Die Spitz ignited The Pinhook, unleashing a scorching wave of punk rock fury and leaving a sweat-drenched, electrified crowd begging for more.
The Pinhook is a small, 250-person capacity venue right in the heart of downtown Durham, NC. The venue itself and the people who frequent it are diverse, welcoming, and completely unafraid to be their true selves. This was the perfect venue and perfect audience for an evening with Die Spitz and local supporting act Persimmon, two bands who walk the walk of unrestrained self-expression and diversity.
Local Raleigh queer punk rock band, Persimmon, opened the show. Self-described as “ambient post-hardcore,” Persimmon is comprised of musicians who appear unassuming, who 80% of the time perform in a controlled and calm manner, then, with little warning, can pull the pin from the grenade and explode into a loud, frothing mess. Formed in 2022, this still new band was loose and imperfect, but not in a bad way. Often the performers fell briefly out of sync, rushed, or became tentative on entries and exits, but these imperfections exemplified the image and persona of the band. A tight, integrated, in-sync sound for the band, wouldn’t make sense for such a diverse set of independent self-expressionists. The individuality of each performer coming together into a multi-faceted single entity, working together to create something beautiful, seemed to match what Persimmon as a band represents.
Persimmon performed a six-song set including their song “Bait Dog” which was introduced as perhaps the only song audience members may know. Lack of prior awareness of the band’s song catalog didn’t appear to be a problem because every song received loud applause and a dance floor full of constantly moving people. Vocalist Taylor became very emotional introducing the song identified as “Mary…” on the setlist, saying it was a song about “being small in a big world” and receiving the support from friends to keep living for tomorrow. It was a touching moment that displayed the personal connection between the band and music and their ability to be vulnerable and honest. Persimmon’s musical style was dramatically different from the evening’s headliner, however their message and connection with the audience was an excellent setup for Die Spitz.
Prior to Die Spitz taking the stage for their set, band members were frequently moving through the venue, intermingling with fans, and excitedly standing off stage watching and recording Persimmon’s performance. Recently signed to Third Man Records and getting ready to release their debut album, the band clearly still retained their down-to-earth, humble, “we’re all here to have fun” persona. Band members Ava Schrobilgen (vocals and rhythm guitar), Chloe Andrews (drums), Ellie Livingston (guitar and vocals), and Kate Halter (bass) took the stage to a sold-out crowd, huge applause, and wearing the biggest smiles possible on their faces. The connection between the band and the audience was intense from the beginning to the end of their performance.Performing a 14-song set, Die Spitz included a large number of yet-to-be-released music from their upcoming debut full-length album plus several tracks from their 2023 EP, Teeth. Opening with “Monkey Song” from Teeth, the slam dancing and crowd surfing began immediately and furiously. As the set progressed, stage divers began hurling themselves into the crowd and turned The Pinhook into a sweat-drenched punk rock dance orgy. The temperature rose so high in the venue that the HVAC broke and poured water into the middle of the dance floor which became the only clean-ish reprieve from the rain of condensed sweat falling from the ceiling. Fan favorites “I Hate When Girls Die” and the new song “American Porn” riled the audience up before a fast and furious rendition of “Groping Dogs Gushing Blood” to close out the show. From start to finish, Die Spitz proved again they are one of the most energetic, fiery, furious, and fun bands touring today.
Die Spitz continues to tour internationally until their final scheduled show in their hometown of Austin, TX, on October 24. Now with the backing of a record label, Die Spitz has everything they need to become a dominant force in the punk rock world. This is the type of band people brag about having seen them in a small club back in the beginning.
PERSIMMON
Website
