“What the fuck is up? We are Knocked fucking Loose. Are you ready to lose your mind? This song is called Fractures! Let’s Go!”
“Mistakes Like Fractures” was the second song on Knocked Loose’s setlist when they performed at White Oak Music Hall, an energetic song that had excellent exchanges between frontman Bryan Garris and guitarist Isaac Hale as they goaded the floor into jumping. Given the night, it was impressive to see the crowd hand any energy or oxygen left at all.
Thick. The air of White Oak Music Hall was thick with anticipation, thick with kinetic energy, thick with sweat. The usual dark downstairs section of the venue felt even darker with what patrons could swear was a film of condensation thick enough to bite into as they waited for the main act of the night, Knocked Loose.
Following sets by supporting acts Show Me the Body, Loathe and Speed, concertgoers fought for a spot close to the front, ensuring they’d taken their last bathroom trip for the night and that their current drink was empty.
Like many other acts touring this year, Knocked Loose began their 2024 tour at the Sick New World festival in Las Vegas. Currently, the Kentucky quintet is touring on their fourth studio album, You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To. Although the abum more complex than the prior three, it still manages to keep the relentless, hardcore sound Knocked Loose is known for while adding fresh drums and droning guitars. It’s an interesting listen although it features cleaner production.
The crowd surged forward during the intro to the first song, notably squeezing some of the people at the barricade that weren’t necessarily ready for the show to begin. Any open drinks were lost to the surge, but no one seemed to mind when protecting their ribcage became a priority.
“This next one’s for all the moshers,” Garris yelled from a riser. “Do we have any moshers? Don’t reach for me!”
Following the first few songs, Houstonians wasted no time in starting up a series of smaller, frenzied mosh pits, barely pausing to sing along to “Don’t Reach For Me” before crashing into fellow fans.
The set the band performed held lots of moss and muted items, overlooked by a glowing LED cross that changed colors depending on the song. It was eerie and looked like something ominous one would find when strolling a little too deep into Southern woods. “Don’t Reach For Me” is off the band’s latest album. The album’s name is inspired by an encounter Garris had on a plane. The turbulence unnerved him, according to a Metal Injection interview. He began bargaining with God in his head, eventually saying out loud that if he survived the ordeal, he’d go to church. The passenger next to him stopped him from making promises he wouldn’t keep. Also, he wasn’t going to die, with the stranger saying ‘No one ever goes until they’re supposed to.’ The music video to the song was reminiscent of the stage’s dressing, tying in the themes for the night.
Drummer Kevin Kaine kept tempo perfectly, but a tech had to come on a few times to fidget with one thing or another. It didn’t take away from the show, however. One of the highlights of the night came with “Belleville,” featuring a tease of an intro with a few licks of “Forget Your Name,” sending shockwaves through the audience. The sheer ferocity of the band’s performance was matched by the crowd. After all, Knocked Loose isn’t here for storytelling or theatrics. They’re here to, well, knock you loose.
Bassist Kevin Otten was steady, sometimes hiding between the drummer and the frontlines of the stage, choosing his moments to come forward for a statement piece. But his movements were nothing compared to the comings and goings of Nicko Calderon, hopping back and forth throughout the stage.
Although a solid, creative drummer within his realm, Kaine brought something truly unusual during the breakdown of “Suffocate,” a song that featured recording artist Poppy. The drumming during the breakdown had drawn parallels to beats commonplace in Reggaeton among Latin American fans, something that was undeniable to the trained ear. But it only added more character to an already different song, quickly making its way to the top of even OG “I miss their old stuff” fan’s playlists.
Garris dedicated “Billy No Mates” to Walter’s, the iconic Houston venue that closed in 2018. Despite the relentless energy the crowd continued to provide, Garris called for everyone to crowdsurf. By now, the front-of-house staff’s brows were glistening with sweat. In truth, crowd surfers had never stopped, though it did slow during the summer of the heavier songs. Only the bravest did so then, risking the high likelihood they’d get dropped into a pit or slip past the grasp of someone too busy fighting for their life to notice.
The onslaught of crowd surfers only stopped when the telltale alarms at the beginning of “Counting Worms” began to go off. Garris didn’t even have to sing, just raised his microphone in the air and let Houston do all the barking.
I wrote a song about getting better
It’s a feeling I can’t remember
Arf, arf!
Counting Worms by Knocked Loose
They thanked the crowd before disappearing into the blackened stage but didn’t leave the people waiting too long before the encore.
Although short, it was a much-needed break from the massacre the final few songs had provoked, a needed recharge before the way the finale weas to be done. The band came back hot with “Deep In The Willow.” Staff had taken the opportunity of the quick break to pass back some bottled water. At the start of the song, any water that hadn’t been accidentally shaken out of a drinker’s hands was swung and tossed into the crowd to add to the chaos.
The close of the Night was “Everything Is Quiet Now,” a fan favorite off Upon Loss Singles, but the song was anything butt. As things reached their peak, Garris called for those in attendance to split down the middle, preparing for a wall of death. What followed can best be described, visually, as the human equivalent of that one viral “Koi Me The Horizon ” video, featuring the orange fish clamoring over each other in an utter violent frenzy. The wall was massive, even drawing in people who weren’t necessarily keen on participating but couldn’t get to the outskirts fast enough.
It was interesting to watch the concertgoers file out of White Oak following the conclusion of the show. Not a lot seemed to have stiff needs from standing in one place for too long; they hadn’t been allowed to. However, they did seem pretty sore. Good samaritans held up shoes, shirts and phones, waiting for them to be claimed before also walking out in a daze. Fortunately, there wasn’t nearly as much blood as Knocked Loose’s 2022 stop in the city. Knowing this fan base, they may not have taken that as a positive.
Knocked Loose continues their North American tour until Sept. 21. See them in a city near you.
I am a multimedia journalist with a passion for guitar-based music – be that rock-n-roll, bachata, or anything in between. When not in a mosh pit, I can be found knitting, collecting CDs, thrifting, journaling, or attempting to incite chaos among feuding global powers. I hold a bachelors degree in Broadcast Journalism and a masters degree in Mass Communication from the University of Houston, making me twice the Coog you'll ever be 😉
