Wage War at the Starland Ballroom on Saturday, May 13th, 2023

With Wage War releasing their newest album Stigma on Friday, June 21st, we're is taking a look back at the WDHA Presents show at the Starland Ballroom May 13, 2023! This show is easily one of my favorites I shot in 2023. Three amazing bands with three unique sounds on the bill made for a night that everyone was able to enjoy. Kicking the night off was Spite, bringing their signature blend of hardcore and deathcore to the Starland stage. There are very few times that I have seen Starland fill up before the first band takes the stage, and this was definitely one of them. The crowd showed very early on that they were ready to throw down, and Spite's consistently high energy performance was exactly what they needed to get the movement started. This wasn't the first time I was able to photograph Spite, but it was by far one of the best. Up next was nothing, nowhere., a group that fluctuates from hardcore, to rap, to alternative all in the same song let alone the whole set. Despite the more interesting style compared to the drastically heavier Spite and more consistent Wage War, the crowd was still very much into the performance, ripping a pit that matched the energy brought by the band. As a special treat, nothing, nowhere. even brought out the local legend himself Will Ramos of Lorna Shore to do his feature from the song "TRAG3DY". Ending the night was the mighty Wage War. The group played a set that spanned all four of their albums, pulling heavily from 2021's Manic, but also consistently going back to older classics and deeper cuts from Deadweight (2017) as well as their other two albums Blueprints (2015) and Pressure (2019). I was fortunate enough to see Wage War back in 2016 and can safely say they are a band that has stayed true to themselves while still pushing to evolve as a band. While some might still put them in the "up and coming" category due to their age and only having released 5 albums with Stigma (2024), I have to disagree. They are already here, and they are hungry for more. Wage War played a 19-song set that included: Relapse Teeth Low Two Years Southbound Indestructible Gravity Godspeed High Horse Slow Burn The River Youngblood Stitch Me Against Myself Death Roll If Tomorrow Never Comes Circle the Drain Johnny Cash (Stripped) Manic