It was a Friday night in Charlotte and what better way to celebrate than head out for an evening of live rock and roll. Local punk legends Scowl Brow were headlining the Neighborhood Theater in celebration of their tenth anniversary and fans were eagerly anticipating a wild and crazy night that one can only find at a Scowl Brow show.
The venue is situated in an area of town nicknamed NODA (north of Davidson Street) which is a thriving hot spot for music and the arts as well as local craft breweries and pubs. The Neighborhood Theater used to be a cinema and has been converted to a great place for live music, with a large stage where the movie screen used to be along with a balcony and a smaller stage which is used for more intimate concerts in the front of the theatre. Tonight’s show was on the main stage and the bar area already had quite a crowd well before show time.
Opening the show was The Old North State, a country rock band from Stanly County, North Carolina. It may seem like a strange fit with the rest of the bands on the bill but there is a lot of history between the bands. In fact, Scowl Brow first got started in TONS’ lead singer Bart Lattimore’s basement.
From the moment they hit the stage, this band impressed the hell out of me. They are a great mix of southern rock, country, and the blues. Mix up a musical cocktail of two parts the Allman Brothers Band, one-part ZZ Top, a solid dash of Hank William Jr., garnish with a tad of Tom Petty and call it The Old North State if you will. This is the sort of band that has you on an emotional roller coaster of highs and lows from stomping down to a little honky tonk and shedding a tear as they sing the blues, The Old North State does it all. The band dropped their first EP last year and gave an outstanding performance of their hit ‘Carolina Sky’ for the appreciative audience. Solid as a rock.
Next up was Dull Mourning, a post-hardcore band hailing from western North Carolina. They’re intense and explosive and brought the energy level up several notches as soon as they got started. The heaviness of their songs are full but they also have a great melodic feel to them. It’s music you can headbang to but also sing along at times. Lyrically, Dull Mourning is tackling some pretty heavy topics here with the constant pressures and struggles of everyday life that we can all relate to and it’s reflected in their live show. Certain moments of their set were quietly subdued before the crushing blows were delivered in force. Their debut EP ‘Ugly Flame’ was released in January and is available for streaming and also in cassette form which is super cool.
Anyone who frequents local metal shows in the Carolinas will already be very familiar with the next band on the bill. I’m talking about the metalcore madmen of Violent Life Violent Death.
As you would expect from their name, VLVD serves up their own special brand of punishment with brutal riffs and vicious rhythms. Tonight, they were an absolute beast, tearing up the stage with a vengeance and it wasn’t long before a pit opened up in front of the stage. Fans were moshing hardcore, slamming into each other with force as VLVD was merciless in their attack. This atmosphere right here was what I missed the most during the pandemic shutdowns, that feeling of unity, of being one with the music and it was incredible to see it on display in full force.
A highlight of their set was the song ‘Roseblade’ from their 2020 EP ‘The Color of Bone’ as the band whipped themselves into a frenzy leaving the crowd begging for more.
Finally, it was time to grab a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon as Scowl Brow was about to throw down. A huge Scowl Brow banner hung at the rear of the stage and the monitors at the front of the stage were carefully covered in plastic because what was to come would be a spectacle like no other. You see, a Scowl Brow show isn’t just a concert, it’s a party and fans are known to spray beer, mainly of the PBR variety, up in the air, all over the band, and all over themselves. It’s part of the fun and when the band hit the stage, it didn’t take long before it all began.
The band’s Facebook page describes them as four dudes, drinking beer, playing rock and roll and that pretty much describes them to a tee. Their songs are great to sing along to and party with catchy riffs and unforgettable choruses. Led by vocalist and guitarist Robby Hale, Scowl Brow ran through a tremendous set full of classics like ‘Wild Turkey’ and ‘Cum’. It just wasn’t possible to not have a good time.
As the night went on, things got even crazier, as fans began to crowd surf with one fan in particular standing up on the barricade, saluting the crowd, before diving back down into the pit to surf his way to the back. What a night and a great show as always from one of the legends of the game. This band is the real deal. Do yourself a favor and check out one of their shows for a night you’ll never forget.
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