Long time no see. My bad but I guess during all this time I didn't found nothing interesting worth writing for. Well until now. The month of March is definitely one damn interesting month when it comes to concerts. There's three that actually took my attention and which I'm gonna write about. Oh boy, it's gonna be hell of a month.
10.03.2011 DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR w/ Death Squad and Vendetta@The Box
I gotta admit that I was looking forward to see Death Before Dishonor in Sofia. This band is one of the few still active american hardcore bands that I actually like. They were here three years ago but alas I missed them back then. But I was not gonna make the same mistake twice. Their second concert in Sofia was probably one of the most anticipated concerts of the year and it was so for a reason. The Boston squad is known for delivering gritty, brutal, fast-paced brand of hardcore for which they're famous all over the world. With that in mind I knew that I won't be disappointed. Eight o'clock The Box was jam-packed with people from around the city and outside waiting to see the Boston brigade. The concert started around this time with first Death Squad coming to the stage. One of the better known local hardcore bands, Death Squad without any delay delivered strong and brutal set during which they performed some of their classic. Next on stage were Vendetta. The veterans of the Sofia hardcore scene played some of their best known songs as some new material which was damn good. Vendetta although reunited not too long ago played as they've never separated. Although Death Squad set the tone for a damn good night, Vendetta elevated the mood with their blend of old-school hardcore which led to some brutal moshing, circle pits and sing-a-longs. By the end of their set the audience was already on fire and waiting for the the bostonians to come to the stage. Without further ado they climbed the stage and started playing. Next thing you see people moshing, stagediving, singing along and forming circle pits. From the first to the last song everybody was dancing or trying to get into the pit. The mood was indescribable. A jam-packed club with no room to move, no air to breath but full of people who were slammin' on each other and singing on top of their lungs some of the most memorable songs in hardcore history like "666 (Friends, Family, Forever" and "Boston belongs to me" which by the way the band performed on bis. Well many things can be said about Death Before Dishonor but truth is that you know nothing 'till you see them live. That was one of the best hardcore shows I've attended so far. Great band and great show. I had the chance to speak a little bit with some of the band members and they seemed really cool and down to earth guys. Since then I got nothing but respect for DBD. That night was really a memorable one not only for me but I believe for everyone who was there. For those who weren't present: you missed big time. For the rest can only hope to see them again. Until then we got Sick Of It All coming in April and who knows who else. Damn I'm lucky!
Death Before Dishonor myspace
Death Squad myspace
Vendetta myspace
15.03.2011 D.R.I. w/ Brothers In Blood@Mixtape5
ONE OF THE GREATEST CONCERTS EVER!!!
Seriously. More than two (maybe three) hours of pure, brutal moshing and heavy sounds. Not too many people can fathom the epicness of the event and probably even few can assimilate the end-result after all this hardcore headbanging and moshing. OUCH! I still have bruises after that concert. But it was all worth it. Pain's nothing as every scratch, bruise and fall are adding more pleasure to the listening of those Dirty Rotten Imbeciles.
Around 20:00pm I'm in front of Mixtape5, the newest club in town. I have to admit that the venues was a pleasant surprise. Big enough to shelter all those 300+ people waiting in the cold, rainy evening. The two huge bars only added to the initial good impressions. Ventilation was obviously working as I wasn't strugglin' to breath as in some other box-sized clubs. Sound was ok but nothing exceptional. Hope they organize more punk, ska, hardcore show there as the place is just perfect for such events.
Without much delay came the first band on stage, Brothers In Blood. Well much is said about them so no matter what I say it'll be insignificant. One of the best hardcore band this city has to offer with the right amount of attitude and presence, with the right blend of fast-paced and enegetic hardcore. There's always brutal moshpits when BIB are on stage. Add to that sing-a-longs and the occasional stagedivings and you'll get an idea of what this band is capable of. Basically the band played a firm 30 or so minutes set during which they performed much of their best known songs. Shame that they didn't had at least double that time.
But everything got from good to great once the Imbeciles got on stage. No I gotta admit that I didn't have any previous experiences with the band, never heard them until recently, only knew a bunch of songs and as a whole I went there without any expectations. Even better if you ask me because these guys blew my mind. Far above their prime youth these guys rocked like they were just starting playing music. They got so much energy and performed song after song tirelessly that a two-hour set seemed like a half an hour of playing or even less. Thirty-five or so songs later I felt like they did only the half of their usual repertoire. So intense was the atmosphere that I easily lost track of time. And how could not when I was almost constantly in the moshpit or in front of the stage trying to hold a stagediver. During the whole night there were plenty of stagediving (during which a young girl got injured as the crowd below here were unable to catch her and she fell on her head), constant moshpit since song one and neverending sing-a-longs. It was simply great. The crowd was chanting "D.R.I." from the beginning of the show. At the end everybody screamed "MORE" when the band played their last song which led to the dirty thrashers coming again on bis for three more songs. Three more songs during which I didn't miss to get in to the pit. I had so much fun that that night. Probably one of the best nights ever for me. I wished only if it could go a little longer. Alas it ended eventually. Still I wasn't disappointed. In overall it was a great experience. The band and the people made all this an epic event.
D.R.I. official website
Brothers In Blood myspace
24.03.2011 MARK FOGGO'S SKASTERS w/ Kontrol and The Pomorians@Universiada Hall
FINALLY I SAW KONTROL!!!
It's like a dream come true. I waited long enough to see them. After Novi Cvetia they were the other band I HAD to see live for they're one of the forefathers of the bulgarian punk. I know that some of you will argue that they're not a punk band and although they don't sound like Novi Cvetia or DDT they still got that punk attitude. I would say that they're more like The Ramones. And that's good enough for me.
Anyway back to the concert. I went to the Universiada Hall an hour earlier only to find plenty of people waiting outside, drinking, talking about the bands they were about to see. It was a rather chilly night but that didn't make the experience less pleasant. Once I got there I saw some of the people I usually hang out on concerts, talked a little, bough a beer (obligatory!) and headed for the main event. First on stage were The Pomorians, the ska/folk side project of Yanko Brekov of Artery. Went in to check them out, stayed there for about a song time, went out to drink. Not that the band was bad or something, it's just that they were kinda mellow for what was to come and probably because of that many skipped their set in waiting for the Liverpool stoner, Mark Foggo. Well the waiting was well worth it as the latter didn't disappoint the hundreds that came to see him. The all-time favorite "Hashish From Amsterdam" set the tone for a truly fantastic ska party that went for an hour or so during which no man was left idle. Our crowd really does love this ska man.
From one junkie to another. Next on stage came the legendary Kontrol which need no introduction as every adult and kids knows them or at least have heard of them. Possibly the most famous punk band in the country, one which is popular even among non-punk fans, pretty much like The Ramones. It was great to see them live but couple of times I was wondering if I'm attending a punk or rock concert as the band did play some slow songs that kinda bored me. Nevertheless their set was tight, one hour full of their most beloved hits plus-minus one or two. At the end I wished that they didn't play just an hour but I guess the interests of the individuals are before those of the crowd. Still I was glad that I got to see them. It's not something you see everyday and definitely not to be missed. I hope that in future they'll play more shows and with other renowned bands from abroad or from the country.
The Pomorians myspace
Mark Foggo's Skasters official website
Kontrol myspace (probably fan-made)
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