As of two days ago, the semester is officially over. My very last exam was on Thursday morning. I’m pretty sure that I did well on all of them, but I’d still like to have a definitive guarantee. Right now, only two professors have posted the final grade online. I passed Political Theory with an A and Art Appreciation with a C. Neither were much of a surprise. I’m still curious to know how I did on the final test, but I guess I never will. All I can gather is that it went well enough to secure those three credits.
Walking away from the campus that day brought such relief. Until September, I’m free. And what better way to celebrate than to attend a Converge show later that night?
I drove straight from Connecticut to Long Island. My dad returned home from work shortly thereafter, and we headed for New York City at around four. My dad dropped me off at the front of the venue, then went to a nearby restaurant. I would have gone with him, but the time at which doors were supposed to open was minutes away. My friend Kyle and his friend Ernest showed up at close to six. I abandoned my spot in line to hang out with them, and I’m glad I did. It’s impractical for one to assume that he/she can remain in one particular location for the entirety of a hardcore show. That’s just not possible. Not only that, but having no one to talk to makes standing around feel like an endless wait, as I’ve experienced on multiple occasions. No thanks.
Ernest didn’t have a ticket, and the show had sold out. Then Kyle recognized John Pettibone of Himsa, who is now a roadie for Converge. They struck up a conversation, which eventually led to John putting Ernest’s name on the guest list. What a thoughtful gesture. It’s too bad I’m not familiar with any of Himsa’s music, but I’ll definitely look into them. The lead singer shook my hand, after all.
The three of us stood in the back, moving up after the first two opening bands (the latter of which, Lewd Acts, featured the most drunken, out-of-control singing performance I’ve ever seen, as if the singer was a modern day Darby Crash). I was pretty excited to see Touche Amore, a fantastic hardcore band from Los Angeles. Kyle and I purchased their LP at the merch table before the show, which they kindly set aside for us to pick up at the end.
Touche Amore received an enthusiastic response from the crowd, almost as if they were the headliners. The band was really appreciative and modest, sustaining that night’s infectious amount of positive energy.
Setlist
And Now It’s Happening in Mine
Cadence
Broken Records
(New Song #1)
(New Song #2)
History Reshits Itself
Nine
Swimming with Sharks
Adieux
Always Running, Never Looking Back
Honest Sleep
I’ll be honest. At that point, I was terrified of that crowd, constantly expecting the worst. Being trampled, beaten, losing my glasses... all were recurring fears in my thought process. I wasn’t willing to fight my way through such an amazing band’s set, so I stood next to a pillar where I could watch the chaos unfold. I made the right decision.
The intensity of Converge’s live set was relentless. The precise technical skill combined with Jacob’s menacing scream was a powerful force, matching the ferocity of the original recordings. Everyone up front quickly wore themselves out, moving off to the side while others brought themselves into the nonstop mayhem. I was gradually squeezed closer to the stage, at which point I was within close proximity to Jacob. Twice during “Dead Beat,” he pointed the microphone in my face, and I screamed my guts out, “Pick your poison as dead beats do. Leave a wake in the hearts that hurt you.” It was surreal. Kyle, as well, enjoyed his own spotlight, singing the bridge to “Drop Out” onstage alongside Jacob.
Converge played a phenomenal, lengthy set. They truly put their hearts into that performance, displaying the passion and talent that they’ve always expressed on the studio recordings. As Axe to Fall was my favorite record of 2009 (http://www.nationalunderground.org/reviews-mainmenu-71/285-converge-axe-to-fall), this show will end up becoming one of the most memorable nights of 2010.
Setlist
Concubine
Dark Horse
Heartache
Hellbound
Lonewolves
Hanging Moon
No Heroes
Reap What You Sow
Cutter
Distance and Meaning
Dead Beat
Orphaned
Axe to Fall
Wishing Well
Damages
First Light
Eagles Become Vultures
The Broken Vow
Drop Out
Last Light
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