Nicholas Ryan TaftAfter going to bed at a much more reasonable hour than the night before (and by that, I mean 2 a.m.), I beat my 10 o’clock alarm to the punch and headed towards the Masquerade for the second day of Wrecking Ball. The set times on Sunday were scheduled an hour earlier in the day, which opened the possibility of stifling the local acts who were set to kick off the day’s performances. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case. 105.7 FM contest winner Worlds Greatest Dad had a pretty decent crowd in Heaven and same went for exwhy on the Park South stage, but Warehouse was the band that really grabbed my attention.
Warehouse
After being featured extensively in Stereogum and most recently in Pitchfork, the Atlanta band proved why they’re an artist to watch. The group has an alluring post-punk vibe that harkens back to what avant-garde should be: experimental and mildly abrasive, but not jarring enough to overlook the beauty that lies in the pieces of their puzzle. A huge piece of that puzzle is frontwoman Elaine Edenfield, who’s vocals transform from a soft whisper to a ferocious growl with no time to think in between. Even though they were sequestered in the half shade of the Purgatory tent, Warehouse threw together one of the more memorable sets of Sunday’s lineup.
Fox Wound
Fox Wound was the only local band in the 12:30 time slot, so Bryce and I went on a short walk to the Hell stage, and, once again, it was a cool, welcoming embassy for those of us braving the heat. And for suckers like me who stupidly went without suntan lotion for the second day in a row, we REALLY enjoyed being inside. But soon after, the bodies came piling in and Hell was back to it’s old self again — a hot, crowded, sweaty habitat. And to be honest, I wouldn’t want it any other way. Vintage Masquerade.
Fox Wound was feeling the love when they launched into songs from their recently released LP, In Passing, You Too Faded. I was extremely impressed with the piss and vinegar they displayed — their dueling vocals and layered guitars bully you into submission without overshadowing the underlying lyrics and the melodies that accompany them.
Young & Heartless
On Young & Heartless’ Bandcamp page, they’ve added the tags “emo,” “Pennsylvania,” “punk,” “sad,” and “Harrisburg,” but in truth I think they’re only three of those things. I’d heard a little bit of their music before Sunday, but after catching a few songs, the pipes that Jeremy Henninger possesses instantly hooked me by the ear drum. Now that I’m back in civilization, I’m definitely ready to dive into their catalog.
Bully
Lemuria
Nashville’s Bully invaded the Park South stage with Alicia Bognanno cathartically unloading her personally insecurities over the crunchy power pop her group excels at. They were followed by Lemuria’s shambling alt-rock across the lawn a short while later. Both acts had a massive following, but, for me, Lemuria broke the record for the most amount of band shirts seen on festival-goers. I literally can’t tell you how many Lemuria shirts I saw because I’m not sure I’m able to count that high.
Rainer Maria
With the exception of a tiny handful of reunion shows, beloved emo trio Rainer Maria stopped being a going concern in 2006. So suffice it to say their performance was a big deal with a capital BIG and the enthusiastic Wrecking Ball crowd let them know how much they appreciated their return. In response, the group delivered a fantastic set filled with classic cuts. They even brought out a special guest in Mike Kinsella of American Football, who appeared in the middle of their set, shaking a tambourine and sharing a microphone with guitarist Kaia Fischer.
Tigers Jaw
Tigers Jaw took the stage after Lemuria, snatched the energy from the audience, and turned it into a fun, sprightly romp of a performance. I was hoping for “Plane Vs. Tank Vs. Submarine” somewhere in there, but got something so much more than that by the time they left the stage.
The Promise Ring
The Promise Ring played all the old favorites you wanted them to. Every memorable, sing-along cut from Nothing Feels Good, Very Emergency, and Wood/Water came barreling off the Park South stage, sending everybody back to some sweaty, dimly lit basement show in 1999. They really pulled out all the stops to thank the crowd for being there, and it was perfect. I can’t even begin to tell you how many videos I have on my phone of Davey Von Bohlen singing the “Very Emergency” chorus, but it might be in the triple digits.
Mothers
Mothers, the last local band for the day, held down the fort in Hell at 3:40. I absolutely love this band and I’m glad they snagged a well-deserved time slot because they responded with one of the most intimate and enthralling sets of the weekend.
The Athens group just returned from playing Lollapalooza, and are soon headed to Europe on tpour, including an appearance at End of the Road Fest in the UK where they’ll be joined by the liked of the Shins, Animal Collective, and Joanna Newsome. In the fall, they’re scheduled to hit the road with Band of Skulls, continuing one of the most dizzying ascents we’ve seen from a local artist in quite some time.
American Football
American Football. Oh my lord. They were almost able to play their entire catalogue in their hour-long time slot. Mike Kinsella and company hit all the songs you yearned for ever since you first heard the band, culminating with the mesmerizing “Never Meant.” I swear, everyone earlier in the day said “Meet me at American Football,” and they all showed up right on time.
American Nightmare
Wes Eisold had the attention of every single person in the room when American Nightmare started their set. Launching into favorites from Background Music (“AM/PM,” “Shoplifting in a Ghost Town”) and even some Give Up the Ghost tracks like “Love American” from Down Til We’re Underground, the hardcore stalwarts absolutely destroyed the ear drums of everyone that occupied Heaven. For me it was even more special, because I was standing next to my friend John Vournakis, who had introduced me to the band almost a decade earlier. Even now, I can’t believe I got the chance to see them.
Thursday
Admittedly, I’ve seen Thursday a countless amount of times. Frontman Geoff Rickly was the first artist I remember having a vocal and lyrical influence on me as a teenager, especially since we’re from the same area in New Jersey. He wore his heart on his sleeve, but he would gladly bleach that tee shirt and burn it right front of you to prove a point if he had to, and that always spoke to me. He’s always seemed to be a quiet person outside of performing, but would get in your face without a second thought if you were in the first few rows of one of their shows.
The post-hardcore giants opened with “For the Workforce Drowning” and capped off the night with “Jet Black New Year,” “Understanding (In a Car Crash)” and “Turnpike Divides,” all in a row. I couldn’t have asked for anything better. Rickly, along with guitarist Tom Keely, drummer Tucker Rule, bassist Tim Payne and guitarist Steve Pedulla, all played with the same chemistry they’ve always had — smiling and headbanging at one another while thrashing themselves all over the stage. The overall happiness that flowed from their faces makes me hopeful for a full-on reunion in the future.
But, to be honest with you, seeing this band play live again made me reminisce about a show I saw of theirs in Heaven with Thrice in the early 2000’s. And that’s how I imagine the L7, Drive Like Jehu, Quicksand, Amercian Football, Milemarker, Rainer Maria, take-your-pick-of-reunion fans felt when they get to see them live again, or even for the first time.
I think Bryce said it best:
“This whole festival is a surreal experience, especially when it comes to seeing bands that many people never thought would perform again. To see these bands playing once again after being broken up for such a long period of time is mesmerizing.”
Lots of things happen in life: You grow up, maybe you get married and have kids, you stop “being fun,” you make car/house payments, and everything else in between. But it only takes one moment to re-trigger that period in your life, especially if you care for music as deeply as I do. And I think that’s why the Masquerade is so special to us. Maybe it wasn’t the best place growing up and maybe it had its ups and downs, but it was memorable enough to keep bringing us back to make more memories, no matter what happened.
I’ll miss the hell out of that old, shitty building.
RIP