Punk rock has been a dominant musical force again this decade, and although the nineties are winding down, it still shows no signs of stopping. About four-hundred people crammed into the Rancho Community Church sanctuary for what proved to be an eventful evening, and not just because of the music.
The show started with two local bands, Homesick and Closure, both of whom delivered tight, twenty-minute sets. Undecided, a Canadian band recently signed to Tooth and Nail Records, was scheduled to follow them, but apparently they were in this country illegally and were forced to return home before show time. Replacing them was new Screaming Giant artists Lugnut, a band that spent twenty-five minutes setting up to play another twenty-minute set. In their brief time on stage, however, they raced through ten songs, refusing to stop unless they needed to breathe. The lead singer, guitarist, and bassist all got so caught up in the music that they repeatedly came close to falling into the crowd.
Fresh from the New Talent Showcase at Cornerstone 1999, emo band twothirtyeight had the distinction of being the only non-punk group on the bill. Not everyone in the audience was willing to appreciate the change, and the mosh pit died out while people began to check out the merchandise in the back. However, twothirtyeight played four songs that reflected confident songwriting and an emotional side lacking so far that night. Unfortunately, an audience member had a seizure, so twothirtyeight's set was cut short while the band prayed and everyone waited for an ambulance.
Craig's Brother is a band definitely worth checking out. In the new-school tradition their punk is spiced with metal riffs, but the band also has a knack for songwriting that is absent in most punk. After playing a few bars of the Star Wars theme, their songwriting skills were made evident in songs like "Nobody," "Dear Charlotte," and "Sorry." Also notable in their work is strong characterization, usually about people alienated by families or peers. A sped-up cover of The Beatles's "Eleanor Rigby" proved that they had broader influences than expected, but it made perfect sense. The band's sound is far from Beatlesque, but their characters evoke the same dark edge found in the Lennon-McCartney classic. The new song "Red Letter" also extended the metal element into some impressive lead guitar work.
In a previous appearance at Rancho Community Church, Dogwood played for well over an hour to a wildly enthusiastic crowd. Since they were only about an hour from their hometown and still in the middle of a national tour, their enthusiasm as they took the stage was even greater than their last appearance. Ripping right into "Never Die," the band played material mainly from More Than Conquerors, their fourth and latest album. Every song was an anthem, and nearly everyone sang right along through "Preschool Days," "Suffer," and "Feel the Burn." While playing with the same new-school flair as Craig's Brother, Dogwood also had a goofiness about them that kept them from getting too intense. After a fight broke out in the pit, they started an impromptu rendition of "Father Abraham" until things cooled down.
Three songs later, the youth pastor at Rancho Community Church, announced
that due to complaints from neighbors (it was 10:45 p.m. on a weeknight),
the concert was being shutdown. Dogwood had played for only thirty minutes,
and they tried to persuade the youth pastor to let them play once more,
but the dilemma was either to end the show or face a $1000 fine. After
deliberating over this for a bit, they finally agreed to end things with
an a capella rendition of "I Love You, Lord," followed by a brief
prayer. Despite the disappointed crowd (myself included), it was a fitting
end to a raucous evening.
