Falter is a a hardcore punk band from Milwaukee that opened the show with some very hardcore music. From the sound of it, I am assuming one of their biggest influences is Converge. They have die-hard screaming by an active front man over very tough sounding instruments. The guitar player had some gripping riffs that stood out amongst the heaviness, and the drummer was putting out a lot of energy. Overall the band put on a good show.
Smoother, a local Philadelphia band, put on a solid set with grungy punk rock that has a post rock feel. The music fluctuates between soft and loud in perfect fashion, with some stunning instrumental sections and raw vocals. The songs are well written, and you can tell they have thought out exactly where they want their songs to go musically. This is a really talented band that is awesome to see live. Check them out on bandcamp.
Frameworks, Florida natives, displayed an energy in their set that was unmatched for the rest of the night. Their music is hardcore, with some soft parts thrown in, and gut-wrenching screaming by their vocalist. He didn’t face the crowd for the entire set, and put his whole weight into screaming into the mic, with the self consuming emotions a frontman of a band like this needs. The guitar and bass work was phenomenal, going from the soft melodic parts to pure destructive parts. I have never seen anyone get so into the music as much as the bassist and guitar players, who were jerking their bodies and heads back and forward with terrific speed. The drummer absolutely killed it, paying so many fast fills, going all over the place, and hitting every note. I have liked this band for a while, but I was very impressed with their live show and how much energy they have on stage. Check out both of Framework’s EPs on their bandcamp, where you can also order vinyl.
I had never listened to You’ll Live until this show, and I am sorry I didn’t. Another Florida band, their set was full of interesting music that was happy yet hardcore. The singer screams some parts in pure hardcore fashion, while playing guitar riffs that bring up feelings of nostalgia and high spirits. This band was able to transition from soft sections to hard rock while keeping those emotions relevant and together, which was something powerful. I am definitely going to start listening to these guys, you can check them out on bandcamp.
Prawn is a unique post rock band from New Jersey that is on Topshelf Records. Seeing them play a basement show was awesome. They are another band that is fully capable of changing from the soft sweeping parts to the loud yelling parts, but I wouldn’t consider them hardcore. They have a singer who can belt the lyrics with a huge voice, while being able to sing with a soft high pitched voice at other times. The vocalist also plays guitar, but both guitarists shred some great mathy sounding solos and riffs, as well as the more anchored post rock sounds. The band sounded colossal considering they were playing in a basement, and were probably the best sounding and tightest band of the night. Check them out on bandcamp.
Sandy Alex G. brought some chiller rock into the mix of the show. Playing as a three piece, the band made their set up on the fly, showing just how many songs they have up their sleeves. They mostly played music that would be described as alternative rock, reminiscent of some nineties rock. Alex is a great singer, in addition to being able to wail on the guitar. They played some catchy songs, and some that sounded like they could be worked on a little more. They did draw a good reaction from the remaining crowd, who were able to sing along to the memorable hooks. Sandy Alex G. played an entertaining set, and performed some theatrics at the end of the set that left the crowd amused and confused. You can find their music on bandcamp.
PhillyPunk 