SURLY DARKNESS DAY 2024

Surly Darkness Day 2024!! I’ve been waiting for this day for a loooooong time. Not for the special release of their Surly Darkness brew. In fact, I wasn’t even there for any beer. Surprisingly enough, I don’t drink. I know, I know. Goody two-shoes over here.

Then what the hell was I doing at Surly during the release of their highly sough after beer? Four words: ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT!

RFTC was announced as the headlining musical act for the annual Darkness day and come hell or high-lager, I WASN’T going to miss this band. THIS BAND of all bands. A band that has been one of my most favorite bands since the 90s. So I knew I had to make it the whole 3 miles from my apartment to Surly Darkness Day.

The show was a free event and all-ages which is usually something I frown upon but knowing that these youngsters would get a chance to see some of the best punk and metal bands and eat pizza from Surly just warmed my heart. 

The event started at 11am so accordingly, I wanted to be the first in line. I got off the train around 9:45am and walked that rest of the way just to see that I wasn’t the only one who wanted to be the first in line. There were about 15 people in front of me. I stood there patiently and with the people in front of me and with the line that started forming behind me, it seemed that they were there mainly for the beer. Thats cool. I applaud their dedication. 

The rest of this review will be solely focused on the musical performances since as previously stated, I don’t partake in the beer part of the event. Surly did go all out and made this a great festival atmosphere with food trucks, merch vendors and corpse face painting (think black metal bands). They also had the whole brewhouse decked out for the halloween season with creepy and spooky decor. They even turned their upstairs pizza restaurant into a clown infested restaurant called Sinister Circus. That stays there throughout all of October if you dare… 

On to the bands. 

God Came From Space was first. I’ve never seen this metal band and even in the bright daylight, they brought their doom metal sound and shredded our faces off and seeing them bright and early at 11:30am was one of the best wake up alarm I could ask for. 

Impaler. Oh Impaler… In all the years I have been covering live music and seeing plenty of “shock rock” type bands, Impaler has eluded my presence. The timing just never worked out BUT NOT TODAY! I was toe to toe with the blood soaked mutants. I finally got to witness their 

special blend of dark punk/metal with that creepy sense of humor that comes with a band like this. The band played to the crowd who ate it up. Even with the (fake) bloody intestines that ended up on stage and then the ordaining of the fans with the “blood”,  this was for the fans. This was my first time seeing these dudes and definitely not the last. Next time hopefully in a dark club away from the seething sun. All hail IMPALER!

Khemmis. I’ve seen these dudes before and after that set, my neck was throbbing and sore from the head banging. Even if you’re not a fan of Doom Metal, your head will be bobbing up and down. Its 100% involuntary with a band like this. It just happens. Coming all the way from Denver, lead sing Phil Pendergast said that Minneapolis is like a second home to the band. Usually every band that has ever performed says something like this but this time, I actually believed him, This band rules. 

Rot. Another local band. Not much can be said about this band. This was when the crowd got more rowdy and moved a little more ferociously and started to kick up the dust from the ground. It made the brutal beatdown from the music even more intense. 

The Rumours. Oh The Rumours. We all love The Rumours!!! This is dirty rock and roll at its finest. Straight forward rock with a hint of gritty dirty punk all smashed up and added a healthy supply of bad ass women energy. I mean seriously, these two are giving it all once the set starts and they are relentless. Honestly, how does one do that back bend thingy? These bad asses rule. Nothing but love for them. 

Christy Costello! Is this a supergroup from all the cool Minnesota musicians? I’m not sure. I’ve seen all of these people in their other respected bands and love them all to pieces. Although Christy Costello is her name, the whole band is Christy Costello? (I think). All I know is every person on this stage is great at their many other bands and when they are smashed together (literally and figuratively) on a stage, it all makes since and makes my head bounce and face grin. I love talent like this. The songs here are perfect blend of high energy punk inspired rock and roll. I love Christy and her songwriting. She nails it and puts a grin on my face. 

Mean Jeans. Snotty crass fast punk rock. These dudes are fast, sarcastic and in your face. It was hard to take whatever they said serious but their music is 100% serious. 

The Schizophonics Oh boy. This was something else. Listening to this bands records and then seeing them play live is something to behold. I did not see them coming. They started setting up their equipment and I noticed Guitarist/Vocalist Pat Beers walking from one end of the stage to the other measuring guitar cable length. I thought nothing of it. Seen that a million times. It made a little more sense once they started playing. Beers was all over the stage from the sides to the front to the crowd. EVERYWHERE and at break neck speed too. I was exhausted just watching him from the first song. Trying to keep up with him as a photographer was a task. The other two members were pretty much static during the set. I’m not sure if that was by choice or from trying to avoid a head on collision with Pat. The music vibes similar to MC5, Iggy Pop and a dash of James Brown but they made it all their own and rolled up into a cacophony of loud guitar sound. Did I mention while he’s running around, jumping up, falling down, rolling over or doing the splits that he is still continuing to play not just sick guitar riffs but also sick guitar solos. I have no idea how that works. Dude has crazy guitar control. I love this band. 

Rocket From The Crypt. Finally the time has come for the headlining act. The creators of rock and roll (according to leader Speedo.. jokingly). The ayatollah of rock and rollah! The Swami of Sound!!  ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT!!!!! 

I was a product of 90s music and I got my hands on this record called Circa Now by Rocket From The Crypt. I was obsessed. The catchy punk infused rock and roll and they have a horn section! No way!! A horn section in a punk type band that wasn’t a ska band? Holy hell!!! IT just made sense! Then I read an article about them that said if you got a tattoo of the Rocket logo, you would have free admission to any of their shows! WHAT??!!  But being a young RFTC fan did have its drawbacks. I was too young to see them let alone get a tattoo and by the time I was of legal age they broke up. It wasn’t until 2013 that I was able to see them when they performed at Riot Fest in Chicago and later that same night at the historic Double Door(RIP) after show. It was amazing and worth the wait. That was the last time I had a chance to see them since I could never get schedules to line up to see them again. I got to see the many other bands that John Reis was a part of many times but never RFTC again. So to my surprise when Surly announced that they had RFTC coming to Darkness Days my eyes lit up and I cleared my calendar. 

Fast Forward October 5th and 8:30pm. I firmly planted my self at the front of the stage. I was not going to miss this set. It got really packed up front and my kneecaps aren’t too happy with me since the stage is made of concrete and even before they hit their first notes, my knees were getting smashed into the stage from the over powering crowd. Didn’t matter. The bloody knees heel. Speedo comes out and greets the crowd and said “Its been 81 years since we last played Minneapolis”. They kicked into first opening song “Pushed” from Hot Charity. Its an opening song that is instrumental and a wake up call for the fans that shits about to get real. After the final chord of Pushed, they go straight into “Straight American Slave”. That is when my knees really felt the concrete and at the same time stirred up the so much dust from the mosh pit that it made it feel like a haze machine at a regular show except this wasn’t pleasant to breath in. It was REALLY dusty. I’m not exaggerating. So much that Speedo commented and asked who was vaping. 

One thing about Speedo is his stage banter. He proceeds to go on what felt like a 10 minute banter about vaping and it was glorious. They continued with the fist 2 tracks from 2002s “Live From Camp X-Ray”. The second the opening riff from “I’m Not Invisible” hit, it was over. People pouring over onto the stage and more dust and more bloody knees. We were all screaming out in unison. Belting out the “Muh Muh Muh Muh Muh Melt” part of “Get Down” in front of Speedo out weighed the pain and bloody knees and dust. 

The next portion of songs were the heavy hitters from the “Circa Now”. I think I lost my voice screaming to “Don’t Darlene”.  While I’m being the biggest fanboy front and centered, I also still have a job to do and take photos of this band. That was a task as well since the lighting wasn’t optimal and the sight lines weren’t easily assessable but I had to do it. I knew my plan was to move from the my coveted front and center spot during the slower “Circa Now” album closer “Glazed”. It was a hard choice to make but I know it would be for the better. I proceeded to make it to the top floor at Surly, past all the creepy clowns and I got to see the sprawling crowd all bopping up and down during Glazed. It was a sight!!  At the end of Glazed, I had to make my way back down into the action to grab more photos and scream some more. I made my way to the back of the stage, where I would end up the rest of the night. I kept on looking for shots all while marking out and screaming my dust filled lungs out. 

I thought I was the only one back there going ape shit but the band started playing the first three songs from “Scream Dracula Scream” and everyone back there was equally losing their shit. Those songs “Middle” “Born in ’69’ and “On A Rope” are perfect songs that will destroy an audience. High energy punk rock and roll to the fullest. I saw people pouring over the stage, crowd surfers, more moshers and so much more dust flying. The band eventually calmed us back down before they played the last song of the night “Come See Come Saw”. It was a fitting goodbye to a memorable performance. 

And just like that the show was over. The amount of energy RFTC gave out was enough to make Oppenheimer jealous. The amount of dust I was coughing up and the bruised and bloody knees were all worth it for this set. RFTC and their music are something special. Its for everyone. Metal heads, hardcore kids, basement rock & roll dads and everyone in between. 

Although I don’t drink and probably will never, I WILL come back to Surly Darkness Day. Even if you aren’t a fan of beer, they had everything for everyone. They made it very welcoming and provided a great day in the Twin Cities. Mark your calendar for next year folks. 

I said goodbye to some friends and packed up my gear and tried to get home but timing couldn’t have been worse as a Minnesota Gophers football game got over at the same time and everyone was apparently going to the same location. My apartment. What is a normal 10 minute train ride or a 5 minute Lyft turned into a 45 car ride home. We should have walked in hindsight but I was happy to sit down for the first time in almost 12 hours. I’ve said it up there somewhere, ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT are worth it.