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LIVE REVIEWS WINTER 2005

The Regulations,Asschapel, and others @ A/V Space, Rochester,NY, October 18
By the time I found my way to Rochester�s Public Market, which houses the AV Space(a small and narrow art space), I missed a good portion of this overfilled bill, which included, but was not limited to Swedish phenomenon The Regulations. By the smells of things, I may have done myself a service. It smelled like a hardcore show in there, I tells ya.
Alongside the walls are tables of enterprising folks selling lots of records, including Mr. Havoc Records-guy. There�s a new Regulations full length taped to the wall (7 new songs and the earlier singles), but I can�t buy it because it's coming out the next day. Frustrated, I purchase the self titled debut (which I pilfered from slsk some time ago), and he hands me a dented up copy with shrink rap dangling off it and I head outside for a butt/breath of fresh air.
Anyway, Tennessee�s Asschapel are getting started. Pure hateful metal with a blinding strobe light show. I never actually saw anyone playing, they were in their crouches, ya know? I guess this is where metal and hardcore meet (and I stand way back), but to me its pure metal. But this ain�t my thing so I can�t really critique it. They seemed to know what they were doing. The lights made it seem more fun, though. Eventually, I had to walk away.
It�s a different atmosphere entirely when the Regulations kick into �Anna�s Eyes� though. First of all, they play with the �house lights� on. This is never, ever a good move, but if you don�t haul around a sweet strobe and halogen lighting system, this is your only choice at this place. The Regulations may or may not have been the main draw on this night, and they do the early US hardcore thing before metal was an option, but on this night it�s not quite as loud and abrasive as I expected or would have liked, but still a great band playing great songs. Maybe the boys are exhausted from the road, but things are a bit tamer than I�d hoped from them. I move up front and knock some stinkballs outta my way so I can get some �money shots�.
The Regulations are pounding through a set that drew from the LP and the early singles, all good shit. Maybe some new songs in there I didn�t recognize, but not many. They took long gaps between some songs (resulting in total silence from the kids) and at one point, were discussing things in �Swedish�. I chastised them for this; speak English or die, motherfuckers! Nobody was amused. They�d come back, though, and the kids were digging it. They are polite and patient; honoring everyone�s requests.
I have to admit, when I first heard them, I didn�t think this demographic would be theirs, but it seems to be working for them. Better this than playing to ten or eleven complacent, aging jagoffs at the Bug Jar, I suppose. And probably the best band that the kids who were jumping around and singing along had seen in quite some time, too.(LB)

Night Terrors, Blowtops, Trailerpark Tornados @ Merlin's, Buffalo, NY, October 27
I've given live reviews of TPT and The Blowtops countless times already, so I won't preach about my favorite local bands anymore. They were great as always, and I'll leave it at that. Here's what else I remember about this show: Tony Sagger refused to drink anything but Sparks Light. Dusty Mistreater showed us some great looking CD he picked up at a Canadian truck stop that featured a cover photo that was a beaver shot of a PIG. Yes a pig, and it was very tastefully done. Then they told us tour stories of some crazy drug addled party/show in Chicoutimi I believe, complete with menacing skinheads and young chicks whacked on PCP, and an adventure to a place called "Illegal Hot Dogs" where the meat quality of the dogs is, well, illegal in most states. I think it was in Rhode Island. Or Delaware. Or something. Then Night Terrors palyed and were a gazillion times better than the records. If you find The Tonys entertaining at all, then you'll have fun seeing them. They have some new songs that are much better than the first LP. Tony then got pissed at us for being a lame crowd and ended with a shattered cover version of that "We're wearing leather.." song from the Black Lips latest record, which wasn't even out at the time. I had fun. The end.(RK)