Only a year after turning the Trix in Antwerp upside down, Knocked Loose headed back to Belgium for an explosive concert, this time at Ancienne Belgique. With the release of their new album You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To on May 10, this new date was, as usual, more than brutal!
Don’t Test The Pest or it might hurt you: Pest Control
The night kicked off with Pest Control, a promising young hardcore punk band. With Don’t Test The Pest, their first album released in 2023 and their Year Of The Pest EP from 2024, it’s safe to say that the band is a true post-Covid rebel child. Nevertheless, their 30-minute show laid the foundations of their sound universe and showed the audience what the band is capable of, particularly during their fiery track ‘Time Bomb‘. Although the audience was somewhat shy at first, it soon began to embrace the band’s raw energy, and the first pits opened up. Special mention must go to their frontwoman Leah Massey-Hay who was absolutely captivating on stage. Clearly, Pest Control is a band to keep a close eye on in the years to come!
Setlist : Year of the Pest – Time Bomb – Masquerade Party – Struck Down – Enjoy the Show – P.M.C. – Total Distraction – Buggin’ Out – Don’t Test the Pest – The Great Deceiver
Common suffering for all: Harms Way
Up next is the Chicago-based band Harms Way, who, despite having been around since 2006, have taken a more serious turn in recent years. What strikes you from the very first notes is the mix of influences and styles that make their music unique. One of the highlights of their set occurred during their song ‘Temptation’, when a real break preceded the storm that was about to shake the pit. During this song, frontman James Pligge showed off the depth of his voice, as well as the band’s versatility. The crowd fired up by the extreme violence of ‘Infestation‘ and ‘Terrorizer‘, but also lulled by moments of calm filled with palpable tension amplified by Christopher Mills‘ drums and Bo Lueders‘ guitar, let the band’s energy carry them through the set. In short, it was an intensely short, powerful and finely tuned set.
Setlist : Unreality – Become a Machine – Terrorizer – Temptation – Human Carrying Capacity – Infestation
Heartwarming nostalgia with a Punch: Basement
The evening moved on with the arrival of the evening’s special guest, Basement! The iconic alternative rock/post-hardcore band created a radically different vibe in comparison to the first two acts, performing tracks from their four albums I Wish I Could Stay Here, Colourmeinkindness, Promise Everything and Beside Myself. Despite not having released anything since 2022, the band rocked the show from every angle.
The audience’s excitement was living proof of this. The band’s chemistry was beyond obvious, and singer Andrew Fisher‘s vibrant, sunny energy was clearly contagious! Although their style is closer to emo punk than hardcore, the crowd spontaneously opened up the pit, before coming together in total communion to scream in a heart warming way the lyrics of the famous single ‘Are You The One‘, ‘Whole‘ and of course ‘Covet‘. This nostalgic, sun-drenched and unifying mix guaranteed a performance that managed to bring together hardcore punk fans and alternative rock lovers in the same shared passion.
Setlist : Whole – Earl Grey – Spoiled – For You the Moon – Fading – Reason for Breathing – Are You the One – Pine – Promise Everything – Covet
King to none but Masters of Chaos: Knocked Loose
Slowly we have eventually reached the climax of the evening with the hardcore punk band that no longer needs to be introduced: Knocked Loose. With a more than versatile setlist featuring tracks from their various albums Laugh Tracks, A Different Shade of Blue and, of course, their latest release You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To, the band kept long-time fans and new enthusiasts alike satisfied. Their minimalist scenography reinforced the impression of a raw, authentic show, as if the band were playing directly in a basement rather than a large venue. In this spirit, a standout moment of the evening was when singer Bryan Garris moved to the rail to carry on with their song ‘Suffocate’.
At the same time, he was able to hand over the mic to one of the fans at the barricade, who was awaiting the chance to shout out Poppy‘s famous verse. And that’s how we like it! All these interactions really helped to ignite both the front row and the frenzied pit. Although the most famous songs such as ‘Counting Worms’ didn’t trigger any violent outbursts, probably due to the anticipation and excitement of the crowd, titles like ‘Thirst’, ‘Deadringer’ and ‘Everything is Quiet Now’ literally set the room ablaze with wall-of-deaths and gigantic pits enhanced by a perfectly orchestrated light display. Special mention must go to guitarist Isaac Hale, whose interactions and constant motivation directed the front row and pit to perfection.
Then came the moment when Bryan Garris exclaimed “For this last song, i wanna see if everybody in this room can crowdsurf” and to no one’s surprise, a tidal wave washed over the front stage during ‘Sit & Mourn’, a title that perfectly sums up the essence of Knocked Loose’s new album!
Setlist : Thirst – Deep in the Willow – Mistakes Like Fractures – God Knows – Don’t Reach for Me – Trapped in the Grasp of a Memory – Piece by Piece – Deadringer – Where Light Divides the Holler – The Calm That Keeps You Awake – Moss Covers All – Take Me Home – Everything Is Quiet Now – Blinding Faith – Billy No Mates – Counting Worms – Suffocate – Sit & Mourn
This concert once again showcased the variety and richness of today’s punk/hardcore scene. Whether it was the promising ardor of Pest Control, the raw energy of Harms Way, the nostalgia and passion of Basement or the powerful stage presence of Knocked Loose, this evening offered a compendium of rage, emotion and communion. One thing’s for sure: each of these bands left their mark on the audience in their own way, and it will be exciting to follow their evolution in the years to come!