Knocked Loose Brings A Tear In The Fabric Of Life Tour To St. Louis

This was my first show back after the pandemic and also the first one back in St. Louis after being away for six years. I couldn’t think of a better way to get back in the fold than with three of the most notable bands in the hardcore and post-hardcore scenes. Knocked Loose brings Movements and Kublai Kahn to the Red Flag on the 2nd date of the Tear In The Fabric Of Life Tour in support of their latest EP A Tear In The Fabric Of Life which came out at the end of 2021.

This was my first time at the newly renovated Red Flag and, wow, this place is going to be one of the premier venues in the St. Louis area for years to come. The line for the sold-out show was wrapped around the building as fans waited patiently for doors to open. As doors opened, the first wave rushed to get their spots on the barrier which wrapped almost all the way around the stage. I headed up to the balcony, complete with shipping container “suites,” to get a full view of the venue.

Up first was Kublai Kahn, a four-piece from Texas. I had heard of these guys before and noticed they had been getting more and more recognition in the scene lately after their newly released EP Lowest Form Of Animal. I have to admit that I was a little, but pleasantly, surprised to see the amount of Kublai Kahn merch in the audience. There was absolutely no easing into this show. Kublai Kahn opened with the single from their latest EP “Swan Song.” This song starts with a substantial vocal intro and from where I was up in the barrier I could barely hear lead vocalist Matt Honeycutt as nearly everyone in the crowd was yelling every word. This would continue for the rest of their set.

After getting the crowd warmed up, it was time for Movements. I was particularly excited for their set as they’ve recently become one of my favorite bands. They’ve gained more and more popularity since the release of their album No Good Left To Give in 2020. They started their set with “Full Circle,” a single from the first full-length album Feel Something. Movements are not as intense musically as Kublai Kahn or Knocked Loose but you wouldn’t know that from the crowd’s reaction.

The fans were singing literally every word for the entire set. There are few bands that have that kind of reaction and it was awesome to experience. I couldn’t help but sing along while trying to take photos and dodging crowd surfers. If you ever have the privilege of seeing this band, you will most definitely NOT be disappointed.

I think most people would have been satisfied with just Kublai Kahn and Movements but we still had Knocked Loose to get to. The lights went down and the intro to “Where Light Divides The Hollier” started. As soon as the drums kicked in, all the lights came up and it was a full-on assault from there. Song after song, there was no reprieve and that’s exactly what everyone wanted. Lead vocalist Bryan Garris wanted more from the crowd; more crowd surfing, more singing, and more moshing. It was truly something to witness. The energy never subsided throughout the entire set. The peak hit as the squealing guitar from the beginning of their most popular song “Counting Worms” started. If you are not familiar with this song, the infamous breakdown is preceded by Bryan saying “Arf Arf.” Hearing a room of 1,200 people screaming “Arf Arf” was all I wanted it to be and more.

After being away from shows since 2019, I truly couldn’t think of a better way to start this year’s concert season than with this show. All three bands are incredible live and this show had some of the best crowd interaction I’ve seen. There are still plenty of dates left on the Tear In The Fabric Of Life Tour and I highly suggest checking it out.