Militarie Gun Led An All Out Assault On NYC’s Bowery Ballroom

Written & Captured By | Kevin McGann

NYC’s Bowery Ballroom played host to Militarie Gun and some of the hottest hardcore and indie acts out there right now. These included Spaced, Spiritual Cramp, and Pool Kids, for nearly four hours of wild, hard hitting, crowd surfing, mayhem that had the sold-out crowd literally climbing the stage and walls to be a part of it.

Kicking off the night was Spaced from Buffalo, NY and they set the tone from the moment they took the stage. Lead singer Lexi Reyngoudt is a force of nature who whipped the crowd into a frenzy as Spaced worked their way through a short but fun and frenetic set.

See more photos of Spaced HERE

And that led right into the second act of the night, the Bay Area’s Spiritual Cramp who carried that energy and brought the California Coast hardcore vibes to the Bowery’s east coast crowd. Front man Mike Bingham led the band through a set that showcased their broad range of styles, from their garage rock and punk roots to elements of rock, reggae, and beyond. And Bingham delivered it with an intensity that had all eyes locked on him.

See more photos of Spiritual Cramp HERE

From there, Florida’s Pool Kids brought a whole other vibe after the one-two punch of Spaced and Cramp. Kids marry that punk energy with a more emo, indie pop sensibility and guitar flourishes found in more math rock or metal bands. And the crowd was there for it, singing along to the hits off their debut 2018 debut, Music to Have Safe Sex To, and 2022’s self-titled follow-up, Pool Kids. When not in front of the mic, singer and songwriter Christine Goodwyne showed off her impressive chops on guitar.

See more photos of Pool Kids HERE

After a short break and really a breather for the crowd, Militarie Gun took the stage for what would be a powerhouse of a show. They started out the day at Rough Trade NYC for a late afternoon acoustic set in support of their new EP, Life Under the Sun, which comes less than a year since their critically acclaimed LP, Life Under the Gun. If the day started out with their softer acoustic side, the evenings’ performance would be anything but.

See more photos of Militarie Gun HERE

Right from the get-go, front man Billy Bragg and company came out swinging with back-to-back bangers, ‘Seizure of Assets’, ‘Think Less’, and ‘Let Me Be Normal’. With a setlist that was a fair mix of tracks from their two full length albums, All Roads Lead to the Gun and Life Under the Gun, the night was not without its surprises including a clover of Blur’s ‘Song 2’ from 1997. Joining Gun onstage for the fun was Spiritual Cramp’s Jose-Luna Gonzales who attacks a tambourine like SNL’s Will Ferrell attacked a cowbell back in the day. And Kids’ Goodwyne who joined Bragg for ‘Never Fucked Up Once’. By the time the nights two closing numbers, ‘Very High’ and ‘Do It Faster’, were done, NYC’s famed Bowery Ballroom was left vibrating from four blistering performances.

Photos By | Kevin McGann