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By Andrew Berenson
Arizona Daily Wildcat
September 5, 1996
"Yee Hah! Let's have a hoedown!"
These were the first words I heard from some people at the Nile Theater, as Avail took the stage and began sound-checking its instruments. Maybe it was an ode to Avail, a band which happens to come from Virginia, or maybe people in Arizona just don't get the East Coast thing. I don't know, but as Avail started its set, things started getting pretty intense.
For those of you who don't know, Avail plays melodic, hardcore punk, and plays it very well. Avail can speed up its songs and play aggressive hardcore, or slow down and play a groovin' heavy number. It also has a circus effect to the band, as one of the members, Beubeu, just dances around on stage getting the crowd pumped, occasionally singing a little backup. I also heard he does tattoos, and judging by his body, he does them well and often.
The rest of the band members are no slouches either, as Avail whipped through its set in around 45 minutes. The songs were from its new album 4 A.M. Friday Morning and its other two albums on Lookout! Records. Some of the highlights included "FCA;" "92," in which Mike, the singer, preaches that "the ska scene is changing nothing;" "Governor Nameless," a song dedicated to the governor of Virginia; and the older, more groovin' songs, "Blue Ridge" and "Tuning."
Overall, Avail's set was relentless, and the only complaint I had was that it was way too short. Avail ended its set early, because band members said they were having medical problems due to the heat. I could sympathize with them, because I was dying in there. But as I left the Nile that evening, I came to one conclusion - even though I don't like Avail's music that much on CD, I have come to believe that it is one amazing and electrifying band live.
But I still don't get Arizona's circle pit thing ... Dance, people!
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