Concert Review: Leftover Crack @ Thee Parkside 4/30/08
Last night was the first of two shows that those crusty ska-punks Leftover Crack (aka Choking Victim/Crack Rock Steady Seven) are playing at the divey Parkside. I could tell I was in the right place because of the odor that follows the band everywhere they go and the fact that the Parkside security staff, who usually just card people, was out in full force: patting kids down and stealing any 40 ouncers people tried to smuggle in.
The scene inside was a little intimidating at first, maybe it's just that I'm a bit socially awkward, or maybe it was that most of the kids had the "punker than thou" attitude about them, but either way, I had to get inside as soon as possible. Inside was a bit darker, but I now knew where the stench I smelled outside came from. Thee Parkside doesn't have the greatest ventilation in the world. But then close the doors to the outside and add about 150 sweaty punks and you get a humid climate only found in the tropics of South America.
The first band, La Grita, brought it hard! With tag-team female/male vocals the band blasted through their set like they were storming a police line. Blast beats followed by an occasional breakdown was La Grita's M.O. and where some bands fail to keep it interesting, the band's songs were short and to the point, something I love in a live punk act.
Second up was Oakland's Instant Asshole, who reminded me of 80's Anti-Regan hardcore, but with the clarity and cleanliness of late 90's bay area punk. The band is on fuzz actually! so check out their page at http://instantasshole.fuzz.com and check them out for yourself!!!
Finally, with the temprature feeling like 100 degrees with 120% humidity, Leftover Crack took the stage with their standard introduction song. The crowd errupted into a pit which took up the middle half of the small bar. After going straight into the anthemic "One Dead Cop", which had the crowd screaming "Kill Cops" at the top of their lungs, everyone put on their skankin' shoes for "Gang Control", another song about killing cops.
"Jeez, you guys. It's way too cold in here," said the band's lead singer Sturgen sarcastically. As the night went on, that phrase was uttered more as members of the band and crowd shedded articles of clothing. But for as hot as it was, the band held it together better than the crowd, who were generally hostile to the band and to a lesser degree to eachother (I had to break up a couple fights between drunk kids. Learn your limits, kiddies!)
In the end, Leftover Crack played all of my favorites, plus a few old Choking Victim songs that I hadn't heard in years. The highlight of the night, however, was when Jello Biafra, the band's label owner, came onstage to perform "Baby Punchers" from last year's split with Citizen Fish.
Though I thought it was a fantastic show myself, I'd imagine that tonight's show with Blackbird Raum and Deadfall opening will be ten times better, if for no other reason than the bands will be expecting it to be hotter than the hell in the venue. Good job fellas.
-Spenser Russell-Snyder
The scene inside was a little intimidating at first, maybe it's just that I'm a bit socially awkward, or maybe it was that most of the kids had the "punker than thou" attitude about them, but either way, I had to get inside as soon as possible. Inside was a bit darker, but I now knew where the stench I smelled outside came from. Thee Parkside doesn't have the greatest ventilation in the world. But then close the doors to the outside and add about 150 sweaty punks and you get a humid climate only found in the tropics of South America.
The first band, La Grita, brought it hard! With tag-team female/male vocals the band blasted through their set like they were storming a police line. Blast beats followed by an occasional breakdown was La Grita's M.O. and where some bands fail to keep it interesting, the band's songs were short and to the point, something I love in a live punk act.
Second up was Oakland's Instant Asshole, who reminded me of 80's Anti-Regan hardcore, but with the clarity and cleanliness of late 90's bay area punk. The band is on fuzz actually! so check out their page at http://instantasshole.fuzz.com and check them out for yourself!!!
Finally, with the temprature feeling like 100 degrees with 120% humidity, Leftover Crack took the stage with their standard introduction song. The crowd errupted into a pit which took up the middle half of the small bar. After going straight into the anthemic "One Dead Cop", which had the crowd screaming "Kill Cops" at the top of their lungs, everyone put on their skankin' shoes for "Gang Control", another song about killing cops.
"Jeez, you guys. It's way too cold in here," said the band's lead singer Sturgen sarcastically. As the night went on, that phrase was uttered more as members of the band and crowd shedded articles of clothing. But for as hot as it was, the band held it together better than the crowd, who were generally hostile to the band and to a lesser degree to eachother (I had to break up a couple fights between drunk kids. Learn your limits, kiddies!)
In the end, Leftover Crack played all of my favorites, plus a few old Choking Victim songs that I hadn't heard in years. The highlight of the night, however, was when Jello Biafra, the band's label owner, came onstage to perform "Baby Punchers" from last year's split with Citizen Fish.
Though I thought it was a fantastic show myself, I'd imagine that tonight's show with Blackbird Raum and Deadfall opening will be ten times better, if for no other reason than the bands will be expecting it to be hotter than the hell in the venue. Good job fellas.
-Spenser Russell-Snyder
Be the first to write a comment.
About the Author
Also by this author