The Hope Conspiracy - January 9 - Antwerp, Belgium - show

When The Hope Conspiracy plays anywhere near your town don't hesitate. Go and see them. They don't play too often but, at least in my opinion, they're the only existing band to come out of the American Nightmare, Panic, Suicide File, Count Me Out - scene.

That said when The Hope Conspiracy plays an hour drive away from you but the weather forecasts are really bad, you must check all weatherforecasts from minute to minute to see if there's just a slight chance the weather will be better the next hour.

After some calls between Johan Reflections and myself we decided to try and get the new Reflections van on the road and see if we could arrive in Antwerp safe and sound. Well the roads were way better than the news told them to be (never trust the media, and yes I'm a journalist myself) so after only 75 minutes we arrived in Antwerp safe and sound. We unloaded the van and brought the crates filled with vinyl, cd's and books inside the club.

People started coming in shortly after and I guess there were at least 250 more kids who ignored the weatherconditions and decided they would take their change to see The Hope Conspiracy. Well not before Belgian bands had their say.

The show started with newcomers Midnight Souls who sound a lot like Modern Life Is War. Sometimes those influences were a bit to obvious but they did have a great presence on stage. I liked them better than the next band called The Jonah who were all about nineties hardcore riffs I couldn't stand back then and still don't enjoy. They played a way too long set before Teenage Lust hit the stage with their fast American Nightmare-esque songs. I love this band but think they could still improve writing songs that really stick in your head.

Then the audience was up for a surprise when Rain came on stage. This band broke up some 12 years ago and apparantly is now back. I liked the two new songs they played.

Rise and Fall are a worldwide hardcore machine by now but I think the amount of shows they play really takes its toll on singer Bjorns' voice. The new songs sound great though and they sure got the Belgian kids rocking.

But we were all in the club for one reason. To witness the band that released records like ' Cold Blue' and ' Endnote' a long time ago. The band that didn't play Belgium for the past six years: The Hope Conpspiracy.

And damn what a great performance. They played lots of songs of ' Endnote' with ' For Love' as a highlight as well as songs from ' Death Knows Your Name' and the ' True Nihilist' ep. It has been a long while that I saw an American band having so much fun on stage, playing their hearts and guts out. If this show was in 2009 I would have said it was the best show of the year. Since it's just early in 2010 I won't go as far as say that, but I predict it will be in my top 3 of the year.

After the show was over, Johan and me loaded the van and went back home. Both with a ressurected love for hardcore I guess.