Article by Samantha Hartman
Feeling the slight breeze of fall, Fiddlehead took the stage with high energy and the crowd buzzing last Thursday night. But before stage dives and huge mosh pits, bands Restraining Order, Lifeguard, and Buggin had people moving in all sorts of ways.
Starting off strong, Restraining Order had the crowd locked in with punchy bass lines, distorted guitars, and quick lyrics. Through two-steps, Restraining Order brought the energy. A small but mighty moshpit formed with fans almost flying around the venue. Playing songs from their newest album, Locked In Time, Restraining Order made their presence known whether you have been a fan since the beginning or if you had just heard them for the first time that night.
After the chaotic crowd, Lifeguard walked on stage with a quiet but strong presence. The punk band from Chicago started out with a stark guitar riff as bassist Asher Case brought in the rhythm. Feeling like you could transport somewhere out of this world, the stage lit up with an array of colors and patterns, further amplifying Lifeguard’s unique sound. Their music, like no other, had me and the crowd intrigued as they switched from pedal to pedal. Balancing melody and chaos, Lifeguard kept people guessing what would come next in their songs.
With fans eager for more, Buggin got right into a high-energy, high-impact song that immediately got fans jumping around and singing the lyrics. Buggin brought in their heavy, fast-paced sound to the stage. Once lead singer Bryanna Bennett said the words “I wanna be a cowboy baby” the crowd went wild as people climbed on top of each other to scream the lyrics with her.
After a long anticipated wait, Fiddlehead was on the stage with the crown roaring. Lead singer, Patrick Flynn, put himself in the center of the action with fans supporting him. As soon as the chords of Grief Motif were played, the entire room screamed and joined in on the lyrics immediately. A combination of finger points to the beat, yelling lyrics, and moshing came from devoted fans feeding the energy in the room.
Best put as “poetry in motion” from Flynn, everyone in the room was moving with the flow of the band. In between songs, Flynn would give a few motivational pieces before going into the crowd to sing his heart out. People running up on stage and diving into the crowd made the night memorable for so many even if you were on the balcony.
Though the action-packed night may have left me and many others who attended the show slightly deaf, the aura of the show was all in good fun. Amazing acts from all four bands showed Chicago what hardcore was really about and the genuine community that comes with it.