La Dispute, Defeater, and Native at Altar Bar, 5/20

There is a lot wrong with the current state of hardcore. I could write a whole ‘nother piece on what is shitty about the hardcore scene these days, but it really just boils down to unnecessary violence and lack of creativity. At shows, too many innocent bystanders are getting punched in the face during the same tired, “brutal” breakdown. It’s enough to turn people away from shows in the genre, and perhaps even the genre altogether. But luckily, there are still bands that represent what was wonderful about hardcore from the beginning, and on Friday night I had the chance to see three of those bands play this new wave of creative, emotional hardcore live.