If you’re follower of Homicidols on Twitter (and, if you’re reading this, you almost assuredly are), you may have noticed that ol’ Maniac was at a show the other night. It was Code Orange’s Pittsburgh homecoming, supported by a handful of likewise loud-inclined bands that included another rapidly up-and-coming hardcore unit, Harm’s Way.* It was an exhilarating experience to say the least, and it got me down onto the floor and ultimately all the way into the pit once “The New Reality” started because ARE YOU THE HAMMER OR THE NAAAAAIIIIIIIILLLLL? (I opted to be the hammer). I am old, however, and hardcore pits are nothing to mess around with, so it was not a long sojourn!

It did give me time to be close in, though, and observe and think. I don’t go to as many shows as I used to, so the days of doing things like seeing a really crappy death metal-oriented version of Lamb of God open for GWAR years before they made it big, those days are mostly gone. Still, you never know, maybe one of those opening acts will be the next to emerge from random basements in Oakland to punch the entire world in the mouth,** so it’s worth paying attention.

I like to insert idols into the bill. It’s just a mental game, obviously, as we have not yet progressed to the point where idols either in or coming to the West are regularly doing joint shows with bands.*** But it’s a fun game, matching idol acts with the bands on a bill, imagining how different or like performances might line up well. I like to talk about fantasy booking, getting so-and-so idols together for X, Y and Z events and whatnot, but this little exercise is always my favorite kind of fantasy booking, as it’s also how I imagine creating idol fans out of the whole cloth of basement-dwelling straight edge scene kids.

And I almost always come back to Yukueshirezutsurezure. Continue reading →