World/Inferno Friendship Society
live in Miami (2011)
Mark Little
If you weren't looking for it, you would have completely missed it–the Miami Chumbucket is not exactly what one would call "obvious." The newly-opened all-ages space is essentially a DIY venue tucked inside an industrial/storage space. The hand-lettered sign written on cardboard told visitors "Miami Chumbucketâ¦enter around back."
Walking around back just after 7 p.m., it became increasingly clear this was The Right Place. A few cars were parked around the back lot, with trunks open and coolers rustling. A few kids walked around dressed in suits, despite the stifling South Florida heat. The parking lot slowly filled over the next hour, including the arrival of the Inferno's two touring vehicles, and the punk rock tailgate was in full effect.
Opening bands played, sadly to a mostly open room. The venue, having just opened days before, still had no working A/C set up, with only a large oscillating fan in the back to recirculate the already-humid air. Most fans continued the tailgate in the back, Infernites mingling with the Inferno.
Just after 11, the opening notes of "Tattoos Fade" resonated, and the World/Inferno Friendship Society was upon us. Regardless of the South Florida heat, lead singer and raconteur Jack Terricloth led the band through a sweaty and frenetic 11-song set spanning the full W/IFS catalog. New members Mora Precarious (drums), Frank Morin (guitar) and Leslie Wacker and Rebecca Schlappich (tenor sax and violin, respectively) were all welcome additions to the band dynamic, with Schlappich and Wacker, in particular, playing off each other. Morin gamely worked the crowd and his guitar, with his red dress shirt soaked in sweat by the end of the second song, the titular "Just the Best Party". The collective heat and energy shared by band and audience alike contributed to a most memorable night, to say the least.
Poor acoustics and no A/C notwithstanding, it is this energy and enthusiasm which powered the evening forward. To call it anything less than a party would be an injustice to the evening. Even the song "Jeffrey Lee", a paean to the late Gun Club leader whose death was 15 years to the date of the show, was a cause for celebration. Terricloth made sure to raise his bottle to the fallen rocker during the song's intro, educating some of the younger fans in attendance. Mixing songs from their latest full-length with older favorites, the title of the newest record, The Anarchy and the Ecstasy, gained more power as the night moved on.
Forty-five minutes and 11 songs later, it was over. The sweat-soaked Infernites swarmed the parking lot and the tailgate continued. Local band Askultura played on while a member of opener Everyman spat fire (while inviting fans to staple dollar bills to Everyman's singer), and Inferno member Leslie Wacker mesmerized those remaining dancing with her fire hoop.
After three-and-a-half years away, World/Inferno Friendship Society returned to South Florida not only with fire (literally and figuratively), but with boisterous tunes and energy to spare. Missing Terricloth and Co. when they come to your town, would be A Mistake.
Set list: