 It's a Friday night and the kids have come out in full gear, (please reference Full Gear). They stand around with solemn stares and look cool for their peers, mosh a little in the floor-based pit and watch high-energy rock acts such as Fighting Jacks in the safety of an environment such as San Jose's Chemical Free Zone.
Full Gear: combat boots, black tee shirts, chains, trench coats, converse, plenty of att-o-tude.
I show up dressed like a GAP ad. I discretely find a spot where I can watch the show and take my notes, like any good music reporter would do.
Fighting Jacks. A more appropriate name might be (The) Jumping Jacks for from the first strum of the initial power chord, Casey, Michael, Michael and Cory were in over-drive, jumping around like it was nobody's business. In fact, it was so extreme I could not help the wide-eyed smile that formed across my face throughout their whole performance. Aside from this physical energy, Fighting Jacks possessed an attitude of casualness about them that balanced their intense stage presence with a relaxed, fun frame of mind. During several songs, they literally turned their mics to the audience so that an audience member could sing with them - not just a line or two - but full-on verses. Needless to say, this went over well with the crowd, many of which were clearly fans as I noticed that they were singing along to their songs. It was nice to see a bass player take just as much front-man lead and interaction with the audience as you would normally see with the lead-singer.
 Musically, I would classify them as emo-rock; maybe even an early Weezer, without the pop element. I find their songs to be moving; vocalist Casey Linstrum has a Morrissey quality that adds to the emotional value of the songs. The sound is very full and there's just enough of a lead guitar presence that lifts the listener to the next level - that 'other' world that we all hope song and music will take us to. The songs themselves build nicely, and you find yourself with anticipation for the chorus; my favorite song that showcases this is "Turn Your Ear." You always know it's a good sign when you leave a show with a chorus stuck in your head. Even more impressive is when the chorus actually has some meaning and you find yourself contemplating what it is the lyricist was trying to say. In a song about divine intervention, called, "Glass Tables" they sing, "Have you ever breathed for me/Filled my lungs when I could not/ Captured breath and rescued me/ Did I call it normalcy, normalcy/ Breathe for me" Fighting Jacks seem to have a knack for this kind of thought-provoking, content-heavy songs.
I thoroughly enjoyed Fighting Jacks' performance. I felt that their content was a match to their music and the uniqueness of their sound separates them entirely from other emo-rock acts. I would encourage you to see them live and to take a trip to their website at www.fightingjacks.com. 
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