Photos by Wendy Schiller
Hot off of the start of their Never Enough Tour, named after their incredible new album, Baltimore based hardcore outfit Turnstile stopped by the Stage at Suffolk Downs with some friends for an energetic and relentless live show.
Boasting a total of 5 opening acts across their sprawling US tour, Turnstile brought along prog-pop artist Jane Remover, Aussie hardcore troop Speed and politically charged icons Mannequin Pussy for their Boston stop. A stacked lineup for punk fans everywhere, it was impressive that the crowd had any energy left by the time the main act took the stage, especially after the rallying cries and empassioned vocals of Mannequin Pussy’s Marisa Dabice. But the fans just kept on moshing right up until the very end.
Kicking off with more of a soft-launch, Turnstile opens with Never Enough’s album opener and title track, before kicking things into much higher gear. Lead vocalist Brendan Yates swiftly moves between a more emo-toned down vocal and the shrieking yell that’s demanded by their discography, powering through fan favorites like “I CARE”, “HOLIDAY” & “BLACKOUT”.
The sea of writhing bodies punctuated by t-shirts sporting the words “I CARE” across the chest, perfectly encapsulates the vibe at a Turnstile show. While the music onstage and the tenor of the mosh pit may read as aggressive and violent, the kind, generous nature of Turnstile and their followers reveals itself when speaking to any attendee. Everyone’s either there for a good time, a distraction from the outside world, or a healthier method of coping & learning how to fight back. Perhaps all of the above.
Whatever the reason, it was a great night to come out into the marshes of East Boston and throw some hands with your fellow Turnstile fans.
Certain aspects of the venue left some things to be desired: sound quality varied depending on your position in the crowd, and poor groundskeeping created hazardous conditions. A couple of my friends kept tripping over/falling into “holes” in the ground amidst the pitch black crowded conditions. However, venue staff did keep lines moving and wait times relatively low across food/beverage/merch booths, plus the pleasant weather kept the ground nice and dry.
Check out our full gallery of shots taken by Wendy Schiller below! Turnstile continues on their Never Enough tour including shows with Amyl & the Sniffers and Blood Orange through October before wrapping up in Orlando, FL. For more information, click here!
