Live Report: Scowl @ The Roxy Show, Dec 10th Show
Review By Gabriel Johns
I was asked to review this show and had not heard of this Band, SCOWL. Bad me, I watched their YouTube videos two hours before seeing them, not knowing what to expect!
First thing I thought was “Not my cup of tea”. They were good videos but like I said “eh”. I got there like 45 minutes before they went on. The line was long. I was wondering who this band is. I went to the ticket booth and got my ticket. There was a girl in front of me who didn’t seem like the rest of the crowd, really pretty and stylishly dressed. Saw her inside and we started talking. I assumed she was in the industry but she said “No, she was a fan.” She, her name was Meghan, told me this was, eh hem, not her type of music, at all, but someone took her to see them and she was hooked. I said to her “I hope I have that same reaction.”
I felt the tension in the air, the angst of teenage anticipation! These kids were ready to throw down some serious moshing and stage diving. The Roxy was packed, the show was sold out! A Goldenvoice event. The band’s first show was opening for Limp Bizkit. What!? The crowd roared as they hit the Roxy stage! As soon as I heard that crowd I knew something big was about to happen and BAM! A sledgehammer across the side of the head!! Kate Moss, the singer, came out and commanded the audience to “Fucking Party!!”
Opening up with their pounding first song was Retail Hell which drove the crowd absolutely wild! Stage divers were welcomed and they came forth with fierce intent as the music drove the wild youth crazy! The following songs Fuck Around, Trophy Hunter and Petty Selfish Cretin had the kids moshing as Kat had commanded them to do. Just good punk rock fun.
The song Wired really grabbed me by the throat. Man, I could taste the force behind the band and the singer!! All 13 songs from their set were explosions!!! Man, I was hooked and I highly recommend you get out to see them before they break big!! They are on their way!
Hailing from Santa Cruz, CA, hardcore punk band Scowl has burst onto the scene as one of the most authentic young voices in the genre, influenced by everything from 80s’ hardcore, punk, and Oi to modern alternative pop. Formed in 2019 and consisting of vocalist Kat Moss, guitarist Malachi Greene, bassist Bailey Lupo, and drummer Cole Gilbert, Scowl came out swinging with their fuzzed-out self-titled demo and EP Reality After Reality. Catching the attention of Flatspot Records, the band signed with the label for the release of their critically acclaimed 2021 album, How Flowers Grow. The ten songs on the album are a masterclass in how to write heartfelt punk and hardcore without losing the sense of youthful enthusiasm and fun that makes the genre compelling to begin with. The lyrics are delivered with a biting sense of anger and self-reflection, dealing with everything from personal betrayals to socio-economic strife.
Receiving praise from top music publications like SPIN, Stereogum, Revolver, BrooklynVegan, and a breakout cover story with Kerrang!, it’s no surprise Scowl are shaping up to be one of the most exciting bands of their era. The band has shared the stage with the likes of Limp Bizkit, Touche Amore, Comeback Kid, The Bronx, and Stick To Your Guns, and will head out on a North American tour supporting Show Me The Body in early 2023. With an undisputed authenticity and intensity found in both their recordings and live show, Scowl has certainly planted a seed for their takeover of hardcore and beyond.
