Opening Bands: Edna’s Goldfish, Shutdown, Professor Plum
Date: October 15th 1999
Venue: Birch Hill Nite Club, Old Bridge, NJ

Another ska show and this time at Birch Hill. Let me tell how much I hate New Jersey. It shouldn’t be called the “Garden State,” it should be called the “Traffic State.” Every damn road we went on had traffic, traffic, traffic. We were almost to the club when we missed the turn to The Birch Hill. It took us a fucking half hour to turn around. We finally arrived to Birch Hill and the line was huge. I needed to find Brian Diaz to get us on the guestlist because I was broke as a joke. Brian told me Matt and I were on the guestlist and then he hung out with us while waiting on line, which was cool of him.

Professor Plum already started playing when he got inside and they played pretty good. I don’t like too many NJ ska bands but they’re one that I can tolerate. After them was the odd band on the bill, Shutdown. The only reason why they played was because they were friends of Catch 22 and they were on Victory Records together. I really like Shutdown and I’m glad they were the hardcore band to play a ska show. The reason being that they are very open-minded and want unity with-in all the scenes. Matt and I actually went into the pit when they started to play. I tried to get in the dancing area but couldn’t get there.

I went back later and then I saw the whole dancefloor a pit so I had to go in and I was right in the middle of all these teeny boppers so I had to push them out of the way a little. I got to the open area( while it was still open) and started doing my moves. I did a lot for haven’t been in a mosh pit or never being in a HC pit. Matt lost a screw in his glasses and couldn’t see to well the rest of the night. I danced for “We Won’t Forget” which is a song about Raybeez who died who used to be in Warzone.

Shutdown played excellent and they got off and next up was Edna’s Goldfish. They seemed a little rusty but I still thought they did a decent job. They played new songs like “It Will Be you,” “Invincible,”and “Avoiding the Swerve.” During “This Is Not Here,” Brian sang “Mambo. No. 5” that Lou Bega does and I love that song so I got give respect to Edna’s Goldfish for that. At the end, they played “Veronica Sawyer,” and at the end of their set there were cheering on the Mets even though they lost. Next up was Catch 22 and I only stayed for a couple of songs. They started off with “Day in, Day Out,” but I forget what other songs they played. I think I rather listen to them live than on their CDs because they have so much more energy live. Anywho..the show was cool and I’m glad Shutdown played and I think majority of the crowd would prob. agree with me. I agree with Brian D. when he said that there should be more shows like this.