"This Place Is The Pits"

A really cool article about the growing movement in the city where I live. My band, as well as myself am mentioned, thanks Harley.

This Place Is The Pits
by Harley R. Pageot

When the bodies in The Diezel Room started colliding against one another you could feel the floor buckle, threatening to send us all crashing down onto the patrons of The Atria. While it may have upset the downstairs show a bit I suspect few of the crowd members moshing to Strange Peaks' surf-inflected punk tunes would have taken much notice. They were far too busy shouting and sweating along as Peaks singer Brandon MacDonald peeled a sticky Minor Threat shirt from his back and wrapped his microphone cord around his neck.

Less than 24 hours later in the outskirts of Newcastle hardcore/political punk band The Corporate Life razed through a cover of a Propagandhi song. The concrete floor of Wie Gehts Amigo didn't move and the pit consisted of only two people but a quick scan of the faces in the crowd told you that the energy was still there, bridling underneath. More Minor Threat patches sewn onto shorts. With a pay what you can cover on Friday's show and Saturday's gig being all ages, it seems like Ian MacKaye's got a bit of an influence building in the Oshawa area.

Strange Peaks, The Corporate Life, and Rebel Scum are three of the relatively-new bands helping to re-establish a punk scene in an area where the importance of all ages shows has been largely forgotten. Like Peaks' MacDonald Rebel Scum singer Zach Weaver is not afraid to literally throw himself into the pit, regardless of whether or not he may be mid-verse. Loud, messy, fast, and physical - you might not understand the words but the message is clear. In a scene notoriously reticent, it's far more common to see seated audiences with their hands fiercely gripping their drinks than it is to see anyone dancing. At both punk shows this weekend I witnessed shoving, skanking, slamming, sing-alongs, and sweaty hugs, often all at the same time.

Waiting in the rain at a dark bus stop in Newcastle following Saturday's show I ran into three teenage punk girls who had just left as well. As I handed them flyers for Soundtracked 14 they nodded in acknowledgment at the names Holy Mount and The Bonedevil. "Abel's in that band, right?" the one girl asked.

Two stops after we got on the bus a dozen half-dressed girls and jocks boarded, heading from Bowmanville to Oshawa to go clubbing at Riley's. Their conversations were riddled with such gems as "I actually did a black girl once" and "Malibu's a great kisser, a great cuddler, and she's got nice tits." As the punk girls filed past them to leave the jocks laughed hysterically and rushed to the window with their cell phones, trying to get photos of the one girl's three-inch mohawk.

Is there a need for a scene? A place for youth who care more about politics than hockey to come together and hug, shout, and sweat in alliance for a couple hours? Where flyers are conversation-starters and band names are like passwords? Apparently, now just as much as ever.

For the past few years folk-country has been the overwhelming trend in the local scene, likely due to its revival and championing in Toronto roughly four to five years ago. We at Broken Arts crave variety, though, so we're thrilled to witness the rebirth of the youth punk movement. As high school lets out for the summer and the kids kick their way into the spotlight our only question now is... where are all the hip-hop kids hiding?

Speaking of which, check out these awesome links:
http://brokenarts.ca/
http://www.facebook.com/rebelscumfux
www.myspace.com/muskrats420
http://www.myspace.com/strangepeaksca
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Corporate-Life/198190626858235
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Devoked/179850692053688