This is Constraint opening a show at the CEC with Electric Love Muffin & Government Issue. I know I saw Constraint either in the Leigh Valley or in Philly but I didn’t have much info on them so here’s a guest commentary by Eric from easysubculture If anyone can fill in the song titles please add a comment.

They were from bethlehem. my best bud dave clewell was the singer. he was later in last cry, mugface, forthright, maddog surrender, etc. (check out maddog. pretty great) [see the FOE website for lots of LVHC bands]. They had the coolest punk logo of the day back then, wings and skull and peace sign that graphically stands the test of time, and was always painted on a sheet behind them. mike and rob the guitar and bassers were 2 pretty tough dudes you did not want to fuck with. ahhh, when punk = tough kids. total bad ass older kid bethlehem kids.

i forgot how much i loved CONSTRAINT. they were tough dudes and totally bethlehem. i remember being so bummed i couldn’t roadie for them to this show. one of the buddy’s of the guitar and bass player, who were a few years older than me and dave (singer and mike (drummer) wanted to kick my ass over some punker comments i made and i had to lay low for a few months when they / he was around. but anyway and all that personal teen punk drama aside, they were the best LV band at that point (1984 – 1985). rob (bass) and mike were ovo-lacto vegetarians and peace punks but they were still bad ass and intimidating like punkers used to be. ‘do-gooders with a violent streak’.

Thanks again to Pete at Drugmusic.com. for the beta tapes

Constraint 01 – CEC Philadelphia Feb. 23, 1985

Constraint 02 – CEC Philadelphia Feb. 23, 1985

Constraint 03 – CEC Philadelphia Feb. 23, 1985

Constraint 04 – CEC Philadelphia Feb. 23, 1985