Crossingpoint
Encyclopedia
Crossingpoint are a South-African
based Hardcore
band, formed in 1998.
They are widely accepted as being the longest running South-African
Hardcore
group, and have in turn inspired many more hardcore
bands throughout the South-African music scene. Today, they play a breed of heavy metal
, rock
and punk
, combined with a positive message in their lyrics. The first incarnation of the band had lyrics by the founding vocalist Wesley van Eeden that dealt with sexism
, animal cruelty and personal responsibility. Current vocalist Raymond Douglas sings (or rather screams) songs that focus more on personal and spiritual issues that he has dealt with.
, but also internationally. As of July 2006, Crossingpoint have embarked on an American tour, with shows in Illinois
, Michigan
, Indiana
, New York
, Philadelphia, Virginia
and Georgia
.
They have toured South Africa with international bands like : Underoath
, Haste the Day, CDC, No Turning Back, and more.
Crossingpoint have also become (intentionally, or not) standard-bearers for the Straight edge
movement in South Africa
- All members of the band are straight edge
. Furthermore, guitarist Brandon van Eeden recently appeared in South African youth magazine Blunt, in an article detailing his straight edge
lifestyle, a life of abstinence from drugs and alcohol.
Crossingpoint played their last show on 24 July 2010
(http://www.crossingpoint.co.za/2010/07/24/the-last-show-durban-kzn-sat-24-jul-10/)
A show review is here: http://www.speakerbox.co.za/content/feature.aspx?id=431
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
based Hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
band, formed in 1998.
They are widely accepted as being the longest running South-African
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
Hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
group, and have in turn inspired many more hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
bands throughout the South-African music scene. Today, they play a breed of heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, combined with a positive message in their lyrics. The first incarnation of the band had lyrics by the founding vocalist Wesley van Eeden that dealt with sexism
Sexism
Sexism, also known as gender discrimination or sex discrimination, is the application of the belief or attitude that there are characteristics implicit to one's gender that indirectly affect one's abilities in unrelated areas...
, animal cruelty and personal responsibility. Current vocalist Raymond Douglas sings (or rather screams) songs that focus more on personal and spiritual issues that he has dealt with.
Popularity
Despite not being on a major music label, the band have managed to become popular, not only in South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, but also internationally. As of July 2006, Crossingpoint have embarked on an American tour, with shows in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Philadelphia, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
.
They have toured South Africa with international bands like : Underoath
Underoath
Underoath is an American Christian metalcore band from Tampa, Florida. Founded by Dallas Taylor and Luke Morton on November 30, 1997 in Ocala, Florida, subsequently its additional members were from Tampa, Florida...
, Haste the Day, CDC, No Turning Back, and more.
Crossingpoint have also become (intentionally, or not) standard-bearers for the Straight edge
Straight edge
Straight edge is a subculture of hardcore punk whose adherents refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational drugs. It was a direct reaction to the sexual revolution, hedonism, and excess associated with punk rock. For some, this extends to not engaging in promiscuous sex, following a...
movement in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
- All members of the band are straight edge
Straight edge
Straight edge is a subculture of hardcore punk whose adherents refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational drugs. It was a direct reaction to the sexual revolution, hedonism, and excess associated with punk rock. For some, this extends to not engaging in promiscuous sex, following a...
. Furthermore, guitarist Brandon van Eeden recently appeared in South African youth magazine Blunt, in an article detailing his straight edge
Straight edge
Straight edge is a subculture of hardcore punk whose adherents refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational drugs. It was a direct reaction to the sexual revolution, hedonism, and excess associated with punk rock. For some, this extends to not engaging in promiscuous sex, following a...
lifestyle, a life of abstinence from drugs and alcohol.
Crossingpoint played their last show on 24 July 2010
(http://www.crossingpoint.co.za/2010/07/24/the-last-show-durban-kzn-sat-24-jul-10/)
A show review is here: http://www.speakerbox.co.za/content/feature.aspx?id=431