New
      Seen
      Fest:
      Why
      No,
      I
      Don’t
      Think
      You
      Care
     
    
   
   
    
     
      by
      Jonah
      CAMPBELL
     
    
   
   
    
     
      New
      Seen
      Fest
      is
      a
      two-night
     
     
      series
      of
      concerts
      that
      takes
      place
      in
     
     
      Halifax,
      NS
      on
      a
      somewhat
      sporadic
     
     
      basis,
      which
      serves
      to
      showcase
      local
     
     
      independent
      music
      of
      primarily
      the
     
    
   
   
    
     
      punk/hardcore
      (although
      extending
     
    
   
   
    
     
      quite
      liberally
      to
      encompass
      new
     
     
      wave,
      electronica,
      emo-core
      and
      indie
     
     
      rock)
      persuasion.
      The
      second
      installa-
     
     
      tion
      of
      this
      event
      was
      held
      over
      the
      4th
     
     
      and
      5th
      of
      January,
      2002,
      but
      for
      the
     
     
      life
      of
      me,
      I
      can’t
      remember
      when
      the
     
     
      last
      one
      was.
      Some
      time
      ago
      in
      any
     
     
      case,
      as
      the
      Fest
      occurs
      basically
     
     
      whenever
      someone
      or
      other
      deter-
     
     
      mines
      that
      the
      makeup
      of
      the
      local
     
     
      music
      scene
      has
      shifted
      sufficiently
      to
     
    
   
   
    
     
      merit
      such
      a
      showcase.
      Or
      at
      least
      this
      ©
     
    
   
   
    
     
      is
      my
      understanding
      of
      how
      it’s
      sup-
     
     
      posed
      to
      work.
     
    

    
     
      In
      reality,
      this
      year
      New
      Seen
     
     
      Fest
      featured,
      along
      with
      a
      number
      of
     
     
      Halifax
      bands,
      a
      band
      from
      PEI,
      one
     
     
      from
      Moncton,
      and,
      curiously
      enough,
     
     
      one
      from
      Boston,
      MA.
      Go
      figure.
      The
     
     
      inclusion
      of
      the
      PEI
      band
      I
      can
      under-
     
     
      stand,
      as
      within
      the
      punk/hardcore
     
     
      scene
      there
      is
      considerable
      crossover
     
     
      and
      interaction
      between
      the
      PEI
      and
     
     
      Halifax
      scenes,
      and
      furthermore,
      both
     
     
      cities
      fall
      under
      the
      umbrella
      of
      the
     
     
      902
      scene
      (and
      more
      importantly,
      I
      am
     
     
      in
      this
      band,
      so
      I
      tend
      to
      view
      our
     
     
      inclusion
      in
      the
      Fest
      rather
     
     
      favourably).
      Moncton?
      Sure,
      whatev-
     
     
      er,
      I
      guess
      it’s
      about
      time
      New
     
     
      Brunswick
      stopped
      getting
      shat
      on
      by
     
    
   
   
    
     
      the
      rest
      of
      the
      Maritimes
      (despite
      -
     
    
   
   
    
     
      deserving
      it
      most
      of
      the
      time).
      But
     
     
      Boston?
      While
      not
      exactly
      keeping
     
     
      with
      the
      theme
      of
      local
      talent,
      nobody
     
     
      really
      gave
      a
      shit,
      and
      as
      I
      understand
     
     
      it,
      their
      presence
      was
      the
      result
      of
     
     
      some
      Halifax
      kids
      who
      had
      been
      in
     
     
      MA
      the
      week
      before
      simply
      inviting
     
     
      them
      up
      for
      the
      show.
     
    

    
     
      The
      bill
      for
      the
      first
      night
     
     
      consisted
      of
      Lance
      Bownes
      and
      the
     
     
      Residence
      (aka
      Les
      Dance),
      Eyes
      To
     
     
      The
      Sky,
      A/V,
      Three
      Fine
      Days,
      and
     
     
      yours
      truly,
      Tastes
      Like
      Burning
      (still
     
     
      kicking
      it
      with
      the
      old
      name
      despite
      a
     
     
      somewhat
      misinformed
      article
      in
      the
     
     
      Buzz
      by
      some
      shiftless
      clod).
     
    
   
   
    
     
      "
      Lance
      Bownes_
      and
      _
      the
     
    
   
   
    
     
      [10]
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Three
      Fine
      Days:
      Yep,
     
    

    
     
      this
      sure
      is
      that
      band.
     
     
      Residence,
      despite
      being
      touted
      as
      an
     
     
      80’s
      style
      New
      Wave
      band,
      sounded
     
     
      all
      the
      world
      to
      me
      more
      like
      a
      modern
     
     
      pop
      band
      backed
      up
      by
      cheesy
      key-
     
     
      boards.
      Now
      granted,
      I
      only
      caught
     
     
      the
      first
      few
      songs
      of
      their
      set
      (as
      I
      had
     
     
      to
      risk
      life
      and
      limb
      attempting
      to
     
     
      transport
      an
      amp
      someone
      had
      loaned
     
     
      to
      us
      for
      the
      show
      (speaking
      thereof,
     
     
      madd
      props
      go
      out
      to
      Graham
      and
     
     
      Maco
      for
      all
      their
      help))
      so
      perhaps
      I
     
     
      didn’t
      give
      them
      enough
      of
      a
      chance,
     
     
      but
      I
      was
      later
      informed
      that
      all
      I
     
     
      missed
      was
      some
      lame,
      contrived-
     
     
      seeming
      stage
      antics
      (dancing,
      cross-
     
     
      dressing,
      and
      humping
      the
      stage)
      by
     
     
      their
      lead
      singer
      against
      a
      backdrop
      of
     
     
      thoroughly
      disinterested-looking,
      list-
     
     
      less
      bandmates.
      In
      the
      final
      estima-
     
     
      tion,
      people
      didn’t
      seem
      quite
      sure
     
     
      whether
      the
      over-the-top
      pseudo-
     
     
      androgynous
      singer/mundane
      band-
     
     
      mate
      combination
      was
      meant
      to
      evoke
     
     
      the
      essence
      of
      80’s
      new
      wave
      band
     
     
      imagery,
      or
      whether
      it
      simply
      amount-
     
     
      ed
      to
      more
      terribleness.
      Oh,
      and
      I
     
     
      guess
      there
      were
      fake
      British
      accents
     
     
      afoot
      as
      well.
      I’m
      glad
      I
      missed
      that,
      if
     
     
      not
      so
      much
      the
      opportunity
      to
      devel-
     
     
      op
      a
      well-informed
      opinion
      of
      the
     
     
      band
      itself.
     
    

    
     
      Next
      up
      was
      Eyes
      To
      the
      Sky,
     
     
      who
      played
      some
      pretty
      decent
     
     
      emo/screamo-core
      type
      stuff
      that
      con-
     
     
      stantly
      shifted
      between
      melodic
      pretti-
     
     
      ness
      with
      sung
      vocals
      to
      some
      pretty
     
     
      well-carried
      out
      screaming
      intensity.
     
     
      The
      band
      seemed
      to
      get
      pretty
      into
      it,
     
     
      although
      one
      got
      the
      sense
      that
      things
     
     
      were
      a
      still
      a
      little
      rough
      around
      the
     
     
      edges
      and
      that
      their
      set
      will
      most
      like-
     
     
      ly
      get
      a
      little
      more
      exciting
      as
      time
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      goes
      on.
      In
      any
      case,
      despite
      my
      gen-
     
     
      eral
      distaste
      for
      the
      now
      quite
      typical
     
     
      practice
      of
      alternated
      (wussy)
      singing
     
     
      and
      screaming
      in
      bands
      of
      this
      nature,
     
     
      the
      screaming
      really
      was
      quite
      good,
     
     
      especially
      when
      the
      backup
      vocals
     
     
      came
      in
      and
      one
      was
      treated
      to
      three
     
     
      layers
      of
      vocal
      excoriation.
      Thumbs
     
     
      up.
     
    

    
     
      In
      what
      might
      strike
      some
      as
     
     
      an
      unlikely
      progression,
      Eyes
      To
      the
     
     
      Sky
      were
      followed
      by
      A/V,
      Halifax’s
     
     
      one-man
      (previously
      two-man)
      New
     
     
      Wave-cum-electronica
      dancing
      sex
     
     
      machine,
      also
      known
      as
      Philip
      Clarke
     
     
      (also
      known
      as
      Spinoza
      when
      he
      has
      a
     
     
      Bass
      instead
      of
      keyboards).
      Starting
     
     
      off
      the
      set
      with
      a
      round
      of
      pirate
      jokes,
     
     
      A/V
      got
      the
      crowd
      moving
      with
      what
     
     
      can
      really
      only
      be
      described
      (by
      an
     
     
      electronic
      music
      layman
      such
      as
     
     
      myself)
      as
      eminently
      danceable,
     
     
      catchy,
      keyboard-heavy,
      new
      wave-
     
     
      influenced,
      aggressive
      house
      some-
     
     
      thing,
      something.
      Oh,
      and
      what
      a
     
     
      description!
      During
      the
      course
      of
      his
     
     
      set,
      Phil
      spiced
      things
      up
      by
      attempt-
     
     
      ing
      to
      entice
      audience
      members
      into
     
     
      being
      duct-taped
      to
      Al,
      the
      “A/V
      gogo
     
     
      dancer,”
      which
      eventually
      escalated
     
     
      into
      the
      taping
      together
      of
      a
      Phil,
      Al,
     
     
      and
      a
      sizable
      chunk
      of
      the
      audience,
     
     
      into
      an
      unruly,
      badly-dancing
      mass.
      In
     
     
      the
      ultimate
      expression
      of
      what
      might
     
     
      arguably
      be
      deemed
      the
      most
      enter-
     
     
      taining
      stage
      personality
      in
      Halifax,
     
     
      Phil
      ended
      his
      set
      by
      eating
      a
      sand-
     
     
      which
      during
      the
      last
      song.
      Multi-tal-
     
     
      ented,
      I’m
      tellin’
      ya.
     
    

    
     
      Next
      up
      was
      Three
      Fine
      Days,
     
     
      playing
      their
      first
      show
      since
      the
      loss
     
    
   
   
    
     
      _
      of
      their
      old
      vocalist,
      Oke,
      and
      the
      rein-
     
    
   
   
    
     
      troduction
      of
      their
      original
      drummer.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      With
      their
      new
      vocalist
      has
      come
      a
     
    
   
   
    
     
      transition
      to
      emo-pop,
      leaning
      away
     
     
      from
      the
      intermittent
      screaming
     
     
      employed
      in
      the
      past
      which
      had
      more
     
     
      or
      less
      been
      responsible
      for
      their
      sta-
     
     
      tus
      as
      an
      emo-hardcore
      band.
     
     
      Incidentally,
      Mark,
      their
      new
      singer
      is
     
     
      not
      even
      from
      Halifax,
      and
      in
      fact
     
     
      lives
      in
      PEI
      and
      until
      recently
      played
     
     
      drums
      for
      the
      now
      deceased
      metalcore
     
     
      band
      Hands
      Held
      Open.
      All
      in
      all
      they
     
    
   
   
    
     
         
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Flesh
      Made
      to
      Suffer:
     
     
      Ummn.
      ...
      Fucking
      rock?
     
     
      really
      have
      much
      use
      for
      the
      style
      of
     
     
      music
      itself,
      but
      it
      was
      pretty
      compe-
     
     
      tently
      played.
      Their
      singer
      managed
      to
     
     
      hold
      his
      own,
      and.
      although
      _
      he
     
     
      revealed
      to
      me
      that
      he
      actually
      only
     
     
      had
      lyrics
      ready
      for
      two
      of
      their
      songs,
     
     
      it
      really
      wasn’t
      too
      painfully
      obvious.
     
     
      Either
      that,
      or
      I
      just
      wasn’t
      paying
     
    

    
     
      close
      enough
      attention..
     
    

    
     
      Tastes
      Like
      Burning
      closed
     
     
      the
      show,
      and
      while
      I’m
      not
      too
      com-
     
     
      fortable
      describing/reviewing
      my
      own
     
     
      performance,
      I
      think
      we
      played
      well
     
     
      enough,
      and
      people
      seemed
      to
      get
     
     
      pretty
      into
      us,
      which
      was
      great.
      Our
     
     
      performance
      had
      the
      added
      feature
      of
     
     
      foam
      darts
      flying
      around
      the
      stage
     
     
      almost
      incessantly,
      owing
      to
      our
      deci-
     
     
      sion
      to
      pass
      out
      a
      number
      of
      bub-
     
     
      blegum-filled
      nerf
      dart
      guns
      before
      the
     
     
      set,
      and
      if
      I
      wasn’t
      so
      lazy
      I
      could
     
     
      probably
      make
      some
      claims
      to
      that
     
     
      enhancing
      the
      interactivity
      of
      the
     
     
      show
      and
      corroding
      the
      audience/per-
     
     
      former
      distinction,
      but
      we
      all
      know
     
     
      that’d
      be
      pretty
      much
      bullshit.
      I
      mean,
     
     
      they
      were
      nerf
      guns
      for
      crap’s
      sake.
     
    

    
     
      Also,
      much
      to
      my
      surprise,
      the
     
     
      relatively
      small
      number
      of
      lyric
      sheets
     
     
      I
      brought
      to
      hand
      out
      at
      the
      show
      were
     
     
      quickly
      snatched
      up,
      and
      people
      even
     
     
      approached
      me
      afterwards
      to
      inquire
     
     
      about
      getting
      copies,
      suggesting
      that
     
     
      perhaps
      my
      previously
      unrelenting
     
     
      decrial
      of
      the
      Halifax
      hardcore
      scene
     
     
      as
      being
      deplorably
      apathetic
      and
      apo-
     
     
      litical
      might
      have
      been
      a
      little
      harshly
     
     
      premature.
      Indeed,
      I
      am
      happy
      to
      be
     
     
      proven
      wrong,
      if
      such
      is
      the
      case.
     
    

    
     
      On
      the
      second
      night
      of
      New
     
     
      Seen
      Fest,
      the
      lineup
      didn’t
      excite
      me