In my first Long Island show since basically last summer, I had an awesome opportunity to see the almighty SILENT MAJORITY play to a hometown crowd, so I knew well beforehand that show would be darn rad. What threw myself, and everyone else for loop though was the “”Garden City Bowl”" part. Now having shows at a bowling isn’t quite strange (Fireside Bowl in Chicago), but having one where the entire bowling alley was devoted to a night of music and all you can bowl for just $10 is something that I’ve never seen before. IT WAS SOOOO FREAKING COOL. Combine your favorite punk rock record store, and a bowling alley, and you had what occured that evening.

This show served as a record release party for FADEAWAY RECORDS’s new compilation, “”The best comp in the world,”" and a party it was. One of the owners of FADEAWAY just happens to be the manager of said bowling alley as well. Can ya see the connection now? When bands weren’t playing, there was kicking music playing on the stereo thoughout the entire bowling alley. As I walked in, AT THE DRIVE IN, was blarring across the speakers, and it was rather dynamic. I got to the show late, so I missed the first band, BRAND NEW, who feature ex-members of THE ROOKIE LOT, another good band from Long Island that unfortunately didn’t make it. The first band I caught a glimpse of was THE MIRACLE OF ’86, (if that is a Mets World Series reference, I will soon be their biggest fan), who played tight post hardcore/emo rock with a snappy vocalist whose abundance of energy more than made up for the rest of the bands stage lethargy. There was even some AC/DC guitar walking going on. The sound at the bowling wasn’t exactly great, so I didn’t catch too much of the vocals, but it seemed good enough to retain my interest. For a first impression, they did well.

After a lengthy set change (it didn’t seem easy to constantly move equipment in and out of a tiny door in the bowling alley), THISYEARSMODEL stormed the stage with more ego than a professional baseball player rejecting a $12 million a year contract for “”market value reasons.”" But of course, this worked in THISYEARSMODEL’s favor. Vocalist, and extreme “”ex-band member”" dude, Neil Rubenstein is also one of the main guys behind FADEAWAY RECORDS, and besides that, he is a damn good screamer / singer (and nice guy). THISYEARSMODEL has that whole mid-western emo thing going on. It’s aggressive and melodic at the same time, and the vocals switch from growls to goos in a hurry. I reviewed their demo a few months back – should you get the chance to pick it up, do not hesitate. Their new song off the FADEAWAY comp sounds great by the way, and has killer lyrics. Neil is as good a frontman as it gets. His witty, sarcastic, and often caustic banter in between songs made their set extra enjoyable. There were a few people dancing awkwardly in the front, and more than a couple people had a good laugh at there expense. Neil, in a hilarious act, said to the crowd, “”you were all that kid once.”" There was a good turnout of people watching them, so hopefully they will gain more popularity. I can’t wait for more recorded music.

SILENT MAJORITY….do I even need to tell you how good their set was? How more than 200 people crammed around a tiny floor space to see them rip it up? How there was a circle pit going on in a BOWLING ALLEY???? SM played 4 of 5 songs off their recent ep out on Initial Records, and the response to the new ones was just as good as their classics, “”No I’m Not,”" “”Polar Bear Club,”" and “”KM.”" I know no other band that excites me like they do. I was in anticipation of this show for weeks, and I ran through the entire SM discography before the show just to get myself psyched up. Someone had even brought a plastic hand for finger-pointing during the intense set. A spectacle? Nope. A whole lotta kids just having a great time? Hellz Yeah. Oh how I wish, wish, wish, these guys take hold on some other parts of the country, because no kid into hardcore should go without getting into this band. Heartfelt, poetic lyrics, driving, complex polyrhythms, and overall hardcore mayhem rapped into a neat emotional packet. Uncomparable, and Unfuckingbelievable. I have never left a show of theirs without a smile after their set (and without a voice too). I hear their next show on Long Island will be in August. Mark me down as there already. For those in the College Park area of Maryland, I heard that Jamie of Deadguy productions is trying to get them to come down and play sometime in the Fall. Woooooooooo!

Final note and thought: This was a largely successful night for Garden City Bowl / Fadeaway Records, from what I heard. There is the prospect that such punk rock show / bowling event could become a staple for Tuesday nights throughout the remainder of the summer. If this is so, we have a great thing going on, we should take advantage of it as much as possible.