This show still makes me salty...the reason why? The area around the venue is a densely packed residential area and it's nearly IMPOSSIBLE to find a parking space. One of the main reasons I wanted to go was to get there early and see Guns Up!. As I circled around the venue I could hear Guns Up! start to play.....FUCK! I went into hyper mode, circling the block and searching for any little space in which to cram my car, hop out, and run to the venue. Every time I circled around the damn place they'd be playing an awesome song that I wold have wanted to mosh to. It was like a cruel form of torture. So I finally snag a spot, and am speed walking towards the venue. I still hear Guns Up! playing so I'm all like "Yea!, I can still catch a few songs, and it'll all be worth it." I walked in the door as the band was literally hitting it's last note. So fucking salty! Why were they even opening in the first place? This was at like the height of their popularity as well.
To compound all the things going wrong, up next was some really weird band called "Sharks vs. Sailors". All I remember is that it was a fat dude with a bad voice and a little guitar (He may or may not have been wearing a hawaian shirt as well) and another chick playing drums or something. I think it was a two man band. They were totally out of place on the bill and they played an awkward set to all of 5 indie rock dorks who stayed in the room while everyone else fled outside to escape the sounds of this wretched band. One thing that was cool about "The Waiting Room" as a venue, was that it really brought a sense of community to the Chicago Hardcore scene. It almost seemed like it was a little secret that only we were privy to. The hangout factor was awesome at these shows. I remember it was a hot May evening and the sun was started to go down and all the kids were just hanging outside talking and joking around. I would grab a tallboy or a 40 from the Liquor store around the corner (Be careful, those sneaky fucks in there like to try to shortchange people who aren't regulars, count your change before you leave the counter, I busted them twice trying to do this to me). I'd bring it back and stash it halfway down the alley alongside the venue, then I'd go back there periodically and guzzle malt beer at my leisure....without drawing unnecessary attention to the venue, from police and residents alike. Crime in Stereo was up next....nothing about them really stood out to me, I just remember them being really melodic and boring. Local favorites Expired Youth took the stage next, and everyone packed into that small room was going nuts, doing the Chicago style side to side in that cramped room diving off the small stage, and singing along at the top of their lungs. Man that stage was perfect for dives from what I remember. Leaving the building after that to have a smoke, I found myself sweaty and satisfied at hearing a set of good, solid, hardcore. I then went to take a little beer break, smoked a little pinner joint in the alley, and resumed socializing.
I should mention that for a long time I was really awkward and had trouble socializing with some of my peers in the hardcore scene. A lot of the times I'd be the weird silent dude in the corner just chilling out drinking a beer. I talked to a select few people, but most of the times I was too socially awkward to really connect to anyone. I was used to going to every show I went to alone, because none of my other friends were even remotely interested in punk rock. I'm glad things have changed for the better now, and I've become a lot more outgoing. The last band of the night was Verse. I know a lot of people love this band honestly I thought it was pretty weak. Modern, melodic hardcore is not my thing. I think this might even qualify as "AmazingCore" but I'm not sure...... I remember lots of singalongs and dives for Verse, but I didn't really get the whole thing. The evening ended on kind of a weird note, but it was still a lot of fun. Wish we had more truly small venues like the Waiting Room, it doesn't get more intimate or high energy than when everyone in the audience is like 10 feet from the band.
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