Girl at the Rock Shows

I had been looking forward to Monday night’s show since I saw Die Spitz open for Viagra Boys in September. Their strength and angst were something that resonated with me, and their performance was the kind that I live for. It was full of life, and the band wasn’t afraid to get raw and personal with the audience while ensuring their intense music remained at the forefront of their set. It was perfect, and when they announced that they would be coming back, I instantly cleared my calendar to ensure it was a show I would be attending. The show was initially booked at the super intimate 7th Street Entry, but it quickly shifted to the slightly larger Fine Line. Although I was a bit bummed about the move, as seeing this band in a venue as small as the 7th Street Entry would have been amazing, I was super happy for this band, as a bigger space meant they could get in front of more eyes and ears, and, ultimately, that’s what I want for this band. So I showed up at the Fine Line bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, waiting for this band to wow me once again, only this time, on their terms, their show.

Queer punk rockers Babe Haven were the one and only opening act on this bill, but truthfully, that’s all that was needed. This band took the stage and instantly hit the completely and utterly sold-out crowd with a perfect taste of riot grrrl attitude and a metal-leaning sound. Their music was as intense as their show was. It was song after song of fast riffs, slamming drums, and powerful vocals, which is nothing new, but this band did it all so well. Although everything was in your face and aggressive, the set from Babe Haven was super easy to digest. Every note had a place, and that place was perfectly aligned with everything else happening in the controlled chaos of their sound. This meant that, although intense, their music and overall set felt perfectly curated and like one that probably took a lot of time to rehearse and make as perfect as it was.

Although the opening band, the audience treated Babe Haven like the queens they deserved to be treated as. The crowd engaged with the performance by both pushing and shoving their way through the set and being attentive when the band spoke. It was a sense of respect that I will never tire of seeing, especially when it’s directed towards a band like Babe Haven, who are simply trying to make their shows a safe space for all kinds of people. It didn’t matter who you were when Babe Haven was on stage; their set was for you, and it would make you feel something. I can’t tell you what that something was because the set clearly hit everyone a little bit differently, but I can tell you that it hit everyone in the venue in a way that was as cathartic as it was beautiful.

The same could be said for headliners Die Spitz, but I was less than surprised by that. One of the many things that really stuck with me after seeing them a couple of months ago was how I walked away from the set feeling attached to this group. Like they had seen inside my soul in a way and were somehow able to put that sight into an angst-wrapped set that was nothing short of breathtaking. That’s what happened back in September, and it happened again as this headlining act took the stage at The Fine Line on Monday night.
Die Spitz is a band that is definitely making waves. They have been around for a hot minute, but I feel like their new album, ‘Something to Consume’, which came out in July, has really put this band on the map. They have curated a sound that is super aggressive and in your face, but, more importantly, is wholly original. It’s a little doomy, a little sludgey, and comes at you like a fist full of energy- an unescapable punch that you will take with a smile on your face because, in this day and age, sometimes all you need to do is feel something, and that’s exactly what Die Spitz does- they make you feel something. Maybe you felt the walls of emotion wash over you with their music, or perhaps you felt the relentless push and shove of the excited audience. Either way, Monday night’s show was far from a sleeper —it was a rowdy night that mirrored the energy of Die Spitz’s music perfectly.

Although I can’t tell you what songs Die Spitz performed, as I really don’t know their music as well as I should, I can tell you that it wasn’t enough. This was an all-ages show, which I had a love-hate relationship with. I loved that it was because not only did it mean I would be home at a reasonable time due to curfew restrictions, but it also meant that the younger generation would have a chance to see the magic that is this band. I hated it because it meant that there was a curfew and that Die Spitz’s set seemed to be a race against the clock, and that was a race that I didn’t want to see happen. Don’t get me wrong, the band didn’t feel rushed or anything like that, but it was more that I wanted to see so much more from them. The energy they brought to the stage and venue was nothing short of electric, and it was something that I had been craving for a hot minute. Ultimately, nothing would have ever been enough, so I took what I could, ate up every word, took every drum hit to heart, and smiled with every crowd surfer that passed. I guess what I’m trying to say is that, although short, Die Spitz was on point on Monday night, and the crowd knew it and acted accordingly.

Line Up:

Babe Haven

Die Spitz

Venue: Fine Line

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 19

Crowd Surfers – This venue isn’t known for their sightlines. Add the fact that it was beyond sold-out and I just could barely see let alone count how many there were

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-ability- 8 out of 10

Amount of Beer Spilled On Me While Walking Around- $0

Broken Bones- None Noticed

Spotted Flying Through The Air- Bubbles and Bodies

Fights- None

Pukers- 0

Passed Out People- 0

Idiots Taken Out By Security – 0

How Many Times I’ve Seen These Bands Before (or at least how many times I can remember)-

Babe Haven – 1

Die Spitz – 2

Overall Score –8.4 out of 10

Show on Deck —The Faint / Hercules & Love Affair / DJ Shane Kramer

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