JULIANA THEORY
LIVE 10.13.2001
TOOTH AND NAIL

LINKS:
thejulianatheory.com

toothandnail.com
Emo as a genre has now solidly entrenched itself in youth culture. While many older music fans find it hard to appreciate the post hardcore tidings, it is easy to tell why the music has become so hugely popular when listening to The Juliana Theory’s new live album LIVE 10.13.2001.
This is a band, much like its peers, built from the grassroots up. After touring relentlessly for the five years since they began recording, The Juliana Theory built a near-fanatical fan base. Those kids feel what the band feels, know every word to every song and have no qualms with rocking out while at the show. There is no standing still, keeping quiet and watching – these fans jump, mosh and belt out the tunes along with the band. LIVE 10.13.2001 captures all of the energy and emotion perfectly while not compromising the sound quality. Recorded at Club Laga in Pittsburgh, PA (the band’s hometown) on October 13, 2001, to a packed house, the band claims that “absolutely no overdubs were added, nor was anything replayed after the fact.”
If that is truly the case, then a Juliana Theory show is something not to be missed. Like most good music, the lyrics and emotions are infectious. On this live disc, released almost two years after the show itself, the band included songs from across their three full-length albums (including from Love, which was just released in Feb. ’03).
As for the music itself, the clear, young vocals of Brett Detar rise above laid back progressive hardcore guitar lines put forth by Josh Fiedler and Josh Kosker, the thick bass of Chad Alan and the straightforward percussion of Josh Walters. The Juliana Theory fit firmly alongside bands like Dashboard Confessional and Brand New.
If you are too uptight to be one of the few geriatrics in the crowd at an emo show (the average age rests firmly under 18), then picking up LIVE 10.13.2001 is a must. Few albums deftly capture the energy of a live rock show while maintaining the musical quality as this one does.

----Scott Olivenbaum