Some people just don't like subtlety. At the Suicide Machines show at the Trocadero on Friday night, the lead singers of three different bands told everyone that this show was in fact about "Unity." As if sharing the bill together was not enough, each band reminded us that ska, punk and hardcore were all in this together; however, there was no collective rendition of Queen Latifah's "U.N.I.T.Y." This was unfortunate, because there could have been some real potential there.
Ensign, the third opening act of the night, is a hardcore band hailing from New Jersey. As the group tore into the opening rifts of its set, the pit opened up in the middle of the dance floor to let all the kids thrash around. In keeping with the so-called "unity" theme of the night, Ensign reminded everyone that "We're all in the same fucking family: ska, punk and hardcore."
Note to all the Limp Bizkit fans: Ensign has got no love for Fred Durst and associates; Ensign's lead singer went so far as to call the Bizkit's music "bullshit shoved down your throat by MTV," and, in mock tribute, dedicated the song "Tourniquet" to Fred Durst.
When the Suicide Machines took the stage, they launched into "Break the Glass," making it clear that they, and not the numerous acts before them, were the reason everyone had come to the show. Lead singer Jason Navarro was all over the place, stirring up a frenzy by repeatedly sharing the mic with the kids in the front. All in all, the Machines were in fine form, leaving no downtime between songs as one adrenalized pop-punk tune--tinged with just the right number of infectious ska beats--after another was pumped out from onstage.
Their set ran the gamut of their albums; the kids in the pit ate up older material from 1996's Destruction by Definition. as well as several songs off their latest effort, Steal This Record. The audience members were almost willing to stop kicking heads with the steal tips so they could sing along to "Someone," "SOS" and a rousing version of "DDT."
The highlight of the evening was the band's encore performance of "The Vans Song," which had the audience on its feet shouting along as the SM dished out fashion advice, urging us to toss out our Doc Martens and Birkenstocks and go and buy some checkerboard slip-on Vans.
As far as Steal This Record is concerned, you're better off saving your 12 bucks to go and see the Suicide Machines live than investing in the plastic disc. Live, the SM were never at a loss for energy; however, they must have been on queludes when it went into the studio, sounding downright sluggish as they churn out some pretty bland material. Take a cue from the album's title, 'cause it's not worth buying. Or, even better, go see them live.
