Opener Despite Despair from Provo started off the evening with a dedicated hardcore set. Despite being a younger band they plowed through a short set that focused on a very good interpretation of modern metalcore with some hardcore punk leanings. Despite Despair reached into the playbook that made Modern Life Is War and Botch mainstays and styled it very well. Tigg, drummer, played in the vein of Refused drummer David Sandstrom, and that kind of energy is not very easy to duplicate, but Tigg did it in boat loads. The band are currently working on an EP and if it is anything as good as their live show then good things are in store.
Reviver took the floor next, these guys have been around for a long time, and they never fail to disappoint. Their music reminds me of the energy of early Crime In Stereo mixed with a little No Motiv, punk but with some more melodic leanings. As always they raced through their set like some one was going to steal the mics away from them, but that is just what this band is about. Reviver craft hard hitting, fast punk with little fat anywhere. They did however have a lot of noodling in between songs, and with some time and more diversification of their sound I could see them being something akin to Crime In Stereo's current material.
Robbers were mental. Their Colour Revolt-esque indie rock was such a departure from the previous bands sets but, oddly, it fit so well. Even if their brand of music was not entertaining you have to appreciate their lead singer jumping around and singing so beautifully. The songs from their debut Flesh drifted into one another but did not blur together, instead they created a beautiful mix of indie rock and straight ahead rock. Robbers must have been paying attention when they opened for Brand New a few months back, as they created a stage presence that was just as intense as Brand New but much more personable than Brand New. Robbers swirling chords, powerful base lines, and disparate vocals, ranging from whispers to shouts, filled the Basement and got more than one person dancing. Bands like Robbers can fit with a cornucopia of artists and their touring plans show that fact, after this tour with Crime In Stereo they are heading out on some dates with P.O.S. Robbers put on a powerful live set that if they continue touring will set them up for a long time.
This is a really bad cell picture of Robbers. Picture by Matthew Winters.
I Was Trying To Describe You To Someone is the type of album that accelerates a band from being a opening act to making them a true blue headliner. Crime In Stereo know this and put on a set, albeit for a small crowd, that proved that the energy and craftsmanship of their recent album is not just studio magic. Starting off with the double punch of "Everything Changes / Nothing Is Ever Truly Lost" and "Bicycles For Afghanistan" and accelerating from there the band sailed through a set that contained songs from everyone of their full lengths. The older material, including songs from 2007's ...Is Dead, still had the urgency that it was crafted with, particularly the bruising ...Is Dead opener "Xxxx (The First Thousand Years)." The newer songs faired well but have not been road tested enough, don't get me wrong "Drugwolf" and "Not Dead" sounded great but they were not as good sounding as the older songs. It felt like the band have not had enough time to truly perfect how they want to present them live, and for a band this perfectionist that is something that will come with time. The last time I saw Crime In Stereo I was dumbfounded by their drummer Scotty Giffin and his powerful style of drumming, this time it was vocalist and guitarist Alex Dune that captivated my attention. Despite a few set backs (a broken string, some feedback issues) his powerful vocal delivery and his ability as a guitarist really shone through. Singer Kristian Hallbert was just wonderful and you could tell he was perfectly at home on the smaller stage he was on, however with their new record and a blistering live show I have to wonder how much longer will they be playing the smaller stages.
Set list -
1 - "Everything Changes / Nothing Is Ever Truly Lost"
2 - "Bicycles For Afganistan"
3 - "Xxxx (The First Thousand Years)"
4 - "Sudan"
5 - "For Exes"
6 - "Animal Pharm"
7 - "I Cannot Answer You Tonight"
8 - "Not Dead"
9 - "... But You Are Vast"
10 - "Drugwolf"
11 - "Gravity/Grace"
12 - "I Am Everything I Am Not" - This was not played due to feedback issues.
13 - "Small Skeletal"
14 - "I, Stateside"
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