Hardcore gig finds success in Cowtown

By  Gabrielle Domanski

Strike Anywhere/Bane with Lowtalker and Touché Amoré

The Republik

June 7, 2010
With doors opening at six o’clock, it took what felt like forever for the first band, Lowtalker, to hit the stage of

Courtesy unionevents.com

the meagerly filled Republik Nightclub. Hailing from Midwestern America, the band is no stranger to the spotlight, being comprised of members from Canada’s own Comeback Kid, and the equally successful Misery Signals.
Their set was accomplished and their songs delivered with force and enthusiasm. The crowd however, needed more encouragement. With only a handful of fans nodding along, the beginnings of a pit were nowhere to be seen. That is until Touché Amoré took the stage and the room exploded.
The fairly young band emitted an infectious energy that soon found arms wildly wind milling and sing-a-longs at full force. The humble band was visibly pleased with the amount of devoted northern fans expressing their gratitude between songs. The band showcased newer songs to be featured on upcoming split releases with La Dispute and Make Do And Mend. Their whole set however, was greeted with eagerness from the audience, most of whom surprisingly knew the band’s entire repertoire by heart.
Strike Anywhere followed, ensuring to keep the onstage energy up. After over ten years as a band, these seasoned pros brought all of their collective heart to their performance – a trait that has become their staple and enabled their extended success. The politically minded band did not fail to interject inspirational moments in between songs. They often touched on the familial and accepting nature of the hardcore scene and its ability to consistently remain a space free of judgment, as well as a vehicle for encouraging change for a better future. The crowd moved less but perhaps it was because they were transfixed by the band’s passion, which radiated from the stage.
Closing the show were hardcore heavyweights, Bane. The crowd increased considerably in numbers in its anticipation for this last act. The band started off its set with a bang and immediately the pit widened and audience members proceeded to dance their hearts out. The years of experience this band has under their belts was clear in their tightly executed songs and also in their seasoned stage presence, which, after all of these years has remained untarnished by the vices of fame. Bane is as humble as they presumably were when setting off on their very first tour, some 12 years ago. They played an extensive set, sampling songs such as “The Guiding Light” from one of their newest releases, the straight-edge anthem “Count Me Out”, and delighting the crowd with the encore of “Ali vs. Frazier”.
The occurrence of a line-up of this caliber, specifically of the hardcore persuasion, does not grace Calgary with its presence often. Hopefully with the success of this gig however, word will get out to more bands of this genre, that our city welcomes them with eager and open arms.