By David Mondine
With the release of their latest album, “A Different Shade of Blue,” Pittsburgh lucked out with a second appearance this year from the hardcore band Knocked Loose. Both times were headlining shows, and both lineups were stacked so there was never a disappointing moment. Knocked Loose has always been one of those bands though that multiple people from other touring bands have stated that they will pass everyone up at this rate; so far that has shown very true as they’ve continued to climb the later with their aggressive playing style and diehard fans.
Aside from stories I’ve been told, I was unsure about what kind of experience I would be having seeing Knocked Loose live for the first time at Mr. Smalls. I wasn’t disappointed though I can assure you of that. The crowd was already pretty amped up to begin with thanks to the supporting acts which included a Pittsburgh favorite, Stick to your Guns. But as soon as Knocked Loose came out onto the stage, they came out swinging hard. Barreling through an insane eighteen song set, they played basically their entire new album plus more than handful of others to send the crowd into oblivion. The sure raw intensity of their stage presence would make a lot of bands envious of them I feel.
As Knocked Loose just kept on pummeling the stage, there was really no break or moment where anyone could catch a breath before it all started back up again. From crowd surfers galore to the cyclone of a mosh pit, seemed to me that everyone needed to get out some aggression that night. The only medicine for such a thing just so happened to be Knocked Loose delivering a hard hitting set that which they’ve always done from the looks of it. It is quite interesting to see just how far this band can keep going and who else they can pass up at this rate. One way to find out that’s for sure.
Setlist:
- Trapped in the Grasp of a Memory
- Intro
- All My Friends
- Blood Will Have Blood
- Belleville
- Oblivion’s Peak
- By the Grave
- Denied by Fate
- In the Walls
- Guided By the Moon
- Mistakes Like Fractures
- Forget Your Name
- Deadringer
- Small Victories
- …And Still I Wander South
- A Serpent’s Touch
- Billy No Mates
- Counting Worms