Live Review: Outline Fest @ Knockdown Center (2024-06-22)
featuring Couch Slut, Ragana, Cloakroom, Chat Pile, King Woman and The Armed
Event Details:
Date: June 22, 2024
Venue: Knockdown Center (Queens)
Ticket Price: $47.13
Artists: Couch Slut, Ragana, Cloakroom, Chat Pile, King Woman and The Armed
Today’s show was stacked with a great group of bands and I was especially looking forward to seeing a few in particular. Chat Pile was at the top of my list but after listening to Couch Slut (I know, great name!) and reading about them, I was fascinated and eager to see them live, as well as The Armed for their reputation of having some wild shows.
Couch Slut is a local band from NYC and they live up to their vulgar name in more ways than one. Someone in line for merch with me after their set said, “they just don't give a fuck about anything” and I think that pretty much sums it up. The lyrics are not for the faint of heart but I wasn't expecting such a visceral live performance as well. At one point the lead singer had blood running down her face from repeatedly hitting herself in the head with her microphone. I don't do blood well to say the least. The music was slow and gritty, carried by the emotional screams and haunting storytelling of the singer. Crazy set to open the day fest.
Next up was a really interesting duo called Ragana from Washington. Another slow tempo band but more black metal style vocals with the fuzz pedal cranked all the way up and a lot of delay on the guitar. A cool thing about the band was they switched instruments depending on the song. Not that their music is super complex or anything but I've said it before that I'm always impressed when people have the ability to play multiple instruments well, especially well enough to play a live show.
I caught a little bit of the Cloakroom set while I grabbed a quick sandwich from the food truck but wanted to get inside so I could get a prime spot for Chat Pile. This band caught my attention when I came across their 2022 album God’s Country and have been itching to see them live for awhile. I would say Chat Pile’s music fits into the sludge category as well but much heavier than any of the bands before them. Dropped tuning and extremely aggressive bass driven songs is how I would describe their music at a high level.
The vocalist also doesn't do much singing and it's more like a preacher giving an angry sermon but it works. It's in your face and pulls at your most primitive emotions, especially with a song like “Why” that questions why our society makes people live on the streets when we have plenty of resources and the means to eliminate that problem if we really wanted to. The music just feels angry and I love it. I also didn't realize a lot of the songs are based on movies, as the singer was an apparent movie buff and filled the space between songs referencing old movies. The boys from Oklahoma are an incredible band, delivered an intense performance and they more than exceeded my expectations. Please come back on a headlining tour after your new album releases later this year!!!
A storm was moving through and there was a lightning warning in the area so the headliner for the outdoor stage had to move inside and delayed the show times quite a bit. I try not to assume people’s gender these days but I believe King Woman was the third band of the evening fronted by a female, which is a great trend to see in the hard rock/metal world. It makes a big difference in the crowd demographics as well. I think the future is in good hands and hard rock/metal ain’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Though King Woman fit the vibe of the day, they had more of a shoegaze sound and I couldn't really get into the singer no matter how much I wanted to be open to it. She also spent the entire performance standing on the front barricades so all you could see from the back of the crowd was her little head and occasional arms waving. They are getting paid to play music and they had a big following present, just not my thing and the only dud of the day.
Last but certainly not least was The Armed, a mysterious group that is more of a collective with their constant rotating cast of characters that contributes to their music. All of their albums have a seemingly different vibe to them but I would say they are hardcore punk and experimental rock at their core. The one thing I can say for sure was their performance was a straight rager from start to finish. As soon as they took the stage, the lead singer jumped down into the crowd and they held him up like he was some kind of deity. His intensity and stamina was something else.
The pit was rambunctious as they were feeding off of the band’s energy and it didn’t stop for the entirety of the performance. A great aspect about shows like this is the camaraderie amongst the crowd and people are all looking out for each other making sure everyone is having a good time. Everyone in the band contributed to the enthusiasm in their own way on stage or joined the action on the floor. They are easily one of the most active bands I have ever seen and even seemed possessed at times. Such a killer band and live show.
It was a hot and muggy day and by the end of the last set it felt like steam room of sweaty bodies but everyone was smiling from ear to ear. Not sure what the deal was with all of the technical difficulties today but it was not the best day for Knockdown Center on that front. All-in-all it was a terrific day of shows and looking forward to a couple of more chill shows to end the month.
Cheers and keep rocking!