See You Space Cowboy and the Callous Daoboys, 8/16/24

I first saw SeeYouSpaceCowboy at the Fine Line back in May, two weeks after my wisdom tooth extraction; they played with the hardcore supergroup Better Lovers, and tore the place up. I was front and center for that show; I actually got kneed in the face by vocalist Connie Sgarbossa multiple times. I never wrote a review for that show, as I was simply too busy, but rest assured that it was one of the best ones I’ve ever been to. When SYSC announced another show at the same venue shortly after that tour ended, I was pretty tempted to go again, because they were just that good. But, as soon as I saw that the Callous Daoboys were playing with them, any reservations were put to the side and I got my wallet out immediately. I was sick and missed seeing them last time they were in town, and I wasn’t going to make that same mistake again. After all, my website is named after one of their songs.

First things first, I want to talk about the Fine Line. It’s a great venue - extremely accessible by public transit, just the right size to get a good crowd while still keeping it intimate, it’s easy to get in and out of, the merch tables aren’t in the way, and while they do sell reserved seats on the balcony, just standing up there is completely free. I tend to go in and out of the mosh pit, but I highly value having a safe space to retreat to and get a great view, as at 5 '3”, I have to pogo in order to see what’s going onstage if I get pushed to the back. The only complaint I really have about the Fine Line is that it allows stage diving - no, wait, hear me out. I don’t have a problem with it in theory, but what happens is that you have these kids who have no idea how to properly stage dive jumping feet first, or crashing directly onto your neck. I’m all for having a good time, but considering there have been two cases recently of people being rushed to the hospital for nerve damage from getting obliterated by a stage diver, I’m not too keen on being partially paralyzed for the rest of my life because a jerk didn’t have any respect for the people around them. Do it right, or don’t do it at all. While I was mostly fine at the last show, this time this kid… I have no idea what he was trying to do, beyond purposefully trying to crush me into the ground. It soured my mood a bit, and after seeing other stage divers pull similar stunts, I wisely backed away from the stage.

But what about the actual music? Don’t worry, it was a killer show. Considering the doors opened at 6:30, and there were 5 bands billed to play, I was worried that the show would run later than usual, and I’d be stumbling home around midnight. I’m nearly 30 years old now, and have work in the morning; I can’t regularly pull these late nights anymore. I’m getting old and un-punk! But the openers played relatively short sets, and setting their gear up took significantly less time than I expected; by the time they turned the lights back on, it was around 10:40. To say I was pleased was an understatement.

First up was the band Blind Equation. I had listened to some of their work before the show, and I got the impression that they were good, but would sound better live. And damn, they sure did. When a band takes the stage with just an unclean vocalist, a drummer, and a keytarist, you know they’re not fucking around. Their sound can best be described as cybergrind, with nostalgic, nintendocore-sounding synths and some pretty intense breakdowns. Two or three people knew the words to every song, and were screaming that shit from the gut; it was hard not to get caught up in it. Their drummer did a fantastic job as well, and even though they were the first band to take the stage, they managed to successfully get people moshing, crashing into each other like ping pong balls. The stage felt slightly empty with so few members, but they maintained a solid stage presence. They’re definitely a niche group that won’t be for everyone, but I’m glad this type of creativity and the resurgence of “scene” style music is at an all time high again.

The second band to hit the stage were Stateside, who were the odd ones out on the bill. They were pop punk, with emphasis on the ‘punk’ half of the equation, and have some hardcore leanings. In interviews, they said that they’re mostly inspired by some classic emo/post-hardcore records, and their name itself is a reference to the criminally underrated hardcore pioneers, Crime in Stereo. While you could see some people not vibing with their sound as much - it’s much tamer than the other acts - their music was catchy with a bit of an edge. None of it was all that memorable, but it was pleasant to listen to, and their bassist was excellent. They played an unreleased song that’s set to launch later this month, and it was their best of the set, so I’m looking forward to it.

Omerta… How to describe Omerta? They call themselves “America’s most hated boy band,” which is certainly funny, but doesn’t really do a good job of conveying their sound. I’ve seen the genre “nu metal” thrown around in regards to them, but that doesn’t quite do them justice, either. New nu metal? Whatever. These guys play alternative metalcore with elements of techno, rap, cybergrind, and anything else they feel like throwing at you at the moment. Honestly, just look at the cover to their album Hyperviolence, and their “so cringe it’s good” lyrics, and you’ll understand where they’re coming from, especially if you were in the scene kid trenches in the mid ‘00’s. They definitely sounded better live, and I’m excited to listen to their records again after understanding the songs in a completely different context. They had great energy and really got the crowd going, plus had a share of great surprises. Carson Pace from the Callous Daoboys came on stage for a song, as well as members from the previous bands. But what really sealed the deal for me was their cover. I was shocked when I heard that opening guitar riff - it may have been years, but I’ll recognize The Devil Wear Prada’s “Dogs Can Grow Beards All Over” anywhere. If anything proved their commitment to the scene, it was that.

The Callous Daoboys took the stage next, and I’m proud to report that despite touring almost nonstop (seriously, I believe last year they played 200 shows if I’m remembering correctly) they sounded phenomenal. There’s so many elements to their mathcore chaos - violins, saxophones, synths, gritty bass lines, nauseating guitar riffs, and a medley of vocals that range from soulful to death growls - and all of it came together in a completely new way live. The breakdowns were fuller, the choruses were bigger, and it was somehow more aggressive and in-your-face than ever. The members were clearly enjoying themself, giving it their all, and interacting with the crowd. Man, it’s hard for me to even describe them without going over the top. This is eclectic metal that is clearly inspired by the heavyweights in The Dillinger Escape Plan, and borrows heavily from so many different genres of music to create a fusion that is impossible to turn away from. They’re also known for their satirical lyrics and how goofy they can be on stage, often having pulsing dance music intermissions and wearing fun costumes. Of course, I can’t help but point out that “Star Baby” was a truly insane performance. My only complaint was that their set seemed to be cut short. On other shows of the tour, they finished with an Emmure cover, but they dropped it for this one. I thought maybe it was because the bill was so stacked, but they did play it on previous shows of the tour that had a five-band billing. Disappointing, even though I’m not all that much of an Emmure fan - I just want more Daoboys!

See You Space Cowboy were just as good as they were back in May. Three of the five members came out in formal attire, while guitarist Ethan Sgarbossa wore a tank and sister and vocalist Connie took her shirt off halfway through. This mixing of styles resonates with their most recent album, the excellent Coup de Grȃce, full of melodramatic, cabaret-inspired post-hardcore, complete with intermissions, saxophone, and plenty of theatrical flourishes. They performed with all the grandiosity you would expect, throwing and catching their guitars or swinging them around in acrobatic maneuvers, while Connie strutted and leaped. While it’s probably an overused comparison, they did fondly remind me of My Chemical Romance during their Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge era. They did play some of their older, more mathy songs, too, which of course stirred the mosh pit into a frenzy. They even played “Late December,” a heart-breaking song about a friend’s suicide, that was even more powerful than the studio version. Still, it was their newest songs that showed the band at their peak, particularly their two closing songs - the waltz-like “To the Dance Floor for Shelter,” and the tongue-in-cheek “Chewing the Scenery,” both of which are also two of my favorites. The venue was completely alive in these moments, with nearly everyone screaming along. To sweeten the deal, at least one member from every other band on the bill came onstage to provide backing vocals at one point or another.

Overall, it was a fantastic show, and brought back very fond memories of the late ‘00’s, which was further accentuated by the merch, which included a handmade dress shirt courtesy of Connie with a big bloody heart on the front, and the Callous Daoboys “To Write Love On Her Arms” parody. (I had to overhear someone explaining the joke to a friend, which made me, who owned one of those shirts, feel rather old.) There were only a couple of minor disappointments - the slightly truncated Daoboys set, Stateside were good but were a bit of an odd fit for the bill, and the mosh pit wasn’t as intense as it was when I saw them previously, though I believe that show was sold out whereas this one wasn’t, and there’s no doubt in my mind that Better Lovers fans are some of the hardest moshers out there. Those are all tiny quibbles, though. If you ever have the opportunity to see any of these bands live, and dig their music, I highly recommend that you check them out while you can, but especially SYSC and Daoboys.

Final Ratings:

Blind Equation: 8.0

Stateside: 7.0

Omerta: 8.0

The Callous Daoboys: 9.5

See You Space Cowboy: 9.0