Divit, Downway, Indecisive Youth, Standfast & Drugstore Cowboy

What do you get when you’ve got five punk bands playing together at the same venue? You get a high-energy mix of pop-punk that gets your blood pumping. The only drawback was that it was on a Monday. But what better way can you soothe your already fried nerves from a freaking long Monday than a cold beer and some punk bands?
I swear I showed up just 10 minutes past 9:30 PM but I only heard Drugstore Cowboy play for five minutes. It must have been one of the shortest sets, but then again, the average punk song seems to be around two-and-three-quarters minutes long. What I did hear was nice mix of pop-infected punk that got the crowd going as they ordered their beers.
Standfast had the joy of a slightly messed up sound system or some sort of static problem early on, but eventually triumphed and played a good set. I was also impressed by the brief stint of a metal-inspired guitar solo at the beginning. I really wish more bands would bust out with that once in a while. It reminds me of grade school.
Indecisive Youth seemed to have the biggest following that night. Their set seemed to be dedicated to their loyal fans who dragged their asses out on a Monday night. After a joint shot of Jägermeister and encouraging their fans to join them, they proceeded to play three songs from their upcoming EP. They were just as feisty as usual and it seemed to whet the audience’s appetite for more.
Downway had a nice aggressive feel as they tried to make the best of the tiny stage the bands were provided with. The guitarists even made full use of the nearby bar when he prowled on it while playing his instrument a la MTV Spring Break style circa early ‘90s. They did manage to get certain hooks in my head that I still am not able to shake.
I was excited to finally see Divit, who had recently signed to Dexter Holland’s — a.k.a. the lead singer of the Offspring — record label, Nitro Records. There was a sense of polished professionalism as they worked their set. “Under This Sky” was one of the catchier songs of the night. Sadly, most of the crowd was on its way home before their set was over. Their loss! I ended my hellish Monday / Tuesday at two in the morning with ringing ears and a silly grin on my face. I also gotta give mad props to Divit’s loyal fan, who went by the name of Jeremy, who was more than happy to cheer on his favorite band.

– Valerie Lum
– Photo by Myles Stenger

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