I saw Modern Life Is War last night for what i believe was the fifth time. It was one of the better times seeing them, just because Jeff seemed to really be into it, and i was equally as into it.
The turnout was weak once again. I guess the hipsters united and decided MLIW wasn't their cup of tea any longer. It's really amazing in a city that has a lot of great hardcore punk bands that a band as good as MLIW gets ignored. But if it isn't trendy here it doesn't fly. Another reason why i will never follow and will probably never truly feel at home in this scene.
They played most of my favorite songs including, first and ellen, by the sea, the outsiders, dead ramones, and clarity. They played three new songs each of which were really good. Their new record is going to be amazing.
I lost it during pretty much every song they played, more than normally would. I think it's becuase ive been so into Witness lately, it's almost as if i've been able to pin down where this band is coming from and it makes it that much more meaningful.
I lost my voice almost completely after the show, i guess i felt i needed to make up for the lack of support or something, me and my friend Etienne along with some really obnoxious kid were really the only ones consistently into it. We talked to Jeff after the show briefly, he seems like a really nice dude. We also talked to Brooke Strauss who is touring with them playing an acoustic set before their set. He seems like a really interesting guy, his lyrics were disturbing, not really in a bad way, more in a depressing, being torn from the depths of his soul way.
I've been listening to Witness a lot lately, the more i listen to it the more i get an "On The Road", "Jack Kerouac" vibe. The book seems to epitomize coming of age in Western society even today. For those of us who are searching for something real, something different, i think this book can't really say it any better. For me Witness definitely expands on this theme and the new record, from what little i was able to grasp seems to be expanding even further.
Trying to live for what your heart longs for is something that's nearly impossible with the obstacles we're faced with. Most of us can't even recognize what we want or need, we just do what we're supposed to be doing and that's the end. It never goes any further we just live our lives dead inside. Bands like MLIW deserve a lot of credit for being truthful to themselves and not giving in, i guess the challenge is finding a way to live, individually, without any restraints limiting your potential.
7 comments:
show sounds fun. i went to a couple shows here and the turn out was pretty shitty too. but a lot of kids said they wouldn't go because of death before dishonor.
haha brooks! my mom was real scared me him...she was like, katie hes weird.
I don't get why you wouldn't go to a show because you don't like one band.
If you dig MLIW just show up for them. I think it was the same deal here, it's like a hit to their scene prestige if they watch a band that isn't considered hip enough.
HAHA thats funny your mom was scared of him, he seemed like a pretty tame dude, minus his appearance.
I take it you had them stay at your place on their way through Albany?
i dont get it... one of my friends said something like this...
mliw was/is that one special band that busted their asses for years...and now they are touring with FSU bands...playing bigger places for money. i guess they just arent dyi enough. haha
i really liked brooks when i saw him. he was real raw and intimidating. and he wrote a song about cats! gotta love him.
yeah they stayed here a couple times...they're nuts.
hows anthropology going?
They're still busting their asses, touring all over the place and they sound as tight as ever.
I guess its sort of an elitist attitude and its one punk and hardcore would be btter off without. It seems to be permeating its way through impressionable minds. Swallowing pride is never easy though.
My Anthropology class is going really good. The book i'm reading about selling crack in East Harlem is awesome, the author is insane, i really can't believe he's still alive.
I also got to go on a bit of a rant about globalization today, which was rad.
Ever since the beginning of hardcore and punk, scenesters tend to piss on bands that become 'bigger' by their hard labour.
It's something I'll never understand but you see very often. American Nightmare was the best thing ever the one day and a bunch of sell outs the next. (Maybe a bad example because in the end they turned out to be a bunch of sell outs ;-) )
Still you get my point.
Its true Rold.
It just disturbs me because its so far from the ideal. I feel like attitudes like that aren't needed and yet so many people have them.
jeff eaton made a zine- with poetry- stuff that inspired him to write the songs on midnight in america.
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