Hidden identities, violent acts of tomfoolery, ghastly screaming and unsettling noises — Toronto’s Fucked Up share a few things with the hallmarks of All Hallow’s Eve. And so, for the fourth year, the hardcore heroes will celebrate the Halloween holiday by hosting a mini-festival of sorts. The band play four times this weekend in support of their new Matador full-length, The Chemistry of Common Life, alongside an eclectic group of invited guests including Final Fantasy, $100 and Sex/Vid. (If that kind of stamina impresses you, check http://lookingforgold.blogspot.com for footage of their recent 12-hour in-store in Manhattan.) Fucked Up vocalist Damian Abraham (a.k.a. Pink Eyes) discusses his favourite tricks and treats.
Why hold your Fucked Up festival at Halloween? What’s the connection?
I think Halloween and punk have a long tradition. I always liked the idea that the day before All Saint’s Day you get to dress up like a demon and become evil. A lot of punk rock is about exorcizing the demon in a safe environment, be it moshing or screaming. And historically punk and Halloween are connected: it was a Halloween episode of Saturday Night Live when Fear played, and there are bands like The Misfits and The Cramps and The Damned that have had a horrific image. So it just kind of falls in line. It would feel inappropriate if we did an Easter punk show, although we have done ’em.
Your shows are chaotic on a slow day. How are you going to take it up a notch for the occasion?
The show itself will be a show, regardless. What makes it special is that people come dressed up and built to destroy. One time, these kids built Rock ’Em Sock ’Em costumes. They got wrecked pretty fast but that just gave the other audience members stuff to throw around. I think it allows for a more hedonistic show experience. That’s kind of why we love doing it on the Halloween weekend because people can let loose. People in Toronto need an excuse to let loose and this provides it.
You’re kicking things off on Devil’s Night. What are your best prank memories?
I was always a well-behaved kid. But I remember going out with my friends when they went pumpkin bashing and egging subway cars as they came out at Rosedale station. We got chased by the police, but I felt guilty. I was actually terrified by Halloween as a kid. I also never open my eyes in a haunted house, even now at 29 years old.
Is there anything you don’t want to happen at these shows? What kind of behavior is too fucked up for Fucked Up?
Anything that involves people getting seriously hurt. On Halloween, you want people to get just close enough to the evil line without tripping over it — like to the other side of pure evil black-metal type shit. I mean, I like some of the evil aspects of black metal but I figure at a punk/hardcore/indie show that would seem a tad frightening. I don’t want to see anyone get stabbed. As long as it doesn’t turn into that movie Hell Night, you know? So, no real death. Fake death is OK, fake maiming is OK — hell, even real kind-of maiming is fine. But no real, actual maiming.
FUCKED UP PLAY FUCKED UP WEEKEND ‘08 WITH FINAL FANTASY, $100, VIVIAN
GIRLS, KATIE STELMANIS THU, OCT 30 AT SNEAKY DEE’S (431 COLLEGE), 8PM;
WITH SEX/VID, DEMON’S CLAWS, QUEST FOR FIRE, JACK OF HEART AT SNEAKY
DEE’S FRI, OCT 31, 8PM; WITH MIND ERASER, SEX/VID, RAMPAGE, THE SHITTY
LIMITS, MOLESTED YOUTH AT KATHEDRAL (651 QUEEN W) SAT, NOV 1, NOON;
WITH IRON AGE, HATRED SURGE, ENDLESS BLOCKADE AT SNEAKY DEE’S, SAT, NOV
1, 8PM. SEE HTTP://LOOKINGFORGOLD.BLOGSPOT.COM FOR COMPLETE FESTIVAL LINEUP AND TICKET AVAILABILITY. FOR TICKETS, EMAIL EPICSINMINUTES@GMAIL.COM.