REVIEW: Dive Presents: Guerilla Toss, The Abyssmals, Bloodx3
11/01/2024 at No Fun, Troy NY
“Guerilla Toss is a truly original stew of punk, prog-rock, New York style no wave, and a myriad of other upbeat and raw, yet danceable, micro-influences all culminating in total on-stage catharsis.”
A single TV monitor rigged up in front of the stage glowed neon, white hot jagged shapes back at the audience for Bloodx3’s performance on Friday, 11/1 at No Fun in Troy. Acting as a sort of haunted heart rate monitor–or maybe it was cursed security camera footage, you be the judge–the visuals were the perfect complement to a barrage of relentless vocals, attacking guitar riffs, and thudding synth beats.
Locals will easily recognize the post-punk darkwave duo, Shane Sanchez and Chris Brown, from their indie-promotional event group, Superdark Collective. Nearly everyone in the room was dancing along to what felt like a dangerously fun emergency fire drill and the space was bathed in panicky purples, greens and pinks as the two leaned heavily into the EDM/DDM spirit.
Up next, the Abyssmals took the stage ushering in a sweet balm of surfy-trippy-retro rock and roll, which the group consistently delivers on. This night’s set in particular called to mind a 13th Floor Elevators-inspired feel that flooded the room in psych-haziness. The Abyssmals succeeded in providing space for a more chilled out atmosphere by comparison without ever losing their razor-sharp attitude and cool vintage edge. Their sets will leave you feeling like the main character of a dusty VHS copy of some 1960s motorcycle cult film. They skillfully washed everyone ashore for the headliner: SubPop darlings, Guerilla Toss.
Singer Kassie Carlson spiked the room alive in an instant, their voice blaring at times like a safety alarm that had been tripped. Guerilla Toss is a truly original stew of punk, prog-rock, New York style no wave, and a myriad of other upbeat and raw, yet danceable, micro-influences all culminating in total on-stage catharsis. As promised by an online flier promoting the Troy show, “...the currently touring and always recording art rock band has fully crystalized their brilliantly unhinged music.” Seeing them live felt like being pleasantly ambushed at every turn by fresh, childlike exuberance. If you see them tearing through your city on this most recent tour, don’t miss it.