NECK DEEP AT THE SALT SHED
BY MARY ICENOGLEOn Sunday night, the last show of Neck Deep’s self-titled North American tour, the blocks surrounding The Salt Shed were already buzzing hours before the first opener was slated to take the stage. Neck Deep was accompanied by a high-charged line-up of well-known groups in the punk circuit: Higher Power, Bearings, and Drain.
Higher Power kicked off the night with a short 30-minute, 7-song setlist that certainly got the crowd moving. During Seamless, lead singer Jimmy Wizard requested a circle pit from the crowd – the first of many for the night. Shortly after, Bearings took to the stage and wasted no time. The group leaned heavily into their recent release, The Best Part About Being Human, with half of the songs originating from the album (and the banner behind them also sporting the title). Highlights included Sway, one of the group’s most well-known singles, and Scenery, a newer favorite.
As soon as Drain took the stage I could tell why they were chosen to go on just before Neck Deep. It was an erratic frenzy and high energy spectacle unlike any other. Though Drain strays much further into the hardcore punk genre than I have ever bothered to venture, I found their set infectiously fun and hard not to enjoy. Frontman Sammy Ciaramitaro’s vibrant spirit and obvious love for performing left nothing to desire and made for a truly unique live performance. During their finale, California Cursed, Ciaramitaro challenged the crowd, “Can we get 20 people crowd-surfing at once?” ...and I think they did. Drain did their job, creating an air of emphatic vigor that would carry through the night with crowd-surfing, can-tossing, beer-sloshing, and heavy-hitting moshing and thrashing.
Nearly 3 and a half hours after doors had opened, the time finally came for Neck Deep. The band launched into Dumbstruck Dumbf**k, the first song of their newest self-titled album released only a month ago. Despite being such a fresh album, the crowd shouted along with all of the lyrics. In one of the most chaotic photo pits I have ever been in, the first 3 songs of Neck Deep’s set played host to the most crowd surfers I have ever witnessed, and one of the most enthusiastic, passionate crowds I have ever had the pleasure to be surrounded by.
In the most memorable moment of the night, lead singer Ben Barlow took time to address the crowd, before playing their song Don’t Wait: Punk rock should be political. If you’re not switched on to what is happening in the world, then I want to open your eyes just a little bit.[...] If some of us aren’t free, then none of us are free.
Don’t Wait is an anthem of anti-government, anti-establishment punk, with lyrics like “Disrupt and keep dividing / The government is lying” and “No kings, no queens, no justice, no peace/ Dig deep, believe the truth will set you free” which set the crowd on fire. From my spot on the floor of the venue, I felt an energy shift as the cheers and shouts mounted. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of freedom as I head-banged along to the angry instrumental, knowing unequivocally I was surrounded by love and acceptance, and a rough-around-around-the-edges crowd coming together through music and support for one another.
As the song closed, Barlow continued to speak: “Neck Deep always has, always will be on the side of the fucking underdog – anyone who is oppressed, the odds stacked against them. My government is responsible for the deaths of children. [...] It doesn’t matter where you’re from, who you love, we support you. [...] If you’re the underdog, we’ve fucking got you. If we’re going to build a better world, I know two things. We need more punks, and we need more bricks.”
The segue into the band’s song We Need More Bricks was met with a roar and the band’s performance was the perfect backdrop for the crowd to let their frustrations out and join together. The song concluded with Barlow’s final declaration, “Free Palestine.” The rest of the show went by in a flurry, including throwbacks like Where Do We Go When We Go released in 2017 and December released in 2015, and more new hits like Take Me With You and It Won’t Be Like This Forever, before the band left the stage for a faux-show ending. The crowd chanted and cheered for an encore, while the stage stayed dimly lit and Josh Turner’s Your Man played over the loudspeakers (Baby, lock the door and turn the lights down low...)
Much to the audience’s excitement, Neck Deep returned to the stage for a 3-song encore, including STFU, Can’t Kick Up The Roots, and In Bloom. After a packed hour-and-a-half performance, I walked away feeling a deeper understanding and appreciation for Neck Deep, both as performers and as people, and with a renewed love for punk as a genre. It was truly the show of a lifetime.
