Holy cr*p! How many bands are reuniting?
Believe it or not, a ridiculous number of amazing hardcore bands will be reuniting and playing a festival in Chicago next spring. The event, scheduled to take place between May 2 and 3 in Chicago, Illinois, is being organized in celebration of the highly anticipated book, Burning Fight: The Nineties Hardcore Revolution in Ethics, Politics, Spirit and Sound, by Brian Peterson and appropriately published by the legendary Revelation Records.
Burning Fight covers the “modern” hardcore movement that took over clubs throughout the U.S. during the 1990s. Many of you are undoubtedly familiar with Steven Blush’s American Hardcore, the book (and documentary) describing the American punk scene during the 1980s. Peterson’s book delves into the details of how the punk scene reemerged with extra vigor, pushing ethical and political considerations to the forefront of the movement, without losing the magical musical platforms to express itself.
As exciting as I am for the book release, it doesn’t compare to how amped I am about this show. The lineup (listed below) contains such classic bands as Unbroken, Mouthpiece, Trial, Guilt, Threadbare, Underdog, 108, Disembodied, and many, many more.
Then there is Split Lip. Oh, Split Lip! This is the band that is going to get my ass out to Chicago for this 
two-day event. If you are unfamiliar with Split Lip (or Chamberlain, as it later redefined itself), there is a great MySpace page dedicated to the phenomenal band that was years before its time and Billboard featured a nice article about them last week. While I managed to catch a large number of these groups in their prime or at later reunions (e.g., 108, Underdog, etc.), I missed out on one of my favorites and I don’t think I can let it happen to me twice (thrice, if you count their set at last year’s SXSW).
Will more bands be added to the lineup? No clue, but I’m guessing that we’ll see a few more names. My hope is that we’ll see more in the Split Lip vain, such as Falling Forward, Four Walls Falling, or Temperance. Based on my conversation with Walter Schreifels last week, I don’t think there is a chance that the kings of the era, Quicksand, will be making an appearance. I wouldn’t be surprised if another of Schreifels’ bands, such as Gorilla Biscuits or Youth of Today, arguably the forefathers of the era, will show up. I’m also hoping for Snapcase or Avail.
BURNING FIGHT - 90′S HARDCORE: BOOK RELEASE SHOW
featuring:
Unbroken, Disembodied, Trial, Mouthpiece, Killing Time, UnderDog, Guilt, Split Lip, Threadbare, 108, Reach The Sky, Damnation, Ringworm, Bane, Have Heart, Betrayed, Blacklisted, Soul Control, The Killer, Harm’s Way, Convicted, Thought Crusade
I’d also love to see Snapcase. Progression and Designs are classics, but I still think End Transmission was their masterpiece and highly underrated.
You forgot about the two best Snapcase records: Lookinglasself and the EP Steps. I mean, “Drain Me/Filter”, “Incarnation” and “Windows” are arguably the best three Snapcase tracks…especially live!
they may have some of the best songs, but for overall albums, the later works are more consistent and better produced. but i’ll give you IN-CAR-NA-TION! as their best live song
I can’t argue with the production. That’s a given. Consistent? Probably, but not necessarily better. Still, its like arguing whether Zeppelin’s I or IV (Zoso) or House of the Holy (or take your pick) is best? Well, maybe Snapcase didn’t reach that level, even for the band’s most dedicated fan. Still, you get my point…to each his own.
Even though the live version off The California Takeover is sick, this version is still one of the best new school hardcore songs ever recorded…just awesome. Man, I saw these dudes so many times within a few years, but its been so long!
I even caught them once with Jonah’s Onelinedrawing on this cruise around Manhattan. The Seton Hall radio station put the show together.
oh man… WSOU? i didn’t go to that one, but they used to have some great cruise shows, and just great shows and giveaways in general. that was an awesome radio station. whenever i’m back in NJ that’s the first station i tune into.
Totally. The cruise was wild, as was this one show at the Roxy (I think that was the name of the huge club) featuring Snapcase, Sick of it All, Vision of Disorder, Ensign and AFI. It was the largest hardcore show I had ever attended and the first show I remember seeing more than one circle open in the pit. If I remember, SOIA recorded a music video, but I never saw it.
wow… just looked at the Metro site and the show’s already sold out. Hope you got your tickets. I wouldn’t be surprised though if they end up moving it to a larger venue like the Congress Theater.
lol! Don’t have a ticket, but this is a show that I plan to cover. The fate of our coverage is in the hands of the good people planning the event. Based on their judgment of the lineup, I know they have good taste in tunes. I assume they have similar taste in websites…{fingers crossed}
Well, I’m glad you censored the c-word here.