BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Cleveland hardcore legends Dayz of Mizery shouted out local opening band Massive Gains despite arriving at the venue a full two hours after they had finished playing their 12-minute set, witnesses confirmed.
“I listen to DoM, like, every day on Bandcamp, and I have all their shirts — even the long sleeve that sold out instantly. I had to save up and get that one on eBay, and could only get an XXL, but my mom helped take it in a little bit,” said Massive Gains 16-year-old frontman Mark Spence earlier in the day. “It’s so crazy we get to play with them tonight. I hope they like our cover of Cliff’s first band, Blackened Ghosts. It will be such an honor to play in front of them.”
On day 27 of a national tour, Dayz of Mizery arrived at The Blast Zone around 9:30 p.m., just in time to catch the final song of Attrition By Subtraction, the co-headliner. With the venue near capacity, sources say Dayz of Misery ripped through the first half of their set to an overwhelming, enthusiastic reaction. In between songs, frontman Cliff Lopez looked to fill some dead air as the guitar players tuned.
“Yo, big shout out to Steve for putting on the show… this place is sick. Give it up for other bands?” said a seemingly disinterested Lopez as the crowd applauded politely. “Shout out to Massive Brains for opening the show. Support your local bands.”
The crowd once again clapped in a lackluster show of support, but one crowd member couldn’t help but feel slighted.
“Massive Brains? Really?” asked a dejected Spence. “I mean, it was bad enough they missed our set. I think they would have really liked it. Maybe we could have joined the rest of their tour if they would have seen us, or maybe Cliff would have had me do some guest vocals on stage. I don’t know, just a disappointing night . . . Massive Brains?”
When questioned about letting down one of his biggest fans by missing the band’s set and then shouting out the band by the wrong name, Lopez responded with a question of his own.
“Do you guys know where I can score some bud around here?”
Photo by Mike Grossman.