concert review: knocked loose plays killer intimate show.
november, 9th 2024 • the toyota oakdale theater dome • wallingford, connecticut
full gallery can be found here
How far would you go to see one of your favorite musicians? Maybe driving three hours and one state over like I did on Saturday isn’t too dramatic to think about. But would you plan the trip with no way to get there or housing only two days before the show? And would you really think that was a smart idea when only two weeks before you were across the country in California watching the same concert and bands? Yea, I think it’s a bit much too but I don’t regret it one bit.
knocked loose
I have gotten the incredible opportunity to see Knocked Loose five times since the end of October of 2023 and have been able to photograph them four of those times. The band has meant a lot to me for a while and being able to see my photography grow alongside the band and their live performances as well as their music is something I couldn’t have even dreamed of. The way that all aspects of the music and the members’ individual talents all blend so effortlessly with each other is truly incredible to experience. Although elements of their music are used by many different metal and hardcore bands (heavy hitting bass tones, staccato high-hat sounds, intense breakdowns, etc.) Knocked Loose has such a unique way of using all of these elements together which makes them easily standout in the hardcore scene. Vocals that are paired with this kind of music tend to be extremely deep and hearty, but Bryan’s vocals are a really nice juxtaposition to the music; the deep tones of the music vs. his higher pitched screams that one would usually not expect in this field. The bassist, Kevin Otten, actually uses a 5-string bass guitar instead of the typical 4-string which most definitely is a major factor for the heavy sounds of their music.
Knocked Loose is a five-piece band from Oldham, Kentucky that formed back in 2013. Originally named Manipulator, the band changed their name to Knocked Loose before their debut show and their first song released under that name was titled “Manipulator.” The group currently consists of vocalist Bryan Garris, guitarist Isaac Hale, guitarist Nicko Calderon, bassist Kevin Otten, and drummer Kevin ‘Pacsun’ Kaine. They have released three studio albums, 4 Eps and one demo since their conception.
The day before the show (Friday, November 12th) the Grammy Nominee’s for 2025 were announced and the group was actually nominated for Best Metal Performance for their song “Suffocate” (feat. Poppy) off of the album You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To (2024). What I found funny about that, is only two days before the nomination list was announced I was talking to a friend about how I genuinely believed that “Suffocate” was practically a perfect song and how I could write an essay on why I believed that. Two days later, that same song was nominated for Best Metal Performance, which makes me think my feelings towards this song are not a total stretch and many people feel the same way.
Out of all the times I’ve seen the group, this show was definitely the smallest and most intimate one I’ve ever been to. And given their recent Grammy Nomination and how their sound is taking the metal and hardcore scene by storm, I’m extremely grateful I got to see them at this venue. The boys opened up the set with “Thirst”, quickly followed by “Deep In the Willow,” when I had to safely dodge the cyrotechnics during the iconic lyric ‘Knocked Loose Mother Fucker.’
One of my favorite songs of theirs was performed third mainly due to the lyric ‘I followed the rabbit and I found my fucking ending’ (“Mistakes Like Fractures”). Seeing the band live is honestly an extremely therapeutic feeling for me; being able to scream specific lyrics with people around me, crowd surfing to my favorite songs, and making friends in odd places (like a wall of death during “Where Light Divides the Holler”). Some of my favorite moments of 2024 happened at a Knocked Loose concert, and that’s just the truth. Nothing compares to the feeling of crowd surfing during “Don’t Reach For Me” and “Deadringer.” I think that you haven’t even really lived life if you haven’t experienced a “Suffocate” pit. Is it terrifying? Maybe a little bit, I always feel refreshed and reset after a Knocked Loose. Although I did mention I have seen them five times in the last 12 months, I eagerly await the next opportunity to see the band.
hatebreed
Going on third, Hatebreed is a hardcore legend of a band from Bridgeport, CT that hopped on to a few east coast shows of the Knocked Loose tour. Being from Bridgeport, not too far away from Wallingford, the group got to play a ‘hometown’ show the night I saw them and you could tell the love was strong within the crowd. Their admiration and appreciate still reigns strong after all of these years.
Hatebreed was formed back in 1994 and released their debut album Satisfaction is the Death of Desire in 1997. As a group they have played a major role in the Connecticut hardcore scene. Within their sound they combine hardcore with heavy metal, often being categorized as metal core, hardcore punk and beatdown hardcore. Their influences include Entombed, Slayer, Sepultura, Sheer Terror, Obituary and similar bands. The band currently consists of vocalist Jamey Jasta, bassist Chris Beattie, drummer Matt Byrne, guitarist Frank Novinec, and guitarist Wayne Lozinak. Since they formed they have released eight studio albums, their most recent being Weight of the False Self in 2020.
drain
The energy at a Drain show will literally always be unmatched no matter where you are. Vocalist Sammy Ciaramitaro starts the show by getting the lighting techs to put all of the house lights on so he can see and interact with the audience the whole time. He then almost immediately throws his microphone down to the audience, jumping off the stage himself and climbing onto the barricade to connect with the audience. At the two times I’ve seen them and shot them I have 100% almost been hit in the face with his microphone (totally not his fault, photo pits are hard to navigate). If I had a nickel every time that happened I would have two nickels, which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice, right?
DRAIN is a four piece hardcore punk band that formed in Santa Cruz, California in 2014. Until vocalist Sammy Ciaramitaro joined in 2015, the band didn't have a set musical style. With the addition of Ciaramitaro they embraced the sound of hardcore and thrash metal. The band currently consists of vocalist Sammy Ciaramitaro, guitarist Cody Chavez, drummer Tim Flegal and bassist AJ Hoenings. Since their conception they have released two demos, three EPS and two studio albums. Their debut album California Cursed that was released on April 10th, 2020. They released their second album Living Proof in May of 2023 that features singles “Evil Finds Light," "Living Proof" and a cover of the Descendant’s song “Good Good Things."
DRAIN has cited bands like Black Flag, Slayer, Testament and the likes as influences of their sound. Connor Atkinson of Exclaim! has described the band's sound is both “old and new - the tough street grit of New York hardcore paired with the tasteful gloss of ‘80s trash metal." The juxtaposition of Sammy's "non-threatening look" and big smile plastered all over his face with the harsh surf-thrash sound of their music is a nice combination to experience. Their music is very heavy with West Coast and California influences and being from California it gives me a warm sense of nostalgia and familiarity.
militarie gun
Militarie Gun is a band that I’ve been listening to for a little over a year now and have been eagerly waiting for the chance to be able to see them perform. Since I unfortunately missed all of the openers at the Los Angeles show at the end of October, I was more than pleased to be able to pull off my Boston to Wallingford trip so last minute. The band was a perfect way to start the night and a good way to prepare the audience for the utter chaos that was going to ensue during the next few hours.
Militarie Gun’s music has always resonated with me deeply, the message and lyrics of the songs hitting deep in my soul and mind. Being able to finally see them live was genuinely an extremely cathartic experience. The energy coming from vocalist Ian Patrick Shelton really helped amp up and awake the audience who were anxiously waiting for the show to start. A relatively smaller and newer band, I’m extremely happy to see bands like Knocked Loose taking them on tour and showing them to the world, because they truly deserve it. I can’t wait to see where their music and path takes them over the next few years and I hope I get to see them again sooner rather than later.
Like myself, Militarie Gun is from Los Angeles, California. The group was formed in 2020 and currently consists of members Ian Patrick Shelton (vocals), Will Acuna (guitarist), Kevin Kiley (guitarist), Waylon Trim (bassist), and David Stalsworth (drummer). They have released four Eps and only one studio album, Life Under the Gun, in 2023. Relatively a new band, Militarie Gun is taking the scene by storm and I highly anticipate their career and I can’t wait to follow along the journey and see where life takes them.
