Review: This Is Hardcore 08
I had the pleasure of working this years festival as a part of Floating Boy Media, a company my good friend Seth Kline and I started about 4 years ago in Philadelphia. Over the years we have built a good enough relationship with Joe Hardcore and R5 that we have been invited back to the fest, as it’s official film crew three straight years. This year to finally film the fest for a major DVD release from Eulogy records. So enough about that stuff and let me talk about the actual fest. Now as a general rule my reviews are not nitpicking set lists and all that crap. I just mainly try and describe my experience. I am not hip enough to know all the songs but I just love seeing good bands and great fest.
This was my first time attending the fest and I must say it made me feel pretty good about the state of hardcore in Philadelphia and nationwide. I arrived early to set up and was able to watch as kids from all over piled into the venue to watch everyone from the smaller unknowns to the headliners. It was a real show with people from the real scene in attendance. This was not some corporate sponsored fiasco with more emphasis on making money than on promoting a scene that has meant so much to so many. There were no cheesy banners from beer companies or energy drinks surrounding the stages or bands whose only interest was to get a fat paycheck. This was pure, or as pure as we can get these days, to what this scene was intended to be. Joe Hardcore, R5 Productions and the rest of the people who put this thing together did a stand up job.
Due to some early technical difficulties I was not able to really watch the early bands as I was running around like a mad man with the rest of our crew. I pretty much missed all of Mother Of Mercy, Violation and Death Cycle. Fortunately by the midway point of day one we were rolling at a good enough pace I was able to catch a glimpse of things from behind my monitors. Jasta, Jamie from Hatebreed’s side project was good and pretty much covered most of the good Hatebreed and Icepick songs that the kids were there to hear. He also did some new stuff from the projects upcoming release. After them came 100 Demons who pretty much blew the place up and set kids up for the two final bands Paint It Black and Madball. Though I have never been a huge Paint It Black fan I was very pleased with their set and I think they are growing on me. Their energy, especially that of singer Dan Yemin, is something to behold. After they finished it was time for my personal favorite NYHC legends Madball. It was during their set that I realized what a privilege it was to not only be there but to be a part of this DVD. I was live editing a set by my favorite band so I was focused on that more than getting into the show. I think they turned out yet another killer show. So after a sometimes hectic technical day I would say I went home excited for day two.
Day two started out very smoothly and we were set up and rolling by the time Hollows, who filled in for Kingdom, took the stage. I felt they were a good band that was still earning their stripes. Next up were Convicted, Poverty Bay Saints, Living Hell, Alpha & Omega, and Brain Dead. I was impressed with all of them but it was my first time seeing any of these bands so I must admit I wasn’t way into it. I think all the early bands on the second day were pleasant surprises for me. I am an old critical and cynical guy when it comes to bands but I liked them all and the crowd, though sometimes small, seemed to have fun. The rest of day two was filled with some great bands and the energy in the place began to really build. Know the Score and Reign Supreme killed it yet again but it was Killing The Dream that really blew me away. They just had a sound; stage presence and crowd response that made me feel 16 again. I was blessed to have seen such a good up and coming band. Check these dudes out for sure. Next was a personal favorite in Strength For A Reason who put on a great set. I was actually surprised at how much energy they had and how tight they played. I love em but this was especially good. I took my break during the Mongoloids but I assume they played well and made the people happy, as they seem to do. I returned for what was called “the old-timers block” which featured Ensign, who were great, Maximum Penalty who I hadn’t seen in years, and a the band I came to see Fahrenheit 451. I am biased but I think F 451 was great despite a very small amount of people watching them. I was a little saddened by that. They pretty much played everything you would expect and had the same energy they had ten years ago.
The rest of the night was a power packed line up of headliners started off by Let Down who I had never seen so I was happy with what I witnessed. Next was Cold World who everyone seems to talk about either positively or negatively depending on which way the wind blew that week. I wanted to see for myself. I thought they put on the second best show of the night and I believe the crowd thought so two. It was a series of stage dives and pile ones from start to finish. Then the hometown heroes, Blacklisted, came up and just owned the stage for their time. It was a typically energetic set that I expect from them. Joe Hardcore who was acting as stage security was able to provide guest vocals on some songs between tossing kids into the crowd left and right. After Blacklisted finished up it was time for Comeback Kid who I have followed since their inception and honestly lost interest over the years. I wasn’t expecting much from them or the crowd and I was 100% wrong. They not only drew the biggest crowd but they completely blew the roof off the place. I was standing in the back watching the room move. It was one of those moments in hardcore when you see why people work so hard to make these shows happen. Just a perfect ending to a perfect day.
The final day started off good with One Win Choice who I was really into. After them was Lighten Up and Hard Response who again I enjoyed. I was on a break during My Turn To Win but got back in time to catch Soul Control who were one of my favorites of the day despite never hearing of them before that morning. No Turning Back and Cheap Tragedies lived up to their hype and the crowd was pretty into them. I had heard that No Turning Back was one of the bands to catch so I am glad I did. When Trapped Under Ice came up I was pumped because they were one of the sorta locals hailing from Baltimore but a staple in the Harrisburg & York scenes. Due to technical difficulties they got off to rough start but the crowd did not mind and they killed it. At one point the stage was just covered with kids and it was another “take me back” moment for me. I loved it and if it weren’t for Wisdom in Chains coming on after them I would have voted them my favorite of the day. The fact was however Wisdom in Chains was next and they completely tore it up with a great set filled with guest singers, crowd participation and just all around good times. This is where the story gets sad for me as I had to catch a train back to Harrisburg so I missed the final five bands including Vision, Death Before Dishonor and Terror.
So in summary This Is Hardcore Festival 2008 was everything it was supposed to be. It was three days of real hardcore put together for the scene by the scene. It was a special weekend that seem few and far between these days. There were no fights, no stupid drama, rock star crap or anything that could dampen the mood in the room. The bands were great and the crowd was as pumped up as I could have expected. Joe Hardcore has got this thing down and he deserves a lot of credit for putting everything he has into it. I think people often have the wrong idea of who Joe really is and how smart this dude is. I was blown away about how organized it was and how it ran on schedule, even ahead at points. R5 Productions once again came through and did their normal great job with the sound and all the other behind the scenes stuff that make them maybe the best show promoters in the US. I can’t say enough about how happy I was to see a weekend of hardcore that was not tainted by corporate messages and scenester attitudes. It was what it was meant to be. It was a celebration of a community and family of people that make up this scene. I was thrilled to be a part of it and hopefully will every year. I know this is a very positive review but I honestly saw no real negatives except that I was not able to fully enjoy every set because I was working. I give big props to the bands, the promoters and the kids for making it a success. Hardcore needed this fest and Joe Hardcore delivered for the third year in a row.
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