We're still in arrears at Too Much Rock Inc., so there is no budget for a full quarterly report. Here are selected notes from our prospectus instead.

As We Were Before is a local trio. Screamo, post-hardcore, yet surprisingly modern. Strong guitar leads with big solos. The band's short twenty-minute set mixed mid-tempo burners and quick moshers. The ample crowd packed in and were rewarded with a big show from an act that proved it could scale gracefully from its home base in the DIYs to the big-room RecordBar. Unexpectedly impressive, and I must point out that a three-piece is very cost positive.

[Due to a tightened fiscal policy, video of As We Were Before is not available]

Othiel are a five-piece from Pomona, California. Political, loud and heavy, but with an eye (er ear) to texture as well. An old guy might hear SDRE influences, especially from that stage right guitarist. Good movement from the bass player. Good screams from the pacing vocalist and other guitarist. Like the first act, two screamers and no clean vocals. The crowd loved the seventeen-minute set. So did I. After this period of financial uncertainty has passed, I'll recommend to the board that TMR procure the band's new EP, World's Fastest Car.

Knumears from LA headlined. Silly name. Amazing act. Modern hardcore production, catchy hooks, and polyphonic heft. There were great screams that approached screeches to warm my black metal heart. The trio merged them with guitar lines that chimed with harmonics. In a twenty-three-minute set the band delivered songs with strong dynamics and solid variations. In what may be a first for anyone on the Too Much Rock steering committee, I may have wanted more. Then more came in the form of a cover of The Chariot's "Evan Perks." For this encore the threesome merged with members of Othiel, both vocalists jumped into the pit, chaos erupted, cameras overheated, and it all ended before 9:30. Past performance is not indicative of future results, but I'd invest in another evening with this band.