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!"