I was first introduced to the HollowPoints a year ago via EMP's 2003 Sound Off! competition, where they took third place (out of nine bands, that ain't bad). A four-piece then, but now a trio, the HollowPoints still manage to consistently impress crowds with their powerful performances. And their most recent full-length, Bullet Holes in City Walls, ain't bad either. But that's all old news now. Currently the HollowPoints are celebrating the release of the Annihilation EP, a five-song, 14-minute punk rock feeding frenzy coming this month on Dirtnap Records.
Annihilation, in true HollowPoints style, is reminiscent of the aforementioned bands for sure, but I wouldn't call 'em copycats, because the group manages to bring something new to the old tried-and-true formula. Maybe it's their ability to sound like they're having fun even though their dramatic lyrics steer in a more serious direction--touching on subjects like suicide and political protest. Guitarist and singer Matt McKinney spits out lyrics like, "We are the kids/who have a problem with the way that we live/Here in America/We're diggin' our graves/without confession/the city's raining on people drowning," while bassist Ben Early backs him up; together they create raw sing-along harmonies. Sure their biting words can burn you, but you'll have a smile on your face all the while because the band's enthusiasm for the music is as contagious as all get-out. Their sound is the perfect blend of catchy, fun, rough, and tough.
And it's one thing to make a record this fast, succinct, and hot, but what's more impressive is the ability to pull it off live. The HollowPoints do just that--and they make it look easy. On stage, they're tight and together, with each member acting as his own little ball of energy, bouncing all over the stage. Somehow they manage to work with their unbridled chaos and keep everything in sync.
So hopefully I've done well convincing you that you need to be at this show. Because you really do, and that's all there is to it. Giant Haystacks, Rabid Dogs, and Last One Out open, it starts at 8:00 p.m., and it's $6 if you already have your Vera club card ($7 if ya don't).
Oh, and speaking of the Vera Project, Wednesday, January 14, brings another installment of Vera's monthly open-mic showcase. Everyone is invited to come down and show off their skills--singer/songwriter stuff, spoken word, poetry... whatever you've got. The show is free, and starts at 7:00 p.m. MEGAN SELING
