Western
Massachusetts (e.g., the area around
Springfield, MA) has long been cursed as a
punk scene, due to its placement between two of the biggest
East Coast scenes,
Boston and
New York City. Most people in the area are harshly critical of local talent; then again, that's true everywhere. The local stuff can basically be divided into a handful of categories:
Poppunk - Poppunk tends to be one of the most thriving genres in the area. A thriving poppunk scene, bred by such bands as Frick, Stinkbomb, and the recently disbanded Grand Prixx has existed for years. Members of it tend to emulate the styles of bands like the Ramones, the Queers, NoFX, and (although they deny it with a fervor), Green Day. Poppunk makes its way across the state line from Connecticut with the up-and-coming "Southern" sensation Dead Legend.
Skapunk - Skapunk, once a predominant Western Mass. style, has now become a struggling endeavor. The Cappuccino Jellybeans created a massive ska-punk fan bloc, strengthened by Skarmy of Darkness, The Skeptics, The Ska Band, and others. When the Jellybeans broke up in May of 2001, the grand vision fell apart, and skapunk returned to being the local second fiddle.
Hardcore - Hardcore isn't dead. Hardcore has a way of surviving all hardships in Western Massachusetts. Last In Line's huge following paved the way for Ready To Fight. Ready To Fight was made up of some well-known musicians in the local scene who formed a mega-popular hardcore band. However, local venues didn't take kindly to them. Within a few months of their inception, RTF's reputation for violent shows had gotten them banned from every arthouse, Elks lodge, and club in the area. At press time, they were still playing.