A huge crowd of people was wall to wall inside the Bronco Bowl Sunday night before doors opened to the highly anticipated (hed) p.e. and P.O.D. show. For those who missed the bands acts on the Tattoo the Earth and Ozzfest tour this summer they were in for a treat and excited about the amazing show to come. Once doors finally opened tons of kids, parents and fans piled into the Bronco Bowl’s arena along with several Christian groups in the area handing out flyers and tracts about Christianity and their various programs. Two of the bands on the bill, Project 86 and P.O.D. are both known for their avid proclamation of faith and spirituality, P.O.D. spreading their word more than Project 86 who do not reflect their beliefs as much in their sound. More so they try to express their day to day life from a different perspective when performing their music.

The large amount of young, and I mean YOUNG children was very surprising, during opening band Linkin Park the crowd erupted in jumping enough to make the seats rattle and pump up the crowd for the bands to come. The rap/rock band featured two vocalists who continued to awe the crowd with their awesome range of sound and creative contrast that they brought to the music. Very energetic and continuously hype, this is the band to open a show, they know how to work a crowd and leave them wanting more enough to run to the merch booth and purchase a CD and T-Shirt.

Every band had a good following at the show and the interesting mix of people was although refreshing perhaps not the best idea to place together by the tour promoters. Project 86 was next and met by a group of 10-12 years olds behind me who continued to exclaim each song was their favorite as frontman Andrew Shwabb began to belt it out. The bands current heavy metal single, Me Against Me can be heard on several stations throughout Dallas and definitely caught the most attention during their set. Placed between two incredible performances of Linkin Park and (hed) p.e. though was a very difficult spot to fill and their sound struggled to hold as much pull as the other bands did. Audience oriented Andrew jumped in the crowd several times while singing and the other band members attacked their instrument with a fierce longing to rip them to pieces. Taking more emotional and mellow tunes to a new dark sound was enjoyable as Project 86 did that beautifully. Closing with P.S. which appears on their Atlantic debut ‘Drawing Black Lines’ along with the soundtrack for the ‘Blair Witch 2’ was a perfect choice and gave a nice sample of what they can really accomplish live if they had the time to express what they wish to.

(hed) p.e., the band I and most others were was excited to see was next. Unfortunately with the performance came the hypocritical and ignorant rants of un-ethical and undereducated concertgoers who have yet to understand the meaning of respect. Several groups of slaphappy so-called spiritual people chose to boo, curse and yell that Jesus can still save (hed) p.e. and they should leave the stage. I would like to say that although the headliner of this particular concert may be from a Christian background this was in no way a Christian Concert. For that you should attend the Door in Deep Ellum or God’s Place in Arlington. Beer flows like water at the Bronco Bowl, any one with enough sense to look at this pool hall/bowling alley/venue/arcade/bar should know ‘Family Night’ is not when (hed) p.e. is on the bill. Frontman M.C.U.D. started the show by saying anyone offended by profanity or explicit lyrics should hang back on this one because this wasn't a nice, quiet band, this was a heavy, in your face, hardcore band whose riotous and mature sound seeps through the veins of it’s 6 members. Don’t be fooled by the appearance, they really ARE that vicious. The disrespect and disgusting attitude of the crowd is why people shy away from ‘Christian’ bands in the first place. No one wants to go to a concert to be met with bible-thumping quote unquote ‘do-gooders’ who ruin the performance of the BEST band on the bill. Honestly I was most aggravated by the children behind me who chose to scream, ‘you suck, you need to be saved’. These so-called Christian bands aren’t enforcing love and respect enough to turn these fans heads yet because rather than uniting the crowd they were tearing us apart. For a group of people who pride themselves on over coming persecution, they chose to persecute the band and crowd.

Although the performance was littered with sordid comments from the rude and worthless audience, (hed) p.e.’s performance was stellar. DJ Product went all out during the set, as Westyle was so energetic and powerful on his guitar that he seriously injured his knee and had to sit on a stool the last three songs of the set. M.C.U.D. claimed Westyle had badly messed up his leg and could have possibly broken something, rather than ending the show, they kept going and while the balcony’s haters continued to preach to the crowd (hed) p.e. produced a killer mosh pit and riveting performance featuring ‘Killing Time’, ‘Waiting to Die’ and ‘Bartender’ off their Jive Release ‘Broke’.

This show will always be a memorable one, how the most talented band of the evening was treated with the least love from the audience and how people have yet to learn how to respond to diversity and respect each other. M.C.U.D. said it best in 'Waiting to Die' with 'Their is nothing wrong with me, I'm not trying to see things your way... I'm not lost... I'm not drowning...". How sad it was to watch little kids who are too young to even be allowed to attend these shows learn to spread hate to the masses. Luckily the professional (hed) p.e. recognized their true fans who screamed louder and louder with each song. I chose to leave before P.O.D.’s set. Honestly, I was no longer in the mood to see this wannabe warm loving crowd be in their element. Instead I headed for 97.1 The Eagle’s local show where I was embraced by the growing family of Local musicians who meet at the Curtain Club every Sunday night to show their love and support for each other. How comforting to see people whose hearts are really in the right place.

- Nikki Evenson dallasmusic.com