Go It Alone/Fireworks/Eating Glass/Easy Days

This past Thursday was Go It Alone's last Toronto show as they're breaking up after this tour, I think a final show is going to happen in December or something.

Anyway, The first band to play was Easy Days. They're from St. Catharine's, a city in Southern Ontario and play a mix of youth crew hardcore and early 2000's Boston Hardcore along the lines of Mental. I thought they played pretty well, musically i really enjoyed them, the only thing that bugged me was the singer wouldn't turn and face the crowd, he always had his back to the crowd. I guess being a new band it takes time to feel comfortable, either way i still liked their set quite a bit and I'm looking forward to hearing new things from this band.

Next up were Eating Glass, they got kids moshing and signing along, which was nice to see considering they haven't been around for all that long. This was my third time seeing them and by far the best time. They seem to have really grown in the past few months and their take on thrashy hardcore is going to start catching eyes. Out of any band in the Toronto/Southern Ontario area, I'm most excited to see what the future holds for this band. If they keep at it i think they'll really catch on.

Fireworks played next. They're from Michigan and play really catchy pop punk that's just rough enough around the edges to make it really enjoyable. I just started listening to this band when i heard they were playing this show. I've given their EP a few listens and I've enjoyed it but it was nice to hear the songs played live, they come off really well and the band seemed to have a lot of energy. I think they sound a lot like early New Found Glory, which isn't a bad thing at all, it reminds me of being 15 again.

Next up was Go It Alone. Needless to say I was really anticipating their set, and they exceeded my expectations in every way. They opened with Rapture from their new record, that song sounded way heavier played live. Right from the start kids were moshing and singing along harder than i have seen in a long while. Next they played two songs from The Only Blood Between Us, Constant Refrain, and Cold Winter. Both those songs are great and only made the atmosphere more intense. Next they played the title track to their Histories 7", Evelyn from TOBBU, and Picking Up The Pieces from the Vancouver Gold EP. Evelyn was probably my favorite song of the night, the end of the song was incredible. The lyrics to that song mean a lot to me, i'll post them further down. Next they played Our Mistakes, Rapture, Flatline and a Chain of Strength cover which was awesome. They finished with the title track from their first LP. I don't think people were ready to see them go, so after a little persistent chanting and encouragement they played one last song, Statement, to finish the night.

I can't really describe how much fun i had at this show, i can't remember the last time a show was this memorable. I was happy to see Go It Alone get the kind of response they deserve and even happier to be a part of it. The intensity level of the whole band was great, even with how much i enjoy their records, their live show blows the records away. It's sad to see these guys go, but i imagine they accomplished more than they set out to. Given the sound of their last record i really think their sound has come full circle, if there ever was a perfect time to call it a day i guess this would be it. Anyway, here are some pictures from Go It Alone's set:

Thanks to Andrew Schoenrock for the pictures.

Here are some more pictures:

Credit goes to antipeterleague

I think I've posted this song before, but it deserves to be posted again.

Evelyn

It's a sick world and innocence doesn't last any longer than bloodstains on the city streets that wash out with the rain, slip through gutters and down the drains. Down here life decays like scraps of old newsprint that yellow with age. There's a place in the city where things go to die and the streets are littered with soiled lives. Human wreckage the byproduct of a diseased society. It's a disease. It's a cold world and the sick and addicted are left to die in the corner of town that tourists don't see and on the street corners at night. Desperation is an ugly sight so we force fake smiles and avert our eyes. We become prisoners of our own privilege, living in fear of those we've demonized. There's a place in the city where things go to die. A spectacle of ruined lives. Destitution and addiction, symptoms of a modern plague. It's a disease. So lock your doors and close your eyes and whisper to yourself: "Everything will be alright." It's a cruel world and innocence gets lost somewhere in piss soaked alleys and on filthy streets.