Turnstile Set Berlin’s Velodrom Ablaze with Hardcore Energy

3 hours ago7 min read

The concrete walls of Berlin’s Velodrom, a temple more accustomed to the whir of bicycles and the roar of sporting crowds, were reverberating with a different, more primal energy as Baltimore’s hardcore torchbearers, Turnstile, laid siege to the German capital. This wasn't just another stop on their European/UK tour; it was a masterclass in sonic alchemy, a proof-of-concept that hardcore punk's raw, unvarnished heart could not only fill but utterly command a massive space typically reserved for more mainstream acts.From the opening chords, the air crackled with a palpable electricity, a shared understanding between the band and a sea of fans that this was a collective moment of catharsis. The setlist unfolded like a perfectly curated playlist, ebbing and flowing with the ferocity of their early material before soaring into the kaleidoscopic, genre-bending anthems from their breakthrough album 'Glow On'.Tracks like 'MYSTERY' and 'HOLIDAY' became communal hymns, their infectious melodies and pummeling rhythms creating a rare unity in the pit, a space where stagedivers and swaying singers coexisted in a sweaty, joyous equilibrium. Frontman Brendan Yates was a dynamo of controlled chaos, his vocals a raw, earnest conduit for the music's emotional core, while the rhythm section of Franz Lyons and Daniel Fang provided a tectonic foundation that was both impossibly tight and wildly explosive.To witness Turnstile in 2025 is to witness a band operating at its creative and performative peak, having successfully bridged the formidable gap between the insular world of hardcore and the broader musical landscape without sacrificing an ounce of their authenticity. Their sound, a vibrant collage of Bad Brains' funk-punk innovation, the soaring accessibility of The Police, and the unadulterated force of classic D.C. hardcore, feels both timeless and urgently contemporary.The Berlin show was a testament to this evolution—a high-energy, visually stunning spectacle that never felt slick or corporate, but rather like the biggest, most passionate basement show ever thrown. It was a night that affirmed their status not just as the most important band in their scene, but as a vital, life-affirming force in modern rock, leaving the Velodrom audience drenched, hoarse, and buzzing with the kind of pure, unadulterated joy that only music this powerful can provide.

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#Turnstile

#Berlin

#Velodrom

#concert

#hardcore

#live performance

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#European tour