IN THE SPOTLIGHT: BALACLAVA

Written by Irisa Z.

Damn, this one has been a long time coming...

This past Friday night I was able to snag a last minute sit down with Balaclava, New York's iconic masked thrashers. To be completely honest I've lost count of how many Balaclava shows I have attended. Despite the ever increasing number, every single show no matter the venue still feels like an intimate smelly basement gig. The equipment is sketchy, the singer is thrashing the mic around in his mouth like a dog with a toy, the band members climbing everywhere and anywhere. Ignoring the chaos, at each show you see a handful of familiar faces bouncing around the crowd like pinballs. Not once does the pit feel closed off or intimidating, it's a beautiful balance of chaotic and welcoming. Not unlike the band members themselves.

Balaclava formed about 3 years ago by frontman Dylan Joyce, since then they've been putting in serious work. Which is ironic for how completely "unserious" the band members all are. Currently the band has only 7 songs officially released on their Bandcamp where they also describe themselves as "grime covered punk". I would have to agree with that statement without hesitation! Their music is not clean, it's as endearingly gritty and loud as the city it was born from. Balaclava's music is the best kind to listen to when you don't want to think. You just want to bounce around to the tunes in a pit with a bunch of strangers, who by the end of the set will probably become your friends. The band is scheduled to play their 100th show on November 22nd at The Broadway in Brooklyn. If you aren't a total lame ass, and you live in New York City, you'll be there to see them rip in person.