Show Jounal 2025-06-13

Tonight was satisfying in a way that is hard to explain. It is so wild that 3 relatively obscure local bands that started in the 90s can get a room full of people, many with families, kids, and responsibilities to show up in 2025 and have a great time. So, how did this show come about? After seeing the clips and hearing about the success of the November show in Longview, a promoter who we’ve known forever (a.k.a. King Banana) asked if we wanted to do the same lineup, but in Portland. We all said yes, and suddenly it was real. Dante’s is a bigger club than many of the places we are accustomed to playing at, so we were definitely a little nervous to see if anyone would show up. Show up they did, and the crowd was loud and enthusiastic for every band. Berzerk was first, and I got to watch their entire set this time. So energetic, such positive energy, and so fun to watch. Something you may or may not know about Berzerk is that they’ve been playing almost as long as us. We started in 1994, and I believe they were 1995. The difference is that they were 15 when they started, which is amazing. They also didn’t take off nearly as many years as we did, so all the respect in the world to them for sticking with it and still making new music for as long as they have. Countdown to Life was second, and this web site is already full of positive words I’ve written about them. Honestly, I never have enough good things to say about them. The music was insanely tight tonight, probably one of the the best times I’ve ever seen them. Danny was owning the stage with a confidence I haven’t seen from him, probably better than the November show. It was surreal. So heavy. So immediately recongizable as Countdown. It was a tough act to follow, but our set felt pretty good. We played a few deep cuts including Now or Never, Alright, Get In The Van, with the most obscure selection being Destination: Space. It was definitely fun realizing people up front knew the words to that one. We had Tyler from Berzerk come up to sing Astro Zombies at the end, which was very cool. All in all, this was a great night. Big thanks to those who traveled for the show, including folks who drove from Bend, Longview, Tri-Cities, and Seattle. Perhaps more importantly, thank you to all of the local familiar faces who still keep up with us over the years. Extra shot out to King Banana for setting up the show, and the staff at Dante’s for the good sound and being cool to us. Lastly, big thanks to anyone who still looks at these journals!

Show Jounal 2024-11-01

It’s been a long time since I’ve written one of these. A lot of people asked “why did you take this show?” The answer was simply because Countdown to Life asked us to play. The show was definitely a throwback of sorts. We’ve played with Countdown many times over the years, most notably at the Halloween show that wound up on our Rise Again DVD, but many times before and since as well. We had only played a show with Berzerk twice before, with the first time being back in 1999. All three of us had played a show together once before back in 2004, so to say our history runs deep would be an understatement.

The show itself was wild. Dave picked us up in his Coldwar Industries ambulance. If you haven’t seen this thing before it has its own Instagram account and is worth a look. Justin and I were in the back and it was only sketchy when he hit the brakes and all of the gear violently shifted towards our exposed limbs. It was definitely fun all riding together, but that could have been the effects of the exhaust in the back compartment. The venue was pretty great. I had searched it up online and thought we’d be playing in the seating area of a Chinese restaurant, but it turns out there was a bar and large stage in the back, complete with a large balcony.

Berzerk was up first and it was so nice to see them again. They started playing music in their teens which is mind boggling when you think about it. I know our band started early, but they started in high school. They were catchier than I remember, but still super aggressive, which is always fun to see for bands our age. I have always looked up to Berzerk since they were on a real label and had toured with real bands. They had always seemed one step ahead of everyone and I can still see why.

Our set was everything I hoped it would be. Sing alongs, fists in the air, hardcore finger pointing, and even some moshing. There were a few missed chords, but I can’t imagine anyone cared. We did have one cameo that is worth a shot out. Jim’s daughter Luci came up to sing a cover of Rebel Girl by Bikini Kill. She had only sang once before in front of people and she did a fantastic job. Speaking of kids, both Dave and Justin brought their kids as well, which was cool to see. Mine were double booked elsewhere, and at least one of the two let me know in no uncertain words that she didn’t appreciate my lack of planning.

Countdown to Life was amazing. They make playing hardcore look so effortless. The riffs are interesting and recognizable, the music is crushing but catchy, and they have aged wonderfully. They play a genre that a lot of bands play, yet they sound so unique. Danny was completely engaged with everyone near the front and ushered in stage diving for the last half of the show which made it feel like 2004 all over again.

I really don’t have the words to thank everyone who attended. We had people from the Kelvis era, people from The Return era, people from the Rise Again era, the Requiem era, and even a few folks we met since we stopped actively playing. Quite literally, every few minutes I wound turn around, make eye contact with someone and realize I knew them from some point in my life. I’ve never given and received so many hugs in one room. Many brought their kids, which is wild to even consider. A lot of folks wore merchandise that we made decades ago. I especially loved seeing all of the folks wearing their Dustin Wheeler shirts. Although I didn’t get to speak to her personally, Dustin’s mom did come up to Dave and said she appreciated him talking about Dustin. Although we didn’t talk about it, I’m sure Dave and Justin had a moment like I did, where I realized we were in Longview and wouldn’t see Dustin which is still heartbreaking.

We very much appreciate everyone who traveled to attend the show representing Portland, Tri-Cities, Eugene, Bend, Seattle, and even Austin. Seeing that our band has existed for 30 years now, the weeks leading up to the show and the show itself unlocked some seriously deep memories. Our impact on the local music scene is a sliver by most people’s standards, but that little shred means the world to us, and the fact so many people were so responsive after all of these years make us feel complete. Thanks to everyone and especially Josh and Countdown for having us.