Last night, youngdave, his friend Vince, and I made the trek again to the toilet known as DeKalb, IL to see the quick return of Curl Up and Die at The House. We were pretty stoked at the opportunity to see them just two weeks after the last time they came to town, especially with as good as their show was. This time it turned out, in one of the worst booking decisions one could make for an all ages gig, that there was 5 bands on the bill, and it started at 8pm. If you do the math, 5 bands + 8pm start time + all ages show = kids getting fucked out of seeing an entire show due to curfew laws. And that is just what happened to some, which I will get to shortly.
The Killer Apathy
First up was The Killer Apathy, which were a Thursday tribute band. No, I’m serious, I thought I was watching videos of Thursday on MTV2 or JBTV during the 3 songs I stuck around to watch. In between songs, youngdave heckled them openly and a group of “the kids” all turned on him and told him to leave, and that they’d even pay for it. It was pretty funny, and he did get a few zings in there. This band had two singers, the one that whines and the one who screams. It was bad.
Next up was Dear Me Dear You and I swear to god it was the same band that just played. If the first band was a Thursday tribute band, then this was a Taking Back Sunday tribute band. I didn’t even bother to plow through the scarf-wearing, pink belt clad, metrosexuals to even snap a picture, but I have instead included this artists rendering…
Dear Me Dear You
This band had two singers, the one who whines and the one who screams. They were bad, really bad. Even worse than the Thursday tribute band who preceded them. We listened to most of one song before walking to Walgreen’s for some orange soda and beef jerky (the dinner of champions, or unemployed aging punk rockers).
Bear Vs. Shark
Bear Vs. Shark
Bear vs. Shark was next and they had also just played that same show with CUAD two weeks ago and impressed me. This time I think I enjoyed them even more. If I had the funds, I would have bought their album. They played a new song that they wrote in the two weeks it had been since they last played here. The kids loved them and finally there was a band I could sit through willingly. Thumbs up for Bear Vs. Shark, even though they have kind of a silly name. They played about a half hour and the kids were begging them to play more when they were done.
Finally the main event in our eyes, and the reason for making the long drive to DeKalb had come, Curl Up and Die hit the stage.
Curl Up And Die
Curl Up And Die
Right before CUAD were about to start, someone announced over the PA that the cops were there and they’d be checking people’s IDs to enforce the Curfew laws and thus kicking out anyone underage. I’m sure the people who perhaps paid $8 for the sole purpose of seeing Horse The Band were pretty pissed off for getting fucked out of their money thanks to such a stupid booking decision. I honestly can’t think of any reason to have a 5 band bill no matter what unless you are having a day-long festival. Hell, many times 4 bands is one too many.
Earlier in the evening while the Thursday tribute band was playing, we went outside and ran into the Curl Up and Die guys. I reminded Mike Minnick of his promise to play “You’d Be Cuter If I Shot You In the Face” this time. He promptly pulled out their set list to show me that he remembered the request and was a man of his word. I was super excited to finally hear them do that song live, and got a glance of the rest of the set list and knew I was in for perfection. All My favorite CUAD songs save for one from the new one was on that list! It made the wait for them to hit the stage feel even longer due to the anticipation of what I’d be hearing. When they did finally play, they played to perfection.
Curl Up And Die
Curl Up And Die
They opened up with “Nuclear Waste, Bring That Shit On”, then went into “Ted Nugent Goes AOL”. Other songs they played were, “Damn Girl, That Shit is Deep Like the Ocean”, “I Hate Almost Everyone I Come In Contact With”, “Instrumental”, and “I’m Trying to Fly to the Moon Using Two Magnets and Willpower”. The focus on this set was definitely the songs that were a bit on the slower side, which are the ones that really stand out for me. Don’t get me wrong, even the slower songs pack plenty of punch to work up a crowd and it was nice to see the people that did appreciate them really enjoying the show.
Curl Up And Die
Curl Up And Die
After all these wonderful songs, the moment of truth had arrived, they would close with “You’d Be Cuter If I Shot You in the Face”. Before the song, Mike announced that “this is going to be out last song and it is for Mike and Dave”! That was fucking cool because we only told him our names the last time they played in our short 10 minute conversation after their set. For someone to remember the names of a couple of dudes you talked to at one of a ton of shows you play on a tour is pretty damn cool. Those guys were very friendly when we talked to them both times. The song sounded great live and it was a great way to end their perfect set and I was really glad to get to see them play the one song that a couple years ago got me to take notice of them. We went and said our goodbye’s to the guys in the band and hit the road, not the least bit interested in staying there any longer to see what the headliner, Horse The Band, was like. I mean really, after what we just saw how could anything top it? Best to leave on a high note. We made the drive home with smiles on our faces, talking about what a fun time it was and how good their set was.
There’s a couple more pictures after the jump for those that may want to see them. Eventually all the good ones from this show and the one from a couple weeks ago will be put on the Spontaneous Combustion site.
Curl Up And Die (my attempt at being “artistic” with the camera settings)
Curl Up And Die
please dont hold the booking agency responsible for the police becoming involved. Perhaps 5 bands were too many, but it was the first time a show that started at that time had any trouble, the trouble being some kids throwing eggs off the roof into the street, cause local shop owners to call the cops and bust the place of all the kids. Typical shows do not run into any trouble.
whoever writes this stuff I was standing next to you at this show, during bear vs. shark i was the girl with black hair that asked you not to run into me i’m fragile and you guys said “i have glasses can’t get crazy” and the other guy showed me the camera which i’m assuming you are the one writing this. Bear Vs. Shark is an awesome band i would so be his groupie HaHa (small joke kiddies) anyway sorry we don’t share the same love for curl up and die i did only see them once and didnt enjoy it and couldn’t stick around to see them this time
Bear Vs Shark is named after a book. It’s a social satire on how media-obsessed people have become, among other things. It’s a good book. Next time you see Cameron, ask him if you can borrow it.
The Killer Apathy sound nothing like Thursday, you are an idiot. Thank You. Listen for yourself : LINK REMOVED FOR I’M NOT GIVING SOME LAME ASS THURSDAY TRIBUTE BAND ANY FREE ADVERTISING. THEY CAN PAY ME IF THEY WANT THE LINK. Also, this is a bad article.. more biased and one sided than fox news. You’re unfair. Also email me if you’d like to say something back. troublebreathing@sbcglobal.net
You are laaaaaaaaame and biased! so STFU!!!!
uhm.
whoever wrote this, it seems as if you have invited my right fist to a party on your left cheeck.
IM me and shit.
MUHTONYPANTS
yeah i agree with the last three comments, this article was VERY poorly written and i know for a fact that these bands work their asses off.
how fucking retarded can you get?
great article(sarcasim)
learn to appreciate good music…
cause you must have retarded taste
Anyway I would consider writting to you a waste of time… but your cutting up amazing bads… so one last time go jerk yourselfs
hahahahaha, have you ever even heard thursday?
I’d agree they sound like thursday if all i had heard before them was AC/DC, New kids on the block, and Thursday.
you suck at taking pictures dude…
This is how to take pictures
http://photobucket.com/albums/y174/d3innovasian/
oh yeah..you’re a moron!
What a douche bag, hahahah! Ur not worthy enough for The Killer Apathy!
Wow, you 15 year old bandana wearing marks sure get offended easily when I tell it like it is. I shall try and tackle all your insightful comments one at a time.
Jarod, I removed the links you put in there because I’m not allowing my site to be used to shill lame ass pussy emo knockoffs from the cornfields. I have no intention to email you, sorry.
Tony: I won’t “IM you and shit” as I’m pretty sure we’d have nothing interesting to talk about and I doubt we’ll be sharing fashion tips as I don’t wear bandanas in my pocket or pink belts and ladies jeans. Also you are welcome to try and feel on me with that fist of yours, but you better hope there is room in your ladies stretch jeans in the ass area because that is where your fist is gonna end up when I’m done giving you a rectal exam with it. You’ll be so good and loosened up that you can “take a Dear Me Dear You”
Yeah Yeah: Wow, you told me. I imagine yr far too young to have your parent have been hippies and given you that name at birth. If they are some hippie wannabe couple though that gave you such a stupid name, I truly am sorry.
Adam: I’m sorry but you are the one with retarded taste. Maybe once you hit puberty adn get a job, you can get a musical education and look back two years even to where those two bands stole their sound when they stayed up wastching JBTV. Then spend that money and listen to some real punk rock that I was skateboarding to back when yr parents were in college.
Chris: Yes I have and so have those two bands I wrote about, and I’d bet they have posters of them in their lockers at school.
Jarod: AC/DC ruled back in their time. Thursday never will rule and those two shitty bands I had to sit through won’t even be a distant memory in the world of music.
**B: Yes I’m sure it was a lot of work to get to be good enough players to be a Thursday tribute band. That is some seriously complex music.
OK, go to bed kids, its a school nite for cryin’ out loud!
Twan: Why are yr photos so damn blurry?
The Killer Apathy sounds nothing like Thursday.
Why dont you take a good listen to Curl Up and Die.. They sound like all other hardcore screamy crazy crap bands. They really dont have alot of talent. They play the same shit over and over agian. Not to mention YOU CANT FUCKING UNDERSTAND HIM!
Punk Vault? Curl Up and Die show? Fuck you goto your Oi Oi shows.
well i am not an emo or sence kid but i do enjoy the killer apathy and i do think that this article was seriously biased and just because you think something is bad doesnt mean you should have to say it . I honestly could give a damn less about what other people think but the guys of tka are nice guys they shouldnt have garbage talked about them in any sense so for that i call both of you guys assholes and if you’re going to have a website dedicated to trash talkin bands buy a better digital camera …oooo wait u cant your and unemplied punk rocker
I like how you have the time to personally insult everyone who disagrees with your taste in music. Not only does it highlight your immaturity, but it makes you come off as a dick. The Killer Apathy are six hard working guys who only want to play music for their fans. If you don’t like them, then don’t go see them. It’s a simple solution to something that never was a problem in the first place.
First off, where do you get off thinking everybody that posted is young? All but one member of The Killer Apathy is out of school and graduated. They have made a huge name for them self around the Midwest because they have talent, and they are good at what they do. I dont see any other names on this comment board saying how The Killer Apathy is horrible. I think your writting skills are horrible and you should not be a journalist. How can you even compair them to Thursday! I could see Underoath or some other band along those lines, but thursday? Get a life and stop bashing bands because you dont like them. The most you could have said was “Oh i wasnt very impressed” not gone on about how they suck because a good portion of the midwest will disagree with you on that one. And your friend who was talking shit in the crowd later that night appologized to garret and said he was just joking and he didnt mean it, so dont act like he is all big and bad now. There was about 40+ people at this show that wanted to kick his ass.
I was present for his conversation with that fellow from the band and it didnt’ really happen how you described.
I’m sure my friend doesn’t care if all of those metrosexuals with their bandanas and their clone haircuts wanted to kill him. That is really mature to want to kick someones ass because he insulted your heroes who were playing on stage.
I was at that show, and the average age of the crowd coulnd’t have been over 18.
I’m sorry you think I have poor writing skills because I ripped on some gerneric emo band you happen to like. You do realize that this is my blog right? It being my website, I can say whatever I like.
And personally, “a good portion of the midwest” not agreeing with me won’t make me lose any sleep. Sadly a good portion of this country voted for that asshole Bush and thanks to them gas costs over $3 a gallon. Just because “everyone is into it” doesn’t make it right. If that was the case, punk rock never would have been invented in the 1970s.
“Just because “everyone is into it” doesn’t make it right.”
You know, just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean it’s right either.
Music is subjective, so you don’t have to like The Killer Apathy. No one is telling you that you should.
But really, how mature is it to insult a hard working band and their fans just because you think they sound like thursday?
oright.
i recall you ducking the fuck out as soon as some kid called you a douche or whatever saying “everyone hates me in there” then garrett called you out in front of your friends and you were nothing but an apologetic bitch.
i’m sure you do need fashion tips since you have a lack of pussy in your meaningless life. plus, you needs to listen to thursday and find out what they really sound like, then listen to the killer apathy and maybe you can find a difference.
in conclusion, with being thirty-something and coming out to local shows, you have to realize that not everything will satisfy your musical taste. if you don’t like a band, fucking leave, but keep your big ass mouth shut on your way out.
i’m not being some tuffguy or some hardcore kid talking shit here, but with this entire article, you made yourself look like a fucking idiot.
i’m going to see dead to fall at the house, i’ll see you there. if you don’t like them and you open your fucking mouth, i’m sure you’ll have a bunch of pink belt wearing, pierced, tattooed prettyboys all over your nu-metal loving ass.
and thursday is pretty good by the way, not my style, but still good.
Hey, For one, removing the link just shows how much of a prick you are, shouldn’t people be able to make their own opinion? I think that’s fair, although it will discredit you because whoever listens to it will find out that your comparison to thursday is completely stupid. I guess you need people to just take your word so you can make up all kinds of shit.
Also, I never said that AC/DC was bad. (for the record, i dont like them) but theyre nothing like new kids on the block, or thursday. If i had never seen a car before, and i saw a garage full of them, im sure i’d think they all looked alike.
Im almost positive i have a way better taste in music than you, considering i dont listen to curl up and die. You’re nothing but a punk, and your friends a bitch. Pussy
Oh, and it’s cool if you dont like the killer apathy. I dont care, talk about how bad they were… It just pissed me off how unfair you were and how ridiculous you went about the whole thing.
They barely sound like thursday at ALL.. and you say theyre a thursday cover band? what the fuck… no where close.
That hardcore shit all sounds the same. What more can you do besides pinch harmonics, scream, breakdown and double bass? Get a life, i know it was rough getting picked on by all the little kids, but you should have just let it go.
Well, I happen to be in The Killer Apathy.. Though I feel you have a right to your opinion.. Yea we cannot be liked by all.. and we’d love to hear your thoughts.. To say we cover thursday at all is sort of dumb.. Seeing that most thursday songs are a half step down.. and don’t involve more then 3 parts repeated.. when there is only one song where we repeat anything.. I don’t care that much that you have a dislike for us.. because we are doing our best to get better.. But it would be nice to have an actual reason on what you don’t like about the music.. not a low blow about us sounding like thursday.. that would be like saying the moment sounds like horse the band because they have a keyboard in the music.. but the 2 bands are completely differen’t.. So are we.. So if you’re going to be a writer.. Please
1) don’t be so one sided.. and don’t chop up your articles.
2) list complete information and explain the situation of what happened.. not just they sounded like thursday. but what parts sounded like thursday..
3) You can’t just say a guy was bitching and another was screaming.. I mean not everyone is going to listen to what you listen to.. so say he was a poor singer.. or the screaming didn’t fit..
But I would like you to know it is people like you that kill the surrounding areas scene. Instead of coming out you bitch about every band that comes and people stop showing up.. I mean.. We try our hardest to express how we feel.. and we happen to just do it through music.. not everyone can understand our “statement” or “feelings” but we try… So… You might wan’t to take that into consideration.. Also as for just being a person.. We try our best as people even if you don’t like us musically.. To benefit the scene.. Unlike you.. Not to make that sound anyway harsh or mean.. but you should look at what you say.. and see if it benefits anyone.. And maybe to you saying we’re horrible makes you feel better as a person.. and makes it easier to sleep at night because maybe you saved one person from checking us out.. but every think about what if that person might not think the same as you do.. Well..
My name is Rod
You can email me or IM
(Please talk to me as a person not some child)…
Thanks jarod
tony
twan
harrison
and all our friends…
By the way.. I’m mixed.. So I don’t have their hair.. so please say.. everyone except for Rod had the same hair… THANKS
This is Brian of The Killer Apathy.
And i would like to thank you for personaly attacking me on the way i look. Look at your age, look at yourself, and quit attacking people younger then you. Asshat.
The End.
Tony, you have me confused with my friend who was there with me, the one who heckled the band and got into the verbal confrontation with a bunch of the bandana clan. I was a silent observer during the ruckuss, but I will say it was more entertaining to me than what was going on up on stage. I “ducked out of there” because I didn’t care to hear anymore of the band on stage.
Brian, perhaps you should respect your elders who have been around a lot longer and have seen enough to knokw when something he is witnessing is not new or original in any way whatsoever.
I am closing the comments to this post. You guys have had enough free publicity. If you want a forum for you and your friends to sit and talk about how great you are, I suggest putting a message board on your band’s website.