“I might not still be alive if it wasn’t for Avail!” exclaims Iron Reagan frontman Tony Foresta. They are opening the first night of Avail’s weekend of reunion shows at The National in their hometown of Richmond, Virginia. He launches back into another scorching blast of crossover thrash, whipping the crowd into a joyous frenzy. On its face, it appears an almost hyperbolic notion that a band could be responsible for anyone’s salvation but it’s a story many know quite well. Avail are one of those special punk bands — never quite being pigeonholed into one scene or another. In the 1990s they were the ultimate unifying band: They were a source of inspiration and fun in an era where bands were more likely to be met by a sea of crossed-armed, judgmental fun-vampires tha...
