Easter Terror

April has been doing a good job of providing showers for those proverbial May flowers and even if Easter weekend isn't dry, it will be in bloom. Whether or not you celebrate Easter, its passing marks the unofficial beginning of spring, rebirth, renewal, renaissance—all that good stuff ... just in case you hadn't noticed the marshmallow and chocolate waterfowl and pastel-colored everything in the stores.

I'm extremely excited because the Easter Bunny is bringing me exactly what I want this year, which is great because the last thing I got from him was Michael Jackson's Bad on cassette. Although that was indeed a memorable Easter, I'm hoping this one will be more so. This Saturday, Sheer Terror is playing at the Ottobar, and I can honestly say I never thought this day would come. I am still in a bit of disbelief that I will actually be seeing one of my favorite bands of all time.

Sheer Terror may sound like just another intimidating hardcore band name, but this is the band that every hardcore band has been a pale imitation of; this is the band that every hardcore band wanted to be; this is one way hardcore could've gone instead of where it is today. But this isn't a forum for discussing the current state of hardcore; this is about Sheer Terror playing in Baltimore Saturday night.

Formed in 1984 in New York City and fronted by the always intimidating Paul Bearer, Sheer Terror was mainly active from 1989 to 1995, releasing five full-length albums of revolving songs; the song “I, Spoiler” appears on three albums alone and Ugly and Proud and Thanks Fer Nuthin are essentially the same album, which had to do with label disputes. Though they signed to major label MCA for the 1995 record Love Songs for the Unloved, Sheer Terror was soon dropped. Things went from bad to worse as the band's aggressive stage demeanor carried over into their offstage relationships before they very non-amicably split up in 1998.

Known as much for their rock and roll approach toward hardcore as they are for Bearer's nihilistically brilliant lyrics, Sheer Terror was lifted to pretty much legendary status for years. Demos, bootlegs, 7 inches and T-shirts regularly sold for exorbitant amounts on eBay when the realization sunk in that I'd never get to see one of the best post punk bands ever. For once, I'm glad I was wrong!

Of course the lineup won't be all original members, but Paul Bearer will be out front, dispensing his pearls of wisdom in his characteristic growl set to some of the most thrashing guitar riffs ever recorded, so this is a no contest for me. I am looking forward to crossing them off of the “Bands I Never Got To See” list, right between New Order and The Ramones. Joining them are a myriad of hardcore bands: Stick Together, Backtrack, Rival Mob, and Stout. Show starts at 7 p.m., all ages.

Though I have Sheer Terror on the brain, there are other things to do this Easter weekend...

• Friday at the Hexagon: The Wooly Moon, American Folklore, The Great Tap Root, and Omoo Omoo, doors @ 9pm. Celebrate Easter with some ethereal songwriting and sounds.

• Saturday April 23 at Golden West: Tim Barry (yes, from AVAIL), with Jenny Owen Youngs and Josh Small, doors @ 9pm.