Labor Day Weekend in New York City is one of the quietest times this city can every experience. The streets are relatively empty and if you stay in the city, you can assure you will more than likely have your favorite bar all to yourself. However, at Gramercy Theater on the first day of September, there are four bands that took every soul who remained in the city and brought them all there.

Crystal Lake, Currents, ERRA and Northlane brought a sold out night of heavy music, hypnotic performances and moshpits, essentially creating the 2019 Labor Day Beatdown.

All the way from Japan, we get Crystal Lake opening this performance. You would think that being the opening band, people are still coming into the venue, so the venue wont be as packed as when the headliner comes on. Well if you assumed that, you definitely messed up. As soon as they took the stage, you were lucky if you were able to watch them from the entrance to the venue, it was that packed. Crystal Lake instantly kicked right in with heavy riffs and breakdowns that started the night off on a brutal note. The pit opened up, and all hell broke loose.

After Crystal Lake took the stage and unleashed pure brutality, the insanity only continues when Currents took the stage. The lights dimmed and after the last line check, vocalist Brian Willie ran across the stage as if it was Braveheart. Opening with Into Despair, everything multiplied by 100. The crowd was jumping up and down and if you were on the floor, there was no safe zone. Not only was the crowd participation to a T with movement, you see how a band like Currents connects with a lot of people. With songs like Apnea and The Rope, you heard the crowd sing along while Brian pointed the microphone into the audience. While Brian did not have a static moment on stage you saw guitarist Chris Wiseman hit you with the ultimate riffs and soloing, nailing it note for note. While Currents only played a 6-song set, they made every second count and left the audience wanting more. You can assure that the next time they come here, its gonna be even crazier.

ERRA returns to New York City once again. After two brutal sets with Crystal Lake and Currents, ERRA continues that momentum but delivers great melody and emotion to add to the mix. With the production being upped even more with the flickering lights, ERRA was able to deliver a visual experience as much as a musical experience. They made every second count, opening with Irreversible and ending with Skyline. One minute the audience would be during the venue into a moment of insanity with the moshpitting, crowdsurfing and headbaning, but then delivering emotional melodies in the vocals and in the guitars that gave the audience a chance to catch their breath and engage with the band even more. ERRA is a unique band in ways that they are able to say so much in both their sound and in their shows. That why whether they play Summer Slaughter, or play with a band like As I Lay Dying, either way, people are going to connect and be engaged.

At Last, we get the headliner of the night, Northlane. You would think after 3 bands totally decimating the audience, that the people might wanna grab a beer and watch from the seat and relax for a minute. You couldn’t be more wrong. The audience eagerly stared at the bands laptop on the stage,and when the lights finally dimmed with this tint of green as if it was a Type 0 Negative concert, it signaled the beginning of this stellar performance, you knew all hell was about to break loose. Opening with Talking Heads, a very melodic, very heavy and very unpredictable song, you got emotion, brutality and most importantly, fun. The pit was just as enjoyable to watch as the band as one minute, people were jumping up to the ceiling, throwing elbows in the bit, and the next minute as vocalist Marcus Bridge delivered intense screams and cleans, you can see the audience practically being hypnotized by the sound of the voice. All of this is happening while Jon Brendon and Josh are swinging and swaying nailing their instruments note for note as Nic bashes the drums holding everything together. As they further moved along their setlist with songs such as Obelisk, Rot and Bloodline, you got the clear formula that no matter how many times you have seen Northlane, it is always unpredictable. Their heavy and melodic sound combined with their hypnotic production, you are in for an experience one way or another. Ending with an oldie but goodie, we get Quantum Flux essentially ending the show with the venue going down and history and up in flames, concluding the 2019 Labor Day Beatdown.

This insane summer is coming to an end, but there are many shows that have been ending it on the highest of notes, Northlane, Erra, Currents and Crystal Lake are a testament to no matter what time of the year it is, even on a holiday weekend, people will always come out to see kick ass music and have a good time while doing it.

Northlane’s new album, Alien out now!!!!!