Hardcore legends Circle Jerks gave everyone a sweaty, high-energy release at Cat’s Cradle, pulling off a furious climax alongside Municipal Waste and Negative Approach.
Cat’s Cradle was packed, sweltering, and smelled distinctly like a locker room after overtime. Fans of all ages came for an old-school punk rock show headlining Circle Jerks, one of the most legendary punk acts to come out of the Southern California punk scene. Circle Jerks last visited Carrboro nearly five years ago, and the excitement ran high for their return, especially with tonight being the official kickoff for a two-week run of dates in late September.
Openers Negative Approach took the stage without fanfare, but the crowd reacted immediately. Yelling and applause spread quickly as the band began to appear on stage, peaking upon vocalist John Brannon’s arrival. The venue was already near capacity at the start of their set, and the audience exploded into a massive mosh pit the moment the music started. Brannon’s vocals were as strong, sharp, and jarring as in his younger days, and his intensity fueled the rapidly escalating mosh pit with over 100 swirling dancers smashing into the pit walls like a runaway chain reaction. Richardson struck his signature pose of feet planted firmly, rigid stance, and his back to the audience for the entire show. Destructive from the start and tireless throughout, Negative Approach did far more than “light the fuse” for the headliner. An anticipated band in their own right who had a lot of fans in the audience, the band delivered a wild performance that raised the energy and temperature in the venue nearly to the breaking point.
Municipal Waste was quick to remind the audience they were a crossover band, not a metal band, as an explanation for why they were performing with two legendary punk bands. Based from neighboring Richmond, Virginia, Municipal Waste is no stranger to the North Carolina punk and metal scene and drew an excited fanbase who sang the lyrics and threw themselves about without caution amongst the chaos in the mosh pit. The pit immediately grew to double its size, to take over nearly half of the venue floor when their show began. Opening with “Breathe Grease” from their 2017 Slime and Punishment album, the 14 song setlist covered 6 studio albums and 1 EP, covering nearly the entirety of their catalog. Vocalist Tony Foresta wore the biggest smile throughout the entire show, watching the audience go berserk as the intensity, heat, and smell in the venue rose to new heights.
The set list included fan favorites “Sadistic Magician” and “Wave of Death,” during which a very willing audience overwhelmed the three-man security crew with countless crowd surfers who didn’t stop for the entirety of the song. The audience was so wild, Tony called out a special thanks to the security crew before launching into “Art of Partying” and “Demoralizer” before closing with “Born to Party.” The band was given a lengthy set time to let loose and show Carrboro why they are considered one of the leading crossover/thrash bands.
Frontman Keith Morris walked quietly onstage, casually wrapped black tape around the microphone cable connection, and started talking while the band finalized equipment checks, something he would continue with regularity throughout the show. Morris opened with a lengthy run of gratitude for his bandmates, offering special praise to drummer Joey Castillo, whose recent addition to the band made the tour possible. After several more minutes spent thanking crew members, the merchandise team, and their “underwear model” stagehand, Circle Jerks tore into “Deny Everything,” followed immediately by “Letterbomb,” and “In Your Eyes.” Morris sounded formidable, his distinctive bark cutting through Castillo’s heavy hitting and co-founder Greg Hetson’s blazing guitar work. Bassist Zander Schloss, continuously cool and relaxed, locked down the rhythm section with the driving low-end core to the band’s catalog.
Keith used time between songs to offer historical context, share political commentary, and introduce the genesis of several of the band’s songs. He spoke candidly, taking aim at everyone from organized religion and politicians to mainstream California bands who made it big, while also pausing to pay heartfelt tribute to a close friend who recently passed away from cancer. Unapologetic and pointed, Keith’s monologues offered both backstory for the songs and raw insight into what keeps him up at night. Even when the audience serenaded him with “Happy Birthday” on the eve of turning 71, Keith’s perpetually questioning, highly critical mind prevented him from simply saying “thank you” and accepting the gesture for what it was: an unreserved offering of love and appreciation from his fans. Instead, he deadpanned into the mic, “It’s not midnight yet.” While the extended breaks gave the band room to breathe and occasionally stalled the room’s momentum, the music never lost its bite.
Circle Jerks continue this tour through September 26 with a show in Brooklyn, NY, before briefly pausing ahead of a performance on November 14 at the Darker Waves Festival in Huntington Beach, CA.
CIRCLE JERKS
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