AN INTERVIEW WITH ETHAN BURKE OF SACO VALLEY UNITED

3-2-26

1. As a Mainer and a hardcore kid (okay, middle-aged man…), I am always eager to spotlight the people making this scene what it is, so thank you for this! Would you please introduce yourself and tell us a little about what Saco Valley United is and what you do?

Saco Valley United started a couple years ago with the goal to bring live music to Biddeford. We were lucky enough to lock in a couple places in the city that would let us host shows for our own bands and our friends' bands that wanted to come this way. We began drawing the attention of other regional bands as word spread about Biddeford. 

The other side of SVU is the label/distribution side. We began putting out physical releases of our own bands. We began releasing our friends' bands in physical form as a way to help our homies get their music on cassette without breaking their band’s bank account. 

We are lucky enough to have a collective of various skillsets within SVU that really allow us to do almost everything in house from demoing to recording to digital art making—it’s a no-brainer to keep pushing physical releases for our friends and artists that we believe in. 

At this point in time we are putting on a handful of shows within the alternative/aggressive music world each month and consistently releasing music for the people we love and want to see succeed. 

2. What got you into hardcore?

One of my favorite things about hardcore is that it is built by (and for) the outcasts of societal norms. A place for the losers, by the losers. 

I most certainly didn’t fit into the “cool” crowd in my younger years. Finding a world of people that felt like me, for various reasons in their lives was a real game changer. I began to understand that not fitting in was perfectly fine and should be celebrated. 

There’s no denying that the idea that taking your anger and using it to create art was very appealing to my younger self, but the sense of community I found was something unmatchable and truly solidified my love for hardcore and all adjacent genres.

3. What was it about the genre and the scene that made you want to take such an active part in it?

I grew up in a musical family and started playing guitar when I was in 5th grade. I quickly found the world of skateboarding and punk rock and realized that was the first time I truly felt like I belonged somewhere. My parents began helping the various bands I was in rent out local churches/halls for us to put on shows in Central Vermont. The more involved I got, the more I began to truly understand the power of the community I was growing up in. It became very apparent that hardcore was more than just music to myself and so many others. 

We are lucky enough to have forged some beautiful relationships with like-minded people around the world because of hardcore. It only makes sense for us to do everything we can to give back to the thing that saved our lives as young kids and gave us a sense of purpose on this planet. 

4. Is Biddeford lowkey the new epicenter of Maine hardcore?

Biddeford has most certainly become a hot spot for Maine hardcore. Seeing the growth of shows from the beginning of SVU to where we are at now is a truly special thing. None of it would be this cool without the understanding that EVERYONE involved with these shows in any capacity are a part of this. Everything about Biddeford hardcore is a huge community effort and it shows. 

5. What are some shows you’ve put on that you’re particularly proud of or that are memorable or significant to you in some way?

Last June we had Moral Law and xDestroy Babylonx come through on a tour, that one will always stand out. Bands from Colorado and fucking ITALY coming through to play Biddeford is still crazy to me. 

The first Bad Move comeback show last February was a wild one too. Getting to facilitate that one in Biddeford was very special.

6. Tell us a little about the bands on the roster. I know that’s a bit of an ask because you have a pretty full slate of bands, but what and who should we know?

The beautiful thing about the SVU roster is it’s packed with dope bands and people that we love and get to call family. We’ve recently started working with bands outside of Maine which has been a lot of fun. 

A couple recent releases we have worked on:

Mortar “Betrayal Is Forever” - THE SVU band. This band was born out of the growth of everything we’ve been doing and being able to put out their debut EP means so much. Love this band and the energy they bring into our scene.

Floor 13 “Hit By A Truck” - this band has been a staple in the crowd at so many SVU shows. It only made sense to be a part of the release for this EP. Young people making music they want to and being a huge part of Biddeford hardcore. 

Crime Of Passion - We have been friends with members of this band for a couple years and these songs seriously rock. A great example of playing whatever the fuck you want and making it sick. 

Clock Out “Face Value” - Some of our favorite people and the best dudes. Hailing from Worcester MA, Clock Out has made Maine their 2nd home. No gimmicks hardcore made for the dancers with a mind. Any time we get the chance to do anything with Clock Out it’s an easy yes. 

7. One of the things I like to do with this site is get a peek behind the curtain with people in the scene/industry beyond the bands. I’m curious as to what the day-to-day looks like for you.

It truly depends on the day. The range of things SVU does can mean anything from booking shows to planning releases to shipping packages. 

In the morning before work I am usually checking out emails and looking at what we have coming up that might need artwork or input from the other people involved in everything we do.

Throughout the day our entire team is communicating ideas and keeping each other updated on the projects we each have within SVU. We have a pretty solid system set up for both physical releases and shows where each member of the team knows their role and is making sure everything on our timeline is being taken care of.  

Considering everyone involved with SVU plays in multiple bands, any free time we get is dedicated to creating artwork, putting shows together, booking shows and keeping up with the ever growing amount of orders placed through the SVU bandcamp. 

8. What’s on the docket for SVU for the rest of 2026?

A lot more shows, a lot more bands and a LOT more community building. We just announced a fest in March where all proceeds are going to Project Relief ME, a volunteer based group that is dedicated to helping people directly affected by the presence of ICE within our state. This has almost every single band we’ve put out releases for and it means a lot to see everyone come together to help raise money for such an urgent and important issue within our state and throughout the country. 

Continuing to bring new bands to Biddeford and expose the world of hardcore to the scene we have built up here is always going to be the main goal. We take a lot of pride in being responsive to younger bands trying to get their feet wet in Maine and are constantly trying to put on for traveling bands that may not have connections within our state. 

9. Who would you say belongs on the Maine Hardcore Mount Rushmore?

If we are talking bands - Outbreak, The Wake Up Call, Cruel Hand, Bad Move. 

10. Last question: Ignoring the logistics of how you’d do it, if you were stranded on a desert island and could only bring five records with you, which ones would you bring?

Converge - No Heroes

Every Time I Die - Hot Damn!

Thrice - The Alchemy Index (all of them just because it’s a shit ton of songs that work with so many moods)

The Game - The Documentary

Bruce Springtseen - Nebraska