Sunami x SCOWL Co-Headline Tour at the Gothic Theatre

Show Review

Chaos at The Gothic: Sunami x SCOWL rip Denver Apart

I rolled up to the Gothic Theatre in Englewood on the night of October 24, 2025, and the first thing I noticed: no photo pit. The security guard shrugged, told me the bands requested it. There’s only ever one reason a hardcore show asks for no pit. You’re about to let go of control. You’re about to dive headfirst into “fuck it” mode. I knew right then this wasn’t going to be a standard show, it was going to be wild.

Local heroes Direct Threat kicked things off and already the crowd was primed. Even for the first band of the night there were stage divers, people scrambling up on stage, jumping into the floor. The house lights flickered, bodies slammed into each other and I, camera in hand, found myself on constant alert. When you’re shooting front‑row at a hardcore show like this, you aren’t just photographing, you’re dodging and catching.

Next up, Whispers. By now the floor was alive. The air sticky, heavy with sweat and adrenaline. The tempo ramped up, the silhouettes on stage became sharper, the walls of sound thicker. Between sets I managed to slip up to the very front as the bar lines shortened, but the circle pit behind me never stopped. I was literally catching and dodging divers with my camera strap, getting jostled from behind while trying to frame shots. It was beautiful chaos.

Then it was time for Nuovo Testamento. For a moment the vibe shifted: a complete 180 in musical taste and ferocity compared to the beatdown slams that preceded. But make no mistake, it was welcomed. They delivered a killer set, proving this crowd didn’t just want the same formula; they wanted whatever would keep the momentum bleeding into the rafters.

When SCOWL hit the stage (my second time seeing them, but in a way closer and rawer than ever) the venue was packed. Frontwoman Kat Moss moved like a force of nature. From the very first chord it felt like the room contracted inward, everyone drawn to the stage as though gravity switched. Chaos wasn’t just invited, it was the main event. Mosh‑waves, divers, crowd surfers—it all collided into something unforgettable. For me, this was the night’s highlight. No question.

Finally: Sunami. At this point the runway was gone. They launched into their set like a missile locked on the pit. Stage divers weren’t occasional, they were constant. I counted at least 4‑5 people diving at any given time, maybe more. Another five were climbing on‑stage, two stepping until their turn to fly. In the thick of it I tried to back out, to leave the front line, but then one diver came directly at my face. My glasses went flying. My camera gear took a knock; somehow the camera AND glasses survived. I found myself post‑set with no broken gear and only a slightly bruised nose.

This was the most intense show I’ve photographed to date. The energy of the crowd, the desired absence of a pit barrier, the relentless performance from all acts… it all added up. These bands didn’t just play, they invited chaos, let it run rampant, embraced it. Denver got slammed, shredded, beat and then some. If you were at the Gothic that night, you didn’t just witness a show, you survived one.

Direct Threat

Direct Threat is Denver hardcore with no frills and no off switch. Known for their feral energy and pit-ready anthems, they channel the roots of classic hardcore while dragging it forward with a vengeance. Local to the bone but built for the world stage, Direct Threat delivers blunt force trauma through riffs, breakdowns, and stage presence that hits like a pipe to the sternum. If they’re on the bill, expect bodies in motion and blood in the air.

Whispers

Bangkok‑based and unapologetically brutal, Whispers style themselves as “Bangkok Evilcore.” Formed in 2014, this Thai band has carved out a global name with a sound forged at the crossroads of metallic hardcore and raw urban menace. heir 2024 EP Yom‑Ma‑Lok saw them expanding their reach via the US hardcore label Flatspot Records while staying rooted in the underground of Bangkok. On stage and off, Whispers demand you don’t just hear them, you feel them.

Nuovo Testamento

Nuovo Testamento is the soundtrack to a neon-lit dream gone dark. Rooted in Los Angeles and Bologna, the trio merges Italian disco, synthpop, and coldwave with an irresistible pulse. Their sound is lush, haunting, and made for dance floors that feel slightly cursed. With members hailing from hardcore bands, they bring that same intensity, just swapped guitars for synths and pit chaos for seductive despair. This is darkwave you can sweat to.

SCOWL

From Santa Cruz, California, SCOWL have been carving up the boundaries of hardcore since their 2019 founding. Frontwoman Kat Moss channels every lyric like a loaded weapon, pushing themes of identity, discomfort, and defiance into the red. Their debut album How Flowers Grow dropped in 2021, and since then they’ve kept pushing. From DIY roots to festival stages, their rise has been a tidal wave and they’re still not done breaking things. SCOWL brings a cathartic blend of defiance and style, with a live set that feels like jumping into a blender of glitter, fists, and truth.

Sunami

Sunami came out of the Bay Area like a brick through a window; loud, ugly, and impossible to ignore. What started as a joke band among friends in 2019 quickly mutated into a serious threat and these guys don’t do subtlety. They do warzone riffs, mic grabs, and bodies flying off monitors. Born from the cross-section of beatdown, hip-hop bravado, and unfiltered rage, Sunami’s live shows are more street fight than concert. You don’t go to watch—you go to survive. Whether it’s a basement or a festival, Sunami brings the same energy: no rules, no peace, just breakdowns and bedlam.