Bring Back Albany Hardcore

By: Brian Pierce

ALBANY, N.Y. December 2007Albany, New York, and its surrounding areas have been major hot spots for the Hardcore music scene in the last decade, but it has recently begun to change, and in some peoples opinion, to die. The music, which is incredibly hard to define in comparison with other genres, is categorized generally by fast, heavy, and extremely enthusiastic post-punk rock. Although it would seem that subgenres would make hardcore easier to define on smaller levels, but the different areas of influence make for different types of music with equally confusing names and connotation. Several Hardcore bands still play and maintain a spot in the Albany scene, such as End of A Year, Recon, Brick by Brick, and Skinless, which may be one of the more successful Albany Hardcore bands.

The decline of hardcore can be attributed to many different factors, but one local musician believes that the actions and surroundings of Albany locals had the most to do with the demise of the scene.

Patrick Kindlon, of Albany, lead vocalist of the band End of a Year, said that the attitude of those in Albany, and the general atmosphere led to problems for hardcore music. Although people still go to shows, they do so for the wrong reasons, said Kindlon. Although he accepts that the music scene is a hard one to get into, simply going to the same shows over and over, without attempting to gain new insight on music, is a large waste of time. Kindlon is also openly contemptuous of the ever popular “show party,” which he thinks takes away from the music far too much, in that a party of 100 people will form for a show that only drew 20 to 25 fans.

Another local musician, Anthony Bucci, 20, of Albany, disagrees with the notion that show parties are killing the scene. Bucci seems to think along the lines that basement shows in Albany help people get into different bands and help local bands gain some sense of notoriety. As a member of several local bands, Bucci said that “the rise of basement shows is making things better.” Also on the upside, Bucci said, are bands like local group Aficionado, whose epic songs and showmanship bring in large crowds to the shows they participate in. Although he doesn’t see any problems with the Albany music scene, Bucci does admit that there have been obvious changes in the ways things are done. Using Ted Etoll, the CEO of Step Up Presents, as an example, Bucci explains that someone like Etoll would have booked one to two touring bands with several local five years ago. Today, however, Bucci says that shows are focused almost completely on touring bands with only one, two, or no local bands. This begins to take a toll on local bands, whose only outlets become the basement shows made available by other bands.

A member of two current and different bands, Bucci said that his pop-punk band, Caleb Lionheart, has a harder time finding shows to play than his hardcore band, Pom Pom Death. Bucci believes that the hardcore roots in Albany may have something to do with this, as does the strong, yet somewhat waning, popularity of hardcore.

“Having a female lead singer probably doesn’t hurt our chances either.” Bucci said, of Bridgette Miller, Pom Pom Death’s lead vocalist.

Although the music scene can seem intimidating to someone new to the area, there are many ways to get into a scene that interests you. Simply going to a largely commercialized show and looking around for someone who looks as if they may know something about the music in the area could open up some new possibilities involving their taste in music. Although this may not work the first or fourth time you try it, the idea is that something as simple as a familiar T-shirt can lead to new involvement in a genre of music.

The Albany area could also be to blame for the failing health of hardcore. Although Albany, like Boston, is a college town, it is oddly unsupportive of the music life. True, there are venues to play for local bands, and many major bands have stops in Albany on their tours, but overall, the highest form of entertainment in Albany tends to involvement alcohol and dance clubs. The Colleges in the area have very little influence on the music scene, other than bringing people together from a larger area with differing music tastes.

Journalists have announced the death of rock and roll countless times since it became a national sensation. To announce the death of hardcore would likely prelude its eventual return, unless hardcore goes down the road of disco. Even those who have accepted the drastic change in the scene wouldn’t admit that the genre is dead. Kristopher Wildermuth, 20, of Hudson said that “The DIY hardcore scene is coming back, but it’s just not what it used to be.”