Comeback Kid Celebrates 20 Years Of ‘Wake The Dead’ With Perfectly Brutal Turf Club Show
You never want to see someone get hurt at a show, but, at the same time, if you grew up in a particular scene, injuries are just part of a game and, honestly, proof of an insane show. Although I feel super bad for the guy who staggered out of the pit on Monday night with a gash across his head and blood dripping from it, I couldn't help but laugh at him begging staff to let him back in. Again, it's just part of the game. Obviously, the staff at The Turf Club didn't let this guy back in because, at the end of the day, he was covered in blood, but something about this moment where he was begging to be let back in mixed with the smell and feeling of sweat took me back to the nights that I would spend in these kinds of pits. Taking the hits, waking up with the bruises and probably broken bones that I went on to ignore-- Monday night was a throwback in more ways than one, and it was perfect.
Local openers Daisycutter were definitely the lightest band of the four-band bill at The Turf Club on Monday night, but that didn't stop them from getting the night started off right. Their sound had a bit more melody behind it, and whereas the other bands were sheer chaos the entire time, Daisycutter focused on more of a subtle sound with grunge influences blended into their slightly post-hardcore leaning sound. The hardcore and metal scene has been known to be quite pretentious and, frankly, snobby, so seeing the audience be so attentive to Daisycutter's more chill set warmed my heart. Daisycutter's originals were great, but their Nirvana cover really nailed down my love for this band. It was a surprising choice for such a heavy night to come, but it definitely stood out as pure perfection and left me wanting to see this band again soon to see what other tricks they have up their sleeves.
Personally, I was at this show to celebrate the anniversary that the headlining act, Comeback Kid, was on tour to celebrate, but as soon as ORTHODOX took the stage, I couldn't help but call it instantly- ORTHODOX stole this show. I hadn't seen this band since 2021 when they were in town with The Acacia Strain, and, honestly, I just don't listen to heavy music much these days, so I was a bit taken aback when they took the stage but quickly remembered just how much I love this band. The crowd instantly split, leaving a giant hole right in front of the stage that was quickly filled up by hardcore dancers. From two-stepping to ninja dancing (sorry, not sorry-- there's no better way to describe the flailing limbs), ORTHODOX had the audience worked up into a fury, and for good reason. Orthodox's music is very classic edge-hardcore but with hints of metalcore thrown in there. It's intense, it's loud, it's abrasive, it's perfect. Although their time on the small stage was short, ORTHODOX didn't let a single second slip away. Their breaks between tracks were brief, giving the audience seconds to catch their breath before plunging them back into chaos. By the end of their time on stage, even I was exhausted and I only spent a few minutes up close in all of the movement before moving to the back of the room. Although the entire night was amazing, reflecting on the night, it's easy to say that, for me, this is the band that stole the evening.
Canadian hardcore punk band Cancer Bats was up next. This is one of those groups that has always eluded me. They have been around since 2004 and have released seven full-length albums along with a lengthy list of EPs, yet Monday night was my first time experiencing their power live. Although their sound didn't hit me like ORTHODOX's (although I couldn't tell you why that was), it definitely hit those in the audience, and it hit hard. Much like the previous set, the audience had been worked into a massive pit, but it felt a bit more old school, with more pushing and shoving than hardcore dancing. This made sense as I feel Cancer Bats' sound leans a bit more into metal subgenres than punk and hardcore. That being said, there was a little bit of everything for everyone throughout Cancer Bats' set, and they were the perfect final opening act for the kings of the night- Comeback Kid.
Everyone has a Comeback Kid story. A lot of people my age and younger will talk about how Comeback Kid got them into the hardcore scene, which makes sense. Comeback Kid has been around since 2001, and their sound, although aggressive, is oddly approachable when you're young and just trying to get introduced to the hardcore scene. This band has undergone numerous changes over the years, with only two original members left, but one thing hasn't changed about Comeback Kid- the sheer power and aggression they can bring to the stage.
Monday night was part of a tour celebrating twenty years of Comeback Kid's sophomore release 'Wake The Dead.' I know that I don't speak for all Comeback Kid fans when I say this, but I think it's safe to say that the majority of fans put this album on a pedestal and continue to do that. This album changed the game for bands across the genre. It balanced light and darkness so well and showed that you could be intensely heavy yet still have subtle, tender tendencies thrown in there. As the band played this iconic record from front to back, I couldn't help but get a little lost in my feelings. Waves of nostalgia were washing over me, and I was quickly reminded of the angsty time of my life when this was all I could listen to. It was odd as it's been a hot minute since I was that angsty and, quite frankly, that angry, yet I loved that I was transported back to that time. It gave me a second to reflect on just how far I've come as a human and gave me time to think about the sheer power of music.
After the album playthrough, Comeback Kid continued to play nearly ten additional songs. As mentioned, it's been a hot minute since I've spent quality time with this band, so I didn't recognize all of the tracks they performed after the album playthrough, yet they all felt so familiar. Comeback Kid has a solid sound that hasn't changed since 2001. They have rolled with the punches and kept on going, much like the kids who got spit out of the pit after getting literally punched just to take a breather, chug some water, and go back in.
Monday night was intense; it was hot, it was sweaty, there were many moments where I felt a bit like a baby standing in the back and not getting into the action but, at the end of the day, I'm not the same person I was when this music was my life and Comeback Kid were my idols. That's not to say that I don't still look up to this band or this music, but more that I look at it through nostalgic glasses, and that was just the cherry on top of an amazing Monday night for me.