At concerts with stacked lineups such as this one, especially one in which the personalities on stage are erratically different, it’s easy enough to pick out each band’s fans in the crowd. Sometimes it’s their attire, sometimes it’s how (un)apologetic they are when they curb stomp someone who didn’t willingly find themselves in the pit. This night may not have been an exception, but at some point, the lines blurred.
Nearly every person in the room found that there was something they liked about a band they hadn’t come to see. Anyone unfamiliar with Night Birds quickly learned that the Jersey/ Brooklyn boys don’t skimp on the deranged, spastic fun that litters their set; that though their performance is surprisingly well thought out, they never take themselves too seriously. Those only seeing Torche for the first time forgot about antics and showmanship and instead found themselves transfixed on technical ability–at times, maybe too much so, but the lasting energy from the other acts helped carry them through.
And Municipal Waste fans? They more than accurately conveyed that, in the band’s own words, “Municipal Waste is gonna fuck you up!” Which they did, and somehow managed to fuse together all the aforementioned traits of the opening bands while doing so.
This lineup wasn’t an immediately obvious choice, not because the bands didn’t sound similar enough to tour together, but because it was easy to assume there wouldn’t be a lot of crossover on the other side of the stage. But isn’t it nice to be proven wrong sometimes? Each band found a way, intentionally or otherwise, to connect with those who came to see someone else.
Each band served their own brand of tenacity, and that tenacity translated well to the other side of the stage. Municipal Waste referred to that group as their “new friends” on several occasions. Then again, they also relentlessly made fun of Torche fans for vaping throughout the set. If the first night of tour is at all telling, it seems like Municipal Waste are going to make plenty more friends along the way.
MUNICIPAL WASTE
NIGHT BIRDS
TORCHE
WAR ON WOMEN
