Hardcore punk band MUGGER perform at Mohawk in celebration of their latest album Luck Forever, and were joined by Chest Pain, xderisionx, Anchorite and U.N.I.T.
The female-fronted hardcore punk band Mugger is making a name for themselves in the local Austin scene. They are rebellious and show it through their traditional punk attitude, catchy guitar licks, and lyrics as memorable. This show was not only an album celebration, but also showed importance of the punk community. Attendees may have gotten lost in the pit, but the aggression released in the room only built for a stronger welcoming sense.
Last April, Mugger was opening for Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol, another well-known Austin band, at Mohawk. Almost a year later, the band took the same stage in celebration of their latest record release. The album had high praise from the Austin fans, as well as from punk legend John Brannon of Negative Approach, who was actually featured on one of the tracks. The release show not only featured a killer lineup of central Texas based hardcore bands.
Kicking the show off, was the three piece Anchorite. As stated in their own words “for anybody but not for everyone”, which set the tone well for their performance. The band played a stellar set showcasing their excellent riff variations and strong messaging for the current administration. The band drew their line in the sand making it known exactly who they were and what they stood for.
Following Anchorite was the straight edge quartet known as xderisionx. For anyone familiar with the straight-edge punk genre, it can be the most aggressive of hardcore that exist. This band did a great job of proving that point. The frontman was standing strong and grounded throughout the set, both in performance as well as stage presence. The breakdowns were heavy and plentiful, and the pit was insane – probably the rowdiest of the night. About half way through the set, the vocalist leaped into the mosh pit to join the the crowd.
xderisionx gave a show reminiscent of late 90s east coast hardcore bands with the intensity that scene was known for.
The fast paced, hyper charged hardcore band Chest Pain followed next. The band came in full force with their ferocious blast beats and shredding guitar riffs. They blasted through their set without breaks, and served full force all the way through, making it a memorable set.
San Antonio based U.N.I.T were the last openers of the night. The band hit the stage like a tornado with their incredibly wild and lively frontman, who had some of the best stage performances of the evening, as well as a stellar vocal performance unique to anyone else in the room. The bass was heavy, the drums were fast, and the riffs were insanely tight and well put together. U.N.I.T gathered all the energy in the room and took it up a notch and left the crowd hungrier than when they came in.
Although most of the crowd had been moshing heavily through the entire show, they were lively as ever when Mugger hit the stage. Coming out with giant inflatable lucky dice, Mugger let it be known it wasn’t just a show it was a celebration, Luck Forever release was here! With all members coming from previous bands before, Mugger was well versed in creating an awesome stage presence with each of their personalities shining through.
The vocalist bouncing all around led the way with her chaotic and exciting energy, the bassist grooving out swaying to the rhythm, the drummer concentrated and precise on percussion, and guitarist glaring down the crowd with his death stare while absolutely shredding, made is so you couldn’t take your eyes off the stage, even if you were in the pit anticipating another fist to come flying your way.
The band rocked out and played signature songs like “Candy Apple Baseball”, “Not the One” and the title track. A few songs in, the ladies whipped out their signature bedazzled ski masks as fans dived into the pit to let chaos ensue.
There’s no way to replicate a live Mugger show. If you didn’t get to see the sold-out show at the Mohawk, hear what you missed by streaming Luck Forever, available now!
I’m a photographer currently based in Austin after recently relocating from Denver, CO. I graduated from the University of Colorado, Denver in 2019 with a degree in Business Management. I love music of all genres and have been going to live shows since I was 5 years old. Some of my favorite artist currently include Freddie Gibbs, Lola Young, Ivy Lab and Knocked Loose, but that is always subject to change.
