Thread: Lifetime Reunion Shows!!!!!

Not that too many people here probably care...but HOLY SHIT am I STOKED! One of my favorite bands of all time, Lifetime, has "gotten the band back together" and are coming out to the West Coast. FUCK! They're playing SF on Jan 29 atSlim's and I think there's an LA date confirmed right now. I don't care if it's a 10 foot powder day I gotta go see these guys again...

OH YEAH!

I saw these guys play their last show at the Melody Bar (RIP) in New Brunswick, NJ and it was the single best show I've ever seen and now they're playing again! After they broke up, members went on to play in Kid Dynamite, Paint it Black, & Zero Zero amongst others

more info at www.jadetree.com

"Young, Loud, & Scotty" mp3 and "Francie Nolan" mp3 off of their second and last release "Jersey's Best Dancers".

[Donald Sutherland]
Lifetime? Never heard of it
[/DS]

Tickets aquired biatches.

Now it will surely dump the day of the show!

Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoelaces

Tickets aquired biatches.

Now it will surely dump the day of the show!

Thanks Tyrone.

This thread prompted me to dust off my 7 inch collection.
The Lifetime with dwell/souvenir etc is still one of my favorites.

never really got into them, but i can understand your insanity-ness.

Originally Posted by rightcoast

The Lifetime with dwell/souvenir etc is still one of my favorites.

that's the one missing link in my Lifetime collection....I have those early songs on the comp CD on Glue Records, but not the 7"

Jade Tree will be releasing some sort of Lifetime anthology double disc in '06.

Ha, here ya go Rightcoast.....I found this pretty entertaining:

LIFETIME Reunion, Bouncing Souls, Loved Ones – Stone Pony, August 21, 2005
By Jason Notte


It was a good day to be older.



Seeing the line outside the Stone Pony on Sunday afternoon, it didn't seem like such a good idea to grab a spot of wall and stare at the Erector Set on Ocean Avenue for an hour. It was bad enough that Hellfest, as Lifetime guitarist Dan Yemin put it later that evening, “shat the bed” and had to cancel its entire Trenton event, forcing Lifetime's reunion to take place not only in a smaller venue, but in three smaller venues over the course of three days. Besides that, too many Warped Tours and Skate & Surf festivals have taught me that the Bouncing Souls don't particularly care if you wait at the venue for them. As for Lifetime, being gone for eight years hardly puts them in a position to demand anything.



It had been that long since I'd had to wait outside a concert at the Pony or anywhere else in Asbury. It was only four years ago, but at the time Asbury was still the kind of place that Henry Rollins felt the need to provide a disclaimer about during his set: “Hello Asbury Park. You may be having fun now, but this is a violent, bloody, murdering excuse for a city. If you're smart, once this show is over you'll get in your cars and go home just as fast as the road will take you out of here. Because when the sun goes down, you do not want to be around.”



I can remember going to the Pony for a GWAR and Gutwrench show back in '98 and it being just that town. The only people who wanted to show up were members of the US Thugs and the DMS crew – those are gangs that used to follow hardcore bands around, for all the kids who ain't privvy. If you've ever heard of FSU (Fuck Shit Up, Friends Stand United, etc.) at Boston hardcore shows or the occasional matinee here in Jersey. The Pony, like the Albion Hotel, the Erector Set construction sites, and the Casino around it, was a crumbling relic. All the walls were painted black, the back wall was just that (not an opening to an outdoor bar, as it is now) and a chain-link fence separated the inside bar from the stage area. A classy joint, all around.



It gives me a greater appreciation for the way the club looks now. A lot of refurbishing and decoupage have made it a different place, one in many ways more ideally suited to the Souls/Lifetime crowd. Looking around once I got inside, everyone seemed to be in their late-20s, early 30s. There was no Hot Topic gear, no packs of kids gathered in circles like the bands don't matter, and no disaffected teens looking to solve a life's worth of rejection and boredom through tae kwan do in the pit.



I was surrounded by what could be considered Lifetime's offspring: Members of bands with Brunswick roots like Burn West, We're All Broken, Flashlight Arcade, Scream! Hello and disbanded groups like Low End Theory and The Killing Gift. Instead of being about their “scene,” however, all involved simply seemed genuinely happy just to be in the building. A fellow rock writer lamented that had Lifetime come up in today's climate, Alternative Press would have dismissed Ari Katz's vocals as unintelligible. Band members who went to shows in Philly earlier that weekend gushed about how Lifetime had played “everything” -- not incredibly surprising, considering their body of work consists of two CDs at less than an hour combined.



Smiles were everywhere, almost contagious. Realizing it was once good form to punch a guy in the mouth for smiling at a hardcore show, I was fairly impressed. That the crowd was patient and a small portion thereof helped sing along was even more fortunate. However, to hear the Souls' Greg Attonio tell it, even the Souls could be considered filler at a Lifetime show.



“We're going to keep the set short 'cause Lifetime's coming up,” he said, setting the tone for a set that, while energetic, was never overly flashy or exuberant. Most importantly, they kept it “old-school” (while never actually playing the song of the same name.) The biggest “holy shit” moments came when they dusted off songs like “Neurotic” and “The Guest” before dipping into crowd movers “No Rules,” “Argyle” and “Quick Check Girl” from 1995’s Maniacal Laughter. It was enough to lure me from a prime spot near the stage over to the pit (hence no photos with this piece.)



Even when they took on Springsteen's “Growin' Up” for the Pony crowd, there seemed to be more people who knew the song than didn't. In fact, were it not for “That Song,” “Private Radio” and “True Believers,” we may have gone a full two sets without hearing a song penned during this millennium.



As much singing and dancing as the crowd did, the Souls never put a punctuation mark on their set with sing-alongs like “Here We Go,” “Ole” or Jersey show mainstay “East Coast, Fuck You.” Instead, the boys from Brunswick deferred to the headliner.

“Playing these shows reminds us of playing our first tour with Lifetime back in 1993 – eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches out in the parking lot and cooking on the Coleman grill,” Attonito said.



As illustrated by Katz kissing his wife and young, earmuffed child before taking the stage with Lifetime for the first time in nearly seven years, a bit has changed since those days. But even for Katz, who'd performed stints with Zero Zero and Miss TK & The Revenge since, it took only the first few chords of “Danyeurism” to bring it all back to 1995 again. Grown men rushed the stage, bodies that hadn't seen a pit in years were picking up change and windmilling, and what seemed like the entire room was singing along with word after garbled word straight into the follow-up, “Rodeo Clown.”



With his head shaved clean and looking noticeably broader and more muscled than in a February appearance with Miss TK and the Revenge, Katz fed off the crowd's youth movement – holding the mic out to the waiting masses during “Young, Loud and Scotty” and diving in during “Turnpike Gates.” Yemin handled much of the emcee duties, thanking everyone involved with the reunion and showing love to the crowd. Considering the alleged animosity between Katz and Yemin after the split, Katz played Yemin's foil to the hilt – telling the crowd he loved them “just a little” and referring to a track from 1997's Jersey's Best Dancers as “a song off our new album.”



The folks in the pit just ate it up. Each time the riffs sped up on songs like “The Boy's No Good” or “(The Gym Is) Neutral Territory,” childlike grins led to singing before yielding to one last burst of energy for a rush or spin kick. Showing their age by putting their hands on their knees and huffing between songs, the crowd managed to muster a bit more strength each time Katz launched into old favorites like “25 Cent Giraffes” and “Irony Is For Suckers.”



It was a decade or so since most of us had seen the band and, sadly, that amounts to nearly a lifetime. It's been a while since we were high school kids looking for something to do or a college kid bouncing from basement show to basement show, maybe hooking up somewhere along the way. Suddenly you start realizing the limitations of it all. It becomes difficult to go out to shows when you have work in the morning or to sustain a band when the mailbox keeps filling with bills past due. Even the faintest hints of hope are fleeting.



“So if we were to have another show in New Brunswick next week, you'd all show up, right?” Katz inquired toward the end of the set.



Sure, why not? Why not hang on to this for as long as we can... keep singing, keep dancing, stay young? They could still pack into the Court Tavern or the State. Sure it would be smaller, but we already shunned work for Ticketmaster or a ride down to Asbury to get these tickets, right?



“Does anyone here remember the Melody Bar or the Down Under?” Katz asked, answered by a collective yell. “Good. Never forget.”





Just like that, it becomes clear: This is all nostalgia. The songs are still here and for tonight, and maybe one date more, the band's here. But that part of Brunswick, the all-ages shows and matinees, that moment in time where a band could be everything – it's gone. It's not coming back, no matter how many times bands get back together.



All that exists is this moment, and we all know it. Katz announces the last song and launches into “Ostrichsized.” The words could just as easily be the story of hardcore kids who've found themselves years later, all grown up: “We are alone. All of us don't know where to begin.”



The crowd lunges forward and sings along. There's no barrier and no guarantee Lifetime's coming back. A few crowd surfers hit the stage, then a few fans jump on from the sides until the security guards are overwhelmed. The point where the band ends and the crowd begins is lost, with Lifetime and its audience meshed into one unit until the song ends.



The lights go up and the cheering doesn't stop until the band's exited, stage left. When I step outside, I'll find that my guitarist friend is feeling every bit his age after taking a bruising in the pit, yet a shit-eating grin is still stuck on his face. It's the same one we all had inside, talking about the songs and the old scene in general, feeling like we're all in on the joke and that everyone who doesn't get it missed out. Feeling fortunate, that we were able to grow to love this the first time around.



But all that can wait.. Until I hit those doors, I tend to agree with the guitarist: I'm 14 again.

I thought you were talking about the new season of "golden girls".

Originally Posted by hop

I thought you were talking about the new season of "golden girls".

I'd buy tickets for that too.

Now if only Filibuster would get back together as well.

Ty, that was a cool read, definitely makes me think back.
"Times will change and people change and so will styles, but something in the music just makes me smile. Remember When."

I saw these guys on the “Background” tour (New Age Records, HAHAHAHAHA) and a slew of Hardcore fests. Unfortunately, the fest shows were in my post-edge, and I spent most of my time in the parking lot drinking quarts of Lowenbrau. Mid-90s Melodic Posi-Core REPRESENT! THOSE DAYS THOSE FUCKING DAYS!

Originally Posted by Greydon Clark

I saw these guys on the “Background” tour (New Age Records, HAHAHAHAHA) and a slew of Hardcore fests.

Ha....that tour was with Rob Fish and Resurrection right?

Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoelaces

Ha....that tour was with Rob Fish and Resurrection right?

Yes. On the subject of Rob Fish, my brother has photos of me finger pointing and grabbing the mic at a 108 show, you know I was up front of “No Spiritual Surrender”.

They remind me of the first couple albums from All. Good stuff!

Originally Posted by Greydon Clark

Yes. On the subject of Rob Fish, my brother has photos of me finger pointing and grabbing the mic at a 108 show, you know I was up front of “No Spiritual Surrender”.

hahahaha

Just recieved this update from Jade Tree.....sounds like Lifetime could be recording some new material later this year...saawwwweeeeeeeet!

********

STATEMENT FROM LIFETIME ON UPCOMING SHOWS
As some of you may know, LIFETIME got back together to play HellFest this past August, after being given the opportunity (by the Fest's organizers) to raise a large amount of money for the charities of our choice. We were readying ourselves for what could have been a pretty alienating experience, playing the Enormo-Dome in front of 8000 metal-core dudes, when much to everyone's surprise, the Fest got cancelled at the last minute. With the help of Margie Alban at Do It Booking and a host of other hardworking friends, we were able to scrape together 3 days of amazing and much more intimate shows. That weekend in August turned out to be a seriously transforming experience for this bunch of aging and sometimes cynical punks. Thanks to all the old friends and new kids who came out to sing along, I think the five of us felt transported back to a time when our lives were first changed by music. To make an already long story shorter, we have decided to play together again, not as the resurrected corpse of a one-off reunion show, but as a group of guys who love making music together. We will remain committed to our families and our other musical endeavors, so we're unsure of how often you'll hear from us, but you can expect more shows and more music in the coming year. Thanks for your support. xoxo-LIFETIME

Punk’s not dead.

Originally Posted by Greydon Clark

Yes. On the subject of Rob Fish, my brother has photos of me finger pointing and grabbing the mic at a 108 show, you know I was up front of “No Spiritual Surrender”.

Wasnt "No Spiritual Surrender" an Inside Out song?

Originally Posted by rightcoast

Wasnt "No Spiritual Surrender" an Inside Out song?

Yes. Yes it was.

speaking of Inside Out, I bid recently on a first press of IO's No Spritual Surrender 7" on blue vinyl. In retrospect, thankfully I lost...WTF was I thinking? Sucker went for pretty big bucks for a slab of wax...

Back on topic: Lifetime. Here's the latest news on their upcoming Double CD release in March. http://www.jadetree.com/news/article/19/631

Looking at the track list, I'm actually not the stoked on it as I have all this stuff already....however, I'll buy it anyway for a CD quality version of Somewhere in the Swamps of New Jersey. I have this from the "Boy's No Good" 7", but the recording quality is dogshit and it's a damn good song in typical Lifetime fashion...kinda short, ends too soon and leaves you wanting more.

Originally Posted by rightcoast

Wasnt "No Spiritual Surrender" an Inside Out song?

Vic from Inside Out was in 108 as was Rob Fish. They would close their shows with No Spiritual Surrender" and I was on the mic.

Update! New Material Coming!! WOHOO!!



right click & "save as"
http://media.jadetree.com/Lifetime-Starsixtynine.mp3


taken from: http://cystsfts.blogspot.com/

And miles of great disdain
Wednesday, May 03, 2006


"I can't believe I didn't find this out sooner and that I found out from (of all sources) Pitchfork. So what is the news? Well, evidently (the now reunited) Lifetime is so excited about their reunion that they are working on a new album and have signed a deal with Decaydance, the Fueled By Ramen offshoot label that's co-run by Fall Out Boy's bassist, Pete Wentz. Weird and unexpected, I know. Even wierder though is that the daughter of a woman in my company's HR department is dating Pete. Yep.

"Pete and Decaydance are giving us an opportunity to make the record we want to make while still staying in control of our music and our lives," Lifetime say on the Fueled By Ramen website. "They are behind us as artists and because of that, we're backing them as a label."

It really is about damn time that I posted something proper about Lifetime. I mean, this blog's title is a reference to them. Anyhow, while I've been listening to their recently released collection of pre Jade Tree stuff Somewhere In The Swamps Of Jersey lately, I've actually been a huge Lifetime fan for over ten years now. And while I've enjoyed the music of various members' post-Lifetime projects such as Paint It Black, Zero Zero, and Kid Dynamite (a whole heck of a lot), none of the music has had the same emotional connection with me as the music they made in Lifetime. The music on both Hello Bastards and Jersey's Best Dancers trancends the genres of punk and hardcore. I love Lifetime. My wife loves Lifetime. My brother loves Lifetime. My sister (not a punk) loves Lifetime. The Pishko's love Lifetime, and the list goes on and on.

"Angular, honed, stuffed with feedback, lyrically taut, they deliver resonant pop-hardcore shards that transcend the "emo" tag by a mile. There are those complexly scissor-fight guitar parts, fault-line structures, and muscular drums, but the centerpieces are Katz's poetic pen and exploded monotone, the latter which comes off agitated, bored, and heartsick all in the same line." - Pitchfork

Whatever label their new album (hopefully) comes out on, count me in as ultra excited. I only hope that they come play Chicago (which they have neglected in the past months) sometime soon. F%&$*ng Lifetime back together again and making a new album. Hot damn. "

Sadly, they’ll be touring with Fall Out Boy.

I've never listened to Lifetime, but I can say this with all confidence: no way are they shittier than Panic! At the Disco. Good job, Decaydance Records.