Bridge Nine, the long running hardcore record label based in Boston, recently hosted a matinee show by New Found Glory in their warehouse on March 16th, ahead of the band’s scheduled performance at the Somerville Theatre in Somerville, MA.
The admission to the show was dependent on the purchase of NFG’s new record “Make The Most Of It” in a custom jacket designed by Bridge Nine founder Chris Wrenn.
This event was proposed as the first live show of many to take place in Bridge Nine’s store, featuring bands that have collaborated with the label over the years. The label’s crew aims to create a space for music, art, and people who want to take part in their scene, particularly those who haven’t had access to it in the north shore of Boston.
Bridge Nine was motivated to open a record store as a way to engage with people more, especially after their last headquarters was hidden away in an industrial complex. The label wanted to create opportunities for people to come together and what better way than to invite one of their favorite bands to perform for an intimate audience.
New Found Glory has had a long history with Bridge Nine since they met in Australia in 2004. The band is currently on tour, supporting their new album on Revelation Records, called “Make The Most Of It,” which is an acoustic album written by the band in response to guitarist Chad Gilbert’s cancer diagnosis.
Gilbert has been receiving treatment for a rare form of cancer called Pheochromocytoma and has had to sit out the second half of the tour, with Dan from Four Year Strong filling in for him.
Bridge Nine has hosted previous events, including War On Women’s acoustic set, Cave In’s music video recording for “Reckoning,” and a discussion recorded for Trust Records by Pat Flynn of Have Heart/Fiddlehead and Al Barile of SSD.
The label is also hosting a Record Store Day market/event on April 22nd and a Punk Rock Flea Market in late May in their warehouse.
Bridge 9 is planning more shows, but details have not yet been announced. Interested people are encouraged to sign up for the label’s email list on their website or follow them on social media to stay updated.