Turnstile @ 9:30 Club [DC] - 5/29/2022
Turnstile at 9:30 Club in DC (Photo ©2022 Mauricio Castro)
Hell hath no joyous fury like a hometown, tour-concluding Turnstile show. The DMV hardcore group have toured North America and Europe for most of 2022 up until now, racking up tons of sold-out venues and talk show placements in the process. In true DIY fashion, Turnstile’s tour was a five-band lineup, from the thrash-influenced Ekulu to the in-your-face Truth Cult. Every band brought out its share of crowd-surfers and moshers, but Turnstile’s singular presence, especially singer Brendan Yates, practically compelled the sweat-drenched crowd to jump in unison on songs like “DON'T PLAY” and “HOLIDAY.” Crowd-surfers numbered in the dozens throughout the night, feet swinging in the air and bouncers busily catching fans landing in the pit to go back and do it all again. The catharsis of the band fed the crowd, feeding back to the band, an ouroboros of endless energy from start to finish.
To cap off their uber-successful year, the band brought friends and family to watch from the cordoned-off balcony and backstage. The son of one of the crew staff watched the entire show sitting next to drummer Daniel Fang. “TLC (TURNSTILE LOVE CONNECTION)”. Friends of the band took the mic from Yates and emphatically yelled the lyrics-turned-ethos of the band and their fans: “I want to thank you for letting me see myself / I want to thank you for letting me be myself.” Turnstile have created a space where people can let loose and know that if they accidentally get knocked down, there will always be a hand to help them back up.
GLOW ON is available now through Roadrunner Records. Opening for Turnstile were Truth Cult, Ekulu, Ceremony, and Citizen.
