The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page V44

Duncan Barlow headed to Boulder, after leaving By the Grace of God. Rob Pennington, performing here with By the Grace of God, now sings in Black Cross. Even as he was belting out the last lines of the last song the band was ever to play, the car was waiting. As he thanked the crowdand dropped the mic, the car was packed and ready to go. The last strains of the power chords died in the sweaty air and Rob Pennington walked out of the BRYCC House, hopped in the idling car, and effectively put an end to By the Grace of God, the last great band salad days.

The car took him to Colorado, where his best friend and former By the Grace of God bandmate, Duncan Barlow, had gone a few months before. Pennington was supposed to stay gone, as Barlow has successfully done, but Boulder agree with him, and in 2001, just a year after he left, Pennington was back, squeezing the mic within aninch of its life as the singer of Black Cross. Now, By the Grace of God is The original on vocals, Barlow and Jay Palumbo on guitar, bassist Jonathan Mobley and drummer Thommy reuniting to play a benefit showSaturdayfor Adele Collins, a highlyregarded organizer in the local and national hardcore scene and former publisher of the fanzine I Stand Alone. Collins suffers from pseudotumor cerebri, a painful spine disease, and is having difficulty with mounting medical bills. couple of are kids that rise up in the punk rock community that end up being leaders in that Pennington said.

was one of those Coliseum and Jason Loewenstein will share thebill at HeadlinersMusic Hall. With tickets at $10, Pennington is hopeful theshowcan raise enough to pay for prescription medications for at least six months. almost out of he said. Raising money for Collins remains the driving force behind the reunion, but the band is also taking this opportunity to tie up some loose ends, musically. By the Grace of God came together in 1995, about a year afterthe dissolution of and landmark hardcoreband.

The band released two recordings on Victory Recordsas well as other vinyl singles and compilations, and reinvigoratedthe local hardcore scene with equal parts music and activism. Palumbo and Mobley lefttwo years later to concentrate on their other band, Elliott, and were replaced by Robby Scott (now a member ofChristiansen)and Brian Roundtree, who will also play Saturday. The band continued recording and touring, playing shows with Good Riddance, AFI, At The Drive-in and other heavyweights. In 1999, By the Grace of God recorded a five-song EP that saw limited release on Ed Three Little Girls label. But as Barlow and Pennington became increasingly busy with work and school, the band become more difficult to sustain.

When By the Grace of God took the stage on the last day of Krazyfest in 2000, Barlow and the band knew it would be his last. The end seemed tidy. The BRYCC House performance a few weeks later was more of a personal indulgence for Pennington, a desire to leave Louisville the way he would remember it most: playing music. Now, Initial Records is re-releasing that five-song EP as part of 10-song EP at the reunion show. Steps to A Better will include compilation tracks, new photos and new liner notes.

After the show, it will be in stores in November. wanted an album that was not on Victory Pennington said. we made a conscious effort to say we left Victory Records because we agree with everything the label did and felt there was some strong social and political differences between their philosophies and what our band was supposed to stand Four years later, Pennington and Barlow still very much stand for the same things. Barlow even from hardcore music due to increasing apathy, not to mention the lack of political and critical substance in much of the music being played at the Barlow is still living in Colorado, pursuing a degree in writing and playing with D. Biddle, a softer Cub Country-esque outfit.

sure be able to find an old nerve to tap Barlow said of his return to By the Grace of God songs. is always something primal inside of me for such Return to Grace For one night only, a legendary hardcore band will party like 1999 By Joshua Hammann www.velocityweekly.com ve ocity 44 Local Music By the Grace of God with Jason Loewenstein and Coliseum 4:30 p.m. Saturday Headliners Music Hall, 1386 Lexington Road $10 Available at Ear X-tacy and Ticketweb.com.