The return of shows at St. Andrew’s Chruch, hooray!!! Since it was announced more than two months ago, I’ve been waiting anxiously to attend this show, featuring an incredible assortment of six unique bands, culminating, with the latest kings of the DC scene, DARKEST HOUR. All the settings were right — lotsa kids, a sweaty atmosphere inside, and rocking music all the way around. St. Andrew’s is back — now lets try our hardest to keep it going strong. Starting off the evening were CREATURE COMFORTS, hailing from the landlocked state of Kansas. Think ULTIMATE FAKEBOOK. Pretty catchy rock with plenty of on stage energy and accuracy. The band sounded real tight and professional, obviously showing that they having been doing the musician thing for quite some time. It was a refreshing way to start off the evening, but they probably would have been better received on a show with a smaller bill and in a more intimate setting. Keep an eye out for them. Next up were MAJORITY RULE, a local band with a strong following. Pretty decent metal influenced hardcore with some very heavy grooves thrown in for good measure. The screamy/squeeky vocals kinda ruined it for me, but the instrumentation was very intense, and the crowd grew around their “”on the floor”" space — which made their set seem more grasping.

After a short break, DRAGBODY too claimed the floor as their stage and immediately plowed into some of the heaviest sounding hardcore to ever grace my ears. Seriously, they just bring forth an immense wall of sound, with a few audible howls in between. Their vocalist (Scott?) constantly threw himself into the crowd to incite more pit action, and like a madman, he flocked around screaming incessantly. Good Stuff. This entire outfit moved around really well for a band that seemed to play fairly intricate music. This was the second time that i’ve seen DRAGBODY and I thought they were much better this time around than the last, probably though because they played on the floor, and so they seemed so much more accessible. I hate being short sometimes. I had to grab a chair to stand on to catch a glimpse of the action. If you like extremely heavy hardcore that doesn’t quite reek of metal, I suggest you check them out.

After two hardcore bands, the show shifted into the poppier side, placing MID CARSON JULY next on the line up. Most of the crowd went outside to chill for a little while, and by the time MCJ took the stage, it was pretty empty, which was pathetic considering that some 340 people had paid. Having never heard this band before, I eagerly took a spot near their playing area, again on the floor. What was to come from the speakers, truly blew me away. Absolutely ripping punk rock with hardcore breakdowns, set to the feel of AVAIL, ANN BERETTA, HOT WATER MUSIC, JERSEY, and even RANCID. With two people sharing vocals and guitar duties, the interraction between the leaders of the sound where quite impressive. I’m a sucker for trade-offs, and MID CARSON JULY did it extremely well. Unfortunately, the crowd was rather stiff throughout their first three songs, but as people began to realize, “”hey, this stuff is really freaking good,”" the crowd woke up from their snooze and began to bounce around. By the end of their set, many of the people outside were now looking on in enjoyment. MID CARSON JULY impressed me immensely. The band ran out of cds on tour, which is not surprising because I would certainly want to pick one up after seeing them. All I can say is energy, energy, energy. I’m now on a mission to find their latest cd.

The JAZZ JUNE have never been a band that I cared for all that much. Although they are very good musicians, their songs drag on too long and seem too jangly for me. With the three guitar attack, the JAZZ JUNE presented a pretty heavy sound, but nothing that hooks you in. The music just exists right in front of you, but in my case, I wasn’t really feeling it. I was upset that so many people went outside and didn’t even give them a chance though. Oh well….I’m glad I got the chance to see them, but their music is just not my style.

And now…DARKEST HOUR. I don’t think i’ve ever seen a band build up this strong of a local following in such a short period of time. Granted, they have been around for a bit, and have played countless shows in the area, but since their absolutely amzing album, “”The Mark of the Judas”" hit streets, things have just snowballed around here (they played almost the entire album). Well before the show even got started, kids flocked to their table to buy merch…it was a sight to be seen. Right after the JAZZ JUNE finished, the crowd immediately piled back into the church, fighting to get a spot close to the stage. I was fortunate enough to land a spot backstage, which gave me the blessed ability to watch both the band and the pit action (I rule, hehe). The first time I saw DARKEST HOUR, I didn’t like them at all because to me, it was just noise — damn loud noise might I add, but maybe it was because I just wasn’t expecting what was to be presented. A few times later, they are the band that I want to see at every show! Absolutely crushing hardcore with metal influences. It’s fast and furious, heavy and hard hitting, sweaty and sweltering. Just take all the rage one person feels after getting a stupid parking ticket and set it to the sound of music. DARKEST HOUR may never get the posicore crowd going, but believe me, they know how to turn the heat up. Watching their drummer plow through song after song of crazy beats, and monster double bass kicks was major fun. The crowd just went nuts for them, with stage divers coming out in all different directions, often bouncing off the vocalist, and landing somewhere amist the sea of screaming bodies. This is what going to shows is all about — feeling the momentum, and experiencing the power. Look for a DARKEST HOUR interview in the near future.