Baxter
is an institution. Their music - a vital piece of Chicago punk-rock
history. For those who aren't familiar, the Baxter sound would perhaps
be best labeled as post-hardcore, sometimes comparable to bands such as
Fugazi, At The Drive-In, and Chicago's own Cap'n Jazz. Their aesthetic
value, however, can not be put into such simple verbiage. By the time these boys crept onto the Chicago
underground scene in the late 90's they had conquered their backyard of
northwest suburbia in such a way that was, to say the least,
impressive. Crowds of youngsters packed into various VFW's and American
Legion halls, pumping their fists and singing every word to songs like
"Mandatory Option" and all-time crowd favorite "Redemption." The energy
was astounding. Their full-length cassette "Troy's Bucket" (1996)
encountered a warm reception all around Chicago and sales warranted
immediate re-duplication. More frequent shows in the city and modest
nation-wide touring ensued. In 1997, the band released the 7-inch "Lost
Voices..." on Static Station Recordings. By this time, the band's
following had grown exponentially. This was proven when, in November of '97, Baxter played
the sold-out Slapstick reunion show at the Fireside Bowl in Chicago.
The band proceeded to blow away the crowd of over 400. The reaction
they received rivaled that of the legendary headliners. It was obvious
that, as long as the band continued, they would become a huge force.
Instead, they broke up and went on to form the bands Rise Against, The
Lawrence Arms and The Killing Tree.
Location: | Chicago, IL United States | Formed: | 1995 |
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