Bane / Comeback Kid / Fucked Up / With Honor / Silent Drive

After a longer-than-average wait in colder-than-average weather, the considerable crowd filtered their way into the Tranzac slowly but surely and immediately rushed for the merch desk. Comeback Kid sold out of all but XXL hoodies in under ten minutes as Silent Drive took the stage, playing a heartfelt brand of emotional rock that was unfortunately mismatched with the rest of the bill and thus received little to no response from the audience. New Victory signing With Honor followed with their brand of slightly melodic aggressive hardcore, delivering an impressive set complete with a Gorilla Biscuits cover. Local boys Fucked Up were next in line. Easily the most punk-oriented band of the night, spirits were high and the group's spontaneity and aggression were undeniable. A circle pit was already in its developmental stages by the time Comeback Kid began; the venue was tightly packed and by the time the opening chords rang through the Tranzac's less than satisfactory sound system, kids were already skyrocketing through the air. Also a recent Victory acquisition, CK's performances have garnered a reputation for a reason: the group's catchy, anthemic songwriting translates extremely well into a live setting, arguably surpassing their recorded material. Towards the end of their set, an injury of some kind was sustained, an ambulance arrived and hundreds of kids were herded into the freezing cold for what seemed like forever until the doors finally reopened. Bane's set was positively exhausting and overwhelmingly energetic, despite constant technical problems (including a malfunctioning mic and the constantly grating fire alarm, which no one bothered to turn off). Although those in attendance have witnessed plenty of pile-ons, it can be safely said that the one incited by set closer "Can We Start Again" was the most massive commandeering of the stage in recent memory. Final verdict: a thoroughly memorable gig, despite the poor choice of venue.