A friend recently made the comment on hardcore music of "wasn't that popular like 10 years ago" and while I wouldn't wholeheartedly agree with this statement, it does have some truth to it for me.
So it was a bit of somewhat unease that I found myself in Whelans on a Monday night to see not one, two or three but four hardcore bands. I was of course like most people there to see Converge but if a good - read as safe and comfortable - spot was to be got I needed to be in moderately early and there to see the support acts Kylesa, Gaza and Kvelertak.
On a sidenote before I'm attacked by pedants, I'm aware not all these bands fit into what I'm calling the "hardcore" genre but if you think I'm referring to them in the barrage of pseudo genres seemingly created at will by magazines searching for a new trend then you're in the wrong place.
Arriving at the venue and Kvelertak were already on and almost over. I actually didn't catch any of them but from what I could hear from outside they were loud, really fucking loud. I was immediately cursing my lack of earplugs to hand and the inevitable tinnitus this gig would lead to. Entering the venue and it was a quick beeline for the safety of the balcony upstairs. I'd like to take this time to express my love for balconies, perfect few, never too many people there and sometimes the most wonderful of all things - seats. No seats today but I guess a good old fashioned wall leaning was good enough.
First band of the night for me Gaza. Here we go. The first thing I took note of was how the singer was using the microphone stand which correct me if I'm wrong is normally a rarity when you're not playing an instrument. How was he supposed to prowl around the stage and swing the microphone? He had a trick up his sleeve though, a mic on a stand lives both arms free to point with both hands at a time and also my personal favourite, imitating cutting your own wrists. Gaza lead singer, I salute you. Musically, they were certainly a talented and tight band if lacking any kind of real hooks or imagination for their songs. If they'd just slogged on with their tunes and exited stage left I'd have been fine with them, but no, they had to be political. I've often said that there's only one thing worse than a bad hardcore band and that's a bad political hardcore band. Saying this song is about George Bush and Tony Blair or the Women's Liberation Front doesn't make your music any more interesting or meaningful, just that bit more annoying.
Next up were Kylesa who perked my interest when I saw the presence of two drumkits, and there was a girl in the band! I bet she has a better death growl than half the guys in the place. After what seemed the longest soundcheck I've ever bore witness to it was go time. The first song was a pretty good one, a nice dual drummer intro and more of a slower sludgey riff driven song than I assumed I was going to get. And I one the bet, the female singer did in fact have a doom chant on her that would have made your average metal vocalist blush. From here it can of got for lack of a better word samey. Each song in their set wracking in about the six minute mark each went a fairly similar path, male vocalist for some screaming verses and then female vocalist for the volcano erupting bellow chorus. Unfortunately the two drummers never really added much to the proceedings save for the odd dual breakdown. I will say though that I think that Kylesa are probably a grower of a band, just a shame their live show didn't make me want to revisit them anytime soon. On the plus side, they were neither political nor did they spend the gap between talking shite. For this I commend them.
Time for Converge, I'm excited, they're one of few bands from the "hardcore" genre that I still listen to these days and I've never seen them live before tonight. Another long long changeover and soundcheck ensues with all members on the stage and Jacob Bannon pacing around like a rather pissed off lion, albeit a skinny tattooed and maneless lion. One thing I'll give the man though, he runs a tight ship, everything near the stage is cleared and my god does he enjoy a dry floor. You immediately know that things are going to get a little batshit bonkers up here. And they do, no sooner have they ripped into new song Dark Horse and the place has gone mad, people are flying off stages, girls look to be getting crushed and it seems we've reached the end of days. Converge play with an intensity I don't think I've ever seen in any other band, one song finishes only to be greeted with another only mere milliseconds later. There are a few breaks to thank the crowd, give the usual "gig of the tour" or "favourite city to play in" spiel but it's mostly all business. Tracks from new album Axe To Fall blend in perfectly alongside those from Jane Doe and You Fail Me. By the end of an adrenaline fueled 60 minute set it's amazing how people are still giving just as much as they did before the first beat of a drum. I'm almost certain I saw one guy stage dive at least 8 times and each time only managing to initiate a head on collision with the floor. Everyone walks out being well and truly metaphorically kicked in the face, some actually being kicked in the face. An outstanding performance from a band not only kings of their genre whatever you may call it but on top of their game in the live arena.
On a final note, I must mention the moment of the night for me. After a fan managed to crowd surf on stage for some sort of solace from the chaos they had just left, I imagined that Jacob would have seen this poor sight of a paying member of their loyal fan base almost half unconscious and picked him up and ushered him to the side of the stage, but no, instead he launched a leg drop on him that Hulk Hogan himself would have been proud of.
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