seige

Chicago Fest was a blast. Three days of driving, killer hardcore, thrashing, killer hardcore, thrashing, killer hardcore, and driving. I got to see some friends from various places and met some new ones. I was blown away by many of the bands. My Revenge, Signal Lost and To What End? ruled Friday night. Signal Lost suprised the hell outta me. I had heard some recorded stuff and wasn't impressed enough to buy it, but they kicked ass live. Saturday was a killer. Show started around 1-ish and the rock didn't stop 'till at least midnight some 20 bands later; a long day. This is when being fest savvy helps. Haw Haw. You can't thrash for 12 straight hours (I can't), and have the same enthusiasm for later bands. So I took it easy much of the day. Hanging back, observing new acts, saving my energy. There were some kool sets early in the day. Life set struggle were ok, then they seemed to cover most of "Victim in Pain" and were awesome. Foward to Death put on a good set. There were definately some boners though but I'm not naming any names. I did head the worst damn cover of "Folsum Prison Blues" I've ever heard though. Finally, Municipal Waste took the stage. I fukkin love this band. Everytime I see them its typically total insanity and they absolutely shred. There were spring boards on stage and people flying around the air with boogie boards under them. The Waste opened up with "Awesome Sweet Attack" and my nose was split wide open seconds later. I'm a pretty tall guy (6'6") so I'm usually head and shoulders above most of the elvish folks at shows. My face is frequently landed on by stage divers. I must thrash though, so it's a cost/benefit thing. Besides I didn't know I was bleeding till after the set, not that it mattered.
Caustic Christ then layed down their awesome sound. Now it was time to tap into those energy reserves I'd been saving earlier in the day, CIRCLE PIT! R.A.M.B.O. kicked ass too. Since it was Super Saturday, (or whatever is between Good Friday, and Easter Sunday) Jesus woke up early and rocked to their set. He even brought his trademark cross. That got broke up pretty quick when some dude tried to invert himself on it. The planks of wood made a few rounds in the pit and then were thankfully removed. There were quite a few drunk young rebels now present and drunk young rebels aren't exactly known for consideration or restraint in the presence of jagged shards of anything. I was hoping for more props during the Rambo set but whatever they seriously rocked. The suprise of the fest was The State. Havoc just repressed an old e.p. of theirs and I heartily suggest yinz pick it up. These guys were around in '83 and still kicked my ass in '05! I love seeing the older dudes get up there and rip the younger bands. Seriously, although they must all be in they're 40's, they rocked as hard as any hyped new band, harder actually. World Burns to Death ruled too. I had been wanting to see them for a long time. I also got to the bottom of the Hebrew letters on all their albums, thanx to Jack Control. Riistetyt finnished (pun intended, har har) up the night with an awesome set. No thrashing for me though as I was on the sidelines playing record nerd. I enjoyed their set very much from where I was though. I really hope they don't wait another 20 years before touring the U.S. again.
On Sunday the fest was moved to a small warehouse. Seemed like the right thing to do though. Not as many people showed up and the sound was better. The giant auditorium the shows were in Friday and Saturday was kool for a bigger crowd and room to dance, but the sound was pretty hollow and thin as you'd expect. notable bands from sunday were Sin Orden, The First Step (I love Youth Crew done right. Leave your macho bullshit at home.), Punch in the Face, and Direct Control. By Sunday night I was ready to go home.

I got a bunch of records too. The merch was a little dissapointing but that helped reign me in and I actually walked away under budget. Here's what I got:

- State of Fear "Wallow in Squalor" ep. This about rounds up my S.O.F. collection
- Ochre " Divedowndeepnine" ep.
- Bomb Builder "Drop the Big One" ep
- Career Suicide "Signals" ep
- MK Ultra/ Crudos split 7"
- Deathtoll "s/t" ep.
- The State "no illusions" ep. Repressed from 83, get it!
- Severed Head of State "Fucking Butchery" ep.
- The Detonators "sonic manifesto" and "live in hope...die in despair" ep's
- World Burns to Death "the art of self destruction" ep.
- Fucked Up "generation" ep.
- Rambo "bring it" lp.
- Riistetyt "skitsofrenia" lp
- Motorhate "welcome to civilization" lp. AWESOME!
- Today is the Day "s/t" lp. Never seen this before. Apparently it's their 3rd album. It's on amprep. Really good stuff.
- Career Suicide split Lp with Jed Whitey
- Gehenna "upon the grave hill" lp
- Sick Terror lp with a long title in Spanish.
- Sawn off lp


I got a few dork records too:

-Caustic Christ 'government job" ep on white in a weird rubber sleeve
- Career Suicide japanese tour lp. The sleeve is velvety, mmmmm.
- Riistetyt "tuo mia piava" ep. THis thing is a goddamn saw blade! The record is pressed on two slabs of blue vinyl and then fixed to a steel circular saw blade. There were 50 at the show that went on sale right after their set, I dunno how many were pressed. They were snatched up like hotcakes. THats why i stood on the side lines during the Riistetyt set. I stayed right near the merch table. I asked a buddy if we were beeing assholes about it to which he pointed and replied: " No because you see...that'ssss.. that's a fucking saw blade!"