Text by Stephanie Souza
It's safe to say that the New York hardcore scene of the 90s was never the same after Gorilla Biscuits . The band, formed in 1986 by Anthony 'Civ' Civarrelli (vocals) and Artur Smilios (bass), became a major global reference, mainly due to the aggressiveness of their sound and their messages, which ranged from veganism and the straight edge to simpler lyrics with a touch of humor and positivity. Besides Civ and Smilios, the band's lineup included Luke Abbey (drums), Charlie Garriga (guitar), and Walter Schreifels , a legendary guitarist who was also part of another great band in the scene, Youth of Today , and a founding member of Quicksand .
Even with only two studio albums released in their nearly 40 years of existence, Gorilla Biscuits' music has been passed down from generation to generation, leaving a long legacy of exceptional representation. And now, in 2024, the band returned to Brazil 10 years after their last performance here, in 2014.
The show took place last Friday, the 27th, at Fabrique Club , in Barra Funda, São Paulo. In a kind of mini-festival, we also had five other bands before the main act. On the eve of the start of the municipal elections, it's important to mention that the night was marked by many political demonstrations, after all, hardcore is political .
The opening acts were the bands Freak Fur and Strong Reaction , who, having played earlier, ended up performing to a still-empty venue. But that wasn't a problem: the shows were robust and more than competent.
Next up was Good Intentions , one of the biggest names in straight edge hardcore in the country. The band, which has been around since 1999, decided to say goodbye to the stage this year, playing their farewell show this Friday. The performance was intense and featured active participation from the audience, who warmed up the venue with crowd surfing, mosh pits, and lots of two-step (also known as hardcore dancing ).
Paura , veterans of the scene, took to the stage to loud cheers and applause. By then, the audience was completely immersed in the intense trance of hardcore. Sweaty bodies pushed each other in a large mosh pit while the vocalist, Fábio (whose birthday it was, by the way), conducted the show with great ease. In his speech, he took the opportunity to reinforce the importance of valuing national music and left a rather provocative message for the Brazilian right wing.
Then it was Values Here , the new band of John Porcell , guitarist of Shelter and Youth of Today , with Spanish vocalist Chui . Worth noting, they were the only band of the night with a woman in their lineup. The hardcore punk band adds a pop touch to their sound, which (probably) was the cause of the distance between those present. The mosh pit dwindled and at one point even disappeared, only reappearing when they performed a cover of "7 Seconds". Even so, the band delivered a solid performance despite the low turnout.
To the sound of classic "New Direction" trumpets, the lights went out: Gorilla Biscuits finally took the stage at Fabrique. What followed was a purging ritual in the form of shoving, insane crowd surfing, and many screams. Ten years of waiting unified old and new GB fans alike, and thus, the audience became one in a matter of seconds. During the 50-minute set, there was no personal space, much less calm; the night took on a historic shape and became an empirical example of the power and intensity of hardcore.
The setlist spanned the band's only two studio albums, as well as some covers, such as "Minor Threat" by Minor Threat and "As One" by Warzone . Civ took advantage of short breaks between songs to discuss veganism and the need to unite as a scene, with no room for differentiation based on gender, race, or religion.
The highlight was Smilios, who masterfully led the show with his striking bass lines. Civ was also a show in himself; the vocalist had enviable energy and was a natural frontman. During "Start Today," the show's final song, part of the audience stormed the stage in a collective frenzy. It was hardcore at its most primal.
Music creates meaning for existence through messages and representations situated within the historical moment in which they are created, thus being a cultural practice in permanent construction. On a night filled with hardcore, both Brazilian and international, it is interesting to observe that such music, new or not, still circulates representations that allow people to verbalize their conflicts, choices, and demands, and also offer a sense of belonging.
