Continuing on the Pure Noise Tour, this stacked five-band wrecking crew came rolling into Dallas last night. Openers, Year of the Knife and Sanction, joined veterans Terror, Counterparts and Stick to Your Guns for one insane hardcore show. It was clearly anticipated to be a rowdy show by the addition of a barricade in front of the stage (which was soon to be rendered absolutely useless); this is something I have never seen at Trees before.
Things kicked off at approximately 8pm with Year of the Knife. They surprisingly drew in a hefty sized crowd for being the opener of a five band gig. From the first song to the last, they had the crowd engaged and full of energy in a huge mosh pit. They adequately got the crowd warmed up for the crazy night ahead.
Following shortly after, was New York hardcore five-piece, Sanction. With the energy in the building already amped up, the crowd was more than ready for more moshing and head-banging. With a set that was similar to its predecessor, they put on a solid show and drew in more people to join the crowd.
As the time got closer to 10pm, hardcore veterans Terror took the stage. Lead vocalist Scott Vogel voiced his disdain for the barricade separating the crowd from the stage, and challenged people to not let it stop them from getting to the stage and diving if they so pleased. This kind of set up the security guards for failure as they endured a losing battle trying to keep people off the stage. After about two songs, Vogel made an ass of himself and condemned the staff from doing their jobs. Maybe I’m a bit biased, but his actions encouraged the crowd to disrespect the staff members just trying to do their job. Regardless, Terror’s set was absolute chaos. Countless stage divers, exploding beer, a broken barricade, and even some dude climbing the tree in the middle of the venue. The crowd was absolutely insane and unhinged, This was the peak of the night. However, I really didn’t find myself wanting to watch the band on stage, instead I was drawn to the unpredictability of the ravaged metalheads in the crowd. It was definitely a sight to see (as long as you didn’t take a boot to the face from one of the endless stage divers).
Following up that insanity was Canadian hardcore heavy-hitters, Counterparts. They sure had a tough act to follow, but they fed off of that energy and put it into the music. They played flawlessly and had me locked into watching their performance. Their setlist ranged several albums and included hits like “No Servant of Mine” and “Bouquet,” and of course closing with all-time favorite, “The Disconnect.” Even though there was less insanity, the crowd was still wild and continued stage diving with fervor. Counterparts always puts on a great show. I never get tired of seeing them when they roll through town.
Last up was the highly-anticipated headliners, Stick to Your Guns. It was a bit of a change of pace. The crowd, for the most part, stayed behind the barricade and moved their energy to the mosh pit. I was blown away by this band. Their energy was intense and they sounded incredible. As someone that doesn’t listen to a ton of their music, I would definitely go see them again in concert. This tour is definitely one for the books. You won’t be disappointed! You’re guaranteed to get a show from all angles.
– Lauren Frederick
