All About Records Fest was held at a gym in Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts. The dome size of the gymnasium created a terrible echo for every band that played, but hey, we did get to play basketball in between sets so-okay, yeah, the sound blew.
Around sixteen bands played, with each playing about a half-hour set each, so it would be a waste of both my time and yours to talk about each one, so I'll mention the handful that interested me / ones I think should be talked about.
One of the main reasons I was there was for No Trigger, the melodic hardcore quintet whose demo [review] definitely peaked my interest in the band. They did not disappoint. Each member gave off good energy and played really tight, working well through the crappy hand the sound technician was dealing them; the right guitar was entirely too loud in one speaker, and the vocals were always either too loud or too soft. Besides "Map and Compass" and "Call it a Day," the couple new songs they played provided proof that the band is starting to develop an identity all their own.
The biggest surprise of the day was by far The Lido Venice. Apparently, their band name is temporary, but the origins are interesting; they're named after Boston's Charles Playhouse-turned-speakeasy during Prohibition. They did everything an unknown live band should do - showing excellent energy, intense stage presence, and an insane degree of crowd interaction, with the singer getting in everyone's face. What should also be mentioned is their attempt of trying something original, utilizing keyboards, a monstrous stand-up bass, and two extra bass drums. The Saddle Creek-influenced band carried the intensity of mewithoutyou, but mixed it with a Cursive-like experimentation. I would definitely predict their future doings to blow some people away.
The most fun of the night came from Donut Patrol. With a tarp-like backdrop and the band members dressed slightly oddly (bassist in a cutoff pink top, a barefoot vocalist in a purple headband), the first song was an instrumental the band played while the singer made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for some people in the crowd. Next, the chaos began with their cover of "Dust in the Wind." It was generally the band and the crowd just throwing shit at each other for the entire set. My usage of the term "shit" includes the following things in this case: green streamer paper, donuts (chocolate-covered, powdered, regular), a paperback-Holy Bible covered in jelly, a plunger, toilet paper (lots of toilet paper), empty 20-oz. drink bottles, plastic nunchucks, a slinky, a gold shiny wig, and pregnancy tests. It was the musically modern equivalent of seeing the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" back when it was out in theaters. It also made for the most fun of a set I've remembered in a long time, with items flying everywhere and the singer constantly slipping on the jelly-slick floor. The music itself was decent mid-tempo rock, but it was definitely not where the place of emphasis was.
New England pop-punkers Junction 18 played a solid set shortly afterwards. Although the singer does some slightly awkward things that make him out to be like he's taking a rigorous walk around the block, like swinging his arms, head-bobbing, and putting his hand in his pocket, the band overall looked comfortable and energetic. They played "Wrong Way," "June in the Ocean," "Dakota," "Lil' Joey," "Sweet Steps," and two new songs that seemed to follow their standard formula.
Post-hardcore outfit In Pieces came on, and were pretty disappointing. Maybe it was hunger from eating nothing but half a donut for the last twelve hours, or fatigue from standing around watching a handful of similar-sounding and as a result boring hardcore bands all day, but their sound wasn't completely hitting me. I watched three songs, the last of which I really wanted to hear ("A Fitting Lie"), which even then wasn't spectacular, and left.
In short, check out No Trigger and The Lido Venice's stuff, and if Donut Patrol is playing near you, make sure you go shopping beforehand.