Weapon of Mosh Destruction

            Sweat, blood, dirt, flying fists, swift roundhouses, pushing, shoving, trampling. What do all of these things have in common? Yes, Chuck Norris is an acceptable answer, but what I’m looking for is the art of the mosh pit. Being a serious pitter myself, I can honestly say that there is not a greater feeling then the adrenaline that flows through your body when you never know what is coming next, where the next punch is going to be, and the risk that is involved. Sometimes it may get a little too rowdy, but it is in the good nature, and the pain that gets dished out is nothing compared to the rush you get when you two step to your favorite breakdown. I hear from friends before every concert, “what’s the craziest pit you’ve ever been in?” So I thought why don’t I give the readers a list of the top 5 pits I have ever been in, injuries and all.

5. The Devil Wears Prada-Harper’s Ferry-August 2010

I broke a rib in the show. Harper’s Ferry (R.I.P.) is a very small bar in Allston, a town just outside of Boston that is located just a small distance away from Boston University. Pits in Harper’s Ferry are usually non-existent, but the good men who work security realized there was no stopping the crowd there and the pit got huge by the end of the night.

4. Killswitch Engage-House of Blues Boston-February 2010

I actually didn’t get injured in this pit, but it was one of the craziest mosh pits I have ever seen, not for the actual acts of brutality, but the age of everyone in the pit. Men of 27-30 years old going up against a fresh group of 17 year olds are usually a bad combination.

3.Norma Jean-Vans Warped Tour-2008

This pit was crazy. After a lost tooth half way through, I had to give in.

2.  The Devil Wears Prada-Vans Warped Tour-2009

A white tee+broken nose=bright red shirt! After a broken nose within the first hour and a half of the show, it was discouraging calling Dad to tell him I need to be picked up, and subsequently brought to the hospital to heal my injury.

1.August Burns Red-House of Blues Boston-April 2010

A quick swing was thrown, I dodged, then I was attacked. The friend of the hit I just dodged punched me in the face, and I hit the ground. The original attacker quite literally “kicked me while I was down” and split my head open. The stitches were totally worth it.

Warped Tour Expectations for 2011

As the Vans Warped Tour dates have been released within the past week, the fans of the numerous genres displayed in this musical showcase are anxiously awaiting the release of the bands that are making special appearances on the circuit this year. On December 8^th, 2010, the first confirmed bands of Warped Tour are going to be announced, and from that point on there is going to be constant stream of releases of the bands until the 22^nd that will be gracing the stage at Warped this year. For the next ten days, the question asked is going to be universal, “Who is going to be playing Warped this year?” 

            My suspicions prove that some of the big names that made appearances last year are going to return again for another stint playing the American scene. Bands such as Parkway Drive and Bring Me the Horizon were big hits last year, and I would count on seeing an appearance once again. Polar Bear Club would be a great addition for the pop-punk scene, and Four Year Strong was a favorite from last year. A Day to Remember has tweeted hints about a possible appearance stating “looks like we’re gonna have a busy summer”. The heavy weights such as Alesana and blessthefall seem to be long shots at this point, but the addition of these two bands seems to be in the realm of possibility. Expect to see bands such as whitechapel and Pierce the Veil back again; they were drawing huge crowds last year, and their presence is what Warped Tour is looking for.

(These are just suspicions. There is no proof that any of these bands are going to be included in the setlist of Vans Warped Tour 2011.)

What Seperates A Day to Remember from the Rest of the Pack

What Separates Me From You, Released November 16th, 2010

      Since the Ocala underground scene was blazed by this band,  A Day to Remember has been able to move on the heights that even the band themselves did not see coming. Starting off as a group who played the Florida panhandle circuit in 2003, they have risen to have four highly successful studio albums, re-issues of the albums And Their Name was Treason  and For Those Who Have Heart, and numerous tours that have spread the entire globe. With the release of their newest album, What Separates Me From You,  A Day to Remember has became the face of the Post-Hardcore community, with the album reaching #11 on the Billboard top 200, #3 on Rock Albums, #4 on Digital Albums, #1 on both the Independent, Hard Rock, and Alternative Albums, and #8 on Tastemaker Albums.
      The album has a distinct ADTR taste to it, but the range of different genres in the album and the assortment of those genres throughout the album gives a new spin to the band listeners have come to know and love. Starting off with the very heavy Sticks and Bricks, to the somewhat lighter All I Want, to the pop-punk feel of It's Complicated, this album has arguably the cleanest set up out of the albums that have been released by the band to date. The wide range produced by the band is their signature trademark, and this albums proves to be the epitome of what they have to offer.
     With the release What Separates Me From You,  A Day to Remember has been able to strike gold yet again. The message sent by the lyrics portrayed shows that they are a band you DO NOT want to mess with. The success that this band has worked so hard for is well deserved, and with an album like this, there is still much more success to come.