The American hardcore legends from Knocked Loose are currently on tour and on Saturday March 2nd it was finally our turn to behold them at Trix in Antwerp! They brought Headbussa and Grammy nominated post/black metal band Deafheaven with them.
The doors of the venue opened at 19:00. The first thing we noticed when we entered the venue was that there was no barricade between the audience and the stage… probably on the band’s request and this only meant one thing: this promised to be a night full of stage-diving!
‘Paris Fight Music’
Headbussa kicked off the evening a little after 19:30. The band came all the way from Paris to bring their ‘Paris Fight Music’ back to Belgium, only 2 months after they opened for Weak Link at Kavka Oudaan. The first note set the tone for the rest of their show, and it didn’t took long before the first mosh-pit was formed! Their music was aggressive, characterized by heavy guitar riffs, pounding drums, and powerful vocals. Their 30-minute set went by very quickly and the show was over before we knew it.
Setlist: Intro – No Alibi – Mass Effect – Martyrs – You’re The Virus – PFM – Six ft Ditch – The Chain – End Of U – Renegade
Deafheaven
During the break we noticed a shift in the general atmosphere in the room: the typical circle pit created earlier by Headbussa was now full of post-metal fans eager to witness Deafheaven‘s sonic assault.
The band started their set with ‘Brought To Water‘, followed by ‘Sunbather‘, ‘Gifts for the Earth’ and ‘Black Brick’ during which George Clarke‘s voice blended seamlessly with the music. And then the grand finale – a crescendo of sound and emotion. The band unleashed their sonic masterpiece: ‘Dream House‘.
We enjoyed Deafheaven‘s performance that night, but perhaps it would have been better if Knocked Loose had taken another band with them on tour. When Knocked Loose announced that they were going to bring Deafheaven on tour with them, we were surprised to say the least. It seemed for us difficult to blend those different metal genres and energy (hardcore and black/post metal) in one evening. And we were not the only one who thought so. During their set we noticed that a lot of people from the crowd went outside to grab a drink or just to wait outside that the band finished their set.
Setlist: Brought To Water – Sunbather – Gifts for the Earth – Black Brick – Dream House
Knocked Loose: from moshpits to a sea of stagedivers
And then it finally happened – the lights dimmed, and the unmistakable feedback of guitars filled the room. Bryan Garris, the vocalist, emerged like a force of nature on stage to perform ‘Deep in the Willow‘, followed by ‘Where Light Divides the Holler‘. His guttural screams echoed through the venue, and the first mosh-pit erupted. After that George Clarke, the vocalist of Deafheaven, came on stage to join Bryan to perform ‘God Knows‘.
Halfway through the set they played their newest single ‘Blinding Faith‘ that came out just a few days ago, from their upcoming album ‘You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To‘.
As the songs went by, the crowd became more and more crazy by the minute and that’s when the first stage divers climbed on stage to litteraly dive into the crowd. Hardcore shows are not for the faint-hearted, and this show was no exception to the rule. Halfway the set, the audience made sign to the band to stop because someone fell onto their head while stage diving. They were brought outside, and Knocked Loose reminded us the importance to take care of each other. The band resumed and the mayhem continued.
As the set neared its end, Knocked Loose unleashed their anthem, ‘Billy No Mates‘, followed by ‘Counting Worms‘. The crowd roared, fists raised, and voices hoarse. Bryan invited once again the crowd to come on stage and the crowd obeyed: a succession of stage divers came on stage and dove into the public. The room literally exploded, and we knew we had witnessed something special. They finally played ‘Everything is Quiet Now‘ that marked the end of their 1 hour-set, leaving the crowd hungry for more.
Setlist: Deep in the Willow – Where Light Divides the Holler – God Knows (with George Clarke) – Deadringer – Trapped in the Grasp of a Memory – Belleville – Denied by Fate – Oblivion’s Peak – Blinding Faith – All My Friends – …And Still I Wander South – Mistakes Like Fractures – Billy No Mates – Counting Worms – Everything is Quiet Now
Knocked Loose’s live performance was intense to say the least, leaving us in awe (and with many bruises). Bodies collided, sweat dripped, and the floor shook. The crowd surged forward, hungry for more. The breakdowns were bone-crushing, and the guitar work was razor-sharp.
(*) In case you were wondering what happened to the person who got injured, an ambulance was called, they received medical care and were able to return home with a large bump on their head.