the rest of my trip

ive finally decided to update with what happened on some more of my trip as well as pics. its been nearly 2 months since we got back, but ive had to deal with finding a new place to live as well as getting an active internet connection. Excuses aside, here it is.

(don't blame me if it looks alot like chris and seans' posts on their blog. trying to remember what actually happened is pretty hard. haha)

Day 7
Day 7 began with us saying goodbye to nyc on our way to chicago. We had to make our way on the subway for the last time to JFK for our plane for chicago. We were all so excited about the fact that the weekend we had been waiting for was here. The plane trip sucked hard, except for watching the office which was kind of good (even though they played the same episode on another one of out flights).

We got into chicago and met up with Andrew who was awesome enough to let us crash at his place and show us around chicago for the weekend. We dropped off our bags at his house, then went record shopping at a couple of the local stores. I picked up the Banner - Frailty LP which i had been hunting for a while and the John Joseph Book, "Life of a Cromagnon". At $18US it was a bargain. After all the shopping we decided to head straight to the show.

Before the actual burning fight show on the saturday and sunday, there was a pre-burning fight show at one of the venues. I was so excited to be able to finally see Indecision. A band that i have loved for so long and never thought i would get the chance to see. The night was split up into 2 shows. The early show was all ages and the line up from memory included Converge, Hope Con and another band i cant remember at the moment. The 2nd show which was 17+ (Overage show in US) converge (yes they played 2 different sets), INDECISION, Wait in Vain and another band.

I didn't really care all that much for Hope Con and Converge. Converge are great for what they are, just not my thing, and i've never been able to understand the hype behind Hope Con. Seeing them live didn't do anything for me either to be honest.

The 2nd show was mental. Wait in Vain, featuring members of trial, blew me away. I had heard the demo and i thought it was great. But fuck they were so good live. Timm has such a great stage presence and he was going mental. I picked up their album "Seasons" and it didn't disappoint at all. Anyone who loves trial will love that album. Next up was INDECISION. Now alot of people i know don't rate this band at all, but fuck they absolutely killed it. It was with the original vocalist Tom which made it even better (i like release the cure, but fuck artie must have definitely been smoking crack when he was writing some of those songs). The opened with "Purgatory" and the place just erupted! i didn't realise how many people were going nuts until i saw photos after it. I was up front, trying to comprehend what i was seeing, while going apeshit at the same time. They played all the classics from Unorthodox and Most Precious Blood. Even if i didn't get to burning fight, i would have been content just to see this band. it was a dream come true to see "Hallowed Be Thy Name" played live. FOR THOSE I LOVE I WILL SACRIFICE!!!

after the show we just bailed back to andrews to crash out and get ready for the beginning of the Burning Fight shows.



BURNING FIGHT WEEKEND DAY 1
I woke up this morning as if i was a kid on Christmas morning. This was the weekend i had been waiting to for after the 6 months of planning. We headed to the show pretty early to get in line and plus i always wanted to get some merch (yeah im a merch whore. As if you aren't). I can't exactly remember all the bands that played so i'm just going to write about all the bands i was into.

DAMNATION AD
I had slept on this band for quite along time until i actually hear they were playing this show. I read a bit about them in a few zines and decided to pick up some of their records. I really wish i hadn't slept on this band. Not everyboy's thing i know, but fuck they were awesome at the show. So passionate and so tight. They played quite a varied set list but the highlight was definitely opening with "No more Dreams".

BETRAYED
I have always loved the betrayed - addiction EP, but i couldn't bare substance. I was a bit skeptical about seeing betrayed on a huge stage with a barrier etc and im glad i didn't get my hopes up. It was great to see them for a 2nd time, but id rather remember the first time i saw them @ the lions den in brissy. Betrayed aren't the type of band that should be playing on a big stage with barriers. Not saying this in anyway against the band, but for the style they play it suits venues that don't have a gap between the stage and the floor, restricting the crowd involvement. People were still getting into them, i was too, but it was just weird seeing them on a big stage. They were tight and Aram still has stuff to say which is good i guess even though i thought most of it was cheesy as fuck.

RINGWORM
I was so excited at the chance of seeing Ringworm again, especially in the US. They barely said a word and just annihilated the stage. They were so heavy and played all the classics (Intro/Blind to faith, The Promise Etc).

108
108 were easily one of the best bands that played the whole weekend. So technical, So passionate, So heavy and they pretty much blew everyone away. 108 are a band I have always dreamed of one day seeing. They played a varied set including tracks from Threefold Misery, Songs of Seperation and of course A New Beat To A Dead Heart. Its good to hear bands still explaining what the songs were about before playing and its what 108 did.

TRIAL
i don't need to really say anything about this set. you've probably all seen the videos and i'll tell you now, it was a small scale riot. Bodies flying everywhere, screaming at the top of their lungs and moshing as hard as they could. If you were up the front you couldn't hear greg at all because of everyone in the whole room screaming the lyrics. It was such an intense feeling just too be there when this band played. Their set was quite similar to the DVD, but that doesn't mean shit. its still FUCKING TRIAL. The thing i have always loved about trial is that they are a band with a message, more than just good music with "mosh parts". Greg explained the meaning of each song in full to such an extent that you were left fully informed at what he was thinking at the time of writing each of the songs. Greg is easily one of the best frontmen of the 90's. So energetic, passionate and you could tell he was so amazed to see the crowd. They opened with Reflections and you can imagine what happened.


DISEMBODIED
Disembodied if you don't know already, are pretty much the mosh band that every mosh band wants to be. I had been looking forward to seeing that band for so long. The opened with "Andvil Chandelier" and the crowd erupted. Ive always been a fan of this band no matter what anyone has told me. Both the Dialibre and If Only God Knew The Rest Were Dead are amazing releases. Not everyones cup of tea i guess, but fuck i can't help but get exciting everytime i hear the intro into "Heroin Fingers" or "Andvil Chandelier". Such a heavy band which has had a huge amount of influence on the scene.

After the show finished we went to a vegan cafe up the road and got some french toast. They were amazing


DAY 2
We went and had breakfast before the show at a place called the "Chicago Diner". Words cannot describe how amazing this place is. Totally vegan friendly with the best milkshake i have ever tastes. I got the French Toast which came with a side of fruit which was delicious. We made our way to the show and got there just as they started letting people in. First up was HARMS WAY

HARMS WAY
I had heard a few songs from this band and they seriously don't do the band any justice. Live they are a wrecking ball. Everyone has seen the photos of the vocalist and i kid you not, he is a fucking tank. They played their set and alot of people were getting into them and they were heavy as.

BLACKLISTED
Seeing blacklisted when they played in Sydney was awesome, but at this show the singer was just mental. The sydney show they were pretty chill, but here it was blacklisted in their prime. Great band

HAVE HEART
I cant really say i was a huge fan of have heart before this show. I enjoyed the demo, but the LP just didn't really appeal to me at all. They played a good set and even threw in a cover of outspokens' classic Reinforced which was great to see. Kids were going crazy for them

REACH THE SKY
It was great to finally see this band. One of the band i got into when i first started getting into hardcore. It was awesome to see these guys and see everyone going nuts for them. Such a great live band with so much energy.

IT WAS THEN TIME FOR

UNBROKEN
People who know me know that I am an Unbroken fan boy. This band means so much to me. I can remember hearing the song "In The Name Of Progression" and just stunned at how heavy, emotional and inspiring that song was. After that i was sold on the band and Easily regard that band as being one of the best of the 90's (behind chokehold of course V^_^V).

It was such a build up waiting for the band to start. They were the final band of the weekend, so there were alot of words exchanged by everyone involved with the show as well as an insight into how important Unbroken were to the Author of the Burning Fight Book Brian Peterson. After that it was on for young and old. Unbroken opened with the song "Blanket" and it was as if someone just set off a bomb. it was complete Mayhem. Bodies flying everywhere, mine included, and everyone singing along to every word. Unbroken played all of the favourites including D4, In The Name Of Progression, Absentee Debate, Fall on Proverb and the list goes on. I have to admit tears welled up in my eyes when In The Name of Progression began. Fuck i love this band. Words cannot describe how good that set was. Easily something i will never forget as long as i live.

We chilled outside for a while and i was just so amped after seeing unbroken i couldn't contain my laughter and excitement after seeing one of my favourite bands. After chilling there for a while we got some more food at the same vegan place.

I love america.