There seems to be a fascination in
the hardcore community with the word it. Does such and such a band have it? Do the fans get it? We spend a lot of time
trying to figure out precisely what it is and we immediately try to quantify it as an
absolute truth. As long as I’ve been
alive, it is merely the connection
between the listener and the band. Do the band’s lyrics move people? Does the band's creativity compel the audience not just to listen,
but to want more? That brief 30 minute set
allows the musicians and the fans to disconnect simultaneously from the grim
reality that lays in wait for them upon the lights going out and the club
locking its doors.
So allow me to share with you, a
hardcore show that at the risk of sounding completely trite and uninteresting,
changed my scope on music and life. This to me, is a band that truly has it, and always will have it,
even if they never reform. The band is
the Wage of Sin and the scene is Lexington ,
KY.
Now keep in mind, I’m a Floridian . I was
born in New York ,
and moved to Florida
at the ripe age of 8. Being that I moved
from New York
at a wee age, my knowledge of the hardcore scene was…non existent at best. It barely covered the difference between
drums and guitars and failed to elaborate on the distinctions between thrash
and grind. I was, however, familiar with
New Jersey
giants Bon Jovi. I remember everyone in my third grade class
at P.S. 32 - baby blue shirts and pink dresses alike that were in love with the
New Jersey
freight train and their ever so addictive “Bad
Medicine”. Little did I know, a
bunch of bad ass girls that drove on the same freeway as Jon Bon Jovi &Richie Sambora (and that keyboardist with the weird haircut whose name escapes me) would affect my ideal of music and creativity forever.
In May 2005, the Wage of Sin
scheduled two final shows. One was in Kentucky , and the other
in New York . Upon finding out about these two shows, I was
listening to The Wage of Sin for no more than a year. It blew me away that a band so heavy and so
good, could have been around for 4 years without me knowing about it. Upon first listen I fell in love with how passionate the songs were. My roomate and I decided a road trip from FL to KY was completely worth it if this band truly was breaking up, and never planning to play or record again.
Without even seeing them live, they conjured up a fire in me to spread the word about them and see them get the respect they deserve. This is a sure sign that they’ve got that illustrious it we’ve all been trying to figure out. Seeing them live definitely reassured me of how in tune with ‘it’ they truly were. Upon deciding to go, I dropped a line on Melissa Fornabaio, the lead singer of the Wage of Sin. I still had her email from an episode where I attempted to buy a Wage of Sin shirt from their website that wasn’t in stock anymore. I offered to send the money to her, but she said she’d meet up with me at the show, and we could just do business face to face instead.
My roommate and singer at the time,
Michael came along with me to the show. As we made our way from FL, each state we stopped showed
detrimentally low signs of hardcore activity, at least around the freeway exits anyway.
No jump kicks, no two stepping, and absolutely no screaming. I heard haunting muzac renditions of Hank
Williams Jr. songs in truck-stops. I walked through a gas station that had a
live karaoke bar and a gun display bigger than the candy and condom aisles
combined; in that very same gas station/karaoke bar I witnessed a grown woman
sing “Stand by your Man” to a tearful audience (by the way this was at 2:30 in
the afternoon, for all you readers that cling to disturbing details). I
purchased a camoflauge hunting cap in the most ironic attempt at crossing over
hardcore-culture and redneck Americana
the south ever did see …all just killing time before seeing the greatest
hardcore show ever assembled.
Once we reached the YMCA in an off the beaten path town in Kentucky, it was truly time. Once we arrived we saw the band bringing in their equipment and getting setup. It pays to be early. After the awkwardness of the first
nerve racked “hello”, I was impressed by how amicable and approachable everybody
in the band was. She and Rachel proceeded to ask me if there were any songs I
wanted to hear. My first, obvious answer
was “Every song you’ve ever written plus a couple of 'Indecision' songs”. But once I
digested how serious what they were asking me was, I made my official request, so I asked for "First born against", my all time favorite from them.
It was prom night apparently,
because kids were coming in and out of the show room in tuxes and gowns and
what not. Melissa countered the crowd by
wearing a very 80’s out polka dot gown with a pair of black converse to match
(striking a positive chord in me). I’d say for that first 10 seconds where
there was just feedback, I was truly entertained by the fashion…but
that was only because they hadn’t actually started playing yet. I’m just a sucker for an
ironic pair of chucks, no matter what day of the week, what strange city I’m in
or what strange pretense I’m there under.
The set itself was out of control. Being that the YMCA didn’t provide a stage, it was possible to be about two feet from the performance. Melissa was giving the microphone to the crowd every third word; there were crowds of people standing straight up clapping their hands. The entire room was alive with a rare type of energy; a celebratory farewell. They played several songs off of both A mistaken belief in forever…” and “The product of deceit and lonliness”. They of course fulfilled my request for First Born Against and basically handed me the microphone. At the end of the show my roommate and I were completely taken care of on the merchandise tip. This also led us to a band called All for Nothing in which Laura from The Wage of Sin also plays bass.
The 45 minute set that we traveled 14 hours to see was completely worth it. It was everything a show should be. It was in your face, microphone in your mouth, two stepping good time. To celebrate their final proud days in what was to be their second to last show was mind-blowing at best. That proud rock and roll spirit that beckons you to get in your car, pack up your gear, and get the fuck to it was personified more in those 45 minutes than any show I’ve ever been to.
Melissa Fornabaio
"First Born Against"
You question my everything
I am not "perfect"
Not "imperfect"
But human
Disappointment's all too familiar
That's the last thing I wanted to be to you
I'm sinking deeper.
I'm falling harder.
I can't get much lower.
I've lost control.
In hysterics over everything
In control of nothing
Drained by your words.
Drained by your actions.
My dreams like fire in my eyes, burning. Burn out. Have left me with these scars.
My aspirations extinguished by your oceans of excuses. I'm drowning in them now.
Anything I've ever done is nothing in your eyes.
Of your blood I'm born.
Of your word I die.
Born against you.
