So, I'm on tour on the West Coast earlier this summer and everywhere I go, people want to talk about Boston Hardcore. Boston punk, too. Turns out . . . my city is kind of a big deal when it comes to music. I say "my city" because even though I am a somewhat-recent transplant (just like 90% of people I know and 85% of people I walk by on the sidewalk at any given moment), I love this place and the cool shit that happens here and my ability to be a part of it and contribute in real ways. Anyway, from Seattle to LA to Reno, when people find out you are from Boston and you look even slightly punk, they want to ask about bands that you get to see basically every weekend. From friends' bands to bands full of dudes who probably think they're too cool to be your friend, Boston acts seem to be a driving force in DIY music right now and this city appears to be producing the coolest current music in the States. I mean, I suspected that we (meaning, the many, many scenes and micro-scenes that make up Boston punk and hardcore) are indeed AWESOME, but I just needed a little perspective to solidify that speculation. However, that other side of the country is holding it down, too. And being on tour is a wonderfully intimate way to find out just what the hell is going on outside of your own music-scene-bubble. Here is a taste of the Wild West and what I think is (recently) Boston's best.