Show Review:Night Fever, Double Negative, Unholy Thoughts

Night Fever
Double Negative -/-
Unholy Thoughts
July 4th, 2011
Kings Barcade, Raleigh, NC.


Fuck, this show really kicked ass. Every band was so good, and so fast and ferocious, and just great. I don’t think I've had that good of a time at hardcore show that was at a venue since November at the Berkley cafe for sorry state records fest. That was awesome. But I think I’ve been a little bit spoiled, because I've been to so many local shows at the Kent house, and when you go to shows their, that’s the real shit. To me, going to a show their is what hardcore is all about. It’s DIY as fuck if you think about it. But Kings Barcade has been putting on some really great shows lately, and are having more in the near future including Fuck The Facts, RBT, and Snake Baptist on July 23rd, I feel like someone’s just not going to make it out alive out of that show. Anyways, too the events that transpired at the show.

Originally, Slugz were supposed to play first, but for some reason they had to drop off the bill, not too sure why. So, Richmond hardcore band, Unholy Thoughts, played first. I really liked these guys, there was something about them, they had a very nasty sound to them, like a very ugly, hopeless, deranged kind of sound, I really fucking like that in hardcore bands. I feel like they take influences from both fastcore and a little bit of youth crew sound as well. They had a great mix of super fast circle pit parts, and a good mix of mid paced part if you felt like stomping around. They were just straight to the point. Unfortunately when they played, people were still kind of getting their, and whenever it’s the first band playing, the crowd is always a little reluctant to start moshing or moving right away. But the singer of Unholy Thoughts was not going to have that bullshit. After one of the songs, he was mumbling into the mic “This is a hardcore show..” implying to us to start moving. So once the band started playing the song, he got off stage onto the floor, and stood in the middle, and what do you know? People started moving. There was this one guy in the crowd that kept jumping on random people, just thought I’d throw that in there because it was funny, and he jumped on my friend which was awesome. After Unholy Thoughts finished I was pretty blown away, but that was just the beginning of my night. I really wish Unholy Thoughts had been selling some demo’s or something, because I really liked them, I did manage to buy a shirt from them for 8$. I definitely recommend checking this band out.

Double Negative was up next. Man were they on point! The new drummer they have is so good, he can really rip. And each band member just seemed super energetic. Double Negative have done a fair amount of touring lately, but you could tell that they were home that night. They Played a mix of songs, they played Beg to a vile nude, which was awesome as always. Everyone in the crowd was into it, and it was just a complete good time. I got a fair amount moshing in for their set, to make up for the lack of moshing I should have been doing to Unholy thoughts. It was super fun. We even had some stage divers during Double Negative’s set. Probably one of the best times I’ve seen Double Negative.
After their set, I wasn’t sure if it could get much more awesome than that. I was very mistaken. But before Night Fever came on, I got an awesome Double Negative shirt, and got two sweet stickers for free.

Finally, the band of the night was here. Denmark’s finest, NIGHT FEVER! Their name makes me think of an old 80’s metal band or something, but they absolutely shred. They’re so awesome, they have really sweet riffs, and lots of parts to sing a long to. And the singer’s voice is amazing! I had listened to them a little bit before the show, and I envisioned the singer to be some small little skinny guy, because his voice is so high pitched, but he’s actually not very small, and when he talks his voice sounds pretty deep. For someone who had not listened to them before hand, they’d be very thrown off. After Double Negative, I wasn’t sure how much energy the crowd was going to have left, but they definitely shocked me. Right when Night Fever started ripping, the crowd went crazier then ever, everyone was jumping on top of the other, shoving groups of people back and forth. I love moshing and thrashing and all that shit, but I was too tired. So I just enjoyed Night Fever from the side, and watched the carnage take place. The singer might have been the most energetic singer of the night. I really like a lot of jumping around from the members to take place on stage, and that singer was just leaping from one side of the stage to the other. His voice was so powerful, it was absolutely great! The singer kept asking for more volume in the monitors, which I’m glad he did because his voice started sounding heavier and packing more of a punch. I mean I really think that singer makes that band, and I like how the guitarist incorporates a little bit of melody in the songs, but still manages to keep it shredding. When they ended there set, everyone in the crowd yelled “One more song!” I could tell that the singer was completely exhausted, but they didn’t take their stuff off or turn anything off, and went right into playing a song. Not only did they play one more song, but THREE. They completed the destruction that took place that night.

All in all it was a great show, and shows like these show me why the hardcore scene has continued to exist in Raleigh.

~Eli Thorp