hellogoodbye - the buzz

Chain Reaction still gets a reaction
A review of the venue Chain Reaction
By: Nathaniel Zablan

Issue date: 9/13/07 Section: The Buzz

PrintEmail DoubleClick Any Word Page 1 of 1 Most people who grew up in Orange County with a penchant for alternative and indie rock have had at least one encounter with Chain Reaction, an all-ages venue that has as much raw energy as it has history.

In its 10-year history, Chain Reaction has hosted a slew of local acts like Hellogoodbye and Something Corporate, as well as national acts like MXPX and Dashboard Confessional. Chain Reaction is the place to go to find bands under the radar before they become fixtures on the radio and MTV.

"I remember seeing Hellogoodbye here a few years ago, before they got big," remembers Chris Garcia, 23, who has seen many shows at the venue.

Every inch of the entrance doors are plastered with stickers from the hundreds of bands that have played at Chain Reaction, and the walls are covered with different band T-shirts. The venue is small, but it can pack hundreds of teenage kids in trendy vintage clothes on any given night.

A sign that says "No stage diving or crowd surfing" hangs in the middle of the wall of T-shirts, above the crowd. The lights shine brightly against the bands playing on the small stage in a small venue. It looks like a scene out of the video game Guitar Hero, except that it's for real.

While the venue has hosted several indie and pop-punk acts, some people who have come to the venue on a regular basis feel that there has been a recent shift toward the hardcore scene.

"It sucks now, there aren't a lot of shows there that I want to go to. It's all hardcore shows now," said Jenny Tran, 21, commenting on the bands that Chain Reaction books.

There may be an increase in hardcore shows at the venue, but there is still a variety of indie alternative music there. Bands like Saves the Day, Mae and Daphne Loves Derby still make periodic appearances at the venue, occasionally performing special acoustic sets.

The venue rests in the heart of the Orange County music scene, just a few minutes away from Disneyland. Ever since Chain Reaction opened its doors, it has been an all-ages venue that has prided itself on not serving alcohol. On top of the venue's proximity to Disneyland and its alcohol-free policy, most of the shows are very affordable, typically ranging between $8 and $20, making this a very teen-friendly place.

"I used to go there all the time, I'd be stoked because it was the only place I could see bands that I really liked," said Michael Adams, 23.

Chain Reaction's Web site, www.allages.com, forebodes the fact that the average age of the crowd for any given show is probably closer to 17 or 18. Still, it is a great place to go for someone who really loves local alternative music and is still too young to see bands at bars or 21-and-over shows.

The overall charm of Chain Reaction lies not in its all-ages policy, but that it is a venue that gives people the rare chance to really experience a rock show in a very intimate setting for a more-than-reasonable price.