Victory Boy

Live in Newark (2014)

John Gentile

Newark Delaware's famed 209 Murray house is closing down with the end of the semester, so Delaware rampagers Victory Boy decided to send the "venue" out with some style on May 5, 2014. It was a warm early-summers eve as punk rockers mosied into the house, which is situated in what appears to be a displaced section of Mayberry. The house wasn't jam packed, but it was fairly full with attendees busying themselves down stairs, or catching a drag outside. I also believe there was a keg and Nerf-bat fights.

Victory Boy kicked off their set with little fanfare, immediately dropping into a rampaging sound. Influenced by Off with their Heads, the band focuses on rapid, energetic charging supplemented by gruff vocals. But, where many bands sink into a pale imitation of their influences, Victory Boy came from a unique angle. Perhaps subconsciously, the band also draws from the early, swinging days of punk rock and added a certain percussive snappiness to their unrelenting bombast, which gave the songs a sense of growth.

Conversely, at times, the band reached through OWTH and reached back to that band's influences. At times, the band was charging forward with such speed and vigor they resembled the sound of the first three Ramones albums. Like those classic releases, the band was able to pull an entire range of sounds from their downstrokes, creating what sounded like instruments which weren't actually there, despite being a three piece.

As with many bands of their ilk, the band focused on real word issues, boiled down to a micro scale. Daily hardships were abutted by incitements to keep one's "chin up." All in all, there was a certain Philadelphia/Northern Delaware twang to the band's delivery, which made the group that much more nuanced. It was fast and fun and over just as soon as it began. Victory Boy has obvious influences, but if they continue on their current trajectory, their own style will merge with their favorite tunes, and create something really great.

Random Notes:
-Famed punk rock attendee @Katebegins2rock was there.
-University of Delaware has a nice little campus. Check out Rainbow records- a few sweet rarities and hella cheap CDs.
-Um… was that Cameron Diaz I saw there?
-Ah… college… those were the days. NOW I HAVE A JOB.