Do You Delight In Rule Breaking?

I’ve had to eat my words on this blog before. It’s nothing new. I’m a brat when it comes to music, and I have a habit of writing off a band if the hype is too big around them, and I just don’t understand why. When I go to shows every night, I see a lot of deserving acts that should be bigger than they are, and then I have to sit through bands where their egos are bigger than their talent. It’s the heartbreaking reality of the music industry. I’m not saying the headliner at the 7th Street Entry has a big ego or anything like that. Honestly, I’ve heard they are some of the sweetest guys around, but they were a band I had written off in a way until I heard one particular song. That’s when everything changed, and I became obsessed with them, meaning that Saturday night at The 7th Street Entry felt like seeing this band for the first time (even though I had seen them multiple times before). What was the song that hooked me? What was the band? Come on now. You know I’m going to go through this show one band at a time, so read ahead. (Don’t skip anything because the two openers at this show are more than worthy of your attention.) How’s that for a little clickbait intro?

Virginia-based House & Home has been grinding for eight years. They spoke about how, for the last seven and a half years, this band has been a grind and not always a particularly fun one. They talked about how it’s been rough, but after seven and a half years, they are so thankful that bands like the two to follow them on Saturday night took a chance on them and took them out on the road. Before House & Home finished their first song, I realized that the offer to be on this tour was not a pity offer; this band absolutely deserved this slot on the tour and then some. Sonically, I can only describe House & Home as an emotionally charged Four Year Strong style with a slight BoysNightOut severity scattered in the ruins of their intense performance. It was pure nostalgia, but it was original. Their balance between punchy and punky moments with a more tender and delicate sensibility at others was truly ear-catching. I was clearly in love with this band and loved the fact that they ended their quick opening set with a flawless and quite intense breakdown. It left me wanting so much more. I know that it’s been a grind for this band, but I know there’s a light at the end of the tunnel for House & Home, and I hope that means I get to see them again very soon.

There was something super polished about House & Home’s set, but that changed when Grumpster took the stage. Grumpster’s performance was raw, angsty, and imperfectly perfect; it was just what this lineup needed. Okay, that makes it sound like House & Home was uptight and Grumpster was a mess, but I promise that’s not what I mean. Grumpster brought a DIY house-show-style vibe to the 7th Street Entry in a perfect way. Their music was more gritty and was performed with a bit more movement on stage, creating the aura of perfectly curated chaos. Sonically, their sound definitely had more inspiration from classic punk bands like Descendents and Circle Jerks, yet there was something fresh and almost pop-punk leaning about some of the moments and tracks. The room was packed by the time Grumpster was halfway through their set. This was a sold-out show, but it felt like it was so much more than sold-out. The feeling of the heat of the room mixed with the familiar and not-so-nice yet oh-so-perfect smell of sweat and beer matched the raw energy that this band was giving off, priming the audience so perfectly for what was to come.

Okay, I’ve led you on for long enough. The band is The Dirty Nil, and the song is “Doom Boy.” I couldn’t tell you why I didn’t latch onto The Dirty Nil earlier. They have everything I love– catchy lyrics, a nostalgic but fresh sound, and a live show that is truly legendary. Yet, every time I’ve seen them in the past, they just haven’t caught me. Their song “Doom Boy” randomly hit a playlist I had at work a couple of months ago, and it made me stop everything. Lines like “Do you delight in rule breaking? Dancing to thrash and hailing Satan?” and “I could be your doom boy, we could hold hands, listen to Slayer, in the back of my Dodge Caravan” had me sold. They are so simple, but this song caught me, and I only wished that I could find a “doom boy” (okay, that’s a lie– I’m super happy in the relationship I have, and he is far from a “doom boy” but you get what I’m saying, right?). I was sold. It may have taken a couple of years and a couple of times seeing them and listening to them, but The Dirty Nil finally did it– they made me part of the super dedicated following, and I was beyond excited to see the band in this new light.

The Dirty Nil had no business playing a venue as small as the 7th Street Entry on Saturday night. The 250-capacity room was packed to the absolute brim with people who, like me, were so excited to see these legendary Canadian rockers. Okay, I’m using the word “legendary” a lot like this band is a household name, but I know they aren’t. The fact is, if you know The Dirty Nil, you know. And if you know, you know The Dirty Nil. This trio has been doing their thing since 2006, and like House & Home (and Grumpster, for that matter), they have been grinding since the beginning. I feel like they are finally hitting their stride and getting the attention they deserve. It’s just a matter of time before they pop and become that household name, but, for now, they are still playing small clubs and giving fans a chance to see them a few more times before they really “hit.”

The Dirty Nil powered through a nearly twenty-song set, taking breaks only to praise Minneapolis as their favorite city in the United States (and I truly felt that they meant it). It was sweaty, it was hot, the audience was bouncing around to The Dirty Nil’s signature brand of rock that leans into everything from metal to pop-punk to indie-rock at any given time, and it was absolutely perfect. The three members of this band didn’t mind the heat and actually seemed to bask in it. With sweat dripping down everyone’s foreheads by the time the show was over, The Dirty Nil never missed a note, never missed a step, and never missed a chance to thank the band for giving them such a fun night. In the end, it was the audience who should have been thanking the band (which they did in the form of a monstrous applause) for such a flawless Saturday night.

It took me four times seeing The Dirty Nil for it to really click. It clicked on Saturday night, and I can’t believe it took so long. I know it’s early in the year, but seeing The Dirty Nil in such a small venue will be a highlight of my 2025.