Ten minutes before the Black Cat opened Thursday night, an 18-year-old boy adorned in rhinestone-covered leather, acid-washed jeans and enough genuine punk paraphernalia to suspect he'll burn down his local Hot Topic one day, coughed up his dinner in the 30-degree winds of downtown D.C.
Before punk shows, especially hardcore ones, this is actually considered a pretty good omen. Whether you call it street, hardcore or East Coast punk, the harsher and grimier the atmosphere the more it adds to the scene. With leftist-punk upstarts Strike Anywhere headlining that night, they probably welcomed the presence of uncomfortable truths in and around the club, while East Coast hardcore mainstays the Unseen probably just dug the idea of their fans having a gut-wrenching experience.
The night started off with the Loved Ones, a pop-punk outfit loosely based out of Philadelphia that began touring in May 2004. Though relatively unknown, they've been part of bills that have included local favorites such as Hot Water Music and the Bouncing Souls. Their set showed that the band has the raw materials to become a unique and prolific voice in the D.C. area.
Unfortunately, rookie mistakes abounded throughout their set. Lead singer and guitarist Dave Hause had a strong stage presence vocally, but the heavy bass line in his voice blended too sharply with the talented work of bassist Michael Cotterman. Luckily, Hause's rapport with the audience overshadowed some of these weaknesses, for the most part. However, the many stage poses he blatantly lifted from Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong were still troubling.
What could not be ignored, though, was the slow and plodding beat of drummer Mike Sneeringer, who sounded like he was playing with wet socks for drumsticks. His subpar work dragged the band down on its most energetic and inviting numbers, such as "Arsenic" and "Jane." Of all the aspects of the Loved Ones that may improve with time, Sneeringer's musical progression seems to be the least likely.
After the obligatory mic and equipment checks, the Unseen were up next. For all the faults you can find with the Boston-based hardcore band, it has managed to cultivate an impressive underground following in the past several years with very limited resources. Even those who've never heard one of the band's relentlessly vicious and thankfully short tracks have undoubtedly seen its logo pinned to a denim jacket or on a T-shirt. Without question, half of the crowd came out for the Unseen and regarded Strike Anywhere as an added bonus.
The Unseen upheld their reputation as the black-tar heroin of punk rock. Those expecting to see heavy improvisation, thin melodic phrasing or passable lyrics could be seen drifting to the back and watching the band as a zoo-like curiosity. The cult followers of the Unseen staunchly held their positions in front of the stage.
The Unseen's vocalist was the center of attention, effectively catering to the hardcore fans by playing mostly the band's earliest and most juvenile work. While his interplay and energy were impressive, he seemed reluctant to acknowledge the strides the band had made in recent years to grow out of petulance and aimless anger. Still, for fans of hardcore punk, the Unseen are the quintessential keepers of the faith, rarely diluting the anger and discontent that are embodied in their most successful tracks, such as "Are We There Yet."
As headliners, Strike Anywhere's set was brief, but energetic and wholly satisfying. They continue to stand as a rarity in their genre. Normally, street punk bands with strong political views sown into their work have no grasp of musical basics, especially melody and harmony. When Strike Anywhere emerged in Richmond, Va., around 1999, they violated this rule. While the band has unshakeable street cred with fans of hardcore punk, it also incorporates pop sensibilities and political messages in its work with ease. At the Black Cat, this hybrid came to full fruition.
The blending of Matt Smith's and Matt Sherwood's fast and loose guitar work with Thomas Barnett's throaty vocals radiated throughout the entire set. Wisely, the band chose to play its signature tune, "Infra-Red," early, leaving room for equally impressive songs featured on its upcoming album. In a display of considerable class, Barnett notified the audience of obscure local punk shows around D.C., saying that attendees "support their scene," the same scene they fight to survive in.
In terms of execution, Strike Anywhere flawlessly hit all their cues while injecting excitement and variation, giving the fans their money's worth. They never slowed down, never took a wasted breath and never bored the crowd with ponderous politics. The scary part is that they're still a relatively young band that will inevitably get better with each album.
It's so rare to find a show where all the acts of a single night display the level of gratefulness found at the Black Cat on Thursday. But whenever Strike Anywhere headlines at any regional club, a sense of sincere excitement and thoughtfulness are never far behind.
