Fun Times at Keep It A Threat 5

Keep It A Threat took over Transitions Skate Park this past weekend for the fifth year in a row. With such a great lineup and having things run so smoothly, it's hard to believe that this fest is put on by just two guys. But, by talking to Jae and Dougie and seeing them on Saturday, you can tell it's a true passion of theirs and they love doing this show every year. It's an awesome event and one of the few in the area that still brings out both the young and the old. Not to mention, I haven't seen that many girls at a show in quite a while now. So maybe they factor in that they need to get some good looking bands on the lineup to attract the ladies too.

Although we arrived late in the day, we had a ton of fun. I just missed The Dewtons by about thirty seconds, which was a total bummer, but still got a chance to see The Armed, Golden Torso, and Against The Grain. I have to admit, this is the first time that I have had the chance to see The Armed perform and I can kind of see what everyone's been raving about. It's rare to see a crowd get that into a band and a singer interact with the crowd that much since the early 2000s or late 90s. Not to mention that throwing pieces of your drum set at the end of the set usually gets people's attention too.

Up next was Golden Torso who were as loud, awesome, and naked as ever. These guys always put on a hell of a show and even if you aren't that in to their music, they're fun to watch. Lucky for me, I really dig them so the entertainment factor is just an added bonus.

Last, but definitely not least, was Against the Grain. I think it's pretty obvious by now that I'm way into this band. It was great seeing these guys again after being out on the road for quite a while. Awesome set as always, although I must say I was a little disappointed in the crowd. Maybe it was that they had all been there for about 12 hours or the lack of alcohol in everyone's blood. Despite the reason, the crowd wasn't quite as revved up as at most Against the Grain shows. The band has a couple more local shows coming up in the next month or so though, so I expect their fans to redeem themselves then.

So, if you missed out on Keep It A Threat, you definitely missed out on a good show and good time. My only complaint is that I didn't get there sooner to see more of the bands and to see Jesse from Frank White skateboarding (it's been years since I've seen that). The bands I did get to see were all great and the fest as a whole seemed to be smooth sailin'. There is one more thing that I have to mention that I was amazed by. How the hell do people climb up those ramps? Maybe it's my short legs or the fact that I'm old, but I tried twice and failed miserably. Even when I stood about 2 feet up them I kept sliding down. Very impressive and I was very jealous that I didn't get to watch any bands from up high. I'll definitely practice my incline climbing skills for next year and make sure to block Keep It A Threat 6 off in my calendar way ahead of time. Too much fun to miss out on any of it again next year!

~C