Hardcore Screamo

Hardcore screamo --Grindcore -- it's a sensation, dontcha know? My pal Lori and I used to call it "Cookie Monster Music" because the lead singer doesn't "sing" so much as "growl" in a super-loud screamish sort of way. Maybe not my absolute favorite kind of music, but I can appreciate the talent and hard work and all.

As a yearbook adviser, I believe that the very best yearbooks are those which represent everyone in the high school. There are jocks, of course, but too many yearbooks focus on them to the exclusion of all else. I want to focus on them, but I want to show as many of the other strata of high school as possible. One that seems rarely to show up is students who are in rock bands.

I went to see one such band, 45 Caliber, last night (link goes to their MySpace page, which does have some profanity, so beware) (they're definitely NOT Christians). Several of the bandmembers are Ballyhoo students, yet they are an actual in-demand gigging band on the weekends (and some weeknights, too, judging from the state one of them shows up in my first period class some days).

This is where they pour their passion and commitment, and I intend to give space to them. Perhaps a "CounterCulture" page or some such...? I haven't decided yet. But here are a couple of photos I took last night:



For my old Des Moines pals, this venue was very similar to the now-defunct Frank's House of Rock that we all loved so much. It's called "Fat Daddy's" and it's in Lewisville, on the north side of Dallas.