The Sun Also Sets: A Retrospective on a Fulfilling Endeavor
In 2010 I was an angry young man. I felt bullied by the scene around me and I felt a visceral level of disdain for those that had given up on the straight edge lifestyle in my city. Their lack of conviction and their hypocrisy was something I could not wrap my head around (a concept even today, that I have a hard time understanding). I not only wanted to express my frustration with these subjects, but felt an almost survival level need to do so. I think in essence this need to exclaim ones dissentions is what hardcore punk music is about at its core. I wrote 4 songs in my bedroom and started Break Away soon after.
Now in 2019, our tenure as an entity is coming to a close. Many people have asked us why we have made the decision to retire. We are all still straight edge, we are all still best friends (and became best friends through being in Break Away together) and we are all still invested and care about hardcore and the community that surrounds it. When something is important to you, you show it respect; Break Away has done way more than I ever imagined it would do and it would be a disservice to everything we have accomplished to let it just fade away over time. A proper ceremony to celebrate the life of one of the most pure, honest and fulfilling endeavors I have personally ever been a part of seems to be the right way to honor this experience.
On February 23, 2019 Break Away will play our last show. The event is occurring at The Warehouse in Richmond, Virginia. Supporting acts are Bracewar and Naysayer, two bands that showed us the way and that we learned a great deal from, and Division of Mind and Downfall, two bands that came after us that are carrying the torch for Richmond hardcore currently.
For anyone reading this, on behalf of Break Away, we thank you for the years of support, the energy and the countless conversations about ideas and music. To get the details on said event, message us on any of our social media platforms (Instagram, Twitter) or message the Richmond Hardcore Shows page on Instagram for the address. Sic Itur Ad Astra.
XXX,
Ace on behalf of Break Away
Tagged: break away
