Show: Hot Water Music
Date: May 24, 2012
Venue: The Satellite
City: Los Angeles, CA
Hot Water Music
Photos by Nicolas Bates
Written by Dan Sinclair
May 13, 2006 was a sad day in the punk rock world: the day Hot Water Music officially disbanded. In the meantime, we were left with watered-down, radio-friendly pop punk acts to annoy our ear drums as we could only dream of better times. But now, over six years later, I stand among hundreds of anxious fans staring at the Satellite’s empty stage in eager anticipation of Hot Water Music’s return.
The band takes the stage but says nothing; they just pick up their instruments to pick up where they left off all those years ago. Chuck strums his guitar and sings, “I need a remedy of diesel and dust, something I can taste with the things I can trust.” The band joins in to rock the place and the crowd goes nuts. They’re jumping all over the place—it must feel good to hear the familiar, deep, raspy voice bellowing out an old familiar song in “Remedy.” There’s some hardcore thrashing around up front but even those on the edge of the pit are moving back and forth and singing along at the top of their lungs.
After that, the band goes directly into “Mainline,” which is the opening track to Exister, their first studio album in over eight years. It’s fairly obvious that most of those in attendance aren’t as familiar with this song as the first, but they’re into it all the same. This, after all, is the Exister release tour. Can’t play only the old stuff. Got to try these new ones live, too.
Chuck is very grateful to everyone who comes out as he can tell that these are oldfans here in the Silverlake club—not newbies who first heard of the band when SPIN magazine streamed the new record on their website. He announces the song “Trusty Chords,” and the same enthusiasm that started with the first song returns to the crowd as everyone sings to that line that almost every music fan can relate to: “I hate this place but I love these chords.” After that comes “Jack of All Trades” from 2001’s A Flight and a Crash. The crowd gets its loudest as they scream their favorite part, “Or, but fucker, yeah, you’ll get yours.”
They try another new one out on us in “Drown in It,” before returning to another old one off of A Flight and a Crash in “Old Rules.” If you’re not paying attention, you may forget that behind those gritty, dueling vocals of Chuck and Chris is one of the smoothest, yet most complex rhythm sections in punk. Former jazz musicians Jason Black and George Rebelo man the bass and drums respectively…and make this whole thing work so well.
“Our Own Way,” off No Division, is great to drink a beer to but I have no beer so I just enjoy the amazing bass line and listen to everyone sing along. “Who gives a fuck what anybody says?/We live it up until we’re dead.” The bass is even more off-the-hook on “Drag My Body,” which is the first new song everyone seems to know the words to.
Crowd surfing starts as well as some stage diving as the band puts all they have into “A Flight and a Crash,” “Giver” and “The Traps.” One of the crowd’s favorites, “Rooftops,” has the fans showing no sign of slowing down.
Chants for “Turnstile” come and Chuck assures everyone it’s coming, but not before they play “State of Grace” and “Wayfarer.” Chuck thanks everyone for showing up, letting the fans know that they are the reason that Hot Water Music even exists. He rewards us with everyone’s favorite, “Turnstile,” before the show ends. The encore features “Paper Thin,” “It’s Hard to Know,” “Manual” and a Bouncing Souls cover, “True Believer.”
A couple fans try to cheer on more music but most just stand around. Perhaps they’re still in disbelief of what they just witnessed, dance and sung to over the past hour and a half. Hot Water Music has returned to the music world and still rocks as hard as they ever did. Here’s to hoping they stick around.