Gig 20030312 Journal

Source: Shihad.com (circa 03)

Date Published: Unsure

Who: Shihad.

Where: Springfield, MO, USA

When: 12 March 2003

Reviewed by: Shihad (Jon Toogood)

Ah. Springfield. The heartland of America. We are now pretty much smack bang in the middle of the USA and I was sort of expecting, from what we'd been told, either to walk into a Simpsons episode or be surrounded by a bunch of red-necks but, to our surprise, we spend most of our time after the show talking with a load of switched on young kids about whats really goin' down in the world of modern rock ('Punk' ain't really Punk, Nu-Metal's old news and Rock belongs to bands that actually, um, Rock), what people think about the looming war in Iraq and what and why the rest of the world think about it like they do. personally, I find this one of the most heartening experiences I've had in a long while considering just how fucked up everything around the world is at the moment. in Springfield - the Kids are ALRIGHT! The show is a pearler. Karl , Tom and Phil were so on fire I found I was being left for dead at one point which made me play even harder and made for an explolsive Pacifier set. There was a gigantic mosh pit from the get go which just got bigger and bigger until the dancefloor became a blur of sweat, blood and pure elation. met a whole bunch of competition winners at KZRQ earlier that day at an acoustic live to air at the radio station who end up in the front row at the show later on - dedication! also meet the "Cutty Whisky Girls" there who are now on tour with us and Trust Co. which I find a little strange but they all seem like nice people - they just have a better bus than us and all they do is promote scotch! I'm pissed! (and angry!) after show everyone parties late into the night with the favourite jams of the night being "Under Construction" the new Missy Elliot album and Exhibit's latest. a most legendary night.

-Jon.X