Hmm, got to the show on time, but for the duration of Daughters‘ set I was waiting in line to get in…womp womp. Come on Terminal 5, doors should be early enough to get all the peeps in for the first band. I was however, immediately blown away by Code Orange‘s sludgy AF set, and was also informed that their new record is up for “Best Metal Performance” Grammy. Congrats to the band, Roadrunner Records and producer Kurt Ballou of GodCity Studio and Converge. That’s huge, go pick it up kids!
Photos of Code Orange – Terminal 5 – 12.29.17
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Note: This will be less of a review and more-so, speaking out loud and sharing my history in order to help pin-point my connection to this show.
The Dillinger Escape Plan, Botch, Boysetsfire, The Get Up Kids, Hot Water Music, The Jazz June, Silent Majority all overloaded my senses back in 1999/2000 thanks to the Initial Records Catalog Sampler Disc Number Two, which came via snail mail to my Mom’s doorstep. That shit changed my life forever with a plethora of influences. If only I could grab that same sense of excitement, motivation, need to create, and urgency to get on the train from East Hampton to New York City to catch a live performance. It just doesn’t happen anymore. Maybe it’s my age and internal monologue screaming Spotify playlist influencers and curators aren’t cutting it enough for me. Doesn’t matter. What matters is the whirlwind of emotions that possessed my body and soul last night while witnessing history. The Dillinger Escape Plan played their last and potentially best show ever. 
I’ve seen this band live for nearly twenty years now. In 2004 I was in a band called A World Away with Dillinger’s current drummer Billy Rymer. Around that same time, I recall trying to pick my jaw up off the grimy floor of Farmingdale’s The Downtown (RIP) as Chris Pennie murdered everything I knew about drumming and use of dynamics (any Long Islanders remember The Swingset? Just wondering). My previous label-mate (label was Eyeball Records, my band was Kiss Kiss), business partner and current good friend, Jesse Korman of the band The Number Twelve Looks Like You used to take me to Party Smasher Inc. / Backroom Studios where I met Dillinger’s most recent guitarist, Kevin Antreassian for the first time. Long story short – actually, long story, too long – so many things in my life have been interwoven with this band that lead to, and end at their final performance at Terminal 5.
^ Video by Jacob Soyka ^
Words can’t describe the performance, so I won’t even try getting into that, but I wanted to give a huge thank you to good friend, client, legend-of-a-drummer, Emmett Ceglia for bringing me out to this show. It’s one for the books. Take a gander at some photos I snapped. If you’re wondering why they’re not good, it’s because I’m not good. Just having some fun while getting heat from the T5 staff. Enjoy, have a happy new year, and be great out there people.
Cheers,
Michael Abiuso
Photos of The Dillinger Escape Plan – Terminal 5 – 12.29.17
