Trever Keith of Face to Face Irving Plaza, 9/9/00, Photo © 2000 NY Rock

I'm 5'2" and 21, and most of the kids in line made me feel gigantic and old. I thought this to be a rather ominous sign, but truthfully, the young energy in the crowd was what gave the show life. Trever Keith (vocals, guitar), Pete Parada (drums), and Scott Shiflett (bass, vocals) (Chad Yaro was missing) entered the stage all in black, and stayed glued in one place as if they'd been threatened with a harsh beating should they move their feet. But if they weren't visually impressive, they had a surprisingly full sound for only three musicians who are accustomed to four, and the vision of the stage guards wrenching away the crowd surfers was more fun to watch anyway. Scott Shiflett got in a number of fulfilling solos with his speedy bass licks, and the crowd provided the rest of the sound.

Scott Shiflett of Face to Face Irving Plaza, 9/9/00, Photo © 2000 NY Rock

The concert was heavily dependent on crowd interaction, the mic facing us folks nearly as often as it did Keith. And the crowd knew every word. Every damn word. Still, the feeling of community that was present in the room makes sense, as punk has been oft considered the modern day equivalent of, say, the protest music of the '60s. If you agree with this, then Face to Face might be something like the Byrds (probably the last time you'll ever hear that comparison). They're not political, the way a band like Rancid can be, but they don't have the carefree lightness of poppier punk bands (such as their opening acts: A Newfound Glory and Saves the Day). Their lyrics ponder the meaning of life and self, and it's not a surprise that they're beloved by adolescents – if you want to wallow in your angst, Face to Face will be right there with a lightly existentialist tune to feed your mood. The band performed some older songs, like "Ordinary" ("so you've given in along with all of your friends/ and you're still alone/ the means doesn't always justify the end/ ordinary, ordinary"), and did quite a few from Reactionary.

As musicians, they gave a hard-hitting, throbbing performance, but didn't seem to be too overcome by their own music. Every time the band stopped to chat with the audience (which happened between every song), the show just came to a grinding halt. But as noted by Keith, the audience was particularly excitable, so there was never a real lapse in sound.

Trever Keith of Face to Face Irving Plaza, 9/9/00, Photo © 2000 NY Rock

But if the band wasn't overly enthusiastic, it could be because it was their second set of the evening combined with the absence of their second guitarist. Still, after hearing their opening bands, super-energetic bubble-gum punk band A Newfound Glory (a happy, happy young band that made me feel strangely wholesome) and Saves the Day (slightly older than A Newfound Glory and slightly more cynical), Face to Face didn't really stand out as a band so much as they seemed a little longer in the tooth. It seemed at times that the band was not just indebted to, but actually dependent on, the audience for the show. This, however, is not to deny that they have some catchy tunes, decent lyrics, and quite a bit of talent. Sometimes, though, too much punk is just too much punk (please refer back to line one).