All images used were taken by the wonderful and talented Put Over Photos at the absolutely wonderful venue, Reasons and Ruckus in Poughkeepsie. Located on Main Street in the heart of the Hudson Valley, it’s become a haven for hardcore, punk, jazz, RnB, and hiphop, taking place of the once legendary Chance Theater only four blocks down.
The first band to play was the doom metal outfit Grim Exit, utilizing the demonstrably amazing soundsystem to massive effect. Driving bass and drums accented the voice of Laurie Safdie, a wonderful combination of grindcore and stoner metal all in one. You could feel every decibel of the drums as they were hammered to near oblivion. Their sound was rich and heavy and the perfect way to start the night.
After that was the Modern Natives, a band I’ve been excited to see live ever since I saw a clip of them on Insta. Their energy, lyrics, and instrumentation were phenomonal. A three person outfit with drums, guitar, and piano lended a unique sound to the night. Their lyrics were angry trans-anarchy, with two delightful and soulful covers given their distinct and soulful gay tinge.
Touring all the way from Asheville, North Carolina, Cam Girl combined the delightully homoerotic with the intense glitter of glam rock. Each song was, in their own beautiful way, horny and covered in a thin coating of sweat and cum, an energetic declaration of transness and sexual freedom. With precise instrumentation that lined up perfectly to the beautiful neon sign behind them, they were a wonderful headliner for the night.
Finally, the hometown Hudson Valley weird bois Alliteration hit the stage. With their usual combination of intimate rhythym ‘n’ blues and driving hardcore sound, they capped off the night with a cacophony of anarchic joy. In the middle of their set they made a point to thank their fans for staying at a set on odd hours on an odd date until ten at night, and proceeded to play one of their classics “Eat Shit, Fuck Off” in defiance of the recent glut of anti-trans legislation.
Check out all of their Bandcamps and support these beautiful bands. You can see more of the show below, once again courtesy of the wonderful Put Over Photos.
