“You never retire from music, you die,” exclaimed The Movielife frontman Vinnie Caruana to the sold out crowd. Of all of the reunion tours that have happened within the past couple years, The Movielife was one that I never thought would happen. Rewind back to 2001, a great year for pop punk and the year Drive Thru Records released The Movielife has a Gambling Problem. That E.P. became the gateway way drug for me to the fast power chord driven anthems that The Movielife do so well. The band’s set at The Great Scott did not disappoint. Vinnie, Brandon and the rest of the crew brought all of the energy and passion that I wanted to see. Fans were pressed tight against the stage, arms raised and voices loud. I actually overheard a person planning out their stage dive a day ahead. The show’s atmosphere was very much a hardcore show in regards to crowd interaction and the overall energy. Vinnie’s dance moves looked like they were birthed from the OG pit days. Talking with band members after the show, it was refreshing to hear their enthusiasm for the upcoming full length, set to be released on Rise Records this fall. Rise Records is responsible for giving a number of nostalgic bands an opportunity to become relevant again within the current music industry. The band will be touring in support of this new release.
The crowd showed plenty of love for opening act The Flatliners, with fans singing their lungs out. If you had wandered in off the street, you could have easily mistaken them as the headline act. The evolution of The Flatliners’ brand of punk music lends to a more interesting take on the genre, adding variations in rhythm and texture. Brooklyn-based band MakeWar opened the show and had my head bouncing the entire time. They brought an aggressive street flavor to the table. MakeWar will be back to Great Scott on June 22nd along with Nothington.
The Movielife – Setlist:
Walking on Glass
I Hope You Die Soon
10 Seconds Too Late
Face or Kneecaps
Once in a Row
Kelly Song
This Time Next Year
Scary
Single White Female
Hey
Hand Grenade
Pinky Swear
Takin’ It Out and Choppin’ It Up
Ship to Shore
Sailor Tattoos
Jamestown
The Movielife Slideshow:
MakeWar & The Flatliners Slideshow: