Show Jounal 2024-11-01
It’s been a long time since I’ve written one of these. A lot of people asked “why did you take this show?” The answer was simply because Countdown to Life asked us to play. The show was definitely a throwback of sorts. We’ve played with Countdown many times over the years, most notably at the Halloween show that wound up on our Rise Again DVD, but many times before and since as well. We had only played a show with Berzerk twice before, with the first time being back in 1999. All three of us had played a show together once before back in 2004, so to say our history runs deep would be an understatement.
The show itself was wild. Dave picked us up in his Coldwar Industries ambulance. If you haven’t seen this thing before it has its own Instagram account and is worth a look. Justin and I were in the back and it was only sketchy when he hit the brakes and all of the gear violently shifted towards our exposed limbs. It was definitely fun all riding together, but that could have been the effects of the exhaust in the back compartment. The venue was pretty great. I had searched it up online and thought we’d be playing in the seating area of a Chinese restaurant, but it turns out there was a bar and large stage in the back, complete with a large balcony.
Berzerk was up first and it was so nice to see them again. They started playing music in their teens which is mind boggling when you think about it. I know our band started early, but they started in high school. They were catchier than I remember, but still super aggressive, which is always fun to see for bands our age. I have always looked up to Berzerk since they were on a real label and had toured with real bands. They had always seemed one step ahead of everyone and I can still see why.
Our set was everything I hoped it would be. Sing alongs, fists in the air, hardcore finger pointing, and even some moshing. There were a few missed chords, but I can’t imagine anyone cared. We did have one cameo that is worth a shot out. Jim’s daughter Luci came up to sing a cover of Rebel Girl by Bikini Kill. She had only sang once before in front of people and she did a fantastic job. Speaking of kids, both Dave and Justin brought their kids as well, which was cool to see. Mine were double booked elsewhere, and at least one of the two let me know in no uncertain words that she didn’t appreciate my lack of planning.
Countdown to Life was amazing. They make playing hardcore look so effortless. The riffs are interesting and recognizable, the music is crushing but catchy, and they have aged wonderfully. They play a genre that a lot of bands play, yet they sound so unique. Danny was completely engaged with everyone near the front and ushered in stage diving for the last half of the show which made it feel like 2004 all over again.
I really don’t have the words to thank everyone who attended. We had people from the Kelvis era, people from The Return era, people from the Rise Again era, the Requiem era, and even a few folks we met since we stopped actively playing. Quite literally, every few minutes I wound turn around, make eye contact with someone and realize I knew them from some point in my life. I’ve never given and received so many hugs in one room. Many brought their kids, which is wild to even consider. A lot of folks wore merchandise that we made decades ago. I especially loved seeing all of the folks wearing their Dustin Wheeler shirts. Although I didn’t get to speak to her personally, Dustin’s mom did come up to Dave and said she appreciated him talking about Dustin. Although we didn’t talk about it, I’m sure Dave and Justin had a moment like I did, where I realized we were in Longview and wouldn’t see Dustin which is still heartbreaking.
We very much appreciate everyone who traveled to attend the show representing Portland, Tri-Cities, Eugene, Bend, Seattle, and even Austin. Seeing that our band has existed for 30 years now, the weeks leading up to the show and the show itself unlocked some seriously deep memories. Our impact on the local music scene is a sliver by most people’s standards, but that little shred means the world to us, and the fact so many people were so responsive after all of these years make us feel complete. Thanks to everyone and especially Josh and Countdown for having us.
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