 and SACCHARIN TRUST On June 12th and 13th, BLACK FLAG and SACCHARIN TRUST invaded the Roxy. As I've said before, Black Flag is my favorite band so I was looking forward to seeing them in Ottawa. Before I get into the review of this show I would just like to thank Paul Symes (owner of the Roxy) for his new policy of booking hardcore bands. On July 21st he will be presenting Chron-Gen, Target 21, and most likely Burnt Offerings (if they get their shit together). Other shows that are at this moment tentative (very tentative) are The Young Lions, Anti-Pasti, Vice Squad, Discharge, Flipper and Minor Threat. So hats off to Paul and the Roxy for their new attitude towards hardcore. Anyhow, on to the Black Flag, Saccharin Trust review.
"No matter who you know or no matter who you fuck, you're still alone." - Henry [please excuse the crappy photos, I can't find the originals . . .] |
Before Black Flag and Saccharin Trust came on,
there was this band (NIGHEIST) made up of members of the
two bands and their roadies. They called themselves the Roadie
Band but we have come to refer to them as the "Fuck Band"
due to their suggestive and at times downright vulgar lyrics.
They did four or five heavy metal tunes including my favourite:
"Hot Muff". Most people got off on it and realized
it was just a joke. I found Mugger, the singer, highly amusing
and I've never seen a band bring an audience to their feet so
fast.
SACCHARIN TRUST
was up next. I had seen them before when they opened up for Black
Flag in Washington last December. I didn't like them then but
I like them now. I guess the D.C. gig was just a bad night. Earl
Liberty, bass, is a giant of a man and shows it. You should have
seen him wipe out three punks in Montreal when he did a flip
off the stage. Joe Byza plays guitar for Saccharin Trust that
gives the band its individual sound. They play hardcore that
goes fast then stops then starts up again. Great stuff. Get their
"Pagan Icons" ep from SST, eight songs.
BLACK FLAG then
took the stage. Black Flag consists of Henry Garfield (or Rollins,
whatever) the lead singer, Dex Cadena on rhythm guitar and vocals,
Great Ginn on lead guitar, Chuck Dukowski on bass and Emil Johnson
on drums. Henry is not knows as "the wild man" for
nothing. He is absolutely insane on stage, crawling everywhere,
the movement is non-stop. Who cares that their hair is long,
it's the music that counts. Anyhow, Black Flag stormed through
nineteen songs including "T.V. Party", "Police
Story", "Rise Above", "Damaged I", "Nervous
Breakdown" and "Fix Me".
Some people found "Damaged I" a little
too long and boring, especially when Henry did a little walk
on people tables. Sorry folks, if you can't handle the heat,
don't go into the kitchen. For my money there isn't a more powerful
band in the world today. They give everything back to the audience
as was demonstrated with their fifteen minute version of "Louie,
Louie" on Sunday night with all the kids singing and dancing
in one big happy circle and even Russ Taylor jamming on the drums.
All in all, the best show I've ever seen anywhere. They're supposed
to be coming back on October and they told me they love Ottawa
so that's one show to look forward to.