MoshpitBOB

April 20, 2001. Didn't sleep well the night before. Got up for the day at 8:30a.m. The show started early and I'm just outside of Palmer. I wanted to get to the Kincaid Chalet by 4:00. Talk to some people, get some info, and meet with the bands before the festivities kicked off. Arrived in Anchorage earlier than expected. Reached the Chalet by 3:30. I went inside to scope things out. Otto's Audio was providing the sound and the crew was setting things up. Moshpit showed up and I found out the order of the bands. Twill was to play first, followed by Die Caste, The Roman Candles, Ariel Descent, and InCide from Kenai. It was going to be a great day. Couldn't wait for things to start.   Five bands for free on a friday afternoon. What better would there be to do?

Twill went on at 4:30 or so. I missed most of their set however. I had to go and buy the goldfish for the Ariel Descent /Moshpit feeding time later in the day. I heard that they played a good set, but there weren't many people there to appreciate it. From what I heard when I got back it sounded good. More people started to show up toward the end of their set.

A brief intermission where Moshipit would announce the next band, and Die Caste takes the stage. A Service High School band that has only been together for a few months. Their initiation as newcomers into the scene went quite well. Die Caste played about 4 or 5 original songs, and two Deftones covers. After playing the second, one of the PA monitors began to emit some smoke. The vocalist had some range that's for sure. After which they played an instrumental Metallica song and played it pretty well.   Deffinately a powerful and loud begining for DieCaste

Then local pop sensations The Roman Candles took the stage. A very tight band that displays good songwriting skills with good musicianship and talented players. A very         non-aggressive, Weezer meets Dinosaur Jr. sound, with boy wants girl vocals. A lot of oooo, eeee, oooo, eee ...aahhhssss. The girls sure liked em' a lot, and overall they had a lot of the crowd support. During their set, one of the crowd goers, took it upon himself to yell into the face of Matt Hopper (Roman Candles guitarist/vocalist). Something about "Matt Hopper sucks" or something to that effect. The band shrugged it off, and the perpetrator was escorted outside the building. I wonder what that guy has against Matt Hopper? Anyways...... the show went on and the Candles finished their set.

Now it's time for a rock show. Fire, mayhem, destruction. Ariel Descent from the valley takes the stage. Previously before the show started, the A D boys brought in five unwanted t.v.'s, a broken table, and a few chairs to set up in living room style outside of the music event. There are large windows in the Chalet and everything was visible outside, and on a tarp for easy clean up. They start their set and immediatly people are liking what they hear. Straight up rock with presscence. These guys know how to put on a show. Ben Robinson (guitar/vocals), literately went around the room climbing on tables, and even ascending the stairs to look down at the crowd from the second floor, all while playing his guitar in time with the rest of the band. They know how to get a rise out of the audience, they are great musicians, they play with heart, and they are just having the time of their lives. They played all original songs with the exception of the 007 theme, which they played Ariel Descent style and rocked the house. They also played a song to beat Limp Bizkits record of saying the word Fuck in a song. The song lasted approximately 6 or 7 min. and extra vocals were added by myself while Ben and the Ariel Descent "Wrecking Crew", Mike and D.J. went outside to break all of the T.V.'s and chairs. We must have said fuck a total of 250 times or so. Pandemonium has never been so much fun. I even did a bit of some Motion Picture Madness rap while they were outside. During that song another speaker blew out and started smoking. Ariel Descent played another song after that with only one speaker left. They finished off their set, and let the guys from BroKin play a song before the next band played. With the originality of the music, the showmanship of the band, and the overall response of the crowd, Ariel Descent should have recieved first place for the battle of the bands. They really did deserve it. Instead they got third place behind the Roman Candles who recieved second place.

Last but certainly not least was a band from Kenai called InCide. All members of the band are 18, with the exception of the bass player who is 23. I had an opportunity to interview Incide after the show at Moshpit's place in Eagle River. They've been together for 10 months. All members have lived in Kenai all of thier life, except for the bass plaver Bobby, who is from Kentucky. They're all unemployed, they practice everyday, and they played great at the battle of the bands. The name of the band used to be Dresden 9, but was later changed to InCide. Vocalist, Scott Dunphin came up with the name. -cide meaning a death or the killing of, and 'In', meaning inside one's self, inside death and kind of emotionaly dead inside.   When asked who writes the songs, they simply replied that everyone just does what they do and that's it. Scott writes all the lyrics with the exception of their song "Taken away", which was written by thier bassist Bobby. While Korn, the Deftones, and Coal Chamber are some of the bands main influences, this group is not copy cat of such bands. They have their own style of new wave metal.   This band has a good presscence, with good musicianship, and they can get a crowd amped. InCide took first place at the battle of the bands, and even had the fewest crowd goers in attendance toward the end of the night when they finally took the stage at around 9:00. For winning at the battle of the bands they will recieve recording time enough for a two song disc. Second and third place winners recieved nothing.

The way I see it. The outcome of the battle of the bands should have been.

Ariel Descent - First place
InCide - Second Place
Roman Candles - Third

That's about the whole day in a nutshell with the exception of after events over at Moshpit's place. For details on that you'll have to talk to me in person or mail me. More articles to follow. Stay tuned to Rock News Ak for more updates and other articles of information. Support your local scene.