In My Eyes, Good Riddance and Kid Dynamite
Spanky's, West Palm Beach, Fla. (July 8, 1999)
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In My Eyes
Spanky's, West Palm Beach, Fla.
July 8, 1999 |
Kid Dynamite probably won over the most fans, since a majority of the audience was anticipating Good Riddance. The band's Jade Tree debut album consisted the material for their set. it was fast and passionate. Singer Jason Shevchuk's vocals were so powerful his face turned a shade of red that matched his Washington Redskins t-shirt.
Unfortunately Shevchuk's mic was going out during the first few songs, but it was fixed midway through the set. The singer's vocals from that point on gained in strength and quality as the band went from song to song. Just as the band seemed to warm up, their set was over.
Luckily In My Eyes got a much better time allotment. They ran through a number of songs from their The Difference Between album on the mighty hardcore label, Revelation records. "Actions Fall Short's" start-stop guitars and steady drumming was intense. Locals in the audience sang on almost every song. In My Eyes frontman Sweet Pete lent his microphone to the front row of fans who knew every word perfectly. It turned out that the guys singing were from Florida's own Esteem, a band that was leaving town the following day for a tour of their own.
Unlike a lot of hardcore bands In My Eyes is actually producing unique music. the band is usually a beat slower than the normal hardcore band, and instead of being fast they concentrate on rhythm and interaction between all the members. Pete's vocals remain staunchly hardcore though, and while they are pleasant by hardcore standards they don't always match the tempo of his band, creating a strange convergence of sound. One that is pleasing but doesn't always allow for steady movement. "Overlooked" stood out as one song where they all meshed well, even with the extra help on vocals, and stayed together.
Good Riddance had to follow two great performances by the time they set up their equipment, and the crowd was expecting great things. Luckily Good Riddance came to play and held their own against the up and coming Kid Dynamite and In My Eyes.
The venue was pleasantly accommodating to the large crowd. The Florida tropical weather was balmy but the bands enjoyed the upbeat attitude of the crowd. All the bands mentioned the differences between the show and the night before in Jacksonville where Pete got harassed by police. And the amazing turn out of close to 400 people for a hardcore show in South Florida signaled it may be time for other groups to make it a regular stop on tours that usually won't go father south than Daytona.
DAVID THOMAS |