Reviews

No no no no. Godammit! I wanted this release to be so much better than it is! Seattle’s Champion has released their last show ever on this CD/DVD combo. With purchase, you receive both an audio copy of the show and a 6-angle shoot of the performance courtesy of High Roller Studios. Now, let’s get one thing out of the way: remove the audio CD from your package and promptly throw it in the garbage. For starters, it has one of the oddest, most uneven live mixes I’ve ever heard. The guitars seem to come and go throughout, with the mix often noticeably dropping in volume at some points. Also, one should realize that this is a hardcore band’s last show, which means there is a ton of mic singing, which also means that you barely hear singer Jim Hesketh at all. When you do, he does a good job, but he doesn’t make it through an entire song on any of the tunes here. All of this is forgivable, though, because no one expects the audio side of a hardcore show to be perfect; it’s the video we’re all really judging here…and it runs hot and cold.
 
One thing you should know about Champion (if you don’t already) is that they are straight edge…very straight edge. They play a brand of hardcore in the vein of Bane, Youth of Today, and The Gorilla Biscuits. This description will automatically either turn people on or off to this release. Personally, I’ve seen both sides. I spent a few years claiming edge and even turned twenty-one while edge; no booze fest for me. That being said, I rocked edge for very personal reasons and when I broke it was the right decision. What ultimately hurts this release is Jim’s devotion to preaching edge on stage, to the point where he alienates the average listener. He tries to sound accepting of people who drink and do drugs but, in the end, there are just far too many rants about “drinkers” and “defining yourself” for me to walk away satisfied. The performance itself is full of energy and consists of tunes from throughout the band’s catalogue. There are also some nice segue pieces - placed every few songs - of documentary footage with the band discussing what Champion has meant to them and why they are disbanding. They also invite old members up on stage to play a few songs. It all comes off as a very family oriented affair and the excellent camera work gets you right up in the mix; you can actually see Jim’s head snap back when he catches a kick to the eye and spends the rest of the set bleeding all over his white hoodie. Moments like this make the DVD worth your time; there are stage dives galore, giant pile-ons, and the feeling that something very special is occurring. But, despite this, I still walk away from the DVD feeling like Champion hate me…and maybe they do.
 
If you’re straight edge and support the kind of mentality and community that Champion preach, you’ll probably love this DVD. Some of us, though, feel left out, which is the wrong way to convey your message. This DVD is packed tight with sweat, blood, and conviction. The companion audio CD is absolutely awful but you’re really purchasing this package to relive an epic moment for a small band, which is exactly what the DVD accomplishes…if you buy into the message behind the music.