Cro-Mags

While mediocre sound quality and minimal camera movement would hamper most bands and their attempt at documenting a final performance, in the case of NYHC legends Cro-Mags, it only serves to enhance the atmosphere. As chaotic and under-the-radar as the majority of the band’s life, The Final Quarrel is little more than a lone camera positioned behind the sound booth with nothing but its built-in microphone picking up the fray. However, thanks to the decidedly heated quartet, ravenous fans and the general mayhem that was CBGB, the enthusiasm and spirit of this energised gig are beautifully captured in all their low-fidelity glory. With the actual show clocking in at a whopping half-hour, while still covering necessary ground (the band’s legendary debut effort Age Of Quarrel), the 16 tracks, including a rousing rendition of the Ramones’ "Blitzkrieg Bop,” are over faster than one can throw down in the living room. However, rounded out with a performance from bassist Harley Flannigan’s post-Cro-Mags gig Harley’s War, personal footage and a mini-documentary on the now-defunct CBGB, The Final Quarrel is the perfect cap to the Cro-Mags’ career.