Summer Shows @
The Talent Farm

Title Fight and Tiebreaker

Review by Emily Bloch

Photos by Natalia Marrero and Nick Morales

Title Fight

with Go Rydell, Dead End Path, The Menzingers and Touché Amoré

May 28, 2011

Review by Emily Bloch
Photos by Natalia Marrero

Riding shotgun in my best friend’s car, May 28th was just one of those days where you couldn’t help but feel blissful. As we blared Title Fight’s entire last EP The Last Thing You Forget, I realized that this would be the first time no obligations stood in the way of me seeing Title Fight live.

       The first band on were Florida favorites, Go Rydell. The seriously underappreciated band sparked numerous pileups as they played track after track from their 2010 release, Golden Age. Throwing in a cover of Lifetime’s “Turnpike Gates,” Go Rydell proved that they really can handle anything. As Touché Amoré's lead singer Jeremy Bolm says, “Their music may be hard, but they have hearts of gold.”

       With distorted riffs panning from right to left speakers, Dead End Path took the stage as the circle pit emerged before my eyes. As the punch packed songs drove, more and more kids came running into the venue. It took me aback how effortlessly bassist Foose played as he rocked his Wayfarer shades and fed off the audience's enthusiasm. Dead End Path releases a new album this summer.

       For a change of pace, Philly natives The Menzingers took the stage with their bright, upbeat-alterna sound that hit everyone like a grin. From the comfort of the fuzzy bass to the warm melodic vibrato of co-vocalist/guitarist, Tom May, the band was very well received at their first show in Florida. With a crowd full of head bobbing, the Alkaline-Trio-esque group supplied a very nostalgic sound to the vulnerable ears.

What this band will forever be appreciated for is their ability to tie in song after song regardless of its age, tempo or theme, Title Fight has the ability to produce incessant seamless transitions.

Like a bomb going off from the very start, Touché Amoré started their set with a bang. A full crowd held their angsty fists and grimaces high as the five-piece LA band presented fickle instrumentals and volatile choruses. As the songs went by, it was endearing to see vocalist Jeremy Bolm embodied as he switched back and forth from a thrashy, musical yell to a gracious humble speaking voice, making a point to thank the full crowd after every song. The band played songs off their old release ...To the Beat of a Dead Horse as well tunes from their new record Parting the Sea Between Brightness and Me, which is available now.

Title Fight fittingly opened with their fan favorite “No One Stays at the Top Forever,” stimulating huge crowd participation. The Kingston, Pennsylvania dwellers brought their familiar pop-punk/hardcore infusion to the stage with songs both old and new. It was relieving for many to hear such an even balance between all their highly regarded releases. It must have been equally relieving for the four boys to see just as much excitement for older hits like “Memorial Field” versus newer “Coxton Yard.” What this band will forever be appreciated for is their ability to tie in song after song regardless of its age, tempo or theme, Title Fight has the ability to produce incessant seamless transitions.

Exhausted from the cardio of so many talented bands, dreams were fulfilled that night. Bands that had never been seen in South Florida were finally seen and new memories were made.

Tiebreaker

with Truth Inside and Losin’ It

June 19, 2011

Review by Emily Bloch
Photos by Nick Morales

On a rainy June day in Pembroke Pines, faithful friends arrived at The Talent Farm to see a handful of local acts along with Panama City’s Truth Inside and Virginia's Tiebreaker. The show served as an oversized salute to the youth crew hardcore genre.

Walking into the intimate venue, the lights were dimmed and the instruments were set up for a floor show. The first band, Constructive Criticism, proved that strength comes in threes. The three-piece of down-to-earth boys welcomed everyone to their third show before playing their solid, full sounding songs. The new band impressed many with their timing and melodic bass riffs.

Reilly Embrey - Vox

       Next up was another new band, Hardware Youth. As the men in the band prepared, a blonde girl walked in and dropped her pink purse behind her, eyebrows quickly rose from all directions but within seconds the unlikely singer, Nicole Yvonne, pushed all doubtful thoughts out the door. The unlikely band played tight hardcore instrumentals accompanied by Yvonne’s surprising growl.

       Due to the weather and smaller scale of the show, the transition time between bands' sets was extended. As infinite baseballs, footballs, dodgeballs and frisbees emerged from the teenagers' car trunks, the small crowd and even some of the bands had a great time during the pauses.

       After the hand-eye coordination drills outside, power-violence fiends Super Mutant took the floor. The dark thrash music sung by everyone in the room was accompanied by a supportive mosh from the majority of the crowd. One of the most dependable bands around, Super Mutant played an enjoyable and incredibly tight set. With Joey Collery on vocals, it’s easy to compare him to Touché Amoré’s Jeremy Bolm. His powerful voice encompasses everything and the way he charismatically swings his mic around shows that this band's all about performance, projecting their sound both musically and visually.

Due to the weather and smaller scale of the show, the transition time between bands' sets was extended. As infinite baseballs, footballs, dodgeballs and frisbees emerged from the teenagers' car trunks, the small crowd and even some of the bands had a great time during the pauses.

Nico Suave - Guitar & Vox

       Next, from the panhandle of Florida was the passionate hardcore band Truth Inside. Opening with a bang and bold ‘X’s clad on each member’s hand, the band went straight into their well-recognized fast paced songs. The band executed powerful riffs and the pileups followed in all directions as the group played favorites such as “Stay”.

       Following Truth Inside were their tour mates Tiebreaker. With guitarist Matt Crittenden and drummer Joshua Dickerson sporting matching cutoff daisy duke shorts, the comical band mates requested “silly moshing” to accompany their swift melodies. The irony in their clothing statements was how they opened their song “Fascist,” with the explanation of how they’re an anti-trend band and people should wear what they want to wear, “because fashion sucks!” Full of empowerment and heavy thrash, the band played songs about their hometown as well as the theme of being good unmaterialistic people. The fun loving band with some serious songs thrilled the crowd.

       Last but not least, headlining the night was our favorite good ol’ American hardcore local band, Losin’ It. The homegrown boys played all the songs off their newest EP, Say Something. Their melodic distorted riffs reminiscent of Stop & Think, strong drums, warm bass and youthfully angry yet relatable vocals from Michael Finn, demonstrate the sound every hardcore band should strive for. With freshly printed merch selling fast and the favorite songs all a product of an in-house recording project, Losin’ It proves that people and music are what really makes a band.

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