last Saturday night the good folks at the old Princeton landing hosted a fantastic evening of indie/punk music as a benefit for the families of the victims of the Ghostship fire in Oakland.
the first band, Long Knives, hailed from Oakland, & were a power punk power trio. fairly simple tunes, with great melodies, strong bass foundations & quick snappy drum lines, the songs were extremely catchy. the real treat came in the form of the frontwoman’s vocals, which a friend remarked as being “enchanting, like a beautiful tiger crouched in a majestic jungle ready to pounce”. truly, the whole package of powerfully catchy punk rock & sweet melodious singing made for an incredible experience. for lack of a better example, I would compare them closely to Paramore, recommended for fans of Alkaline Trio, Cast of Thousands, or The New Trust.
the second group up was my dear friends, Daikon. ive talked about these lovely folks quite often, so ill make this pretty simple. another power trio, these guys grew up in my own hometown, half moon bay, but are now based in san Francisco. known for their infectiously catchy tunes, full of witty sardonic lyrics, harmonically delivered by male & female vocalists, & driven mad by mind blowing drumming. seriously amazing group, recommended for fans of the lighter side of emo, like The Get Up Kids or Jimmy Eat World.
finally the band that put the whole show together, Reunions, came up to the stage. these four guys are currently still on a bit of a high after recently getting signed to bay area based label, Def Cow Records. their set exploded, fast & intense, & it never slowed. one after another, each song was a kick in the ass & a punch in the face. loud & distorted guitars blazed over thick, viscous bass lines, & rapid fire drums punctuated the raspy growled vocals. calling back to the great punk anthems, their songs are full of life, energy & emotion; raw & unspoiled. an exquisite blend of sharp melody, crunchy rhythm, & deep guttural shouting, highly recommended for fans of Hot Water Music, Box the Compass & Bullets In.
it was a great night, with extra appreciation towards the folks at the old princeton landing, who matched all the door cover charge, raising over $1500 to help the families of victims of the Ghost Ship fire. my heart goes out to all of those who were impacted by this terrible tragedy.
