Growing up, our parents always told us that hard work would pay off. They probably meant something about going to school, putting in long hours at the office, and eventually settling down to a well-paying job and a family. The classic American Dream. Unfortunately, a small percentage of children were infected with the treacherous rhythms of rock and roll, forgoing conventional ideals and constructing a dream of their own. Ditch school, ignore the real world, move to a strange town, start a band, work your ass off, go on tour forever with your best friends. That’s how Brett Adams, vocalist/guitarist of the Riot Before, ended up in Richmond, Virginia in late 2005. Fresh out of college and determined to delay the inevitable monotony of real life, he packed up and left California for the heart of Dixie.
Soon enough, Adams had recruited bassist Cory Manning (ex-Your Fellow Rebels) and shred-master Garrett Berneche (ex-Brand New Disaster) to fill out the line-up, and after trying a revolving cast of drummers eventually clicked with Freddy Clarke (ex-bicycle extraordinaire). Restless to hit the road, they began booking their first tour without a van or much of a plan other than to see America and play some shows along the way. In their first year as a band, they toured America four times and played over 150 shows. At the end of it all, they recorded a seven song EP, “So Long, The Lighthouse” for Quote-Unquote Records at Minimum Wage Studios in Richmond.
Since then, the Riot Before has been in constant motion. A 7” split with California’s Broadway Calls on Say-10 Records followed shortly, accompanied by endless touring along the well-worn roads of DIY America, basement upon basement and dive bars galore. By mid-2007, Brett, Cory, and Freddy had all taken to couch-surfing during their brief stays at home so they wouldn’t have to waste rent money on apartments they never lived in. The road had become their home. Garrett didn’t take to the constant touring so well, and quit the band in early 2008, two months before The Riot Before were set to start tracking their new record. After scrambling to find a new guitarist, Cory called up former bandmate Jon Greeley to step in. Greeley fit perfectly, and the revitalized band set about furiously practicing for what would become “Fists Buried in Pockets.” At the same time, Adams admits to having gone through considerable personal changes, stepping away from his long-standing religious and political beliefs and adopting a more nihilistic view on humanity, an isolated lifestyle providing the bitter inspiration to continue writing and rocking in the face of seemingly utter helplessness.
Recorded in May 2008 at Detached Sound Recording in Richmond, Virginia, “Fists Buried in Pockets” personifies the ethical struggles we’ve all faced when considering the harsh reality of the world, from its corrupt political regimes to unjust human rights. A silver lining of hope seeps through the album, as The Riot Before continue to prove that a unified scene of hard-working individuals can take it upon themselves and improve their world. Over the course of eleven songs, The Riot Before range from jaded isolationism to triumphant defiance, demonstrating a depth usually reserved for much older bands. They can’t stand to be home, so count on seeing them on the road for a long time to come.
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Alternative Press said:
"These five songs show some serious promise." 4 out of 5 stars
Sloane Daley of Punknews.org said:
"...in terms of of composition they beat just about any band playing this style of music today. Every song on here is a winner -- completely authentic, earnest and catchy."
Punknews.org said:
"This is exactly the type of gravelly, upbeat punk rock with a market already cornered by No Idea and Kiss of Death. Some bands just do it better than others, though, and I guess Red City Radio are doing it so well that a bigger label noticed and stepped up to the plate for them."
"This EP . . . is definitely one of the better examples of it in recent memory."
"The general carmraderie and energy here gives Latterman, New Bruises and Hot Water Music fans in general new reasons to continue breathing."
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$6 in adv, $8 DOS, 21+
Doors @ 9 pm
Advance tickets available @ Ticket Alternative, Criminal Records,
Decatur CD, Fantasyland Records and the following CD Warehouse locations: Buford, Duluth, Kennesaw, Lawrenceville and Roswell.
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