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Antiseen and The Dwarves review
This is from the STILLNOTDEAD.com website. Written by none other than.....Mad Brother Ward
Yeah, just the mere idea of those two bands sharing a stage is almost more than one can fathom... But it happened, and heres how it all went down:
First, it was PISSING rain. I've never seen flooding as bad as it got in some spots of Charleston last night. Cars were half submerged in some places. Roads were blocked, traffic snarled and tempers flared - and we weren't even close to the club. Somehow I just knew it wuz gonna be a loooong night.
We arrived to the club moments before the Dwarves themselves rolled in. We exchange a few pleasantries and leave them to their business. ANTiSEEN trudge in not long after, their rented trailer torn apart at the fender and tire dangerously low on air. Evidently they hit a phantom chuck-hole in the raging flood waters several blocks away from the club and simply said 'fuck it' and dragged the sorry thing on in.
We help load in and again meet up with Dwarves and crew. I was suspicious at first - the Dwarves are sorta the 'west coast' ying to A-SEEN's 'southern' yang - but it became clear right away these guys were ego-free and down to earth good folks. The two bands have long been friendly and I think were excited at finally being able to play together.
The Dwarves merch guy was an old-school Philly punk legend named Paul Bearer. I remember reading some hillarious interviews and letters to MRR and Flipside he did when I was a kid. His band the Serial Killers once released a 7"ep about the infamous Gary Heidnick which included a little bag of dirt from Heidnicks yard... He was and remains quite a character.
The Dwarves have yet again flipped their line-up, however Blag and He-Who-Cannot-Be Named still front the band. Blag complied with a request to call a girl I know leaving a lascivious message on her voice mail. She probably didn't even believe it was him.
ANTiSEEN has rotated their line-up as well. This show was the American debut of bassist Jon Bowman and the first show of new drummer Phil Keller. Bowman was bassist in Self Made Monsters for a spell and used to front SFTM. Keller was drummer for badass Flat Tires, a fave local band of mine. I've known both guys for a number of years and couldn't be happier for them. They make a perfect fit.
With the severe weather and flooding I felt the turnout would be less than stellar, but soon after doors opened, people poured in by the dozens. They all shoe horned into the club eager for real punk rock by seasoned veterans of a seemingly dying art...
The 'SEEN take the stage and the place like... erupts. I mean, ULTRA ULTRA violence. Somebody had their nose damn near torn off their face inside the first song. ANTiSEEN pummel and pound their set without hardly catching breath, the new rhythm section really driving hard and strong. More people are carried out as other are thrown out. Clayton matches the bloodshed on the floor with a nasty self-inflicted gash to his own head. It was a Carolina Bloodfeast! They raged thru the closing tune 'Fuck All Y'all' and promptly demolish everything on stage - Phil throws his drums up clean over his head and against the back wall and the amps hiss and moan with feedback and static.
Alas, that was round one.
The Dwarves hit stage and the violence continued. A guy wandered out with a nasty gash to his forehead, more scuffles and fist fights. The band plays on as if encouraged by the violence. Blag thanks 'that cute little emo band ANTiSEEN!" and soon all is trash and blood. Cops show up and are placated only to arrive again later. I have no idea what for. House lights are turned on but the Dwarves ignore the action, as does most of the crowd. More violence ensues, hostility the name of the game.
It was great.
After the show people wandered around battered and dazed. People crowd merch booths for swag, pics and autographs. I even score a phone number from an attractive young lady - not a bad thing, this. The Dwarves show class by helping A-SEEN cover lost expense on the faulty trailer. Then, as the storm subsides, peace is regained and everyone makes their own way into the night....
We all live to fight another day.
Yeah, just the mere idea of those two bands sharing a stage is almost more than one can fathom... But it happened, and heres how it all went down:
First, it was PISSING rain. I've never seen flooding as bad as it got in some spots of Charleston last night. Cars were half submerged in some places. Roads were blocked, traffic snarled and tempers flared - and we weren't even close to the club. Somehow I just knew it wuz gonna be a loooong night.
We arrived to the club moments before the Dwarves themselves rolled in. We exchange a few pleasantries and leave them to their business. ANTiSEEN trudge in not long after, their rented trailer torn apart at the fender and tire dangerously low on air. Evidently they hit a phantom chuck-hole in the raging flood waters several blocks away from the club and simply said 'fuck it' and dragged the sorry thing on in.
We help load in and again meet up with Dwarves and crew. I was suspicious at first - the Dwarves are sorta the 'west coast' ying to A-SEEN's 'southern' yang - but it became clear right away these guys were ego-free and down to earth good folks. The two bands have long been friendly and I think were excited at finally being able to play together.
The Dwarves merch guy was an old-school Philly punk legend named Paul Bearer. I remember reading some hillarious interviews and letters to MRR and Flipside he did when I was a kid. His band the Serial Killers once released a 7"ep about the infamous Gary Heidnick which included a little bag of dirt from Heidnicks yard... He was and remains quite a character.
The Dwarves have yet again flipped their line-up, however Blag and He-Who-Cannot-Be Named still front the band. Blag complied with a request to call a girl I know leaving a lascivious message on her voice mail. She probably didn't even believe it was him.
ANTiSEEN has rotated their line-up as well. This show was the American debut of bassist Jon Bowman and the first show of new drummer Phil Keller. Bowman was bassist in Self Made Monsters for a spell and used to front SFTM. Keller was drummer for badass Flat Tires, a fave local band of mine. I've known both guys for a number of years and couldn't be happier for them. They make a perfect fit.
With the severe weather and flooding I felt the turnout would be less than stellar, but soon after doors opened, people poured in by the dozens. They all shoe horned into the club eager for real punk rock by seasoned veterans of a seemingly dying art...
The 'SEEN take the stage and the place like... erupts. I mean, ULTRA ULTRA violence. Somebody had their nose damn near torn off their face inside the first song. ANTiSEEN pummel and pound their set without hardly catching breath, the new rhythm section really driving hard and strong. More people are carried out as other are thrown out. Clayton matches the bloodshed on the floor with a nasty self-inflicted gash to his own head. It was a Carolina Bloodfeast! They raged thru the closing tune 'Fuck All Y'all' and promptly demolish everything on stage - Phil throws his drums up clean over his head and against the back wall and the amps hiss and moan with feedback and static.
Alas, that was round one.
The Dwarves hit stage and the violence continued. A guy wandered out with a nasty gash to his forehead, more scuffles and fist fights. The band plays on as if encouraged by the violence. Blag thanks 'that cute little emo band ANTiSEEN!" and soon all is trash and blood. Cops show up and are placated only to arrive again later. I have no idea what for. House lights are turned on but the Dwarves ignore the action, as does most of the crowd. More violence ensues, hostility the name of the game.
It was great.
After the show people wandered around battered and dazed. People crowd merch booths for swag, pics and autographs. I even score a phone number from an attractive young lady - not a bad thing, this. The Dwarves show class by helping A-SEEN cover lost expense on the faulty trailer. Then, as the storm subsides, peace is regained and everyone makes their own way into the night....
We all live to fight another day.
© 2012 Created by BCA.
