This chilly Thursday evening invited all the hardcore kids to Andy’s. Recently, Andy’s and Rubber Gloves has held some of the most tightly packed and highly energetic shows in the post pandemic-ish era (although we are still in the pandemic, the hysteria has drastically reduced to a mild jump scare). It was cool enough for me to grab my Carhartt jacket, the warmest article of clothing I own. It’s top of the year, and it is off to a good start. This is the 2nd show I have attended. The first show I attended in 2023 was the Mexican Coke show at Rubber Gloves on January 9th. My band True Grit opened up for Shock Treatment, Johnnascus with Mexican Coke headlining. For a Monday show, it opposed my expectations by a long shot. It was packed like no one had a bedtime and didn’t have jobs the following morning. Four days later, I’m back on the sidewalk headed east on Oak Street with my camera on my shoulder, eager to enjoy my night & take a few photos. Trailing behind my every step was the masculine, amber, wood aroma of Tom Ford. I feel like I unintentionally applied a large amount of the fragrance on my body. The familiar warmth began to build up in my heart as I approached the venue and spotted a group of friends in a loose huddle several feet from the door. I didn’t want to stand outside for long, it felt like it was getting colder as every second passed. After I gave a couple of warm hugs, I quickly hopped inside the venue and took a deep breath. It wasn’t a surprise to see the venue as packed as it was upon arrival. The attendance so far looked as if the show started a couple of hours ago. I couldn’t help but to feel the sense of overwhelming pride and excitement every time I enter a local hardcore show.

After paying the door and acquiring my wrist band, I began scanning the room and observing my environment as usual. I was a little late, I missed the first band, Deep Cover. It was a shame because I really wanted to see them live but I’m sure I’ll catch them again some other time. Cold Case was setting up their gear to perform next. Watching Cold Case was high on my “Must see live soon" list so at least I was in time for them. Beforehand, my happiness lied in the short conversations I had with as many people as possible. Its precious moments like this that mean a lot to me as a human being. My night officially started after my first double whiskey neat. With the camera settings already locked in, Cold Case began their set. It was a pleasure to see Casey Foster shredding on the guitar. Seeing the band live was nuts, thoroughly impressed wasn’t enough to describe my satisfaction. Their sound and tone seemed colossal on stage. I loved when they played their single New Flesh, I’ve been listening to the song for a while, so it was a treat to witness it live. Another round of greetings and conversations commenced after the Cold Case set. Look at the never-ending sea of people at eye level brought a smirk to my face. The way Andy’s looked as a packed house was a cool sight to see. The energy maintained a consistent level throughout, strong enough to carry the rest of the evening.

Mass Appeal was up next to play. A newer band with consisting of veteran members at this point, Mass Appeal brings a blend of 2015 heavy hardcore with its own contemporary swag. Josh’s energy on stage as a vocalist was a real treat to watch. His tall, lanky frame bouncing around, hovering over the mosh pit added a bit of flare to the band’s performance. Seeing Alvin on stage was so fun to watch as well. His aura was shining as bright on stage as it usually does off stage. After their set, I noticed the energy in the room becoming a little more festive. It was at the point where majority of the participants seemed to be livelier than earlier in the night, or maybe it was because I purchased another double whiskey neat. Either way, I felt like I was loosening up a bit. The biggest debate I had with myself was whether I was going to mosh or not. In the same moment, I thought about Chance and Robbie. Those two mosh warriors recently made it back home from the FYA festival in Florida, moshing like they have been dormant for quite some time. The thought of them ultimately leads my decision to relax. “Maybe another time” I told myself. Visions of Mortality was getting ready to kick their set off and I couldn’t help but to look at the Doc Martens on Steven’s feet. My spidey senses were tingling; judging by his energy and the overall tone of the band, I felt like someone, or something was going to eat the bottom of his boots. When VOM began their set, the heaviness from their tone was took me by surprise a bit, I wasn’t ready for it at the time. The intensity of the pit increased, more moshers began to participate. There was a brief moment where I look out into the crowd and a huge smile appeared on my face. Viewing the chaos in front of me invited a different type of calm I don’t receive anywhere else. It was a constant reminder of what I tell people all the time, “you gotta have some screws loose to truly be a part of hardcore”. VOM played a fantastic, adrenaline-fueled set that can turn a curious mind into an avid fan. If I were to describe the band, my description would be “The rebirth of a southern version of Hatebreed”. I believe that would my best, slightly imperfect description.

The amount of anticipation increased as the night carried on. The room was filled with voice from small chit chat. Every step I took was similar to walking through a maze. It didn’t help I had my camera swinging around my side, bumping into everyone crossing my path. I stepped outside briefly to get some fresh air but the cold was a little bitter, causing me to stand outside the venue door for no longer than a couple of minutes. I walked to the bar for another round and began to head the upstairs patio above the bar. From its vantage point, I was able to capture the crowd and stage from a bird’s eye view. Urn’s set began and it looked like pure chaos mayhem from down below. Kids were launching their selves off of any with height. Bodies throwing itself at standing participants and the music continued. Watching an Urn set was like watching an unadulterated riot in a confined space. Fun and disorderly, Urn brings the party to the dance floor. Although there wasn’t much of a break between each set, anticipation for Ozone was steadily rising. This was the beginning of their tour kickoff and folks wanted to make sure the boys got sent off the right way, the Texas way. Ozone was about to begin. I scanned the room only to observe the look into the eyes the people in front of me from a distance. Although I’ve been aware of this, I said to myself, “817 is in the fucking building”. Not moment passed when their set began. Imagine a volcano erupting 3 feet in front of you, but instead of lava, the spout was spewing out swinging arms, kicking feet and a microphone stand. It was a pleasure to see it go from 0-100 and get real hectic real fast. Thats the fun part about DFW shows; when a band starts, it’s like an explosion. Ozone is a bit of a different story though. When Ozone begins, it resembles a warzone. Seeing Joe with the mic in hand is such an awesome spectacle to witness. I couldn’t be any prouder of those young men on stage, representing Texas Hardcore to the fullest. Folks were intentionally going insane for Ozone. The climax of this night is when Ozone played a Hatebreed cover, it felt like the whole place went off. Truly amazing performance from the 817 and beyond. The perfect way to start off the first tour of 2023.

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