Totally Slow Album Release Party at The Flat Iron

With live music finally returning to stages everywhere the local scenes have jumped back to life. Everyone that loves live music knows exactly what we lost during the last year and a half of stage closures and for me, it was really exciting to get back out for a show in a small dark room with a crowd of faces for some loud music. This night was a celebration of returning to the stage but also a celebration for the recent release of the band Totally Slow’s newest album Casual Drag. Accompanying this curated mixtape of an evening, Totally Slow crafted a mixture of sounds and an event that hopefully signals more of what is to come.

With a variety of regional bands, the night was a showcase of the different sounds of punk and the scene here in NC. From thrash to post-punk there was something for every fan of the broader genre and a very big opportunity to support each other. Fastest out of the gate in more ways than one, Greensboro NC band Blood Ritual tore through a set of hard-core thrash and woke the crowd up. Opening the set bashing and chugging beers the stage roared to life and Blood Ritual dominated. The heaviest band on the bill, Blood Ritual impressed.

On a completely different vibe, Late Bloomer from Charlotte NC followed as second on the bill. Having seen Late Bloomer a handful of times I was happy to see them added to the bill and once again was treated to a great set. With a sound that falls more into a post-punk indie category, Late Bloomer has put together a fantastic catalog of albums over the last few years and has been a vital part of the indie scene in Charlotte and regionally. Like most everyone here, this was their first show back, and as far as I am concerned they delivered.

Raleigh NC band Night Battles were next to take the stage. Once again a different facet of the broader punk sound, Night Battles began their set like most of their songs with a somewhat slow build of intensity. With explosions of energy, Night Battles rolled through each of their songs with a somewhat hypnotic progression that intrigued me to follow up with a deeper dive into their music and especially their latest release Year of No Days, which I have had on repeat since.

Closing out the evening, Totally Slow took the stage to ring in the reason we were all there at The Flat Iron this night, a celebration of their latest album release, Casual Drag. A hometown show for the Greensboro NC band the set showcased the same refined melodic-hardcore sound that you find on their albums and with an actual crowd present to participate elevated the energy of their sound from the album to an even greater presence. Fast and loud, their set was exactly what you would want from them and was an excellent showcase for their latest music.

A long time coming, especially for the local scene, this evening of music was exactly what I was missing from the world of live performance. I understand that we still have many obstacles to clear before the world as a whole is “back to normal” but for me, this evening was a glimpse. Hopefully, there are many late nights ahead for all of us that love small crowded rooms with loud music, cold beer, and an energy that cannot be replaced any other way.