Show Review: H2O, Youth Brigade, Cruel Hand, Angel Dust, Shit Kill @ The Gramercy Theater, NYC. Dec 27 2013

H2O, during their set. Credit not mine, found the picture from H2O's facebook page.

This was a show that I literally found out about maybe a week and a half before it occurred. This show also happened to be on the night before my 30th birthday. And myself, being such a loving fan of H2O, I coulnd't pass the chance to seeing one of my favorite and most influential bands (to me that is) on my birthday's eve. This being said, I dragged by beloved girlfriend, who is not really into hardcore, although appreciates the musicality of it, to the show. Another crazy fact about this show is that this was H2O's 19th anniversary, so that means that H2O played their first show I was about 11 years old on the dot, because as Toby, the singer said on stage, they played their first show on December 28, 1994. Anyway, on to the action!

The first band that played this show was in reality this random band called Shit Kill. These guys you could tell by their age(drummer apart) that this was their first band ever. They weren't particularly good either, most of their moves, if you could call them that, were very practiced and awful. The only thing they had going on was their bassist girl, who was the only one smiling, while the rest of the guys were very serious. The worst part of seeing this band was that I kept expecting a good song, and the last song they played was pretty much like them taking Refuse/Resist by Sepultura, changing the riffs a little, but keeping the song structure exactly the same. When I say same, I mean it, to the point that after their set I thought to myself out loud "Max Cavalera would be really pissed at such a bad song written after one of his", and a dude near me that heard it nodded at me and laughed. Also, I get the idea of kind of bad band names, including my own band, but Shit Kill? Really?

After that first awful experience it was Angel Dust's turn. I had only heard this band name before and had not an idea of what they were going to be like. I found out they are that guy that sings for Trapped Under Ice side project, or current project. They are pretty much one of these "super-bands" in the respect that it's a "members of" type of deal. They were like that Warzone style hardcore, also very melodic, very Ramones influenced, they played a Ramones cover to say the least. They weren't bad as a matter of fact, but I wasn't also like all about them. I have seen better bands that play that style and haven't gotten the oportunity to play a show like that for lack of connections, I guess, but I mean, their other bands are very hardworking, so in a way they are there for their own merit. I am interested in seeing where this band keeps going now that TUI is in hiatus and the drummer's band plays very little (Turnstile) from what I see.

Some ten to fifteen minutes after that it was Cruel Hand time. Apart from H2O, they were the only band I was really looking forward to see. And as always they did not dissapoint. One of the most energetic bands out there, and hardworking to be fair to them. Their set wasn't particularly long, and I came out of mosh retirement, or as I call it, a warm-up for H2O's set later on. They also played a brand new song of an album that if I recall they said had just recorded, but were looking for a label to put out. If it's not that it means that they were about to record it. The part I do remember is the part that they were looking for a label. Anyway the song killed, way heavier than what they usually play, more mid 90s Roadrunner Records style, in heavyness it reminded me of like Davidian by Machine Head, but also of Biohazard's urban Discipline, but also had that thrash influence to it. I really liked it and am definitely looking forward for that release.

Youth Brigade was to follow, and I have to say, I did not see a single song from their set. I was downstairs chatting up with people looking at the merch, getting ready for H2O's set. Not to disrespect Youth Brigade, but I really wasn't there for them. I mean I could hear fairly well from downstairs and I did see part of their set through the house Video system they have, but all I remember was hoping for them to finish as quickly as possible so I could enjoy my favorite band.

Finally!!! H2O. I couldn't have been happier. They started their set with Five-Year Plan, and it was off. The croud wasn't the usual crowd I have seen at for example the Hardcore Bowl, knowing a lot of people travel for that, but it was good, nevertheless. Toby dedicated to me Surrounded, which happens to be, in my humble opinion, the best song out of the first full-length, and he did say that I come all the time from Puerto Rico, which is never really true, because I have lived in the States for 11 years now and have told him personally that I live here now, but I still went off. Their set was long, but I liked the fact they played songs out of Go, which rarely ever happens. They closed their set with What Happened? which is usual, but their encore, now I have to tell you. They did come back and played Dont Forget the Struggle by Warzone, which is totally amazing, but the fact that they did play my favorite song that they have ever written which was Memory Lane last in the encore. I literally teared up and as my girlfriend told me, I guess i was doing the R. Kelly "open arms" pose a lot. It was awesome. Their set was awesome, and long and fun. But then, If you are looking for an objective review on an H2O set, I am not the person to read.

To close off, I have to give a shout-out to my boy Rony, who got me a ticket to go to the show as a b-day present, and for letting me bother him that weekend staying with him!