Girl at the Rock Shows

This is going to sound so freaking cheesy, but there are some shows where, at a certain moment, I put my cameras away. It’s not because I have to per venue or band rules, and it’s not because I know I have my shots, it’s more because the show is just too good, and I lose interest in taking photos and opt to just get lost in the moment. That happened with every single band that graced the floor of the Underground Music Venue on Saturday night. That’s right, I said ground. which made photos even harder to get. I’m not sure why the band opted for the floor rather than the generous stage that this place has, but I liked the charm that it added to the show, and I feel like it was one of the reasons for me putting those cameras away early. It was just one of those shows that was so easy to get lost in, and I was in the mood to get lost.

There’s not a lot of information on Behind the Wire, the first band to play on Saturday night, but that would make sense as this was only their second show ever. That being said, this didn’t feel like a second show. This band was tight, and although there was angst and aggression dripping from every word and note, I loved that you could hear everything happening throughout this song clearly. Sets were super short on Saturday night (which makes sense as this was a hardcore-leaning punk show), which means that Behind the Wire only played a handful of songs. Maybe that’s all they have at this point; maybe they have more, but they just didn’t have the time to play it all. Whatever the case may be, their ending their set with a ferocious cover of “A.C.A.B” from The 4 Skins was absolutely the perfect way to close out their set. Although it was short, Behind the Wire’s time in the speakers was flawless and, like the three bands to follow, I truly hope I get to see them again soon.

I feel like I have been seeing Sleeper Cell’s name around town a bit more lately, and I was excited to finally see what this local band was all about. Aggression and insanity. That’s the name of the game with this band, and they absolutely nailed it. Their sound, like Behind the Wire, was very punk but with a very hardcore influence. Honestly, I’ve been a few degrees removed from the local hardcore scene. It intimidates me and, honestly, I just feel a bit too old to call it home and feel a bit too shy to really dive deep into it, but if this genre-bending is a signature of the local scene, I really need to get over it because it was perfect. There were moments throughout Sleeper Cell’s set where you wanted to mosh and other moments where you wanted to two-step. The audience did it all, and the line between the stage area and the audience quickly became blurred. Although this made getting photos next to impossible (unless I wanted to grow a pair and get closer to the action, but that just wasn’t in the cards for me), it added a special flavor to their set. Sleeper Cell only played for about fifteen minutes, but within those fifteen minutes, I instantly understood why their name has been all over the place lately, and I promise to make more of an effort to catch them again soon.

I know I just saw Buio Omega about two weeks ago at Memory Lanes, but that didn’t change the fact that I was stoked to see them again. This band knows how to take chaos, control it, but still give a performance that feels a bit off the rails, a bit unhinged. Their set on Saturday night was no different from that. Vocalist Greer is the type of human that you just can not take your eyes off of. They’re dynamic and charismatic, but it doesn’t feel like they’re trying to be. Something about their energy just makes all of it come so naturally in a way. When you add the controlled chaos of this band’s sound, you are left with a truly captivating set. Even if you don’t like the music, even if you think it just sounds like unorganized noise, you will fall in love with the energy that Buio Omega gives off at a live performance. Sonically, they seemed to be a bit more frenetic than the other bands on the line-up, but that signature style of energy made them a perfect fit for the night and the absolutely perfect choice as the band to get the audience ready for the final act of the night.

I had never heard of Béton Armé prior to this show, and, honestly, I had chosen this show based on Buio Omega being on the line-up and me wanting something a bit different stylistically. That being said, Béton Armé rightfully stole this show and then some. That’s not to say that the three openers didn’t all kill it; they absolutely did, but this punk/oi!/dance band from Montreal was truly spectacular. Right off the bat, Dan, the vocalist, urged people to get closer to the “stage.” There had been a little gap that had formed to make way for the moshers and the dancers, but Dan was quick to mention that Béton Armé is a dance band, not a mosh band. People took him at his word and shifted closer to the monitors that lined the “stage.” It didn’t take long for things to erupt. Dan wasn’t lying; the eruption looked more like a club kind of moment than a hardcore show, but you had a bit of everything. People dancing, people skanking, people moshing, two-stepping, there was everything, and that made sense because the sound of Béton Armé was a bit of everything.

The entire band was great, and they clearly have curated a unique sound while also making sure that it’s perfect when it comes to a live setting, but it was Dan that stole my heart throughout the set. To say that he is charismatic would be an understatement. The way he would dip in and out of the edges of the audience and shove the microphone into people’s faces just hoping they would sing something, anything, was charming. He danced as if no one was watching, as if urging people to do the same, and it worked. As I mentioned, the hardcore scene is one that intimidates me in a way. I just feel like I’m not cool enough, but there was something about watching Dan and Béton Armé blast throughout their set on Saturday night that felt oh so very welcoming. This band, this audience, nobody cared who you were. They just cared that you were there and, hot damn, you were going to have a good time.

Saturday night was a bit out of my normal comfort zone. It was my kind of music at a venue that I love, but the scene and the faces around me were different. When I first got there, I was a bit on edge (and it didn’t help that it was too warm to bring my emotional support hoodie with me), but within a couple of minutes and random interactions with random people, I warmed up to the night and ended up witnessing one of my favorite shows that I’ve been to in a hot minute. What a great night full of great people and amazing music. That’s the way concerts should be– no boundaries, no gatekeeping– just good music meant to be enjoyed by all.

Line Up:

Behind the Wire

Sleeper Cell

Buio Omega

Béton Armé

Venue: Underground Music Venue

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 31

Crowd Surfers- 1

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-ability- 8 out of 10

Amount of Beer Spilled On Me While Walking Around- $0

Broken Bones- None

Spotted Flying Through The Air- A few cans

Fights- None

Pukers- 0

Passed Out People- 0

How Many Times I’ve Seen These Bands Before (or at least how many times I can remember)-

Behind the Wire – 0

Sleeper Cell – 0

Buio Omega – 2

Béton Armé – 0

Show on Deck – The Casualties / The Drowns / Menstrual Tramps

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