Words and Photos by Joe Calixto
Where do I even start with this show? Just the mere sight of the lineup sent chills up my spine. I usually write long walkthroughs of shows in here, but there’s literally not much to say about a Turnstile show. It’s a goddamn experience.
Turnstile are one of those bands who don’t settle for 100; they go above and beyond, from their shows, videos, their marketing campaign, while still keeping it real.
Admittedly, it took me a while to get into this band (maybe halfway through the Nonstop Feeling cycle.) But getting assigned to their shows made me experience that raw energy this band puts out, and I am all for that. Plus, let’s be real, the songs are bangers!
Say what you want about the band and their sound, but you cannot discredit the hard work they put in to be where they are right now.
This show was the second of three California shows. The night before was absolute madness (and our very own Erica Lauren caught all the action). But my love for the 805 has no bounds, so I decided to spend my Sunday night out in the lovely town of Oxnard,CA.
Opening the show was Troncale, a powerhouse band featuring members of Red Death, Drain, and Dead Heat. If you like circle pits and the riff, they are a band you need to check out. It was kind of a bummer that they were playing as the doors were opened. Be sure to catch them at their next gig.
Next up, a personal favorite, the local boys Minus. I think I’ve seen this band over a handful of times already, and even for a band that’s not as active as they used to be, they sure as hell still rip faces. And being from the area, you know for sure that the crowd went all-in for the second band of the night.
So, the first of the two direct support is no stranger in the hardcore scene. If you like heavy music, you’ve probably heard of Never Ending Game. One of Detroit’s finest, NEG kept the ball rolling at the arts center with their har- hitting jams and even harder-hitting pits. God forgives, but truly N.E.G. don’t.
Shortly after that, New York’s Show Me The Body hop on stage. I’ve never seen this band, so I was excited to see how their live show was, and I can say they were definitely a crowd favorite. Circle pits, push pits—the floor was definitely moving for SMTB. Also, how sick is that fucking banjo!?
I honestly don’t have anything to say about Turnstile that you don’t already know. You can’t even say they are Baltimore’s best kept-secret anymore because their takeover is real, pushing hardcore music to a whole other level.
The band hit the 805 with 20 songs from almost all their records. It was moving bodies from the moment the intro clip started ’til the last ring-out. It’s also been years since I photographed Turnstile like this, so it was quite refreshing to shoot them not from a photo pit.
Truly, you really gotta see it live to get it.
