Last Thursday night provided the ultimate concertgoer's dilemma. There were two line-ups of comparable genres at different locations on the same side of town.
For the most part, the older hip kids were partying with Vaux and Codeseven at Xtreme Wheels while the younger punksters were at the Showplace with Moneen, Hopesfall and Alexisonfire.
Alexisonfire, from St. Catharines, Ontario, took their Canadian screamo/indie rock to the masses as ferociously as they know, though they are Canadian and have, in the past, proclaimed themselves to be, "about as tough as Woody Allen."
While such derivations might cause doubt as to their rock-out-ability, they proved to a dance floor full of youngsters they could lay it down with North Carolina's finest.
Singer/guitarist Dallas Green brought the best individual performance of the night, beating out the runner up, Hopesfall lead singer Jay Forrest. From behind black hair that hangs in his eyes when he looks at his fret board, Green's vocals soar like few other living rock performers. Bono, Bright Eyes and the Boss have nothing on Green. People with this type of range and effortless pitch accuracy usually don't find their way into punk bands. Fans should count themselves lucky.
Fellow vocalist and lead screamer George Pettit combated Green's golden cords with a ravaging, relentless attack on his own larynx.
Since their most recent small venue stop in Buffalo last spring, Alexisonfire released their second album, "Watch Out!" The album allots Green much more time at the mic than their debut. His vocals on "No Transitory" are demanding of range and open for improvisation in a way few bands not fronted by Maynard James Keenan are capable.
The most outstanding physical performance of the night belonged to bassist Chris Steele, whose favorite stage move was making whips of his limbs and shaking like he'd been seized by the Holy Spirit.
The group's sense of humor was a bit odd. They liked to talk about huffing paint thinner and the average level of physical activity exerted by heavy-set guitarist Wade MacNeil. MacNeil is a funny kid with a high-pitched voice that at first comes across as some sort of mockery. As one listens, it becomes clear that it is no slant and that their jokes are meant more to entertain themselves than the audience. Or maybe it's a Canadian thing.
Pettit reproached himself after becoming a bit preachy explaining the meaning of their song, "White Devil."
"We aren't a straight-edge band, but we know where to draw the line. Just keep your noses clean. And don't run with scissors," he said, then adding a laundry list of stereotypical lecture topics, trying to keep the mood light.
After closing, they answered the strong call of "one more song" from the audience.
"Thanks, guys," said Green modestly. "We'll play one more song."
"That's not how you say 'one more song,'" said Pettit.
Then MacNeil gave a high-pitched, much more declaratory, acceptance of the call for encore.
Hopesfall's performance was marked by a distinct change in personnel and style. Newly added guitarist Dustin Nadler, his counterpart, mainstay Joshua Brigham, and new drummer Adam Baker have given the band a thicker and more rhythmically precise sound. It's a difficult change to for a fan to become accustomed, as part of the band's attraction was their looser adherence to song structure and emphasis on passion rather than precision.
They played several tracks off their upcoming album, "A-Types," all of which sounded great. Forrest's vocals are more varied and influential, while the band seems to have maintained its roots in melodic hardcore, having grown a bit towards a catchier sound.
Moneen literally kicked off the night. Lead singer Kenny Bridges let loose the same frenetic activity as a full clan of whiskey-snockered frat-boy freshmen. He ran stage-left to stage-right picking up whatever he could get his hands on, and occasionally pulling a Liu Kang-style flying kick into dreadlock-adorning guitarist Chris Hughes.
Opening the show were the Reason and a last minute addition, Hartford, Conn.'s A Thorn For Every Heart.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
