In the Fresh - December 5, 2009

who: HORSE the band | The Chariot | Arsonists Get All the Girls
why: because last night at Reggie's Rock Club I was fortunate enough to see these three bands tear shit up.

Arsonists Get All the Girls - #21 on the list of bands I've seen live

First - These dudes opened the show last night only a few days after they were involved in a vicious car accident in which luckily no one was seriously injured. Second - they're talented. You've got a guitarist sweeping like a high school janitor on one side of the stage while the other is playing rhythm behind his back, the combination of highs and lows from their vocalists is intense, and their sound is a unique mixture of key leads, heavy beats and chorus-driven screams. This band has been through hell in the past few years with member changes, the untimely death of bassist Pat Mason... the list goes on and on - but they continue to make music and play it like they're on the top of the world.

The Chariot - #14 on the list of bands I've seen live

I'm going to be honest - I thought they were gonna suck. I'm not the hugest fan of their albums, but these dudes are gnarly... I now consider the bassist to be one of my idols. He was throwing his bass around like it was nothing, going completely ape-shit on stage and it was ridiculously entertaining. Come to think of it, everyone was acting crazy, but it was hard to focus on everything at the same time - their fans are die-hards and the pit was crazy. You need to see this band.

HORSE the band - #2 on the list of bands I've seen live

This is HORSE the band. They don't care what you think and that's what makes them awesome. This is the third time I've seen them live, and I have the time of my life every show. It's hard to explain why I love HORSE, so I'm not going to try too hard... but it's not because they're ridiculously entertaining, or their live sound is outstanding... I think it's just because you know they're giving you the best show they possibly can, and they're sincerely happy to play for you. Go check them out if you don't already know who they are.