Chiodos’ return to the stage on its All’s Well That Ends Well 20th anniversary tour reinvigorated an era that continues to haunt the memories of those who lived through it. Having previously caught the band's much-anticipated 2024 performance at the When We Were Young festival, it was clear that a mere taste of Chiodos was far from sufficient. We’re lucky this legendary post-hardcore band gave us the chance to run it back one more time before the year closes.
Big Ass Truck, an Inland Empire hardcore collective, opened the show with an explosive, maniacal energy. The five-piece wasted no time calling upon moshers to get the room rowdy and moving. The band's set—spanning tracks like “Corn-fed,” “Beef,” and “Big Ass Beer”—deafened the room with an unrelenting barrage of sound. Abel Abarca, the band’s commanding frontman, addressed the crowd between each song, either giving verbal approval or telling them to show out. “You know it’s a good show when security is headbanging,” Abarca quipped, gesturing to a barricade-guarding staff member.
Even with the lead vocalist coming off the tail end of a cold, the band’s performance maintained an impressionable wrath that belied their time on the road. The recent setlist addition of “Back-wheel Stomp," a track released under the auspices of their new label, Nuclear Blast, served as the perfect anthem for moshers in the crowd, who flailed with reckless abandon in response.
Next was Holywatr, an LA-based ensemble whose nuanced blend of nu-metal, metalcore, and emo was offset by unexpected elements of shoegaze and R&B. The band’s frontman, Holly, wielded his emotive vocal range with impressive dexterity, the plaintive tenderness of tracks like “Nail Polish” evoking a sense of intimacy in the room. The track’s vulnerability, coupled with its emotionally charged delivery, underscored why Holywatr has earned its burgeoning reputation.
And then, there was Chiodos, whose name alone evokes a wave of nostalgia. Though the band’s cultural footprint has largely faded over the last decade, its fervent fanbase has not forgotten. Despite the band's split in 2016, this tour demonstrated Chiodos' enduring relevance, as the crowd turned out in full force to witness the revival of a cherished era. Craig Owens, the sole surviving original member, anchored the performance with an almost uncanny fidelity to the recorded versions of the songs that once defined a generation’s musical identity. Cloaked in white, Owens’ presence on stage was emblematic of the singular role he plays in the Chiodos experience.
The setlist celebrated Chiodos' seminal 2005 album, All’s Well That Ends Well, featuring fan favorites such as “Baby, You Wouldn't Last a Minute on the Creek,” “All Nereids Beware,” and “No Hardcore Dancing in the Living Room.” The band’s signature blend of screamo, theatrical drive and unabashed emotion still resonates with an intensity that is palpable. As Owens surveyed the audience, asking, “How many OGs do we got in this sold-out motherfu**ing show?,” Brooklyn Bowl's thunderous response said it all.
