I Went to See Knocked Loose and Here’s What Happened...

American hardcore band, Knocked Loose, played an electrifying show at The Factory in Dallas on May 5th. With opening acts by Loathe and Show Me The Body, and on no better day than “cinco de drinko”, the night was destined to be one of chaos. The various mosh pits, blood on the floor, and intermittent hockey-watching, reified that hardcore music is here to stay.

 The night began when Loathe opened the show with their song “Gored”, an experimental metal track. Fast-paced and loud, Loathe set the tone for the rest of the evening, guaranteeing I would probably get hit in the face at least once. In between songs, they opted for ambient synths, juxtaposing the heaviness the UK band is known for. After screaming through a few tracks, at last, they played “Is It Really You?” The Deftones-esque song reverberated through The Factory, and the crowd yelled every word back like they too rehearsed at soundcheck. It's weird to think a band from Liverpool could hold so much weight in a place like Texas, or earn a tattoo on my arm, but that’s how good Loathe is.

 Now, I don’t have much to say about Show Me The Body, other than they were a nice accompaniment to the Dallas Stars game. It was game 7 against the Golden Knights and there was no way I was going to miss it, and other fans thought the same. If anything, this highlights the overlap between hardcore music fans and hockey enthusiasts. The gamble was well worth it, as the Stars won the game and advanced to the next round. There’s something to be said about the communal feeling of standing sweaty shoulder to sweaty shoulder, watching a hockey game in a loud venue, but there wasn’t much time to think. There was a shift in energy, almost like the calm before a storm. Knocked Loose was about to take the stage. 

With everyone rushing back to the stage, Knocked Loose began their set with their new song “Blinding Faith”. After being ushered past a puddle of blood, immediately followed by a vat of vomit, I was close enough to see the satanic pig growling manifest from lead vocalist Bryan Garris. Eventually, the Kentucky band played a crowd favorite, “Counting Worms”. Sitting at 1 minute 11 seconds, and made popular by Garris’ barking, The Factory felt like it was going to collapse from all of the trashing. Moral of the story: Knocked Loose knows how to put on a good show. 

Despite the potential dangers, I made it out unscathed and a bigger fan. Hardcore music has become more popular in recent years, with Knocked Loose being one of the spearheads to the genre’s success. This is only the beginning. With more hardcore bands becoming household names, the genre has sustained its place in music history.

Photo by Andrew Torres