Brrr….Brrr….so cold….so very very cold…Nothing like a winter show at the Wilson Center, where it’s only about five degrees warmer inside that what the weather brings on the outside. Decked out in four layers of clothing, I was prepared for the frost. After only a brief delay (punk rock standard time), one of New York’s finest, DE LA HOYA opened up the show, and they absolutely rocked. I find this band to have a lot of the same redeeming qualities that almighty KID DYNAMITE had. Short, fast, punchy songs with strong socioconcious lyrics and healthy dose of melody. I’m pretty sure most of the crowd had seen them before, but it didn’t take long for people to take a “”head bobbing”" liking to them. Almost all of the tracks played were off the band’s soon to be released debut full length, “”Dance! Techno Mega-Mix Vol. 42″” put out on Red Leader Records. I strongly urge you all to check this band out because they are really one of those hidden gems waiting to be noticed.

Next up were REVOLUTION SUMMER who I didn’t think were so hot (hee-hee), but then again, they weren’t terrible like THE VECKS (more on that in a bit). REVOLUTION SUMMER played fairly generic punk hardcore with activist lyrics and political stances. The singer did a lot of talking in between songs about political, social and scene issues, which kinda got annoying, but after all, the show was a benefit for the Quebec 2001 FTAA protests. A few of the tracks sounded somewhat like older AFI, but most seemed straight forward punk with little frills or energy.

THE VECKS were freaking awful. I mean absolutely terrible. I essentially wish I had never even heard them play. Besides playing ridiculously inaudible three-chord punk rock, they somehow managed to butcher WEEZER’s “”Say it Ain’t So.”" I don’t forget horrendous actions like such. The band played for an insanely long time, bordering on almost an hour in which they essentially played the same song over and over again with different choruses. Ah…i’m not wasting anymore time on them….

Thankfully, the final two bands of the evening were freaking great! CRISPUS ATTUCKS played with far better equipment than any of the previous three bands, and the noticeable change in sound quality was much appreciated. With the average CA song barely reaching 1 minute, the band plowed ahead and thrashed through 16 minutes worth of music to an enthused crowd moshing it up for more. With bodies flying everywhere, and people litterally getting stepped on just to sing along, the mood in the Wilson Center definitely turned more intense. CRISPUS ATTUCKS remain a stalwart in the Maryland / DC hardcore scene – no doubt.

After a very brief set change, STRIKE ANYWHERE showed off their incredible talent to an eager crowd that surrounded the stage, and the next 30 feet back! Nearly 100 people crammed around the front of the stage and after the first chord was struck, things just went off! This was my first time seeing STRIKE ANYWHERE, but i’ve been warned on how great their shows are, and I was definitely not dissappointed. With virtually everyone in front knowing every word, every stop, every time to point the finger, and every time to break into the sickest bit of slam dancing i’ve ever seen, this was quite a spectacle before my eyes. In my seven plus years of going to shows, rarely has a band impressed me this much. After playing for about 20 minutes, SA closed out their set with “”Cassandratic Equation,”" it was one of the most powerful things that I have ever had privy to witness. I dutifully picked up their debut cdep “”Chorus of One”" on the way. It’s availabe on cd from Red Leader Records and on vinyl from No Idea Records. Do yourself a favor and pick it up ASAP!