Saw Botch Saturday night. The openers were
Psychic Death and
Help, both of which put on pretty great sets themselves.
Psychic Death is a three piece and the singer - Audrey Gore - is the drummer. Really surprised everyone that she was able to play at that speed and technical proficiency while also doing vocals. Like, after the set everyone around me were talking about how badass that was. I had checked out the bandcamp before as the band was one of the local (ish) band recommendations in a reddit thread for Portland and so I knew what the music was going to be like, I just didn't know that the albums sounded weak compared to the live experience. Also it was kind of funny that near the end of the set one guy went into the standing crowd throwing arms/legs because he was feeling it. One old guy was looking at him like he had lost his mind and I couldn't help but think, "why are you here if this surprises you?" lol
Help I'd seen twice previously in Portland so I knew what to expect there but the audience totally didn't. A lot of people standing and staring while the band was up there. Their drummer, Bim Ditson, is a large man - he apparently does
chainmaille in his off time? - and he pounds the shit out of his drums. The guitarist / vocalist, Ryan Neighbors, interacts with the crowd a lot, to the point of joining the audience with mic in hand. He handed his guitar to someone in the front at one point and just jumped right in while singing. They played one or two new songs so I guess there's another album coming soon.
They also have one of the best shirts:
https://helpifuckingneedit.bandcamp....rch/bush-shirt
Botch though...wow. Didn't know about the band while they were active - not really an active hardcore scene in the rural area I grew up - so I had no experience with them other than Minus the Bear, and only then because I was listening to a podcast where they mentioned Botch and said "oh the guy from Minus the Bear". I looked them up as I was really into the guitar sound from MtB so I was like "let's check this out" and I was not ready. Like, not at all.
Anyway, the show was amazing on all fronts but Dave was very clear: "This is the last time we're playing Portland." This tour seems to be it so I'm glad I caught them.
Not so glad that the guy I went with caught covid, apparently? I thought it was just the rain coming in because that usually messes me up but now I'm wondering. Have to take a test when I get home I guess.
Side note: why don't people show up for the bands? I paid for the ticket, I'm going to see everything I paid for.
Also people-watching was interesting, seeing the difference between people who liked the music and the people who live(d) the scene. Like one guy looked like he thought it was a Grateful Dead show but he was rocking out on the front barrier for every band, never left.