Avail

with Hot Water Music and Discount

Club Limelight, Melbourne, FL • 4.19.98

David A Clark

Even as a dedicated fan of punk music, I sometimes get the feeling that most punk shows are pretty much the same. That is, until I witnessed a live Avail show. The band gives new meaning to the phrase “high energy.” They jumped around so much, I even had difficulty getting decent pix. The most amazing aspect of the show, though, was a green-haired freak named Beau. His main mission with the band was simply to run around the stage, jump into the crowd, and generally act like, well, a freak. He obviously enjoyed his job, and he did add a certain joi de vivre to the evening’s entertainment. I give him a 75 for danceability.

Hot Water Music is a band I have heard a lot about for a long time and I’ve been anxious to catch them live. Judging from the crowd’s reaction, they were hot indeed. I must confess, however, that I wasn’t all that impressed. The music seemed rather unfocused and unstructured. It was all over the place without apparent reason, but I bend to public opinion on this one. They were truly a big hit.

Discount is one band that just keeps getting better and better every time I see them. Their set, while a bit abbreviated, was forceful and on-target. These guys (and gal) could make a dead fish get up and mosh.

All in all, this was another successful punk evening at the Limelight. ◼