Thrash N' Bang!!!

Revilers / Nothing But Enemies / The Usual Suspects / Anti-Bodies / Fast Times
Midway Café, Jamaica Plain, 3/30/13

So this was a recent show put on by T’N’A promotions, Tim and Alisia, and they have put on great shows, consistently, since and before Thrash N Bang have been around (late forties). Kind of Lowell based but sometimes stretching out to the Midway and always great Oi/Punk lineups and tonight is no exception.

Unfortunately for us they’re moving to North Carolina, inexplicably motivated by “Going To Carolina In My Mind,” by James Taylor (Oi/Folk singer). But I will use this time to say- fans are the most important, without them there is no scene; bands are next but who’s forgotten sometimes is the promoters, the people who organize these type of shows and there’s not that many of them. So loosing T’N’A and also, Brass N Ammo, who was the main promoter for Rhode Island, is huge for not only the great job that they did but also because there are so few of them. (Website writers are seventeenth on the list BTW).

So thanks T’N’A, thanks Brass N Ammo and c’mon, others have to pick up the slack (contact me- I’ll help, I promise).

So Fast Times are up first and let it be known that this might be Andy Bang’s favorite punk band we have on the site. Me, I could care less about them. Only kidding, always fun to see this hopping hardcore band and a review of their new CD is coming soon. In style veering more towards skate punk than some of the heavy hardcore/punk on this bill they still rise to the occasion and set a great mood for the bands to come.

Anti-Bodies is next and they are heavy hardcore but not without a sense of humor. They stand and deliver and turn in what will become my favorite set of the night. We don’t get to see these guys enough! They play in the old-school hardcore style and this they do extremely well. Don’t be afraid that they look like a bunch of motorcycle dudes that’ll mess you up. They’re only out to kick your ass musically and this they do tonight tremendously.

The Usual Suspects is next and usually they are very good and tonight is no exception. Tonight the singer, Joe Y., has no flask of poison with him and appears to be completely sober. No cause to fret as they play a set of grinding, churning Oi/Punk anthems against the complacent, phony ways of society. Brutal rhythms, harsh vocals and slashing guitars best epitomized by their song, “Trust Fund Rebel,” my fave.

Nothing But Enemies is next and I’ve seen them once before playing under their other much naughtier name, which is (we apologize but this part of the review is missing). These guys have a very naughty lead singer who looks like Sid Vicious reincarnated. They play a true, pure punk style and the singer is very engaging with the crowd. Rough and raw is how these guys play and that’s how punk was made to be.

Last but not least is the Revilers, a band we revere but don’t get to see much either. There’s no hardcore influence in this band except maybe a bit in the rough vocals. I think of them as punk’roll with maybe a dollop of Oi tossed in there. They have a new guitarist, the lovely and talented Chris Crobar, who we know as the incredible frontman from top notch metal band Led To The Grave, this is the first I’ve seen him in his new band and he appears to fit in well. They take this night out strong complementing a very strong old school Oi/Punk/Hardcore lineup.

Hats off to Tim and Alisia who we wish well but hope they miss the vibrant punk, Oi, hardcore, metal scene we have in New England enough to come back.

I, for one, believe they won’t find better.

(Slimedog)