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Home Grown, Yellowcard, Allister
The Metro, Chicago, IL
5/18/2002
Reviewer: Andrew
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I can't say I was bouncing off the walls before this show, provided that it is a primarily pop-punk show, but without a doubt, I could imagine that good times would be had. Luckily, my imagination was correct, and I found myself tapping my toe throughout most of the night, especially during Yellowcard's tight and lively set. We arrived a little bit late, and missed the first band (which was local, and I don't recall the band's name), but ran up the stairs a little way into Yellowcard's set. We were treated to an extremely lively and energetic band, that sounded oh, so nice in the live setting. As many know, Yellowcard is a pop-punk band that is steadily growing in popularity, and recently signed to Capital Records. They feature a full-time violinist who also provides some wonderful backing vocals, which adds some more depth and variety to the somewhat dry genre, a lead vocalist who can belt out notes that sound as good as a studio enhanced version, and a lot of complex songs that work off of technicality and build-ups, rather than the straightforward verse/chorus/verse/chorus formula that so many bands use. Yellowcard was alloted around 25 minutes for their set, which seemed a bit short, considering their talent and great stage performance, but it was enough time to play such songs as "Rock Star Land," their cover of Michelle Branch's "Everywhere," a new and yet-untitled song, and finished the set with the epic "October Nights." Though I may have only caught five of their songs, the energy and stage presence they provided was very satisfying, and I urge you all to check Yellowcard out if you ever get the opportunity.
Next up on stage was Allister, a pop-punk/straightforward punk band that seemed to draw a lot of attention. They made comments about being at home in Chicago, so I think that they are from the area, and the attention they drew from the crowd provides some good evidence that Chicago is near, or is, their home. That aside, they played a pretty fast-paced and energetic set, but the music was nothing out of the ordinary, and really failed to excite me, being that punk rock isn't my cup of tea these days. They featured three vocalists, which was kind of nice for some added variety, but Allister doesn't seem to have what it takes to excite many outside of their punk-intended audience. Bleh.
The final band to take the stage were headliners Home Grown, who after a seemingly lengthy hiatus, are once again ready to release a full-length album for Drive-Thru Records. The first thing I noticed about the band, shortly after taking the stage, is that they have been reduced to a three-piece since I last heard anything from them. Their sound was a bit empty at times, especially when they performed songs off of their previous full-length, "That's Business." Home Grown has a generally happy and humorous vibe to them, which was in full-force on the stage, much of which came from guitarist/singer's Asian pride (and sometimes the opposite, and no, he wasn't serious, though some people seemed to be offended). They threw some pretty funny jokes in there, and the music sounded decent, but again, they just don't excite me like punk/pop-punk bands did in the past. The crowd reacted pretty well to their music, with a lot of bouncing and singing along, but the fans really got annoying at an early point in the show. These bands obviously attract a young audience, and a lot of the kids were just downright annoying, though I can't seem to put my feelings into coherent words.
This show was alright, and if it weren't for the presence of Yellowcard, I would have been pretty disappointed in spending so much time/money (hey, I'm poor) on the show. Home Grown put on a decent show, and graced us with some of their new material which was good and catchy, but they and Allister didn't have the energy or spark of my beloved metal/hardcore that really gets me moving. Though my writing may make things seem pretty negative, good times were had, and if you ever have an opportunity to check out Yellowcard in a live setting (or recorded, for that matter), make sure to do so.
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