Bedlam at The Belasco: The Blood Brothers Reunion Tour Is in Full Effect

All photos by Goody James.

The Blood Brothers were undoubtedly one of the most unique bands to come out of the late 90s and early 2000s. As punk rock continued to splinter into countless subgenres, they developed a distinct sound that blended elements of hardcore, emo, and indie rock. With a pounding rhythm section, spastic gutairs,  and two screeching vocalists, The Blood Brothers’ music was as flamboyant as it was violent.

From 1997 to 2007, the band released five studio albums as well as a number of splits, EPs, and singles. Their last studio album to date, 2006’s Young Machetes, was produced by Guy Picciotto of Fugazi and Rites of Spring. The following year, The Blood Brothers were invited to perform a few songs from Young Machetes on Henry Rollins’ TV show, which was on IFC at the time.

Much to the dismay of their fans, The Blood Brothers disbanded in 2007. They briefly reunited in 2014 for a small handful of shows, including an appearance at FYF Fest in Los Angeles, but have essentially remained otherwise inactive. Thus, while the group’s members have continued to perform with various other acts (including Head Wound City, Fleet Foxes, and Jaguar Love, to name a few), it remained unclear whether The Blood Brothers would ever perform together again. So when a reunion tour was announced for this year, tickets started selling fast.

Rather than take another band on the road, The Blood Brothers chose to feature a different opening band in each city. Some bands they will be sharing the stage with this year are Saetia, Deaf Club, and World Peace. On November 7, The Blood Brothers played that first of two nights at The Belasco in Los Angeles. L.A. locals, Gylt, opened the show.

Gylt’s dark, crusty style of hardcore is distinctive, but also a solid representation of Los Angeles punk rock. Vocalist Iphigenia Sniper’s voice is absolutely brutal and the band’s metal-tinged riffs broaden the definition of “crossover.” Gylt released two blistering EP’s this year and both can be found on their Bandcamp.

After Gylt’s set, the crowds’ anticipation built to palpable levels as the floor filled in. Finally, as The Blood Brothers took the stage, vocalists Jordan Blilie and Johnny Whitney shouted the introductory “Fire! Fire! Fire!” to their 2007 single, “Set Fire to the Face on Fire.” Bodies slammed into each other and beer flew through the air as the band exploded on the down beat. Whitney threw himself into the crowd, where he remained for the majority of the set.

Although it’s been a decade since their last live performance, The Blood Brothers are as energetic and musically tight as ever. As Whitney flailed about in the crowd, Blilie wandered around the stage, making intense eye contact with audience members.

Drummer Mark Gajadhar, who looks exactly the same as he did 20 years ago, played a flurry of blast beats and latin-inspired breaks. For the most part, bassist Morgan Henderson appeared to be the most relaxed of the group, anchoring the pandemonium by holding down the low end. When the band reached the height of a crescendo, however, he would throw his bass over his shoulder and hold it behind his back in a pose reminiscent of emo’s glory days. Guitarist Cody Votolato weaved off-kilter riffs and catchy melodies together, occasionally putting the guitar down to play percussion.

For certain songs, like “Laser Life,” Whitney made his way back to the stage to play a vintage sounding electric keyboard. In these instances, the mosh pit would transform into a dance party. The band circled from cacaphonic chaos to driving grooves and back throughout their entire set. They played songs spanning their career, such as “We Ride Skeletal Lightning,” “Trash Flavored Trash,” and “Cecilia and the Silhouette Saloon.”

The Blood Brothers will be touring the United States until the end of December. Tour dates can be found on their social media pages. All fans new and old should take this opportunity to see them live. Who knows if they’ll ever tour again?

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