The eHarlequin.com writing guidelines under the category of “Historical Undone”, suggest that stories be, “…hot, sexy and subtly explicit without the lovemaking being vulgar or gratuitous.” I will try and use these guidelines to describe the recent performance of Boston based Pop-punk five way, Four Year Strong, at Emo’s in Austin.
I had arrived expecting a simple pop performance and must say that I was hella surprised by the immediate formation of a mosh pit at first note and the sorties of kamikaze stage divers which came in close succession. It was akin to what one would imagine the experience would be of sitting court side during a conjugal visit between a Honey badger and a half-blind ninja in a Coleman camper.
I was caught off guard becasue only hours before, front man Dan O’ had politely quipped, “Home Alone has been a huge thing for us.” An interesting reply to being queried on the impetus to put on Myspace that the Culkin masterpiece is a major influence for the group, “It’s our favorite film”. The smokescreen had also been set by a listen to their recent album, Explains It All, which is an ez core tribute to the bands favorite 90″s songs. It included groups like No Doubt, Del Amitri, and Everclear. Dan adds, “We just play what we know and play music the kids want to hear”.
In the end, I must say, you should judge his band by it’s bemusing cover.
