Glenrose

Review: GBH/Casualties/Dead Aim/Glenrose at Shakas Live Sept. 7, 2017

What a night! What a line-up! Shakas Live has been steadily delivering great shows and if you missed this one you've probably already caught hell over it from your friends that went.

Going to start with the headliners this time. GBH has always been the 'face' of British punk for me. Like most, the Sex Pistols were my introduction to the sound, but it's not like anyone would get to see that show. I found Charged GBH's first album, in the import section at the mall, and bought it because the album art and title caught my attention, "City Baby Attacked By Rats," released in '82. They have been one of the few constants that come to mind who have almost never stopped touring since their inception. They have a brand new album that will be available in November of this year, "Momentum," their 12th studio release. They also have 6 live albums and numerous mini, split and compilations to their credit.

Of course most everyone here knows them so I'll just say, they remain my favorite live band from the other side of the water. I'd go see them if they needed assistance getting to the stage; they talked about getting older, even had a song about. I'll let you figure out which one from the set list...

I'm sure they are happy with their choice for touring partners, The Casualties, with new frontman David Rodriguez joining the band only weeks before this tour started. Founding member and singer, Jorge Herrera, had stepped down after 27 years. You would have thought Dave had been in front for them for much longer. He was a long time friend of the band and jumped in, to live the dream, I guess. Out of NY, their name and graphics are synonymous with Hardcore. Well done, Casualties, the place went upside down during that unbelievable set. I could talk all day about the two bands above; their influence to music in general is immeasurable. They can tour as long as their new hot girlfriends or third wives will allow and I'll be there every time.

Local hardcore favorites Dead Aim were also there! Always a great time when they are on stage. I had started filming their set and turned away for a split second with the video rolling and got my clock cleaned. All I saw was man-bun, apparently attached to a 165(?) lb. brick that had somehow launched itself off of the stage straight into my nose. I scrambled to get my phone from the pit and retired my expensive (to me) camera to the truck so I missed most of the set. I asked Paul Unger to help me out. Here are Paul's thoughts:

"The Dead Aim set was on fire. You could tell frontman Mark Bishop was determined to make it a great show as did the rest of the band. They were refreshed, rehearsed and right on key. The first song, "Better off Dead" came out like an eruption, they were right on course and were ready to take no prisoners for the next hard-hitting 30mins. The band then shot into a riveting version of their original song "Acid Drop", as though Mark Bishop and guitarist Erich Wolfgang were up on stage as teenagers playing it 30 years ago. Next song called "Devilment", hit a hard-crushing groove the audience just got into, you couldn't help but raise your fist and sing along with the chorus. The band continued to lay down the songs appropriately, continuing the set with various songs from their past catalog, including the "Homeboy" (1985) and "Hellfire Stoked" (2014) albums. Dead Aim also played a few songs from the "Blood is Sweet" 1985 demo, this being "Fight" "Be My Friend" and "Smoking Dope and Drinking Beer." Then the guys decided to finish up with a song from their "Dorks on Dope" (1986) Ep, called "Time Bomb."

It is without a doubt that even today, this band is true to it's hardcore sound, just as they were when they were young teenagers at the time of the mid-80s. Although that was 30+ years ago, Mark Bishop and this band have kept their sound going and the Tidewater area love it, rightfully so. This is not because of some lame nostalgia from the mid-80s people may have, absolutely not. The audience's adoration of them is because Dead Aim is the real thing. Dead Aim are determined to keep it that way and the audience knows this."

Visit Dead Aim on Bandcamp and Facebook pages to find out more.

Now onto Glenrose. I first learned about them a year or so back and first saw them live when they opened the Agent Orange show. They are a relatively new trio formed in Hampton, VA. Fast, hard, and raw but not your average punk songs. Definitely a punk sound but the musicianship is certainly post-garage days. There is something intriguing about the lyrics as they seem to come more from a place of defiant optimism than of angst or aggression. The music itself could draw any punk in but I'm so impressed with the songs; some are more straightforward than others but if you're a fan of the art of songwriting this is a group you should pay attention to. I asked Spencer (singer, guitarist) about the process, and he said, "Sometimes I wish I could just write some simple rock and roll lyrics about something fun, it's just never been my style." I can live with that.

They played 8 originals and included a Misfits cover of "Where Eagles Dare." The band members are Spencer Glenrose, Jake Martin on bass/backing vocals and Paul Page behind the drums/backing vocals.

Their self released 5 song ep is available on Bandcamp and they have a few physical copies left if you would like to contact them directly. They are working on a full length album for release next year.

-Brian McDonald - Hardcore Norfolk