A Textbook Tragedy @ CMW 2008

BACKGROUND/COMPOSITION: This five-member group project recently submitted its freshman album, a brand of thrashy metal with two growly vocalists, both of whom deserve credit for being wonderfully incomprehensible. The record can't demonstrate the quantity of energy they bring to the stage.

Grade: 86

Comment: A Textbook Tragedy are old enough to deliver the talent and young enough to know their best years are still ahead of them. I guess that's why they're still so enthusiastic. A fine quintet of thrash metal junkies, they made this show and tell more like jump and shout.

Achievement of Rock 'n' Roll Expectations
80-100: Exceeds skill and knowledge expectations, i.e. rocked us so hard we peed our pants.
70-79: Achieves required skills and knowledge. Meets rock 'n' roll standard.
60-69: Demonstrates some skills. Approaches rock 'n' roll standard.
50-59: Demonstrates some required skills and knowledge in a limited way.
00-50: Has not demonstrated required skills or knowledge.

Learning Skills: E=Excellent, G=Good, S=Satisfactory, N=Sad Really

Oral And Visual Communication
Eye Contact: G
Pronunciation: G 
Stage Presence: G
Stage Banter: E
Image: G
Appearance: G
Use Of Stage: G

Strengths/Weaknesses/NextStep: 
Frontman Chris Bahris set the crowd up with rapid movement and constant presence, and bassist Bill Crook knocked 'em down. Between constant headbanging and stomping around sporting a class clown grin, no one in the room looked more excited to be there than Crook. Kai Turmann, guitarist-on-the-left, seemed to be there mainly to give between song shout outs to the other bands on the bill and pinch hit on growling when Bahris needed a break. It worked. His turns at the mic gave a change of pace between the two personalities.

Musical Analysis
Level Of Participation: E
Problem Solving: E
Teamwork: E
Work Habits: E
Organization: G
Audience Participation: S
Sound: E
Composition: E
Songs: G

Strengths/Weaknesses/NextStep: 
A Textbook Tragedy are aggressive yet positive — kind of like a hyperactive Great Dane. They'll knock you off your feet just by being cheerful. These guys aren't out to make enemies or prove anything; they just want a good party. They even paused to stop a fight building in the pit. Most of their material is fairly nondescript, but once in a while there's a cool breakdown where guitarist-on-the-right Adam Christianson presents some grade A riffage.

Other Skills And Areas Of Interest
Charisma: E
Problem Solving: E
Teamwork: E
Sexiness: S
Haircut: G
Indie Rock Footwear: G
Nods To Disposible Fashion: S
Cool Equipment: E
Level Of Inebriation: S
Actual Ability: G

Strengths/Weaknesses/NextStep: 
The appreciative, mostly teenage crowd at the Reverb may disagree, but A Textbook Tragedy's image leaves much to be desired. This teacher encourages ball caps in class, especially when faced with having to look at a haircut as nerdy as Christianson's. School uniforms may also come into effect if students continue to wear white T-shirts in non-white-T-shirt-appropriate settings.