY AND THE JERKS busted out some sassy, shirtless punk that had the old school folks bopping along. The band will also be playing tonight's Congratulations release tape show. More videos in the full ZBR set link.
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TELEPORTOISE dismantled the audience by the time they hit my favourite number "Rhino Charges" which I have linked for the video below. Imagine Isis and Black flag battling it out. At 43 seconds they slow it down with a killer bass riff and dual vocals with bellowing bassist and shrieky drummer. The entire songs is a pounding barrage of slow Tool-esque stuff and bludgeoning Isis/Locktender material. I will have cds up in the distro next week and you can go here to download/pay what you want.
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BLACK LOVE when they play Corps Etranger live my heart almost collapses because I get so into it. The band also came pretty close to bringing me to tears when the vocalist announced that, "Every band needs a David Norman in their life." Check the video below and try to understand that being there, in the moment with that sexy ass bass riffing that Charles does is way more mesmerizing than the video. Also, grab band's remarkable new LP here.
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OLD SOUL converted a brood of people to Old Soul souls. Seriously this band blew away even my expectations (which were really, really high) as they ripped and lulled us through a set list that I devised:1) Lens
2) Wick
3) Ghost Incomplete
4) Perfectly Fucked (love lost but not forgotten cover)
5) Emerald
Twas mesmerizing and pulverizing depending on the part of each song. I think seeing "Perfectly Fucked" live was one of the coolest experiences I've had, and whenever the band played "Emerald" (as they played it at Stressfest also) I was caught in a slightly swaying trance of complete euphoria. If you ever have a chance to see OLD SOUL you should be running to that show. Watch their entire set at the Stressfest in parts one and two.
Adrian also posted a live video of "Ghost Incomplete" from behind the drums here.
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EDHOCHULI did what they do. I spoke about it with some folks before the show who had also seen the band. The scenario is basically this:-audience member comes to show that doesn't know about EDHOCHULI
-audience member enjoys show
-EDHOCHULI plays, thus destroying everything the audience member thought they knew about music
-audience member's brain becomes slightly fried as they attempt to reconcile any past efforts they had about starting a band - for there is already EDHOCHULI, and they rule everything live
Adrian from Old Soul also posted a great video of a new EDHOCHULI song that I didn't capture here.
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WORST GIFT gets tighter with every show and I have gone from liking to loving. Although the songs can drag a little near the end, this influx of dreamy, shoegaze energy amidst post-rock/screamo and all three members kicking it on vocals simultaneously is very embracing live and I'm absolutely stoked to hear their future splits, and hopefully can be involved with at least one. You can check out their first show here and a recent stint with Animal Faces and My Dad here.
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RESPIRE lacked the Rohaninator, but that didn't stop these guys from playing what they called their "worst show" which everyone was drooling over, especially myself and the dudes in Old Soul. The new stuff was spectacular and even without the third guitar the epic post-hardcore/screamo just washed over me.
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