Back in 2010, I saw Gaza nearly steal the show not once, but twice, when they opened for my beloved Converge. I've been hooked ever since. From my spot perched above the stage (on some sketchy wood pallets), I watched Gaza knock the Pomona audience into a stupor. New songs off their glorious 2012 album, No Absolutes In Human Suffering were absolutely crushing live. New jams such as "This We Celebrate" and "The Truth Weighs Nothing" mixed with older tracks "Calf" and "Canine Disposal Unit," it was enough to make want to jump off my perch and raise hell on the floor. Of course I couldn't do that, I had a birds-eye view of Gaza's drummer Casey Hansen shredding his kit all night.
I watched young fans in the crowd, who had previously moshed their hearts out during opening act Code Orange Kids, stand mouth aghast during the heavy mindfuck sludge parts of Gaza's music. Jon Parkins, Gaza's vocalist/frontman/tallest dude in the building, spent most of his time offstage. He was on the floor, interacting with the crowd often times screaming without a microphone and still manged to be heard.
Gaza make ugly, tragic, fucked up music that reflects the ugly, tragic fucked up world we live in. They say the first step toward recovery is admitting you have a problem. Gaza has doing most the lifting for the human race in that department since 2004. Keep up the good work fellas.
*BONUS VIDEO*
My favorite Gaza song. DAT ENDING:
Aw dude these guys kick so much ass! I can just imagine the slobber down my cheek as I turn into a BEAST during their set.. and somehow I find that a good thing. Bring these guys over!
ReplyDeleteNot a big fan of music that is essentially noise but it sounds like a pretty cool live experience, and like they're people you can respect. So, they have a vote from me, in whatever it is they're running for. Which is, admittedly, probably nothing.
ReplyDeleteI love how all the words you use to describe them are negative generally yet you quite like them. I think that these guys would be great to see in person too so they get a yes from me!
ReplyDeleteI was at this show too. Amazing time man, and "Hospital Fat Bags" is easily my favorite Gaza track as well.
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