Punk rock is alive and well. This is the first thought that entered my mind as I watched thousands of screaming fans slam dance their troubles away yesterday at NXNE in Toronto. It was a beautiful summer night for an outdoor concert, made all the more special by the fact that the show was free and right in the heart of downtown Toronto. There is just something very cool about being surrounded by skyscrapers as you watch your favorite bands under a clear blue night sky.
Anticipation had built to a head when Fucked Up hit the stage at 8pm. After a few warm-up jams from their new disc David Comes to Life, the band really hit their stride and delved into some of their back catalog treats including b-side tracks and some other rarities. The band's singer, Pink Eyes, spent most of the show in the audience, surfing on the crowd and dancing with their excited fans. It's clear that the band is gaining a significant audience as hundreds of kids all seemed to know the words and sang them passionately.
After a short break, Off! hit the stage and played through their first four EP's in entirety. Keith Morris, the eccentric and provocative singer, often stopped between songs to talk politics and at one point dedicated a song to his deceased best friend, Jeffrey Lee Peirce, a touching eulogy that gave the song (of his name) an energy and perspective that made kids go ballistic.
The moment we were all waiting for. The Descendents. Legends of punk rock and writers of some of my all-time favorite songs. I discovered this band as a kid, and really related to the things they were saying and the way they said it. Lights down. Beers up. Cheers. The band came out full force blasting, to an enraptured crowd and ran through fan favorites "I Wanna Be a Bear", "Clean Sheets" and "Bikeage", as well as some songs from Everything Sucks and their last album. Milo, the singer, at one point brought his kids on stage to do a funny rendition of their classic "All". The only downside of the show was when somebody threw a bottle and it hit Milo in the face clearly disorienting him. Being the great singer he is he moved on, and didn't let it ruin the evening.
North by Northeast continues for another few day's but it will be tough to match the enthusiasm and excitement of yesterday's punk rock blowout.
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