COMEBACK KID, IT DIES TODAY, THIS IS HELL @ Glasshouse, Pomona, CA 4/12/07 Show Review by Chad Mitchell
It was a long time coming for me to find a show with a lineup I found worth getting off my lazy ass and seeing. In October when I saw COMEBACK KID play to a mostly apathetic crowd opening for the GORILLA BISCUITS, I knew the emergence of vocalist Andrew Neufield from his role as a guitar player would lead to bigger and better things for the band. With the performance shown by the band that night as well as the fantastic new album Broadcasting, this was the show that finally inspired me to make the effort.
PARKWAY DRIVE and ENDWELL opened, and I missed almost the entirety of PARKWAY DRIVE’s set. but both bands seemed to play a generic metalcore sound with the former emerging on top.
Next on the bill was THIS IS HELL. As a huge fan of the band’s brief but ferocious catalog, seeing them has been a long time coming. Equipped with a healthy Long Island attitude, the band blistered through a ferocious set composed of selections from their new album as well as almost the entirety of their debut EP. Most impressive was the fact that they were the tightest hardcore band that I have EVER SEEN. In a genre known for sloppy playing the band managed to fuel their energy into an aggressive performance without any loss of stage presence. In a venue with a capacity of 800 the breakdown to “Ad Infinitum” sounded enormous as the crowd was won over a little more than halfway through the set. The band closed with an entertaining cover of “Fight For Your Right (To Party)” by THE BEASTIE BOYS that had the entire room singing along.
Direct support for the night was IT DIES TODAY. Although I expected their performance it to be as bad as their debut album, The Caitliff Choir, a glimmer of me hoped that with a newer album and singer the band would have improved. Instead, I found that IT DIES TODAY sounds exactly like ATREYU except for afraid to sell out and write a catchy chorus. Oh and I bet if I told an IT DIES TODAY fan that they would kick my ass.
It was great to see COMEBACK KID in a headlining slot because as mentioned above, the last time I saw them the crowd that was almost entirely comprised of GORILLA BISCUITS fans that could not have cared less. Emerging for the first song, “Partners In Crime,” it was obvious that the show would be special. Andrew Neufield owned the stage and crowd with brutal vocals and a thrashing presence. The band followed suit, never letting up on their energy and movement. “Broadcasting,” played third, gained the entirety of the crowd as head walks and stage dives took over. Midway through the band played personal favorite “Talk is Cheap” with Rick Jimenez of THIS IS HELL contributing to do the parts Andrew used to. I would beg the question of why he does not front a band of his own had THIS IS HELL not played such a great set of their own. For forty five minutes the energy continued as they carried on with songs from Turn It Around to closer “Wake the Dead.”
With only two band contributing to my enjoyment, this was easily one of my favorite hardcore shows I have seen. Andrew Neufield has become one of the best front men in hardcore and THIS IS HELL is the tightest hardcore band I have seen. Although this tour is now on its’ final leg, I recommend any chance to see either of these bands.
