When I'm not covering shows or writing reviews, I work as a school teacher. This past May 24th was my last day of school and I needed to celebrate summer vacation in some way. But how? Go out to a bar? A movie? Sit on the couch and play video games? Or maybe head over to South Side Music Hall in Dallas, TX to catch Alpha Wolf alongside Emmure, UnityTX, & Chamber for a night full of moshing, crowd-surfing, and two-stepping? Bet you can't guess which one I chose.
First up for the night was Chamber from Nashville, TN. It was my first time hearing the band but I know it will not be my last time. Chamber took the stage with some of the fiercest energy I've seen in a band in a while. The entire time they were on stage it was next to impossible to decide on who to focus on because each member was going absolutely insane on stage. I don't think I saw a single person standing still as the band delivered banger after banger! I, for one, cannot wait for Chamber's return to the Dallas area.
Hometown heroes UnityTX took the stage next and were greeted to a roar of applause from the ground. Between the release of 2023's Ferality, and this year's Playing Favorites, UnityTX has been continuing to get the recognition they deserve. I've had the luxury of seeing the band play a few times since moving to Dallas back in 2019, and they've done nothing but improve each and every time. Between some absolute precision playing to a combination of flawless rapping and deathcore-style vocals, the band had the entire venue on the verge of collapsing. Oh, and I cannot go any further without mentioning the disgusting and filthy set of pig squeal-like sounds coming from vocalist Jay Webster. Jesus Christ. My man is sure to put bands out of business with that performance. While the entire set was close to perfect, the cherry on top had to have been when UnityTX ended their set with one of my personal favorite tracks: "Roc Sh!t".
After some intense moshing brought to Dallas by UnityTX, it was time for a band that one could argue is of a legendary status: Emmure. Emmure have been a force in the music scene ever since 2007's Goodbye to the Gallows. From a badass band logo, to a killer album artwork, to some of the most revolutionary songs of all time, everyone is familiar with this album. I remember the first time I heard "10 Signs You Should Leave". Holy shit. My life changed forever from that moment, and I bet I'm not the only one that feels that way. Everyone wanted to be like and sound like Frankie Palmeri. As Emmure took the stage, hundreds of fans had the same feeling of being back in middle school or high school and, somehow, after all these years, we all remembered every single lyric to every single song.
Emmure continued to demolish the crowd with some of the crunchiest down tuned breakdowns that would rearrange your guts in the best way possible. From wall to wall, from barricade to the sound booth, it was just a nonstop barrage of fans screaming along to classics like "Natural Born Killer", "Children of Cybertron", & "Solar Flare Homicide". Ugh. And to end the set with "When Keeping it Real Goes Wrong". Chef's kiss Emmure. Chef's fucking kiss.
After much waiting, it was finally time for our headliner to take the stage: Alpha Wolf. Coming all the way from Australia & Tasmania, this has been a moment fans have been waiting for. This is a band that has been making waves arguably since their formation. I remember when I randomly came across "Sub-Zero" one day and was hooked ever since. This is a band that is so refreshing to have in the heavy music scene because you can truly tell they are in it for the music. Their nonstop work ethic to improve and innovate is unmatched. I've heard countless bands talk about Alpha Wolf in interviews, podcasts, and promos, and I don't think I've ever once heard a negative thing about the band. Maybe the only negative is they're too goddamn heavy? But, is that really a problem?
What a special night in Dallas it was. Between celebrating drummer Mitch Fogarty's birthday, to having their touring photographer Olivia Morgan join the band for part of "Bleed 4 You", the entire night was amazing. While their entire discography is unmatched, hearing my favorite song, "Creep", played live was all I needed to start my summer off to an amazing start. While the Half Living Things Tour is coming to an end in the next few days, I am sure that Alpha Wolf will be back again and will deliver an even more incredible performance (if that is even possible).
