Live Shows: Haywire, 4DWN, Dallas, TX 10/23/26

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Despite being involved in the Boston music scene, Haywire mostly escaped my attention. I knew they existed, and there was a huge buzz behind them, but hardcore isn't always my thing, so I mostly missed them. I saw them opening up for Dropkick Murphys back in March, and they were good, but I didn't quite get the huge deal about them. Last week I was in Dallas for Sick New World, and once I heard that Haywire were playing a free show Friday night, I had to go and support a local Boston band. And my life may never be the same.

The openers, Defcon1 and Ancient Ones, were two solid local hardcore bands that put on great sets. They both played short sets and had their own fans that were there for them, and I remember commenting that crowds in Dallas were pretty chill for a hardcore show.

And then Haywire took the stage. Playing a show with no barricade and an active skateramp behind them was a much better sending than a large, corporate venue of Dropkick Murphys fans mostly waiting to hear "Shipping Up to Boston" and not wanting anyone standing within six feet of them. The crowd exploded as soon as the band started playing and never mellowed out. Haywire encouraged as much activity as possible, partially since they were shooting a video for "FLEX YOUR HEAD," but mostly because that's more fun for everyone. How nuts of a show was it? I've never seen more lost shows, and at one point even a cameraman did a stagedive. 

Haywire frontman Austin Sparkman knows how to command an audience, and the fans at 4DWN were ready to do anything he asked. He instructed the crowd to start diving off the speakers, and it immediately started happening. The band's songs are unbelievably solid enough for me to want to hear "FLEX YOUR HEAD" more even after a third time for the video. Songs like "CLOCKTOWER PLACE" and "POSER DISPOSER" are incredibly solid, and have the near magical ability to be beloved by both diehard and casual hardcore fans.

How great was Haywire Friday night? I skipped Lords of Acid, a band I've been a fan of for decades that I've never seen, to see them the next day at Sick New World, and my friend and I bought tickets for their April show at Roadrunner as soon as we got back to the hotel. (Their upcoming tour has been priced so that no matter how much service charges are at your local venue, tickets will be exactly $25.) One single show turned me from a casual fan of Haywire into needing to see them every time I can. How many bands can you say that about?

On Repeat...

Failure - "The Air's on Fire"

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Photo by Lyndsey Byrnes With their upcoming seventh overall studio album, the highly influential band Failure will have released more albums since reuniting in 2014 than they did during their first run. The first single from that album, "The Air's on Fire," shows the band expanding their sound while still being rooted in what has always made them great. The song is a dark and moody one that is always threatening to explode but never quite does. This is an example of 90's alt-rock meets art rock at its very finest. It's the kind of song that could easily have come out thirty years ago, but that doesn't mean it sounds dated. After the first listen, "The Air's on Fire" will sound like a killer alt-rocker from a 90's band that hasn't lost a step at all. The more you listen, the more complex Failure get on the single, and the more the song reveals itself to you. Ken Andrews says of his band's latest single: “That song is directly about my ...
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Hiding Places - "Waiting"

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Photo by Calli Westra Brooklyn's Hiding Places are originally from North Carolina, and that sound is all over their latest single. "Waiting" has a strong alt-country meets dark indie rock sound. The song is as hypnotic as it is heartbreaking. Even if you're not paying attention to the lyrics, the vibe of the song is overwhelmingly dark and somber. There's plenty of country twang and indie rock fuzz throughout the song, with the music carrying the weight of the song as much as vocalist/guitarist Nicholas Byrne's voice does. The song is stunning, both in its beauty and mood. I feel like I've been sitting on "Waiting" for a while now until I could fully wrap my head around it. Hiding Places has something truly special here. Nicholas Byrne says of his band's latest single: "Hiding Places’ first bassist, Anthony Cozzarelli, left the band in July of 2022. I wrote the chorus the day before Anthony left the band. I recalled the slow death of my ...
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Mama's Broke - "How it Ends"

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Mama's Broke, the post-folk Canadian duo of Lisa Maria and Amy Lou Keeler, have just released a break up song that might be their most accessible yet. While the previous singles from their upcoming album have a certain darkness or a sense of foreboding, "How it Ends" sounds relatively upbeat. Considering this is a song about how you never think you'll find someone as good as your ex after a break up, that's quite a feat. This is a traditional folk song with some slightly modern folk harmonies. As much heartbreak as their is in "How it Ends," there is also the warmth of remembering a recent relationship. You can listen to "How it Ends" below. Narrow Line is due out May 13 on Free Dirt Records, and can be pre-ordered here . For more on Mama's Broke, check out the artist's website .
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