Walking down Colfax amongst the moonlight last Thursday night, the fallen leaves delivering an eerie rustling in the cool wind, aside from the murmur of live music coming from the venue, you would have never known the chaos that ensued inside. A stacked bill of three favorites in the DIY scene; the unrestrained madness matched the chilling excitement that hangs in the air this time of year.
After mystifying performances from bands Pink Lady Monster and Endless Nameless, the crowd dissipated, moving outside or to the back where drinks were plentiful. Local punk band Antibroth set up in a matter of minutes. At their start, the room was still barren. Lead singer and guitarist Jeremy Mock inquired, “Where’d everybody go?” but with a chuckle ripped into the set. With the first slew of fast-paced musical intrigue, the crowd returned to relish in the band’s tumultuous delights.
Playing a variety of songs off of their latest album, as well as some new tracks that’ll be on their next release, the band played with impressive ease through all of them. Part of Antibroth’s awe is the tightness of their playing that comes from the chemistry between members and their dedicated preparation.
Mock’s haunting vocals shined through in the band’s performance. With guttural delivery, Mock set the tone for the performance- one that was aggressive and off-kilter as always. As daunting a task as it is delivering such an impactful vocal performance, Mock also kept the rhythm with vigorous delivery on guitar. Like a well-oiled machine, Antibroth functions in succinctness, with little room for error. Reflecting Mock’s seamless performance, the rhythm section packed a punk. The powerhouse of the trio, drummer Hayden Bosch, brought a relentless force to the set, maintaining the depth and aggression throughout. Bassist Dan Switalski put the creativity of the group’s musicality to the forefront with bass lines that kept his fingers zealously bouncing across the fretboard.
With each song, the audience became more immersed in the music and the experience intertwined with it. Moshing in a glorious circle of adrenaline, the crowd was a representation of the ability of Antibroth’s music to pull out the most primal instinct in listeners. While the mosh pit was amped, there were also fans on the outskirts of the action that were happy just head-banging and kicking back while the music washed over them. Regardless of participation level, every member of the crowd seemed satisfied with the experience.
In typical punk style, the songs were fairly short and fast-paced, leaving little time for the audience to recuperate after moshing from one song to the next. After the ringing note of their last song, breathless fans craved more of the band’s idiosyncratic energy, but with the band’s exit dedicated fans could rest assured that their favorite Denver punk band would be back to play for them soon enough.
Look out for future gigs from Antibroth announced on their Instagram (and most likely flyers posted around campus).
