While I’m sure most of you enjoyed vegetating in the suburbs for the past two weeks as much I have, it sure is great to be back in the big city. Or is it? … Like you, I went to class today. After a period of thought, I realized due to the shortened winter break this year, I haven’t forgotten enough from last semester to facilitate the absorption of new knowledge. Since that’s the case, there’s only one remedy?loud music. Nothing like not being able to hear yourself think to make you forget everything?stress, parents, a semester of microeconomics. Luckily, this weekend there are two outstanding opportunities to have your world rocked to its core.
While the Georgetown campus may not be known for its multifarious musical tastes, I’ve been quite surprised by the large contingent of emo fans on campus. The number of GU students who try and convince me just how great the Get Up Kids and Jets to Brazil are constantly amazes me. Even though I’ve never thought much of their albums, these bands have built their reputations on their admittedly formidable live shows. This first show is for all you emo kids out there.
Friday night brings hardcore supergroup Rival Schools to the Black Cat in support of last year’s United by Fate album. Led by guitarist Walter Schreifels, formerly of the Gorilla Biscuits?NYC’s answer to Minor Threat?the band features a supporting cast that has seen time in various hardcore outfits. However, in many ways, the new album belies these hardcore roots in favor of a more emo-oriented sound. Their sound should play well among fans of the aforementioned bands. If you can’t get enough of the Get Up Kids, give these geezers a chance. You might be surprised.
Alternately, if you can’t stand that “emotional” crap and you like your punk rock plain loud and angry, check Nation on Saturday night, when four top hardcore bands will contend to rupture your eardrums.
How good is the Circle Jerks? Well, lead man Keith Morris was the original singer for Black Flag long before muscle-bound pretty boy Henry Rollins had anything to do with the kings of West Coast hardcore. Though the Jerks have not released a new album in 5 years, expect a hard-hitting performance. Likewise from Agnostic Front, who has been among the leaders of the East Coast punk-hardcore underground for nearly 20 years. The band’s new album, Dead Yuppies, is yet another classic hardcore record.
In addition to these two veteran bands, the bill features some more contemporary sounds from MEST and Sick of it All. Chicago’s MEST released its second album late last year, a rather uninspiring effort featuring subpar hip-hop beats with little of the hardcore bombast common to the other three bands on the bill. Expect better things from Sick of it All, who have been together for over a decade, but have gained a wide audience over the past few years. Labelmates of bands like Less than Jake and NOFX, Sick of it All have established itself at the top of the modern hardcore scene, and remains one of hardcore’s most consistent artists.
So if class has got you down, go blow off some steam at the rock show?satisfaction guaranteed.
The Black Cat is located at 1811 14th St., N.W. Nation is located at 1015 Half St., S.E.
