In their nearly 15 years of existence, Bane have established themselves as one of the defining, if not the defining, modern hardcore band. Through a combination of relentless touring and top quality recorded efforts including regular album releases and the occasional seven-inch or EP, Bane has built a loyal fan base worldwide. Their live shows always promise an exciting time of sing-alongs and stage dives, so my photographer friend and I were stoked for a chance to see them locally. The last time I saw Bane play in my home state of Connecticut was around 2007 when they toured with Korea’s The Geeks, and it had been well over a year since I had last seen them at all. In that time, they have seen another lineup change, with Bassist Pete Chilton departing and being replaced by Brendan Maguire, formerly of the Boston band Reach the Sky. The new lineup has recorded a pair of seven-inch EPs on two different labels, and shows no signs of slowing down.
The Webster Underground, and the Webster Theater proper, are not exactly known for putting on hardcore bands, so I was surprised the show was here rather than at the other Connecticut venue with a history of booking hardcore shows that is still afloat in these tough economic times . We entered late due to the venue not having guest lists from bands — as a result, we missed seeing the opening band Revenge. Shoot To Kill was onstage when we got in, and we caught the last three songs of their set, but what I heard from the band didn’t impress me much. They play a brand of generic metalcore that is difficult to distinguish from other bands of its kind; a sound that I thought went out of style five years ago. The saving grace for this band was their guitarist. That guy could seriously shred! If he ever leaves STK and joins a death or grind band more suitable to his skills, they’ll ink a deal with a major metal label within a week of recording a demo.
After Shoot to Kill, Trapped Under Ice took the stage. From Baltimore, Maryland, Trapped Under Ice play a heavy brand of hardcore with rap/hip-hop influenced vocal styles reminiscent of ’90s bands Skarhead, Mushmouth, or Crown of Thornz. I would have loved Trapped Under Ice if they were around 10 years ago when I was still into this style of hardcore. While I can’t really get into this anymore, I definitely appreciate what Trapped Under Ice are trying to do, because they do it well. Musically solid, if not very interesting to my taste, the band put a ton of energy into their live show, and the crowd responded in kind. Kids sang along, danced hard, and were generally into it.
I don’t think anyone was more stoked during Trapped Under Ice’s set than their singer. He had great stage presence, full of energy and all over the stage, with enough between-song banter to keep the crowd stoked between songs. He made sure to thank all the bands who played, as well as everyone who came out to the show, and was generally upbeat. His actual vocal performance was a bit weak considering the quality of the rest of the band, but the crowd response more than made up for where he was lacking, and their sing-alongs kept the energy level up throughout the set.
After Trapped Under Ice it was finally time for Bane. Having hung out in the back of the room for most of the show, we moved up front to be part of the action. For whatever reason, Bane has always had a hit or miss reception in Connecticut. The 40 or so people in the audience when we arrived were about the only people at the venue by the time Bane took the stage. At the last Connecticut show that I saw them play — with The Geeks in 2007 — they played to an audience over double that size, and double or triple that number were present for their show with FC5 and Stretch Armstrong a few years before that. The crowd of several hundred at the show with FC5 was more what I am accustomed to seeing at shows in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and virtually everywhere else along the East Coast that I have seen Bane, so it was a disappointment for me to see so few people come out to Hartford on a Friday night to support. Their set however, was far from disappointing.
After a quick sound check, the band launched right into “Speechless,” the opening track from their 2001 album Give Blood, and did not let up from there. A pile of kids quickly took over the front of the stage to sing along, myself among them. They played an eclectic mix of songs, mostly from Give Blood and 2005’s The Note, including crowd favorites “My Therapy” and “Swan Song” off The Note, and “Some Came Running,” “Sunflowers and Sunsets,” and “Ali vs. Frazier I.” off of Give Blood. “Sunflowers and Sunsets” also featured a surprise guest vocals appearance from Pat Flynn, formerly of Have Heart, who closed the song.
This was not the only surprise Bane had in store for this set. They also surprised the crowd with two classic songs that I have not seen them play in awhile: “Superhero” and “Count Me Out.” Originally off their first seven-inch EPs and re-released as part of the Holding This Moment LP back in 1998, these are two of my all-time favorite Bane songs, and it was an awesome experience for everyone present to get to hear these songs live. These and the crowd rousing “Can We Start Again” were the most intense parts of the set. Two new songs were also in the mix from 2009’s EP 6:58 Boston, “The Bold and the Beautiful” and “The Young and the Restless,” the second of which features one of my favorite sing along parts of all time, with the lyrics: “I will believe in dragons for as long as I run with dragons.”
Bane brought the night to a close with the encore “Ante Up” from Give Blood, a great close to one of the most memorable sets I’ve seen them play. Despite the small crowd, the band played their hearts out from start to finish. In a scene where bands coming and going is the norm, Bane have defied this trend, and prove that nearly 15 years in, they are just as passionate about every show and every record as they were when they first started. In “Can We Start Again” Bane asks us: “Do you still believe?” I for one can answer, “I do.”