Do you ever have those weeks where you want to scream until your lungs pop? Yeah this was one of those weeks. Work was a bore. The days dragged on and on. Frustrations built up at nothing in particular except the endless drone. The only thing keeping me going was the promise of live music at the end of the week. One thought kept circling in my head as the days crawled by: I will let them scream for me.
Friday finally arrived with four of West Virginia’s hardcore bands performing at The Loud. The three openers were Concussed on Concrete, Torches from Above, and Vulgar Royalty. Nearly Mine played last as the main act to announce their newest EP You’ll Find Me Downward. This was my first ever full hardcore show in WV. I have heard of many before from my boss who frequents them so I was really looking forward to this one. Now, I have seen Nearly Mine once at The Dive House in Charleston but have not seen the three openers. Nearly Mine lit up that house show way back when and I had no doubt they would do it again for Huntington. I was in for a very pleasant surprise with the three openers.
First up was Concussed on Concrete. I ended up being about 15 minutes late so the music had already started. On one hand that was a bummer because I missed a few songs and I wish I heard more from them. On the other hand it was pretty cool hearing the music from outside. The harsh thump of the drums and the singer’s screams caused vibrations to ring out through the walls into the streets. The sounds were way more intense as I walked in. True to their name, it felt like I was being concussed on concrete but in the best way possible. A comforting slam to the cranium. Heavy enough to snap my consciousness away from the dull week. Perfect opening set to awaken my brain.
Next was Torches from Above. If Concussed on Concrete awakened my brain Torches from Above made it lock in. It was impossible to look away from their performance. From the dedication to his “spicy burrito” (would love to know who that is) to the sick guitar spin before the drop. The music added a force to the performance making it hit that much harder. It was incredible.
Now that my brain was primed for the release of frustrations stuck in my head it was time for the last opener, Vulgar Royalty. With my metaphorical gun at the ready, their music pulled the trigger and all was let loose. My body acted as the bullet cutting through the air by thrashing, headbanging, and punching the empty stool in front of me to the beat. To quote my boss who was also there, “you looked like you were having a seizure.” I probably did look crazy but who really cares, right? When life gets crazy you have to get a bit insane in return. The rest of the audience must have had the same idea. People were moshing with even the photographers putting their cameras down to join in. After they finished their last song I was itching for more.
After a short smoke break we arrive at the main act of the night, Nearly Mine. The openers primed us and left us wanting more. Nearly Mine gave the audience just that with some left over for us to take home. From the first song to the last, their sound and performance were firing shot after shot. The music itself was fervid and penetrating the surrounding air. Felt like smoke filling your lungs after a long hard day. The guitars scratched the itch deep in my soul with the bass plucking at my veins leaving a thrum behind. His voice sliced through with the precision of a knife. The crowd shook, punched, and cut their way through to the beats while the singer did the same on stage. What a way to end the night.
My first hardcore show was a success, not that I had any doubt. The openers did great in hyping us up for the main act while still standing strong on their own. Nearly Mine then turned the energy up a few more notches at the end of the night. Speaking of energy, obviously the bands brought it but the audience also created a space where it felt freeing to get a little crazy. I was impressed by how many people showed up and thrashed with the bands. Honestly felt like a great community. It left me wanting to attend more hardcore shows in the future. As a last note, I want to thank the bands for giving us an amazing performance and thank the audience who came out to support the local hardcore scene.
Instagrams:
Distortion Hum 
Leave a comment