Big D and the Kids Table / The Nightmare Before Halloween

live in Boston (2002)

Pat

So I set myself up sweet for this one! I emailed both bands and was able to

score my way onto the stage to take some photos of both bands.

Unfortunately due to the absurdly long wait to get my will call tickets I missed

the Blink Luck performance which I was so looking forward to. But I was able to

catch the last half of the Waltham set, which caught my eye at first because, well,

the lead singer was wearing a shower. I mean come on. They put on a great show,

and the crowd, which seemed to be huge fans of this band which I had heard nothing

from before, was just getting warmed up for the madness that would ensue later.

Waltham, a semi pop-punk, semi straight forward rock, and id say three quarters

good, is definitley a band that I will pursue further recordings and live

performances. Despite not knowing a single word to any song, or one little thing

about the band I was already "rocking out".

The Unseen, I never wanted to hear anything by them, never wanted to see them

perform, never knew much about them except that Darkbuster "hope they fucking die".

They were fucking great! Energy was extreme, music was loud, the Unseen kicked my

ass. They play a fast paced form of street punk they rocked a huge crowd who ran

huge circle pits, threw their fists in the air, and sang along whenever possible.

Next the big 2 were up. Kicked in the Head and Big D and the Kids Table.

Kicked in the head, love them, always have, always will, they have always brought a

style that i love, no matter how much they have evolved since their early days of

"World Domination." As Matt, Ryan and Anthony take their respective positions in

hospital scrubs, looking pretty sedated, Gary gets hauled out on a dolly with a

straight jacket on and leather mask cover his face. Doctors, and sexy sexy nurses

come out to untie Gary and give the rest of the band their pills and then after a

second… "OPEN YOUR EYES, OPEN YOUR MOUTH, OPEN YOUR…!!" The set didnt slow

down there, surprising me by playing my favorite KITH song ever, "Fix My Sink" and

another classic "Bitch" that they had failed to play last time I saw them. All

holes left from the last, all but dissapointing performance were filled this time.

Even throwing in a few new ones from Salita(their new KICK ASS EP) like "All the

Way" and "Battle Cry", and sticking in a couple of covers, one from Jane's

Addiction and another from a band I forget… shit I always do that, I need a

notebook or something. As always they play their last song, "Lost Cause" and they

finish me off leaving me with 2 rolls of unforgettable pictures and an undying

thirst for more rocking out.

And my thirst was about to be quenched when Big D and the Kids Table takes the

stage. Wearing bright red masks, that were sure to be some from movie or soemthing

that I am ignorant to, they stand still for a minute, then Dave McWade takes off

his mask and the show begins. I absolutely love everything that Big D has ever put

out. None of it has ever left me anything but wanting more and more. The first

time I saw them perform was this summer at the Warped Tour… unfortunately. They

sounded horrible, and the sound at the stage they were on was no good at all.

This, was something I blamed on the stage and speakers they were playing off of…

aaand maybe the sound guys. But I didnt hold this against them and, obviously,

went in with an open mind. And shit, was I impressed. Kicking out all of my

favorites like, Checklist, Evil Girl Angry Girl, What, Drawing Line, Dirt Lip, LAX,

and playing a rousing encore of 51 Gardner…. shit… Big D and the Kids Table

knocked my fucking socks off. Dave's roommates, one being the bass player from

Drexel, who's name escapes me right now, decided that for halloween they would be

Big D's. And thats exactly what they were, Big D's. Big foam cutouts of a yellow

D with a black background… my god… I wish I were clever. Anyway, I learned 2

new things that night from the Big D and the kids Table set… 1. Big D rocks,

live, recorded, anything… they are fucking awesome. and 2. I guess people dont

ussually like 6'4" 240 lb. kids diving on their heads… they drop them like a ton

of bricks. Mental note for next time.

Anyway, got to hook up with all the guys from Big D and KITH, talked to them and

submitted news to this site and put up a post at my new gig as a news person for

punkbands.com. I just really want to thank the guys in both bands for being so

cool and hooking me up real sweet. This night was somehting I wont forget for a

LOOOONG time. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go and beg the BostonSportsGuy

to reconsider his move to LA.