A Rocking Triple Hitter in Washington DC Tonight
Setting the scene, I was just here in DC a few days ago for a show and here I am again. A different venue today, though. I’m at the 9:30 Club, home of the 9:30 cupcake. This is my second time photographing here but I’ve been here more times than I can count. The line to get in the doors is wrapped around the building and down the street. That’s right, this is a sold-out show. It’s going to be nuts to butts in here tonight.
Grabbed my credentials (here, it’s a safety orange wristband decorated with the 9:30 Club logo) and shimmy my way up to the front. Stage right to be exact (I always end up stage right, I like it best) and wow, it’s already pretty packed and the show hasn’t even started.
I hang out on my phone for a few minutes and suddenly the room goes dark and the crowd goes loud. It’s time for the show to begin, and first up we have Spiritual Cramp.
Spiritual Cramp is a hot half-dozen group from California and they give Cali vibes for sure. Frontman Michael sports a shaggy haircut, while Jose on the keyboard and tambourine rock an even longer surfer shag cut and some Rayban-style sunnies. Everyone is dressed casually but still looking immaculate.
Spiritual Cramp is hard and fast rock, and though I haven’t heard of them before, I’m feeling it. If you’ve read any of my write-ups, you know I tend to sometimes go to a show without looking into the supporting acts first. It’s like a little mystery grab bag game of hate it or love it.
After the first couple of songs, Michael tells us he crashed his car “really bad” the other day and wrote a love song for his girlfriend because of it. Kind of a weird way to be inspired to pen a romantic song but it’s unique. Spiritual Cramp has a lot of strobing lights for their set and if I’m not mistaken, their vocalist Michael has an accent. It sounds British. I’m having a bit of difficulty understanding what he’s saying between songs but I’m trying to keep up. This set is very overstimulating for me. Not in a bad way, there’s just A LOT going on in the 9:30 Club tonight. I do notice that SC uses a strange DJ-type siren noise a lot between jams and sometimes even during. Their set lighting is very blue-toned with some yellow relief here and there but that’s all we see. I wonder what the reasoning behind this is, if any.
When I say a lot is going on tonight, I mean it. Between the strobing lights, the sound bites, and the roaring crowd in this sold-out venue, Spiritual Cramp is also extremely energetic. Michael drags the mic stand back and forth, using it as support quite often. He also makes a risky move and swings the wired mic around. No injuries.
Before I know it, their set is wrapping up. The guys thank L.S. Dunes for bringing them out on tour with them and dedicate a song to Anthony Green.
“Slick Rick” is my favorite song that SC played tonight. During this one, there are blue lights with white beams. I would have liked to have been in the photo pit for this one but I’ll settle for some house shots.
Like I said before, I went in blind for this band, and while they aren’t really my taste, I do enjoy their set.
“I know I seem like an asshole but I’m very appreciative to be here. Fuck the state. Fuck the government. Fuck the police and fuck you too” shouts Michael before Spiritual Cramp performs their last song and leaves the stage.
I won’t lie to you, this show was on my radar because of L.S. Dunes. As an elder emo and diehard My Chemical Romance fan, I was thrilled to learn Frank Iero was starting yet another side project back in 2020. I’m not even being biased when I say holy shit, this band kicks ass. So anywho, I politely pushed my way from the back of the house back up to the barrier to enter the photo pit for L.S. Dunes. While I wait to be let in, I notice their setlist is visible from stage right, taped to a gearbox nearby. Neat.
The lights die. I want to scream but to be considerate of the photographer inches away from me, I hold in. The band takes the stage. Singer Anthony wears a shirt with the pits ripped out, his hair bleached blonde. Tucker Rule, their drummer, has past-the-ear hair that blows in the wind produced by the fan down by his kick drum. Just like the last time I saw them.
L.S. Dunes kicks off their shorter-than-I-’d-like setlist with “2022”, one from their debut album titled ‘Past Lives’. A throwback, fuck yeah. Anthony dances in a slithery manner.
There’s a neat glare bouncing off Frank’s guitar pickguard, it’s distracting but not in a bad way. I don’t mind him catching my attention, haha.
L.S. Dunes is just as incredible as I remember. I initially saw them at a tiny little venue in Baltimore called The Ottobar. When I say tiny, I mean it. There is no photo pit barrier in this place and the capacity is about 450 people. I was photographing them that evening as well, and it felt like I was on a boat in a stormy ocean. I was forced to sway back and forth with the wild crowd. I had my work cut out for me. Luckily tonight, I’m protected by a strong metal barrier in a roomier venue.
The guys play a few jams from ‘Past Lives’, which I’m thrilled about. I was hoping to hear my favorite song, “Sleep Cult”, but it wasn’t on the setlist this evening. Bummer. That’s alright, though. The band does not disappoint. We get to hear three newer songs performed live. “Benadryl Subreddit”, “Fatal Deluxe” and “Machines”. “Machines” is a single off of their new yet-to-come album, titled ‘Violet. It’s set to drop on January 31, 2025. Hell yeah.
As I mentioned before, I was not disappointed at all with L.S. Dunes set. They blew it out of the water, the entire band throwing themselves around even though they’re all approaching 50 years old.
“We are LS dunes. Thank you for your time. Music is magic. See you next year” before the ending of their very last song, “Fatal Deluxe”.
There’s about a 20-minute setup time between bands, and I again have retired to the back of the house to take a breather. I believe this is my first sold-out 9:30 Club show. I swear I’ve never seen this many people in here. I grab a cup of water from the bar as I notice the stagehands returning backstage. Once more, I push through to get back to the barrier. One stagehand runs back out and swiftly yanks down the L.S. Dunes flag to reveal an even larger one. It’s black with bold white lettering that says just one word.
Rise.
The audience was ferocious before, but wow do they let loose when Rise Against comes out. Now I know of Rise Against, but I can’t say I’m very familiar with any of their songs. I’m sure I’ve heard a hit or two on the radio, but I wouldn’t be able to tell you it was them if I heard it again.
I’m relying solely on a set list taped to the stage in front of me to know song titles. Not that it helps me, as I’m not familiar with any of them. I’m in the photo pit for “Satelite”, “Tragedy + Time”, and “Give It All”. I swear those first three FLEW by, and before I know it all media is leaving the pit and returning to the crowd. Off I go.
I make it to my standing room spot behind the barrier before vocalist Tim says they’re going to play some old stuff, some songs from “Revolutions Per Minute”. The crowd loses their minds. I can already tell I’m going to need to find a more comfortable spot to exist for the rest of the show. I look directly above me and see a vacant spot on the balcony. It’s not a very spacious spot, but it’s something. I swim through the masses and make my way up the stairs and to the balcony area I was eyeing before. This is much better.
A song titled “Blood-red, White and Blue” starts and suddenly there’s a huge circle pit.
Someone requests a song called “Paper Wings” via a message on a t-shirt. The band audibly mulls it over with smiles on their faces, and then they agree to play it. “Paper Wings” shirt guy loses his shit in the best way.
“It’s because you’re a fellow bald” guitarist Zach says to the “Paper Wings” man. The crowd laughs.
Rise Against plays “Hero Of War” next and the venue goes mostly dark besides a spotlight and a few people waving their phone flashlights like lighters. Tim cradles an acoustic guitar for this one as he sings alone in the beam of the spotlight. The crowd sings in unison with him, it’s touching.
A couple of songs later, I hear a familiar guitar riff. “Prayer of the Refugee” is being played. Hey, I’ve heard this one! I have about 3 seconds to congratulate myself on knowing a single song before my attention moves down to the crowd. Every single person is in motion. There are circle pits and several crowd surfers.
I think I can feel the venue shaking. I’m joking, but with the energy in this place right now, I wouldn’t be surprised. During this song, Tim leaves the stage to lay in the crowd. Literally. One of the security team has his hand on Tim’s belt so he doesn’t get carried off as the crowd holds him up.
Anyone within proximity is reaching out to touch him, and a lucky gal crowd surfs right past him. I can’t hear her but she’s screaming and grabs Tim’s arm. This was the band’s last song, or so I thought. The crowd “one more song” chants the band which turns to clapping, so the guys rush the stage to perform not one, not two, but THREE MORE SONGS!
The first encore jam, “Audience of One”, is dedicated to L.S. Dunes. This one is followed by “Black Masks & Gasoline”.
Tim gives a short speech before their last song.
“If there’s racism in your revolution, it’s not a revolution. If there’s sexism in your revolution, it’s not a revolution. If there’s nationalism, xenophobia, if there’s homophobia, it’s not a fucking revolution. Here we are in the nation’s capital, and I’ll tell ya what. I believe in voting. I’m gonna vote because I give a shit about what our Supreme Court looks like. I give a shit about women’s rights, gay rights. I’m not gonna tell you what to do, but I hope you go out and vote”.
The song to close out Rise Against’s set is “Savior”. Wait a second, I know this one, too! One of their hits, I’ve heard it on the radio a ton. The crowd understands the assignment. This is the last song. Their last chance to give it their all and they do not waste it. I can’t even describe the chaos I see in the crowd. All positive energy, a sold-out venue bonding through the love of music right in front of my eyes. I love to see it. I leave the venue feeling inspired and empowered. I get outside where it’s cold (finally, I’m sweating my ass off) and plop down on the sidewalk beside a tour bus. I’m looking through my photos to bounce a few over to my cell phone to edit a few before I hit the road. Suddenly, I’m approached by someone on Rise Against’s team. He reaches out his hand and gives me a Rise Against guitar pick and smiles before walking off.
Wow. What a charming end to such a stellar evening.
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