The Suicide File-The Promise-Lord Sterling-Black Cross @ Hamilton St. Cafe Bound Brook NJ 5-2-03

This was right around the time a lot of people in my friend group began slowly, but surely, slowing down how many shows we went to. After five hit or miss years of college, I was finally firing on all cylinders and had just finished a great paper a few days before on the history of fire fighting in colonial America (long story). I was beginning to get my head straight and realizing how toxic my relationship to the hardcore scene had become. Around this time I had also befriended a significant (well, like three or four) friends on my campus hwo had absolutely nothing to do with hardcore. This wasn’t like the queer people I befriend when I got to Stockton who still knew who, say, Bikini Kill were. These were people who knew NOTHING and it was such a relief. Most were so much more into activism and intellectual activities than some bullshit on The Rev Board. It was thrilling and super helpful to my mental health to spend an afternoon with someone totally detached.

Anyway, we went to this show to see The Promise. I had been tape trading with someone in the band, but I think this was the first time we officially “met.” I think? Sounds familiar. I liked their single/demo/whatever and their LP was also pretty good. Hardcore had, musically, definitely taken a turn for the worse around this time. A few of my friends who had become even more particular than me really dug them too. They were great at this show.

Lord Sterling had Mike from Full Speed Ahead. They were a bit more of a rock sound, but did cover “My War” at the end of their set. Awesome.

Black Cross were members of Endpoint. They kind of sounded like Drive Like Jehu and bands like that. They were okay. I saw them three or four times because they played New Jersey a bunch of times.

I don’t even remember what The Suicide File sound like, but I do remember a lot of people liked them.

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