Better late than never, right? Or something like that.
Anyway, to back up a little bit, in early January Fadeaway Records reanimated first themselves, then The Gay Blades, and finally (and for one night only) Maxwell’s, for a benefit show for cancer charities. The following week they did it all over again (minus the reanimation) at St. Vitus Bar in Brooklyn. I was at both shows, but the pictures from the first one were supremely terrible, so I’m only posting the ones from Brooklyn.
In addition to the shows, there are also three, count them THREE, records being sold as part of a general “screw you, cancer” effort. On the records are over 30 previously unreleased tracks from Motion City Soundtrack, Frank Iero, Saves the Day, Judy Chong, Reggie and the Full Effect, The Gay Blades, Nightmare of You, Head Automatica and many more. The records are available in fancy vinyl as well as digitally.
Now onwards to the pictures.
Fred Mascherino (The Color Fred, Taking Back Sunday, Breaking Pangaea, Brody) is a man of many bands; his most current project is Terrible Things.
States & Kingdoms (Members of Rival Schools, Thursday, Retisonic, Small Brown Bike and Atlantic/Pacific) are super-loud and like a big fuzzy drone-y hug for your ears.
Geoff Rickly (Thursday) was actually having a lot more fun than this picture might suggest. He was so charming and low-key that the times he took two steps back from the mic, took a deep breath and pinned our ears back with his voice came almost as a surprise. Also, that link back there leads to his mixtape(s) which you should go and listen to right now.
Frank Iero (My Chemical Romance, Pencey Prep) was the “surprise guest” for the evening. In addition to the song he contributed to the Fadeaway records, he also has a bunch of solo work out now, including what might be my favorite cover of Walk the Line ever, and B.F.F., a song he wrote with his twin daughters.
I Hate Our Freedom (Members of Garrison, Thursday, Texas is the Reason and Millhouse) rocked so hard the bass player broke his strap and had to duct tape it back on mid-set.
The Gay Blades started with a sweetly-sung show tune – On the Street Where You Live, from My Fair Lady – then pause for a moment before slamming into a crunchy punk riff. I don’t know if they do that all the time, but I hope so, because I think that would just never get old.
