A recent review on the Philadelphia Weekly website has gotten some of The Starting Lines fans feeling pretty unhappy with the website.
Philly Weekly originally called out The Starting Line, back on December 22nd, with a snarly tone:
It’s hard to root against local boys who’ve “made it” ... unless it’s a band like the Starting Line. Does Tallahassee rejoice when Creed rolls into town? Does Atlanta freak out when Collective Soul fills up the Tabernacle or Philips Arena? Possibly. Philly has certainly shown enough love to these central PA boys by buying every single ticket of their two “reunion” holiday shows. After three brutal records of power-emo-punk-pop, the band decided to give the world a breather from their insufferable brand of whine. Sure, they’ve toured with bigger versions of their painful sound like New Found Glory and Taking Back Sunday. But a Warped Tour does not a band make. It’s hard to believe there’s still a market for this horseshit. If Dashboard Confessional is the patriarch of emo, the Starting Line are their obnoxious, angsty teenagers.
Frontman Kenny Vasoli was quick to respond, coming to his defense:
Dear Philadelphia Weekly & Bill Chenevert,
I am Ken Vasoli, singer and bassist for The Starting Line. You know..the
"horseshit" band with an "insufferable brand of whine." Thanks a million
for printing that article filled with those classic low-blows. Good move
too, you guys are giving Pitchfork a run for their money by cleverly cutting
down bands like us, its clearly the hip elitist thing to do. Congratulations
in advance for the increase in readership, as I'm sure will be the result of
bashing a popular philadelphia band.
What exactly was the point if the article? Was it to prevent people from
attending a show that's already sold out, or perhaps to convince thousands
of Philadelphians that they have inferior taste in music? Regardless, I'm
happy to report that the two shows were both a fantastic success. I could
barely hear myself over crowds' singing. These shows gave us in the band an
indescribable feeling of joy, one that I'm sure Mr. Chenevert will never
experience in his pathetic excuse for a career. I imagine the closest he
will come to such euphoria will be masturbating to a Deerhunter record while
reading the single comment left for his review bashing Coheed and Cambria.
I win.
Happy New Year.
--
KV
And then, to continue on with the tirade, Phillie Weekly has chosen to respond. This is getting out of hand. Soon there will be riots in downtown Philadelphia, it'll be total anarchy man.
