September 4, 2000: Leatherface, Cross My Heart, Pezz, River City High @ the Sidebar, Baltimore, MD

This is definitely one of my favorite shows ever. Getting to see Leatherface in a place as small as the Sidebar was near euphoric. The place was packed with friendly faces and something about it was just really special. Cross My Heart played one of the best sets I ever saw them play. Dwayne somehow managed a dive off the 6" high stage at the end of their set, guitar in hand. I'm not sure I watched Pezz or River City High, but I'm sure they were just fine. Jamie Arthurs booked the show. Looks like he made the flyer as well.

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.

August 6, 2000: The Ultimate Warriors, Kung Fu Rick, Mad Cow Dizeaze 182, Daybreak @ Sushi Cafe, Baltimore, MD

For those that were there, this was a show of legendary proportions. People still bring it up to me to this day. Easily one of my favorite shows I've ever booked. It was a few hours of people going apeshit in that little room upstairs above the Sushi Cafe. Complete mayhem. Every band tore it up and everyone had a smile on their face the whole time. For those unaware, The Ultimate Warriors were a power-violence band from northeast Pennsylvania. Members were/are in Pissed Jeans, The Gatecrashers, Slingshot Dakota, and a million other bands. Kung Fu Rick were a midwest power-violence band and members went on to form Seven Days of Samsara, Hewhocorrupts, High on Crime, and others. Mad Cow Dizeaze 182 were a spazzy thrash band from Long Island. The only member I know is Alex Sanchez. He did Mike Fitzgerald Records (who put out a couple records for The Spark) and now he lives in Allentown and sells stuff on Ebay. Daybreak were some record nerds from Baltimore. Great show.

Here's some video clips from the show (I'm the guy in the DS-13 shirt in the Daybreak clip):


Pissed Jeans - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuYdA2eGiJE&feature=plcp&context=C32cc450UDOEgsToPDskI_MyABPvUY8wtENTXVr2y6


Daybreak - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5MVOP9Fm1s&feature=plcp&context=C393c4bbUDOEgsToPDskJ1Vlj1AjYxUmmzYQgoz-F3


Kung Fu Rick - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM172wiZkYs&feature=related


EDIT: Quote from Tom P of Ultimate Warriors - "on the first day of that tour with kung-fu rick, we were all in the van talking about how unfamiliar we were with KFR's music. we agreed that no matter what, if KFR were dicks or even if they sucked, we would go crazy during their set. turned out that they were really nice dudes and their music was insanely good."

August 5, 2000: Standfast, What Lies Ahead, Shock Radio, the Chase @ Sushi Cafe, Baltimore, MD

This one was an Andy Norton joint. Standfast were a screamy emo/hardcore band from Rochester, NY. They had a lot of friends in Baltimore so would come down here often, but they actually canceled this show. Rory now sings for Soul Control, Nate now plays guitar in Polar Bear Club, and Brian is the head chef at a vegan restaraunt in Boston called Veggie Galaxy. I'm not sure what the other guys are doing these days. I have no idea who Shock Radio were.

Andy Norton: "I was pissed at those dudes for years. Nobody contacted me about canceling until a year later!"

The Misery demo & Althea - Ladders To Climb and Stones To Throw

As promised, here is the Misery demo and that Althea EP I mentioned a while back...

The Misery - demo: http://www.mediafire.com/?j2btpong6z7qy5a

(check it out if you like Saves the Day and all those early 2000s bands that were taking the Lifetime sound and running with it)

Althea - Ladders To Climb and Stones To Throw: http://www.mediafire.com/?9404mcioaniyr08

(check it out if you like Deep Elm Records at their prime [first few Emo Diaries comps])

July 25, 1999(?) & May 16, 2000(?): I Farm, Clancy 6, Boom Boom Cats, Charm City Suicides, Caste, Kerum, Die Cheerleader Die, and the Overprivileged

Sorry for the lapse there folks, I had to scan more flyers. While doing so I found these two older ones, so this post is a little out of sequence.

The first flyer was actually on the flip side of a flyer I was scanning from 2000. I didn't go to it. I've asked the promoter and one of the band members and the best guess is that this show was from 1999 (but possibly 1998 or 2000). Josh from The Sound Exchange in Ellicott City booked the show.

I didn't attend the 2nd show either. Someone gave me this flyer for the blog, but now I can't remember who. Club Ozone was what is now the Ottobar. The best guess for the year of this one is 2000 (not long before the Ottobar took it over), but possibly 1999.

We'll get back to the regular rotation of flyers tomorrow.

July 28 - Aug 12, 2000: Sidebar calendar

This is a calendar flyer designed by Carl Caracia for a handful of shows at the Sidebar. I don't remember who Box Car Children were (did they play that Swarm show at the Kaffa House?), but The 65 Film Show were a rad post-hardcore-ish band from Virginia Beach. I think Curtiss Williams from Time Flies played in that band if I remember correctly. Not sure if any of them made any music after that band. Garrison was a post-hardcore band on Revelation that had a couple of decent songs, but didn't really grab me. Same thing goes for The Stryder from Long Island. That August 5th show was pretty cool. Midtown sucked and I don't know who The Falls Version was, but The Stereo, The Movielife, and The Misery were all great. The Misery were a melodic hardcore band out of Baltimore with Aaron from Torn Apart/Behind Closed Doors, PJ (Ziggy from The Wire), Pete Hilton, and I can't remember who else. I'll try to remember to upload that demo this weekend. I definitely didn't attend that Commin Correct show, but CodeSeven were a decent band with cool guys.

EDIT: Found this post-posting this post...

July 27, 2000: Purpose, Worthless, Holding On, Looks Like Rain @ the Sushi Cafe, Baltimore, MD

I don't remember this show being hugely attended but I do remember having a good time. I really enjoyed every band on this show. Purpose were some cool "Revolution Summer" inspired hc/punk from NJ. The singer and I went to the same elementary and high school. He was a few years younger than me, but it's cool to think that anyone from my tiny grade school in Bumfuck, NJ went on to play in a cool band. (The drummer from Rad also went to the same elementary school.) He (John) went on to sing for the Break a few years later. Their first record is great. Not sure what any of the other members went on to do. Worthless were a cool punk band, also from NJ. Matt Times (Fast Times, Tear It Up, the Rites) played drums for them. I think this show was right around the time they were suing Ann Beretta (no shit, AB just popped up on my iPod as I'm writing this) for ripping them off on a song that was on their Lookout! album. I remember being told about this situation at this show. Not sure how any of that ever panned out. Also not sure what any of the other members went on to do except for a short-lived band called Rock, Star that put out a decent demo. I think this was the first time Holding On came through Baltimore. Looks Like Rain would go on to play with those guys quite a bit and it was always a pleasure. Good band and really good guys. Karl went on to work for Bridge 9 Records, and is now at Epitaph. Some of the other guys formed bands but the only one I can remember right now is Hope You Choke (named after a lyric from my favorite Poison Idea song). Not sure if any of them are still playing in bands. Fun time.

July 23, 2000: Churner, Looks Like Rain, Angel Eyes, Ourselves Alone, Victory Red, Flirting With Disaster @ 1253 Columbia Rd, Woodbridge, VA

First things first, I actually did what I said I was gonna do. Here are Ampersand's two EPs for your listening pleasure:

1a34959u - http://www.mediafire.com/?oh8h2o2wompx12b

Telluric Currents - http://www.mediafire.com/?3ves3anw7m0pv6o

Check 'em out if you dig 90s heavy discordant hardcore, somewhere between Bloodlet, Die 116, and Lungfish. Mitch Olshansky, I'm looking at you. "Interrogation Techniques" on the first EP is the jam.

Onto the flyer...The only recollection I have of this show is that it was in the back yard. I have no idea whose house that was. I remember that Churner were from NoVA. Heavier stuff if I remember correctly. No idea what any of them did after that band, if anything. Angel Eyes was Matt Bidwell from the Green House in Vienna, VA and friends. They played Gravity Records-kinda stuff. I have no idea who Ourselves Alone or Victory Red were. Flirting With Disaster were an all-female band, though I don't remember exactly what they sounded like; metalcore, I think. So much for my memory.

July 20, 2000: Engine Down, the Future Perfect, Ampersand, Looks Like Rain @ Ottobar, Baltimore, MD

Hey there. It's been a while. Sorry about that. My one new year's resolution for 2012 is to get this going again. I welcome your participation. Any memories you have about any of the shows or bands I post, please feel free to contribute. Thanks for checking this out...

One of these things is not like the other. Don't ask me why Looks Like Rain got asked to play this, but I'm glad we did because all the other bands were great. I never owned any of Engine Down's albums but I always enjoyed seeing them live. So tight and really interesting songs. I'm not sure if any of them are still making music. I hope so. The Future Perfect - first of all, great band name - I've mentioned them before on here. Cool band featuring former members of Blank and Bridgewater. The brothers Silanskis both played in the band. Any band with a family connection already has a leg up. There's a connection there that can't be denied. I don't think they ever recorded anything which is a bummer. I promised a friend I'd send him rips of the Ampersand demos and EP a while back and still haven't done so. I'll try to do that this week and post them here as well.