No one in attendance will soon forget the recent show The Space Ballroom in Hamden, CT hosted. Four hardcore bands gave their all to a crowded sweaty room. War On Women and Cancer Bats brought their end-of-year tour to this small but mighty venue and blew the roof off! Another powerhouse hardcore band called Spaced is touring with this dynamite co-headlining bill. The tour also has different local bands as the evening’s opener. What a great way to give the little guys some exposure.
This evening saw a Connecticut band called Zipper open the show. Unfortunately, there is not much info about them on the web but you can find a couple of their songs HERE on Bandcamp. You can also follow them HERE on Instagram. They played a short set but it was full of short fast hardcore songs that started the night off right. Hopefully, their popularity will grow beyond the local scene. They certainly deserve the recognition!
Another newcomer to the hardcore scene was up next, Spaced. The band recently released their first album entitled “Spaced Jams“. It’s a collection of songs that is every bit as good as their live performance! The band consists of musicians who have had a history in the Buffalo NY hardcore scene but they are fronted by a newcomer to the performing side of hardcore. Lexi Reyngoudt is a dynamic singer who has a well-tuned stage presence. You can tell she and the band were having fun and feeding off the energy of the crowd. Keep your eyes on Spaced as they will no doubt be making a national name for themselves in the near future.
Formed in 2011 in Baltimore, War On Women is a powerhouse of a literally “in your face” band. Lead singer Shawna Potter commands the stage and gets up close and personal with her audience. The band takes on social injustices with their songs and apologizes not one bit for their views. Songs like “Roe V World” and “The Violence of Bureaucracy” leave no doubt as to how these progressive punk slingers think.
Having first seen WOW perform at Frank Turner’s Lost Evening Festival in Boston, I knew this was a show not to be missed. I was right! The band took the stage and immediately took ahold of the crowd as they ripped into “In Your Path“. Shawna jumped around the stage like an acrobat. The rest of the band moved little as they were laser-focused on the job at hand. They delivered a set of fast-paced socially relevant songs designed to open your mind. They continually prove that hardcore is not just a man’s world!
Cancer Bats is a hardcore band out of Canada that tests the limits of perpetual motion. The manic delivery of their music is relentless. Their driving drum beats and catchy guitar riffs defy the listener to stand still while watching them.
Having seen Cancer Bats as an opening act, I was really looking forward to seeing them in a headlining role. Lead singer Liam Cormier did not disappoint. His powerful vocals were backed by a musical steamroller flawlessly in this event that was 17 years in the making. It was clearly a set that had their fans engaged. Cormier engaged the crowd between songs to the delight of the audience. He held his mic out into the crowd for fans to sing along as the band didn’t miss a beat. Stage divers took to the air causing the faint of heart to take refuge towards the back of the floor. Cancer Bats delivered as promised!
Opening acts were in the crowd to see the headliners. Headliners were out after their sets to meet fans at their merch stands. This night was hardcore as it’s meant to be, enjoyed up close and personal.
Remaining Tour Dates:
