As far as I’m concerned, the lineup of Mastodon, Against Me! and Cursive is the best bill touring this spring. Each band is awe-inspiring and immensely powerful and having them all together was something to witness. Going in, I knew it would be an odd and interesting mix of people. Both factions of Against Me! fans (the same with Mastodon) and perhaps even angry Ozzfest-loving, Hot Topic-fanatics booing Cursive. These predictions were all proven correct, among other things.

Since These Arms Are Snakes didn’t make the show due to their van breaking down, Cursive was the first band to grace the stage that night. The last time I saw the band, my critique was less than favorable. In the fall, they seemed burned out and incredibly bored on stage, which was definitely not a good sign since they had just released Happy Hollow (Saddle Creek). This time around, they did not disappoint at all. Tim Kasher and gang walked on stage decked in their finest evening wear and passionately hammered out a solid set list, filled with a healthy handful of fan favorites like “The Martyr,” “Some Red-Handed Sleight of Hand,” and “Art Is Hard.” Basically anything off their best album The Ugly Organ (Saddle Creek) is keen with me but it was definitely good to hear new favorites like “Dorthy at Forty” and “Bad Sects.” I also noticed that former Engine Down drummer Cornbread Compton was hitting the skins for the band. I wasn’t aware of long-time drummer Clint Schnase’s departure until after the show. Anyways, the few months off proved fruitful for the band and they really stepped up to the plate in front of a tough crowd. Although, I must say, it’s hard to point out who are and are not Cursive fans because even their die-hards seem to play dead when they are on stage.

Next up, the band that needs no introduction for anyone that reads this site. I do not, by any means, need to reiterate why I love Against Me! Every time I see the band, I feel their stature has increased ever so slightly. This time around, seeing two girls grinding with each other to their music wasn’t what I expected, but this is bound to happen when the bigger audiences come aboard. Crowd antics aside, the band was on point per usual. Against Me! has the talent to bring the house down no matter the size of the venue they are playing at. Not every band can do this and I feel like this is a testament to their power. Against Me!’s music is intimate but incredibly anthematic at the same time. Once again, I hope they get all the attention they deserve this year with the release of New Wave (Sire).

To my surprise, a hefty portion of the crowd left after AM!’s set. I came into the show thinking this would definitely be more of a Mastodon crowd. It didn’t effect the set that dramatically because Mastodon still captivated all those who were smart enough to stay for their brutal, face-melting hybrid of hardcore and metal. I have, over the years, become a bigger fan and this was my first time seeing them live. The band’s sound can only be described in one way; fucking dirty and epic. Mastodon mixed it up with their set list, but mostly focused on last year’s Blood Mountain (Warner Bros.). I loathe seeing bands at Roseland so their performance had me yearning for more, mostly a smaller venue. I’m sure it would have sounded even better too, because I’m convinced Roseland sucks the life out of live performances.

Even still, all three bands made for a great show and definitely lived up to my expectations. For more pictures from the show, check out more at our Flickr page.

Tags: Against Me, Cursive, Mastodon, show review //