10 for $10 Tour
by Jason Walsh
Summer brings the biggest tours of the year: tons of festivals, monstrous lineups, masses of people on pilgrimages for good music. Along with this however are exorbitant ticket prices coupled with outrageous service charges, unreasonable parking fees, refreshments that are priced ten times normal rates, and the almighty t-shirt souvenir from said events that are marked up to such an insane level that makes the mall “punk” store cost seem reasonable. And let’s face it folks, we’re in a recession and a lot of people lost jobs this year, took pay cuts, or are barely scraping by to survive. However, there is an alternative this summer that some of the fine folks in the hardcore community have gotten together to help alleviate financial distress in a time when recreational spending is becoming nonexistent. The 10 for $10 Tour will feature ten quality hardcore bands for ten bucks at 32 venues across the United States between July and August, so all you hard-working folks out there can get a chance to relieve your troubles and woes without breaking the bank.
“With the state of everything right now, we don’t just need a ‘financial break,’ we also need a genuine release and outlet,” said Freddy Cricien of Madball. “An escape from all the bullshit. Music in general has always provided that for people, through good and bad times. Our music in particular, I think, truly captures the frustration and emotions out there. It always has.”
Through the course of the tour, some bands will jump on and jump off, but every show will feature 10 bands for the mere ten dollar admission. On the list for this tour: MADBALL, POISON THE WELL, TERROR, BANE, DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR, VISION OF DISORDER, THIS IS HELL, TRAPPED UNDER ICE, THE GHOST INSIDE, VISION, THE MONGOLOIDS, CRIME IN STEREO, WAR OF AGES.
“The 10 for $10 Tour came about because of a few key industry people taking notice of the failing economy,” said vocalist Leroy Hamp of War of Ages. “One of the industry’s most well known booking agents, Tim Borror, noticed the economy woes and felt it would be a great opportunity for music to yet again aid in comfort during troubling times. All Tim needed to do next was ask and we were more than happy to be a part of it, putting the focus back on the fans and not in our pockets.”
Boston’s Death Before Dishonor had heard about the tour in its development stage. Frontman Bryan Harris has been a voice to the working class since the band’s beginnings and was “psyched” when they landed a spot.
“It’s the coolest thing I ever heard,” Harris said. “I’m sure every band is taking a little bit of a cut as far as pay-wise, but I mean in the greater scheme of things, I think it’s great. Everybody’s struggling, between bands, hard-working people, kids, you know, kids that want to go see a show. I think it’s a great way to just expose what’s going on.”
South Florida’s Poison the Well will be one of the headliners along the way and will be playing every show on the tour. Their involvement was cemented when Borror proposed the idea about an affordable event that was for the fans. Guitarist Ryan Primack stated they were down from the beginning.
“It’s rad,” Primack said. “It’s what I love about music in general. It’s quite obvious that none of the bands on this tour have ever cared about getting famous or being followed on TWITTER. We all just like playing music and we just like playing it for people. So as you might go to the Warped Tour or whatever summer fest tour you may go to, there is another summer tour. It’s cheap and it’s inside, so it’s even hotter than the outside summer fest tours, so our tour will help you lose those unwanted water retention pounds more than any other tour. That’s why this tour kicks ass, as well as it being rad bands.”
The idea was dubbed “bringing back the Sunday matinee,” a nod to the 80s New York Hardcore shows at CBGB’s, where you would have a packed lineup for little cost. Those days have sadly disappeared over time. Scott Vogel from Terror grew up listening to those New York bands on the West Coast and though he is in one of the top hardcore bands today with a strong following, he is still one of the scene’s biggest fans.
“If I was not on this tour and could see Madball, Bane, Trapped Under Ice, and This is Hell for ten bucks and also a bunch of other bands with different styles but still in the true hardcore realm, I’d be super excited,” Vogel said. “Fests can be a headache, but I know this one is going to be done right. Hardcore needs new ideas and people actually using their head for a cause. That’s what this shit is all about.”
The heavy-hitting Trapped Under Ice from Baltimore are also onboard for the entire duration of the tour. Frontman Justice Tripp believes to miss this show would be a shame.
“I have a lot of cheap friends who always ask to be guest listed or suck in to shows,” Tripp said. “Everyone has been guilty of that, but with this particular tour there is no excuse. What you have is ten awesome bands every night for the price you would normally pay to see three or four. You’re getting way more than your money’s worth. You’d be crazy or hate hardcore and punk rock music to stay at home instead of coming out.”
Bane were just returning from Europe when they got the call about the tour. The guys from Massachusetts were one of the last bands to confirm, which according to drummer Bob Mahoney, made their involvement easy.
“Every one of the bands that are involved are involved for the same reason,” Mahoney said. “This is a great way to get the music out and get some new fresh eyes and ears to see some of the bands they might not have ever seen before. I feel with bringing this unity vibe out, it reminds me of why I am still involved with this. This is my community. From my days in early high school to now, when shit sucked, I had a hardcore show to go to. Now, I get the best of both.”
Vision of Disorder from Long Island echoed the sentiment about their involvement as a positive direction for the scene. Vocalist Tim Williams grew up in the New York Hardcore community and has seen how the corporate intervention has tainted the industry.
“Music has become such a business now,” Williams said. “It’s almost depressing. I’m glad we can get involved with a bill that’s for the underground. It’s a rare thing these days and how cool is it for some of the hardcore bands as far as exposure. It’s always good to see something like this. I think it’s just a fun thing that was put together by some old schoolers that may miss shows like this.”
Fellow Long Island natives Crime in Stereo reflect the more progressive punk side of the roster. This factor, according to guitarist Gary Cioni, was a strong reason for their participation in the 10 for $10 Tour.
“What’s cool about this is that every band will have the opportunity every night to play to a lot of people who may be hearing them for the first time,” Cioni said. “A tour like this helps us out in ways that I would imagine helps out any of the bands on the tour. Each band has fans who will come out and end up seeing a few bands they did not previously listen to, so the opportunity for new fans is great for us, as well as anyone else playing.”
The Long Island contingent on the tour continues with This Is Hell, who have been together for five years now. Vocalist Travis Reilly agreed with the concept of bands being exposed to different fans that they would normally not see at a smaller show.
“Some of the bands on the bill are hardcore staples and have been playing for ten years,” Reilly said. “Some thirty-something-year olds might come to the show just to see Madball, but he’ll catch Trapped Under Ice and it’ll get him stoked on some current bands, and the same goes in reverse. Some younger kid might come stoked to see Trapped Under Ice and hasn’t heard Madball and he’ll see them and it’ll click where Trapped Under Ice is getting some influence from and he’ll check out Madball and find out about some of the older hardcore bands. I think all bands and the kids involved will benefit from this tour.”
Also attached to the bill is The Ghost Inside from Los Angeles. Jonathan Vigil, the band’s resident lyric growler, said this tour took him back to the old days when he was a kid.
“When I was growing up, I would go to shows every weekend,” Vigil said. “I would do chores throughout the week and get $25 from my Dad come Friday. I would take that money and spend $10 or less to get into the show, $10 for a shirt, $4 for a 7-inch record and $1 for a water or maybe a burrito after the show. Then because of rising gas prices, inflation, the economy and whatnot, the prices of shows rose drastically over the years. So to be in a band now and to be playing a tour that’s only $10 to get in and made affordable for kids to come out and have fun, feels amazing. Very nostalgic.”
The Christian metal core outfit War of Ages out of Erie, Pennsylvania agreed that the unity aspect of the tour is what drew them. Though they tend to lie more on the metal spectrum musically, Vocalist Leroy Hamp said that bringing together so many like minded bands under one roof is great for the fans.
“As everyone knows, not every band on this tour is a hardcore band, but that’s not the point,” Hamp said. “This tour is making a larger statement on what hardcore is really about. Think about it, 10 bands for $10, none of us getting paid very much for this, but that doesn’t matter. We’re showing that the hardcore scene is an army that won’t be silenced. Period.”
New Jersey’s Vision will be playing a few dates throughout the summer run. Guitarist Peter Tabbot said the guys from the Garden State were “thrilled” for the opportunity to participate in such a positive event.
“It’s a win-win-win for both the bands involved and the kids who come out to the shows,” Tabbot said. “Kids may come for one of the headliners and hopefully be surprised by some of the opening bands and maybe their curiosity will be piqued enough to go pick up an album. Since some of the venues are rather large, it’s a fantastic chance for unparalleled exposure.”
Greg Falchetto from the Mongoloids, another of the Jersey crew coming to select venues is among the majority involved that are completely excited with what the tour represents for the hardcore community. This was their way of giving back to the kids who come to the shows night after night.
“This is really the best tour we could have hoped for,” Falchetto said. “How often to you get to hang out and tour with your friends? We’re really happy to have a chance to meet new people and it’s great that bands that have been around for a long time will make sacrifices so bands like us can be seen by more people because without bands like Poison the Well willing to make sacrifices, we wouldn’t have this chance. But that’s what hardcore is all about. It’s always been about helping people and taking care of one another. Our hopes would be that the price will help people come out to this show and we would be able to do this as a yearly event.”
www.myspace.com/10for10tour
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