Avail - if you never saw them maybe you don't quite get it. The records were great. All of them. You feel the "but" coming... The records never lived up to the sweaty sing along stage dive fests that Avail shows were. The lyrics and the choruses begged to be sang. The fast parts begged for dives. The violence that plagued 90's shows was not present. The audience always felt communal during the dozen times I saw them in New York and New Jersey. They were a band that helped keep me in love with punk and hardcore and whatever Avail was.
Being there in Richmond with over a 1000 people that seemingly knew every word, watching the band play like the last dozen years didn't exist was magic. Pure unadulterated magic.
I shot the first night of their reunion and it was worth the drive. Worth the sweat. Worth the LONG ass drive back North.
The club said no flash. I said ok and I shot as fast as my D5 would let me knowing I was going to put together a hyperlapse.
Here it is. 5000 plus images set to AVAIL's "Simple Song"
I hope i can find a way to shoot Brooklyn and/or Asbury Park - it was great to feel 20 again.