The above video is from the day before at The Down Under in New Brunswick, but I went to see the newly reunited (and minus see crappy songs) Agnostic Front with Madball, Crown of Thornz, and some others. Seasonal allergies had just hit that week, so I was pretty sick after going crazy (and getting in a fight where like seven TOTALLY TOUGH AND SCARY skinheads went after me for DARING to try to break up a fight. One of them was like THIS IS NOT YOUR CONCERN. Oh, why didn’t you tell me this was SKINHEAD BUSINESS? Carry on!) for Madball and AF.
In fact, there is visual proof on the back of the second Rain On The Parade seven inch, which has pictures from this show. I look like a zombie. I ended up staying home the next few days from school too so I could recover.
I bought probably about $75 worth of records at this show. It seemed like a lot of records had come out since the winter. I picked up the Hands Tied, Fastbreak/Ten Yard Fight split, Tension Building Fanzine, a new Floorpunch pressing, a bunch of local fanzines, and some other stuff I am spacing on now. This was right around when I interviewed Ronnie from Rain On The Parade, so I think I was formally introduced to him at this show by, I think, Dave K?
9 Lives had members of Black Train Jack and sounded like…Black Train Jack.
This was the first time I saw Rain On The Parade live. This was right about when they were really hyped up and people went off for them as did they for Fastbreak. Fastbreak was a hot band at the time and coming off their set at Fieldsboro a few months before, they were headed to being a pretty big band. Pop punk derailed that of course, but their two seven inches and even the songs on the split record with Ten Yard Fight are really good.
Hands Tied were one of my favorite bands at the time. I proudly wore my Hands Tied New Jersey Straight Edge to school at least once a week. Hands Tied were really good and I think there is video somewhere online from it. I talked to Tim afterwards about doing an interview, which we would eventually get around to when Hands Tied rebooted in the summer with Smithy and TDT in the band.
By the time Ignite played, I was absolutely drained so I hung back for a lot of songs and only really went off for their Uniform Choice cover and maybe a few other songs. On the drive home I actually fell asleep in the back of the car. I had just gotten my car, but…you know what, I do not remember what show I first drove to. That is a really good question. In 97, I did not drive to shows that much. We had friends who already drove, so they took it on usually….OH! it was the Redemption 87 show that was almost two hours away. I am pretty sure it was that show. Huh.
