Most times it's fun to go see shows, but this annual event is a very bittersweet reunion. Steve Krass, the lead singer of the Fiesty Cadavers, was killed in carjacking attempt by Harpo's after a Motorhead show more than 5 years ago. His former bandmates and other local musicians put on an annual show to benefit charity.
This year's lineup was as strong as always and I was fortunate enough to see the GutterPunx, Scapes, Trash Brats, ALD and the Fiesty Cadavers. The GutterPunx gave me an excellent example of old-school punk at its finest. The crowd was entusiastic as hell and even I couldn't resist from picking up a few bruises by getting too close. The Scapes put on a very brief, but hilarious set, with some good tunes and a whole bunch of clowning around with the audience.
Next up were the Trash Brats, one of Detroit's oldest and finest bands. They ripped ripped their set, finishing off with a great cover of the Stooge's "I Fell Alright. Along the way, their bass player, Toni, managed to lose most of his clothes and the crowd was treated to the first bottomless show in Detroit.
The action really picked up now as the Almighty Lumberjacks of Death (ALD) came up next. ALD, which rarely plays anymore was spectacular and scary. Their lead singer, Jimmy, defined in a few minutes the enormous emotional impact that losing a friend like Steve could have. Alternating between jokes and poignant comments about the loss of Steve, Jimmy pounded the microphone hard enough to open a giant gash on his forehead. The show still went on and I was struck by both the grief shown in the band and the utmost to pay homage to a fallen friend.
Last up were the Fiesty Cadavers - by now the crowd had dwindled to a few people, but we all piled up in front of the stage to hear his former band play their guts out to remember an old friend. Nothing else could possibly top this.