Apocalyptic Crust Fest II preview

Apocalyptic Crust Fest II
The Black Hole, Chicago
October 2-4, 2008

If we’re being honest, we know nothing about Shaman Records, didn’t realize the venue The Black Hole (3057 W. 26th) existed, and have heard of only a few of the nearly 30 bands playing there this weekend. But how can you go wrong with a concert called Chicago Apocalyptic Crust Fest?

The bands that do ring a bell on the three-day, all-ages lineup do so because they’re Chicagoans, signed to the locally based Shaman. Riotous (Saturday, 10:45) might be the closest thing our city has to Entombed, grindcore vet Dischrist (Thursday, 8:30) shares members with Riotous and has been around – off and on – since the mid ’90s, and thrash punk band Sin Orden (5:30, Thursday) and D beat-ridin’ Bosque (6:15, Thursday) represent Chicago’s dedicated Hispanic headbangers.

Shaman didn’t stop at our city’s, or even country’s, borders, when booking Crust Fest II, though. Friday headliner Bludwulf, is from Rochester, New York, while Saturday night’s, Appalachian Terror Unit, calls West Virginia home. Minnesota is well represented, at least on Thursday (Animals And Beasts, Cognitive Dissonance) and Saturday (Detonate, Question) – Land Of 10,000 Lakes and 10,000 Crust Bands, apparently. As far as international crust, Thursday’s lineup includes an act from each Mexico (National Disasters) and Spain (headliner Cop On Fire).

Single-day admission ranges from $12 to $17, but you can do a three-day pass for $40. Buy tickets and see the full schedule at www.myspace.com/chicagoapocaliypticrust.

— Trevor Fisher

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly