Spirit 84: roadtrip to the nineties

So Spirit 84. Eight years after their last show, four years after the last time I went to a show in Fryslan. Would it be worth the (by Dutch standarts) long drive from the southern part of the country up north?

After picking up Frankie Deny we had a smooth drive to Burgum. We arrived just in time to see some songs by Cornered. They're probably one of the most popular band of all newer Dutch bands. And I can see why since they work hard and play a tight set.

Most of all this show was a trip down memory lane. Seeing guys I hadn't seen for years, catching up with them and nagging about the current state of hardcore. (Something most of us did 8 years ago as well). It was nice talking to the guys of Spirit 84, Birds X Of A Feather. But there were some more bands to watch so I went back in the venue to check Rush N Attack. This was their release show, so it was too bad the new record wasn't out yet. It always gives me the idea of a birthday party without presents or the Catholic church without child molesting priests.

Birds X Of A Feather were up next and surprised me with their set. They were aggressive and really sped things up. Prior to the last song I got their mindset when singer Big announced out of the blue that this would be his last show.

After being involved in bands like ManLiftingBanner, Mainstrike, No Denial and now BOAF, Big thought it was time to quit doing this. 'It's time I start living the things that I preached in my songs for over a long time.' 'I got involved in hardcorepunk searching for an identity, searching for the truth. And I will continue that search.' Are some lines from his emotional and powerfull speech. After that the band started playing 'Caught in the hoax'. 

Anticipation grew. Local heroes Spirit 84 would set the night on fire. 'The Boys in Back in Town' was the intro for a set of old hits, singalongs, stage-dives, moshing and all the action one could ask in a hardcore show. The band played like they had never quit starting with 'Hold Dear' from their demo. It sure was worth the drive.





pics by Bas Wit.

Spirit 84: Beyond the call of old age

Tomorrow night Fryslan hardcore band Spirit 84 will do a one time reunion show. Reunion shows in hardcore nowadays it seems are more common than new bands playing shows, so what is all the fuss about?

After getting into foreign bands like Shelter and Strife, I was a thrill for me to discover and be a part of the Dutch youth crew scene in '97-'00. Practically every weekend we would travel the country or go to Belgium to see bands like Mainstrike, Reaching Forward, Guiding Line, Eyeball, Degradation and Spirit 84.

The guys from Spirit 84 at the time were the odd ones in the mix. Not the whole band was straight edge and they had these really funny Fryslan accents. They were also way more openminded than a lot of the Dutch youth crew kids, my friends, were. Something I (we) didn't quite get back then, but I do now.

For example when releasing a record they choose for GoodLife Recordings. At the time one of the bigger hardcore labels in Europe but essentialy known for Belgian hardcore bands like Congress and Liar. Not really a label for a youth crew band, yet Spirit 84 did it.

Where most bands were all about singing about changing the world, we all went on wearing Nike's. As did Spirit 84 yet they donated a portion of their 'Beyond the call of friendship' to welfare organisation War Child. Something most Dutch bands at the time didn't do as I recall.

Another nice but not well known fact about Spirit 84 is that the main picture of the 'Beyond The Call Of Friendship' 7" is made by me. Not that I really got the credits for it since the liner notes say 'Speak Our Minds dude'. But that was the fanzine I was doing at the time with Rob who later did Abusive Action.

Spirit 84 reunion tomorrow and I think I'll be going for old times sake.

You try to break the spirit. But we never knew why.