How to Say Goodbye: Bear vs. Shark (2001-2005)
I usually don’t do this for bands- in fact, this is the first band I have written a eulogy for while working for Independent Clauses. But Bear Vs. Shark is a band that truly deserves to receive a final salute.
Bear Vs. Shark was spawned in Michigan in 2001 and quickly became the cornerstone of Equal Vision Records. Their first full length Right Now You’re In The Best of Hands. And If Something Isn’t Quite Right, Your Doctor Will Know In A Hurry created a small, yet very dedicated fan base. These fans began to find that though Bear VS Shark put out a great recorded product, the true genius of the band could only be experienced through the live shows. Marc Paffi quickly became known as one of the most energetic and talented front men in the scene. He would frequently be seen jumping off stage into the crowd to crawl around on the ground or to find a kid to help him scream the final chorus of a song. While Marc went crazy in the crowd the band would always be steady as a rock and still having fun on stage.
During BVS’ lifetime they entered Harrisburg twice, once while I was in Europe and once while I was in Harrisburg (I got to see them then). They put on the best show I have ever seen. The energy filled the room and kept the entire crowd singing along and crowding the stage. I was even lucky enough to get to sing the final song of the set with Marc. The set, filled with songs from their final release Terrorhawk, provided the best experience I have ever had at a show. Bear Vs. Shark is a band that will be terribly missed in the underground scene. If you can find a video of a live show, buy it; even on video you will be able to experience the greatest side of BVS.
-Scott Landis
redbassist66@comcast.net