Show Me the Body at Paradise Rock Club, 3/21/23
When I saw that New York City-based hardcore punk band Show Me the Body was returning to Boston on a headlining tour, I knew I had to see them again. In April of last year, I saw them open for Slowthai with no expectations and came out absolutely captivated. The raw energy that they brought to the stage was something that I had never experienced before. That energy transferred to the mosh pit, which was also one of the most fun crowd experiences I have ever had.
With this past set in mind, I went into this concert with high expectations, and they certainly delivered. Starting off with “Out of Place,” one of the slower cuts from their latest album Trouble The Water, the dark and moody synthesizers along with lead vocalist Julian Cashwan Pratt’s eerie delivery provided a suspenseful opening in a venue that was appropriately dark. The band went on to perform most of the songs on their new album while sprinkling in a few tracks from their other projects.
They kept the energy high throughout the whole set, regardless of the fast or slow pacing of their songs. Cashwan Pratt’s heavy vocals commanded attention along with his distorted-sounding banjo that featured mangled strings sticking out of the headstock. Bassist Harlan Steed was also incredible, showing mastery over the bass and synthesizer, headbanging and letting his long hair flow as he did so. Drummer Jack McDermott was an underrated part of the night, as he provided the backbone of the songs with his addictive, aggressive style. Despite only being a three-piece band, they manage to create such an enthralling sound and atmosphere, and you can’t help but headbang, mosh, and stage dive, which a lot of people did. One of the best parts of SMTB’s set was their interaction with fans. From letting anyone stage dive to handing the mic to fans, they fostered a very intimate and fun environment.
As the set came to a close, they played one of my favorite songs, “USA Lullaby,” with its heavy riffs, fast-paced drums, and brash vocals. Shortly afterwards, they ended their set with McDermott throwing his drumsticks into the crowd and a “thank you” for the crowd.
Show Me the Body are incredible live, and I would highly recommend being in the mosh pit for at least a few songs to truly experience the wonders of their music. It is also worth shouting out their four opening acts: Trippjones, Zulu, Scowl, and Jesus Piece. They all brought a unique vibe and went above and beyond to set the mood for the main act. SMTB even invited Zulu’s guitarist Dez Yusuf on stage during their set to perform a song with them. The hardcore scene clearly cares about each other, and SMTB showed it with their stacked concert and on stage support.
