Day 3 - Sunday, May 25, 2014
Let’s start out with my big regret of the day. I really wish we would have woke up early and gone to see the film Filmage which was the history of the Descendents (and I think a ALL but not sure here). That was probably something I will regret if this never makes it out on DVD.
Again, it was over 100° outside early so we got there around 5:00pm and skipped The Objex, Lost in Society, and La Plebe.
However, we made it in time to see Masked Intruder who I will say right here will be the next NOFX if they can keep their shit together. For those who do not know, this band likes to keep their identity unknown so much so that they each where a winter ski cap mask that covers their face. Each band member wearing a different color mask which often times copies the color of their instrument. I thought they were from Wisconsin, but the lead singer has a fucking accent from New York stronger than the Jerky Boys. I still can’t believe they played their hit song (in my mind) “Stick ‘Em Up” as their first song instead of making the crowd wait for them to play it last. They also played quite a bit of tunes from their newest CD that just dropped to shelves this week. The funniest fucking thing was this guy dressed as a cop that initially stood on stage stoically. As their set went on, he ended up beating people up (staged), stage diving and crowd surfing, and stripping down to his undies. Holy shit! Well, I have written enough about a band at the lower end of the bill for the day, but these guys will be big. Trust me! Here are some tunes I remember from their set.
Stick em Up
How Do I Get to You
25 to Life
Unrequited Love
Wish You Were Mine
Crazy
ADT Security
I Fought the Law
The Most Beautiful Girl
Crime Spree
Hey Girl
SNFU were up next….. God Damn! This is the same band that I heard on the Stern Brothers (yes, those guys putting this festival together for the last 15 or so years) BYO label compilation when I was in high school. I was so excited to finally get to see them play. Over the years, I have heard all of the stories about the lead singer, Chi Pig. I didn’t realize how true they were. This was far and away the most disappointing set of the entire weekend. So much so, that I only recognized 3 songs that they played. They were some of my favorites but just didn’t come remotely close to what I have heard thru the needle on the records. The set started with “Womanizer”, midway thru “She’s Not on the Menu” shortly followed by “Cannibal Cafe”. As much as I tried to pretend this was awesome, I was dismayed by the fact that they didn’t play more tunes from ….And Know One Else Wanted to Play. Additionally, it was a bit of a sham. End of story...they are washed up. It really hit me when I saw all ~80lbs of Chi Pig walking thru the crowd after the show with a Snoopy pilot helmet. Some may have said that he looked like the main character in the TV show "Kung Fu" albeit maybe 100lbs lighter.
I had heard enough of The Dwarves singer say “Yeah!” at the 2000 Tons of TNT fest a few years ago so I thought it was a good time to get my feet some rest, buy a beer and a buffalo burger. Yeah!!!!
Up next were The Adicts. This must be the 5th time or so that I have seen these guys (well, with a gal now who is pleasant to the eye). Outside of Cock Sparrer, this band does the best job of forcing the crowd to get involved in the show. Love ‘em. Great show again! Over the last few years, I have started to watch the English Premier League soccer games. I have migrated to Man U as my team (with the Cockney Rejects West Ham U as an underdog fave). Well, the Adicts are Liverpool supporters (they had a good team this year). They played “We Will Never Walk Alone” which is the Liverpool anthem. I do find myself singing along during the show and when watching the Liverpool games on TV when those in attendance are chanting. These guys (and now gal too) never disappoint. Monkey has hit kit of streamers that he shoots into the crowd, rolls around the mic stand, etc. Let’s not forget the Adicts beach balls at the end of the set. Hell, these fuckers hot down the PRB UFO!! Here is what I remember them playing.
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Face to Face were up next. My fat ass needed a break so I headed back to the tents. After all, it was over 100° today. This is a band that is an enigma for me. Their catalog on Fat Wreck Chords could be ranked up there with some of the best early 90s punk rock. After that, I kinda lost interest in them. After some rest, I headed toward the stage for a listen. The crowd loved them. I was caught in the middle of this sounds great (for those songs I remembered) and this is mediocre (for those songs that were post Fat). I really think they were too far up in the lineup than they should have been, but considering those bands that played today there may not have been any better before the headliner.
Well, everything does not suck even though the Descendents decided to open with “Everything Sux”. Hell, it was the Descendents. How the fuck could anything suck?!? See, way back in the 80s I had this buddy named Larry that was way ahead of the punk rock curve. He was two years older than me. He and I played little league football together. It also just so happened that his older sister and my older brother dated in high school. His other older sister was also good friends with my old sister. Low and behold later his younger sister had a crush on my younger brother. Enuff of that. Larry introduced me to the Descendents, Peter and the Test Tube Babies, and a band most people probably never heard of or mistake for a newer band, The Drones. Larry ended up fronting a band named Youthquake who had a few tracks on some Mystic Records compilations. We had another buddy named Pat who ended up playing 2nd base for the Yankees for several years. Small town. Legends in my eyes in different angles. I miss both those guys!
Enuff of my sob story. The fucking Descendents were on stage. Most of the male population that graduated from Catasauqua High School during the 80s-90s ranked this band as their all time favorite. Me included and at the head of the pulpit preaching their ALLness! As much as I enjoyed seeing some bands for the very first time and thought it was a religious experience, every time I see the Descendents play live they are the Bible!!! From the first note to the last there is never a band better than these guys. Yes, I could bitch about they should have played this or they should have played that. Others bitch about they play too many songs after their first 3 releases. Who gives a fuck?!? It is the goddamn Descendents! No one is better. Well folks, this is what blasted out of the speakers as the best fucking sound of the weekend!
Everything Sux
Hope
Rotting Out
I Want To Be A Bear
Clean Sheets
My Dad Sucks
Van
Suburban Home (w/ Zach Blair)
Silly Girl
Pervert
I'm The One
Coffee Mug
Allogistics
Nothing With You
I Like Food
Myage
When I Get Old
Coolidge
Get The Time
Talking
I Don't Want To Grow Up
Der Weinerschnitzel
Bikeage
Thank You
I'm Not a Loser
Descendents
Well, now the festival was over and it was time for the club shows. Fuck my feet! I couldn’t do it. And, I couldn’t let anything be better than the Descendents for the night and for the weekend. I sold my tix to my buddy Ben and he and Earthdog hit the club shows
I missed the Meatmen. I saw them at 2000 Tons of TNT a few years ago so it was not a complete disaster. I would have liked to have listened to them play “Dinosaur” live again - a hit track from their new release that came out this month.
I do regret missing Cock Sparrer play a club show. In fact, my buddy Ben rated this the best event of the entire weekend. While I may argue that the Descendents played and are ALLways better, he has a good case. Cock Sparrer rocked at the Metro a few years ago at Riot Fest!
Here is Earthdog's story.
DAY 3: PIZZA AND KUNG FU
This afternoon was spent chillaxing in our room. Occasionally I would check out the view
of the “shark tank” at the pool while watching re-runs of In the Heat of the Night. Soon we
would be in real heat, as it was a hot one today! I grabbed some pizza that was cooked inside an
actual fire truck. Unfortunately I think they forgot to take out all the motor oil. Oh well-it was
back to “The Rebel” later that day. First band we caught was Masked Intruder. They put on a
tight show; the fat cop was funny too. Next came SNFU. I don’t know much about these dudes,
but the singer looked like he just walked off the stage after a 70’s TV show shoot. The Adicts
were awesome. Great songs, cool stage props, and a new female violinist who had some great
“chops.” Face to Face was next. Highlight of PRB-NO CONTEST. The crowd was amped, I
knew the words to most of the songs, and the cold ones were flowing. What more could you ask
for? Descendents wrapped it up and they also were fantastic. Enjoy!
Club shows would be a double dipper tonight. First-The Meatmen at Country Saloon. Epic!
Tesco and the boys rocked the house and they have a new album out too so what are you waiting
for? We skipped out after their set to catch the “secret” show, which ended up being Cock
Sparrer in a club setting. Very cool to see, even if the set was close to what they had played at
the festival. Still worthwhile-but another late night. Ben and I closed down the Backstage Bar;
Lewdd had to go get his beauty sleep.
