Nightwish Photo: Andy Laudano Sonata Arctica Photo: Andy Laudano Against Me - crowd surfing and stage diving like it was 1999 Photo: Misty Johnson

Against Me! – Ridglea Theater, 9/27/08
While some punk rockers have written them off as sell-outs with their relatively new found success, Against Me! was in top form. This night they belted out songs from 2007’s critically acclaimed New Wave with the conviction that the ethos of punk is all about. The black-clad foursome from Gainesville, Florida, leaned heavily on said album and tore through socially conscious anthems like “Stop!,” “Americans Abroad” and their radio hit “Thrash Unreal.” In a nod to their past they played “Baby, I’m an Anarchist” then followed it with “Don’t Lose Touch,” a catchy but scathing bite at the haters. Except for two new songs that Gabel played solo, everyone was singing along - plus crowd surfing and stage diving like it was 1999. With music that transcends traditional boundaries (punkers, hippies and frat-boys), Against Me! proved they deserve every ounce of respect they get. (D.J. Ivie)

The Dead See, Agathis and For The Suffering - The War Legion Underground, Amarillo, 9/13/08
For The Suffering hit the stage with a powerful performance by Kierston Graham. Her raw, melodic vocal styles stood out, as members of the band pumped out one of their best songs “Blue Collar Noose.” It was a rock solid set from this Clovis, New Mexico, band.
Up next was Amarillo’s Agathis, who demonstrated unrivaled musicianship, while frontman Brandon Badillo quickly got the crowd going. With drummer Robbie Mitchener in a tight pocket, the rest of the band stepped to the edge of the stage, banging heads in unison with the crowd. Shred-the-neck leads from both guitarists, Michel Gray and Stephen Cyranoski, kicked it up a notch, and the mini bass solo from Eduardo Carrizales brought a huge roar from the crowd. The fun and friendship displayed from the stage was impressive.
A good band having a good time, Lubbock natives The Dead See performed at a deafening volume with hypnotic sounds and building rhythms- creating a wall of sound. Playing new material from their upcoming release, Year Of The Funeral, their songs got better as the night went on, and the crowd wouldn’t let them leave the stage without an encore. (Randall Stephens)

Whiskeydick - Rob’s Sports Bar and Billiards, 9/27/08
Whiskeydick is an acoustic two-piece of true, tattooed Texas metalheads. Fritz (formerly of Speak Easy) and Johnson (formerly of Steadfast) turned out southern outlaw country at its finest. Fritz plays rhythm guitar, but his specialty is seducing your eardrums with his booming-from-the-belly low vocals. During solos, Johnson (lead guitar) does things with an acoustic that most can’t do with an electric. He’s a true shredder! “Fallen Heroes,” from their debut album Rebel Flags and Whiskey, pays respect to musical legends we’ve lost along the way. Also notable (and my favorite) is “Blacktooth Grin,” written in honor of the late “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott. Whiskeydick also unveiled two new tunes, “C’mon!” and “Frontyard BBQ,” which will be on their upcoming album, First Class White Trash. (Derek “D-Rock” Walker)

The Core -O’Riley’s, 9/19/08
It was a fun-filled night of music when one of Dallas’ newer bands, The Core, played at O’Riley’s. The band is made up of John Inman (guitarist) drummer Mel Bittick (drummer) and “sik rik,” (bassist), with all three sharing vocals. This trio plays cover tunes, but the wide variety in their repertoire (which spans 20 years of hits) is very impressive as well as entertaining. The Core’s set list of 18 songs - including “The Twilight Zone) (Golden Earring), “If You Could Only See” (Tonic), “Red Skies” (The Fixx), “Where the Streets Have No Name” (U2) and “Boyz of Summer” (Don Henley) - created a welcomed blast from the past. When the band closed the night with Def Leppard’s “Let It Go,” it was sadly time to “let them go.” If you get the chance to see The Core, it’s definitely time/money well spent. (Jill Jackson)