By Erik Casarez
Last month, Stubbs hosted a line-up of hardcore punk and metalcore bands, including
Poison the Well, Barbarians of California, The Armed, and Converge. The show was loud, emotional, angry, and exhausting. It was the best show I’ve attended this year. Check out a photo gallery from the event here.
Barbarians of California
The sun was still beaming as Barbarians of California got things going. With four bands on the bill, the show started a bit earlier than usual. Frontman Aaron Bruno sashayed onto the stage decked out in suburban dad wear. Pictured above, Bruno looked like he was ready to grill some brats, guzzle brewskis, and tell dad jokes. His appearance belied his performance as he screamed hardcore-inspired vocals, which brought energy to the crowd, it was immediately apparent that this was going to be a high octane night.
The Armed
The Armed picked up where Barbarians of California left off. They were clearly on a musical mission. The Detroit outfit is a collective that rotates members frequently, and each respective member came out determined to keep the crowd pumped. A backbrace that doubled as a headscarf adorned frontman Tony Wolski’s torso (see photo above). He told the crowd that he previously broke his back during a Converge show. It didn’t stop him from galloping around the stage and throwing himself over the barricade as the crowd sang along with him.. Other band members followed suit. Guitarist Max Frank crowd surfed with his instrument, and vocalist Meghan O’Neill sang into the crowd from the barricade. The Armed performance was electrifying to the point of crowd exhaustion .
Converge
Converge has been together for over 30 years, giving them the moniker of “Your favorite band’s favorite band.” They are revered throughout the alternative hardcore scene. The previous bands had the crowd hyped and ready for more. Converge’s quick, heavy sound was visceral. The pit shifted shapes from opening to closing like some kind of hardcore marching band choreography. Many in the crowd started on one end of the pit only to end up on the opposite side in a matter of seconds. A synergy flowed between the band and the crowd. Converge held the crowd in a spiritual-like experience.
Poison the Well
Poison the Well was a mainstay in the early 2000’s alternative scene. For twenty-five years they have pioneered post-hardcore through to emo and metalcore. The band is heavy metal, but their lyrics are often delicate. Although they vocalized through screaming the lyrics carried a sense of heartfelt emotion. The yearning in their songs were enveloped in distorted rage. Their performance captured both the frustrations of being an adult along with the teenage angst of yesteryear. I discovered them in high school, but never saw them live until this night. Now in my late thirties, I connected with them on a personal level just as deeply as I did when I was a teenager, listening to them on my walkman.They ended their set with their best known song, “Nerdy.” It is about being so infatuated with someone that makes you not feel alone. It was the perfect finale to a show that inspired emotional catharsis in a sweet afterglow of emotional bliss.
Check out a photo gallery from the event here.