August 24, 2000: Neil Perry, Joshua Fit For Battle, Contra, Latterman, Break of Dawn, Buried Inside @ Sushi Cafe, Baltimore, MD

This is one of those shows I did because I'm just such a nice guy. I can't say I really had any interest in any of the bands. I knew some of the guys in Break of Dawn because Looks Like Rain would play Rochester a bunch and we got friendly with the Head On/Standfast crew, and someone from Head On played in Break of Dawn, who were on tour with Buried Inside. I was a part of Emogeddon Records, who put out the Falsies' "Theory and Motion" CD and they would play shows and trade records with Latterman (well before anybody outside of Long Island gave a shit about them) so I volunteered to help them out on their trip with Contra, also from Long Island. I think I was familiar with Neil Perry and Joshua Fit For Battle through the board.crewcial.org (or whatever incarnation it was at the time) messageboard. I honestly don't have any specific recollection of this show. I'm sure some people were stoked. Glad I could help.

August 20, 2000: What Lies Ahead, Project 208, Latchkey, Looks Like Rain, Tries Too Hard @ Sushi Cafe, Baltimore, MD

I booked the show, Brian Flowers made the flyer. Project 208 were a hardcore band from VA Beach with a sense of melody to their music. No idea what those guys are up to these days. I still have no idea who was in Latchkey. Any help would be great. I also don't remember who was in Tries Too Hard, but I know they were from southern Maryland. What I do remember about them is that they insisted there name was Tries To Hard. At least, that was what was on their stickers, and when I mentioned the grammatical error to them they told me that was how it was supposed to be. Don't ask me what it means to try to hard. I've never heard hard used as an action. Still makes me chuckle after all these years.

August 16, 2000: the Honor System, Looks Like Rain, the Chase, Latchkey @ the Sidebar, Baltimore, MD

This one was a Craig Boarman (now Ottobar co-owner) joint. The Honor System were the two dudes from the Broadways that didn't go on to form The Lawrence Arms (Dan and Rob), along with Nolan McGuire (who would go on to tour manage and play live 2nd guitar for Alkaline Trio) and Tim McIlrath (who would go on to form Rise Against), although I'm pretty sure Tim was already out of the band at this point. Pretty decent poppy punk stuff. I don't remember who was in Latchkey but they were from southern MD/DC suburbs.

August 13, 2000: Misfits @ Recher Theater, Towson, MD

I don't believe I ever saw the Misfits at the Recher Theater so I don't think I actually attended this show. The two times I saw the Misfits in Baltimore were once at Memory Lane with H2O opening and once at Bohager's with H2O and Sick Of It All opening. The Memory Lane show (Oct. 30th, 1996) was amazing because American Psycho hadn't been released yet so they just played classic songs from start to finish. I had no idea that H2O was on the bill so that was a pleasant surprise to see them when I got there. There's also the fact that the place could not have held more than 150 people or so, but it was waaaaaaaay overpacked, but so much fun. The Bohager's show (Nov. 1997, according to the Google / 2 tracks from Evillive II are from that show) was way less fun because the venue sucked and the Misfits played too much crappy new stuff. I did however interview H2O that night for a zine that I never completed. I still have the tape and have daydreams about publishing that interview in some new zine I have yet to get started on. Same for the Descendents, who I interviewed at the 9:30 Club on one of their tours for Everything Sucks. Maybe one day.

If anyone actually went to this show, please tell us about it.

EDIT: Some friends have jogged my memory...

Ryan Brown: "Pretty sure I went to this one. I think Ignite played as well. For some reason, I'm also thinking that Zoli sang for the Misfits instead of Michael Graves."

Tru Pray: "Reach the Sky opened up and Zoli did sing a few songs [for the Misfits]."

August 11, 2000: The Grey AM, The Gap Scatter Recovery, The Misery, Charlie Brown Gets a Valentine @ Sushi Cafe, Baltimore, MD

The following day we're back at the Sushi Cafe for a little indie rock and melodic hardcore. I don't remember anything about The Grey AM. The Gap Scatter Recovery were from New Jersey and were friends of a friend so that's who I booked the show for. Pretty standard emo/indie rock of the time. I've mentioned The Misery before and if you missed it, I posted their demo on here about a week ago. Check it out if you dig the Saves the Day/Lifetime sound. I've also mentioned Charlie Brown Gets a Valentine on here before, and if you haven't heard Dead Mechanical, which is Lucas's current band, please do yourself a favor and check them out.

August 10, 2000: The Convocation Of..., Ampersand, Blue Skies Burning, With Arms Still Empty @ the Sidebar, Baltimore, MD

Three days later and we're at the Sidebar for a show with the Baltimore supergroup, The Convocation Of..., headlining. The band was the new project featuring Tonie Joy (Universal Order of Armageddon, Moss Icon, The Great Unravelling, Born Against), Guy Blakeslee (Behind Closed Doors, Entrance), and George France (Prisoner of Conscience). Ampersand was the other local on a bill filled out by two out-of-towners who I am not familiar with. Carl Caracia made the flyer and Jamie Arthurs booked the show.

August 7, 2000: Carry On, Count Me Out, Striking Distance, Gamewinner @ Sushi Cafe, Baltimore, MD

We're back at the Sushi Cafe for the 3rd day in a row. This was another great show. I believe it was the first time Carry On had come out east (south of Boston, at least) and they were doing this tour with Count Me Out, who had just put out "110". "Roll With the Punches" had been out for a couple of months and people were pretty psyched on them. Little would we know that they'd go on to become one of the biggest hardcore bands of the 2000s.