Concert Reviews
FIDLAR 930 CLUB REVIEW
Hi Empire Extreme, We’re back with another live show review, and this one was an absolute powerhouse. The iconic 9:30 Club in DC played host to a wild night, with rising stars Sugar Pit opening for punk legends Fidlar. From the moment the doors opened, you could feel the buzz in the air—everyone knew they were in for something special. Let’s start with Sugar Pit. If you haven’t seen these guys live yet, prepare yourself. They don’t just perform; they turn the stage into their playground. The lead singer, a true performer in every sense, makes an entrance you’ll never forget. Picture this: the lights go down, the crowd is roaring, and suddenly he strolls out on stage wearing nothing but his underwear. Yes, you heard that right. The guy starts the show half-naked, casually getting dressed right there in front of a stunned crowd while the band starts playing. It’s a wild, almost theatrical moment that perfectly sets the tone for their raw, no-holds-barred energy. From there, they launched into a high-octane set, blending punk rock grit with an infectious stage presence that had the audience moving. With their EP dropping on November 1st, they’re clearly on the rise, and after a performance like this, it’s easy to see why. This band is not just making music—they’re making moments. But the night really hit another level when Fidlar took the stage. The lights dimmed, the crowd surged forward, and the anticipation was palpable. They kicked things off with their fan-favorite “Fix Me,” and from the first note, the entire room was singing every word, jumping in sync with the beat. It was electric. Lead singer Zac Carper was in full form—charismatic, wild-eyed, and feeding off the energy of the crowd. By the second song, Zac yelled into the mic, “Let’s open this pit up!” And boy, did the crowd deliver. What followed was an eruption of chaos—a massive mosh pit that swallowed half the venue, with fans crashing into each other, screaming, and absolutely loving it. The energy in that room was next-level, like a bomb had gone off and everyone was caught up in the explosion. Fidlar didn’t let up for a second, ripping through their set like they had something to prove. They played around 20 songs, diving into tracks from all their albums, blending the gritty garage punk of their early days with the more polished (but still rowdy) tunes from their later work. Zac and the band kept the energy at 100, never giving the crowd a moment to catch their breath. It was pure, unfiltered punk rock in its finest form, with every song hitting harder than the last. And just when we thought it couldn’t get any crazier, the band came back for not one, but two encore songs. The crowd went wild, screaming for more until Fidlar hit the stage again, and those final moments felt like a pure adrenaline rush. The sweat, the screams, the total release of energy—it was punk rock catharsis at its best. By the end of the night, the 9:30 Club was a sea of exhausted, exhilarated fans, still buzzing from the experience. It was one of those rare shows where everything comes together perfectly—the venue, the bands, the crowd—and creates something truly unforgettable. If you weren’t there, you missed one hell of a night, but keep an eye on both Fidlar and Sugar Pit because these bands are on fire right now.
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Electric Callboy came into the Maryland/DC area at the MGM Harbor and brought fans of all ages—from old to young—along for the ride. They were joined on this tour by Scene Queen and Polaris.
Scene Queen delivered a seriously fun set. She’s fully embraced what she’s coined as “bimbocore,” and I absolutely love it—and so do the fans. The crowd was already moshing and crowd surfing early on, and they kept that energy going all night long.
Polaris, from Australia, brought the metal. This was my first time seeing them, and they absolutely brought the kind of raw energy that drove the crowd wild. They played a killer set and are definitely a band to keep your eyes on.
Electric Callboy was the headliner, and they brought the rabid fans with them. Lots of people were dressed up in signature Callboy attire, and it’s been a while since I’ve seen so many young kids in a metal show crowd. Between all the costume changes, confetti, and streamers, Callboy delivered a killer set. They always put on a hell of a show—and always leave me questioning Germany: why haven’t you chosen them as your Eurovision entry?
We got to hear songs like “Hypa Hypa,” “We Got the Moves,” “Pump It,” “Hurrikan,” and many more. They also had an intimate moment during the set, right in the middle of the crowd, with a piano—performing acoustic versions of “Fuckboi” and a cover of “Everytime We Touch.”
The entire show was amazing—such a fun and wildly entertaining spectacle. I can’t wait to see them again.
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Infected Rain is now on tour with Stitched Up Heart and Blackwater Drowning and made a stop at Zen West with local kick ass band Anoxia.
The night crackled with electric energy and thrummed with unforgettable music. I loved that every band on the lineup featured powerful female vocalists—each with her own distinct style and stage presence, yet all of them fierce, commanding, and absolutely a force to be reckoned with.
It was an absolute thrill to see Lena and Infected Rain again. I love how they continue to evolve as a band and as a core of incredible artists every time I catch them live. I’ve been a fan for many years, and I always relish watching them perform—especially the way Lena connects with the crowd and her fans, which goes far beyond what most musicians ever offer. I would love to see them chosen as Moldova’s Eurovision entry, because we desperately need more rock and metal represented on that stage.
If this tour is rolling into your city, do yourself a favor and go check it out. It’s a phenomenal live show—the bands don’t just kick ass on stage, but they also happen to be some of the nicest, coolest people you’ll ever meet. You will not be disappointed. Plus, they’ve got some seriously killer merch that you absolutely need to snag while you’re there.
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Resistor at Preserving Underground: Knuckle-Dragging, Wika-Wika Fury
New Kensington, PA – By the time Resistor took the stage at Preserving Underground on April 30th, the room had already been baptized. Inferious had spent their opening slot proving why they belong on this tour and Monochromatic Black followed suit. The crowd: sweaty, tired, and grinning stood shoulder to shoulder in the basement of a converted church, ready for the Long Island quintet to deliver the main course. They did not disappoint!
The “Knuckle Dragging Wika Wika Core” Arrives
For the uninitiated, a quick vocabulary lesson is needed. Resistor doesn’t just play heavy music; they’ve patented their own subgenre. They call it “knuckle dragging wika wika core”. The “knuckle dragging” part is the downtuned, beatdown-ready hardcore riffage that makes you want to punch a hole in the nearest wall. The “wika wika” is the turntable wizardry of Anthony Arce, a Manhattan-based DJ whose scratches and samples add an extra layer of chaotic texture to the band’s already ferocious sound.
And on this night, in the intimate confines of Preserving Underground, that sound hit like a freight train with no brakes. The band made up of Anthony Grambo on vocals, Anthony Conti on guitar, Ian Schneider on bass, Peter Smith on drums, and Arce on turntables launched into their set with the kind of immediate aggression that separates headliners from openers. Resistor brought a sharp, more hardcore-infused edge. The bass drum kicks vibrated your sternum. The turntable scratches cut through the mix like a knife. And Grambo? Clad in Selena t-shirt didn’t just sing into the mic, he seemed to be wrestling it for control.
A Set Built for 2026
The band had good reason to be confident. Just over a month before, Resistor released their debut full-length album, BITE THIS!. Produced by Randy LeBoeuf (Kublai Khan TX, The Acacia Strain), the 30-minute, 10-track assault has been described as “an aggressive trip with a hardcore ethos” that blends nu-metal’s cocky swagger with 21st-century heaviness.
Setlist highlights came fast and furious. Opening with “BORN 2 BREAK,” the band immediately established the night’s tone: pummeling, unapologetic, and laced with just enough turntable chaos to keep things unpredictable. “L33CH” followed, with Arce’s scratches adding an almost industrial layer of noise to the already dense wall of guitar. By the time they hit “DEAD SOUL” a track the band has called “the perfect entry point” to the album the pit had fully reignited.
The Secret Weapon: Anthony Arce
What sets Resistor apart from every other heavy band on this tour is the turntable. In 2026, seeing a DJ on stage at a hardcore show feels almost nostalgic. A throwback to the nu-metal heyday of the late ’90s and early 2000s. But Resistor doesn’t use the turntable as a gimmick. Arce’s contributions are woven directly into the fabric of their sound, from the extra chaos on “PETTY FUCK” to the almost Deftones-esque atmosphere of “FROZEN AT 29”.
Live, those moments hit even harder. During “LOVE SONG (BULLSH!T),” Arce dropped into a scratch solo of sorts, that had the crowd throwing horns and nodding in appreciation. It was a small moment, but it underscored something essential about Resistor: they’re not just heavy for the sake of being heavy. They’re heavy with purpose, texture, and a genuine understanding of how different elements can collide to create something new.
Closing Strong
By the time they reached the set’s final tracks “XXXL” and “FEEL LIKE SHIT” the room was a mess of flying bodies, raised voices, and genuine appreciation. The band didn’t overstay their welcome. They played, they destroyed, and they stepped back, leaving the crowd to catch their breath before Filth’s headlining set.
Verdict
Resistor proved exactly why they were chosen for this 10th-anniversary tour. With a new album that’s been called “nothing short of an aggressive trip” and a live show that delivers every ounce of that aggression, they’ve positioned themselves as one of the most interesting heavy bands coming out of the New York scene. The “knuckle dragging wika wika core” label might sound like a joke, but the music is anything but.
Catch them on the remaining dates of the Back To Tha Gutta tour if you can. Just bring earplugs. And maybe a change of shirt.
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