As you may have been able to tell from my other articles, when it comes to music, I am a definite indie fan. I like indie rock, indie pop, indie alternative, indie acoustic; whatever could be in the genre typically is going to be up my alley.
Honestly, I really am into most other kinds of music, even including rap/hip-hop and country. However, the one type of music I just could not get into is hardcore music and the subgenres within it.
Yet, I am slowly learning to appreciate not only this genre of music, but also the counterculture that accompanies it. Since dating my current boyfriend, whom is a big fan of the hardcore scene, I have had the “privilege” of going to more hardcore shows than I ever thought I would.
The first show I went to was in a terrible bar in Indiana with a local band that I have no idea what their name was. I believe it was something to do with pizza, since after their set was over, they proceeded to throw slices of pizza everywhere.
Do not worry, it was just Domino’s, so it really was not a big loss.
Since this was my first experience it really did not leave the best impression on me. Since this one band had thrown pizza around at everyone and their music was just god awful, I began to really hate the hardcore culture. Yes, that is a bit unfair of me, but hey, you get hit with a slice of pizza and we will see how you feel.
Ever since that first show, I have been to many more, which is surprising even to myself since I had such a horrible experience the first time around. But with every show I have gone to, I have appreciated the culture a little more, judged everyone around me a little less, and even listened to the music with an open mind.
Typically most of the bands sound the same to me. I just cannot get past that. Their music is hard, heavy, and fast. The lyrics are basically just screams and how people are singing or shouting back at the singer is confusing to me, since I have no idea how they can comprehend what is being said.
However, once you get past the screams from the singer, it is easy to get into the music. If you are into upbeat, heavy music, their instrumentals really are very cool. While you will never see me “moshing”, you may catch me bobbing my head to the beat.
When it comes to the people that inhabit this counterculture, they are an interesting bunch which makes for the dynamics at a show to be fun to watch.
The age categories alone are all over the charts. First off, there are obviously the young kids in their teens who you will see throwing their bodies around and punching wildly into the air with no cares, then you have the people who are a bit older, I would say 20-30’s and you also have some of the real old guys who are even older than that. These guys have been around for ages and they know all of the ins and outs of the hardcore scene.
And I do not even have time to talk about the fashions. There is everything from punks with their leather jackets and combat boots to hipsters with their big glasses and skinny jeans.
The one thing I have noticed the most about the people that are there, is that they are friendly to one another. Sure, there are fights every once in a while, however that is not what they are there for.
The fans are there to spend time with their friends, to support the bands they love, and to appreciate the music that brings them all together. And the bands reciprocate that love that they receive from their fans. While they may be vulgar, they speak to their fans much like they would to any of their friends.
The hardcore music scene truly is a big family. They may fight and not always like eachother, but they are sure to make up soon enough.
It may not have been love at first sight, but you sure are growing on me, hardcore.
Lauren Dwyer
Features Editor