MOSHING ON THE INSIDE >>>

In the interest of full disclosure, I must inform you that my hands are quite soft. I am a delicate flower, born to watch energetic moshing from afar and never to participate. Accordingly, when a mosh pit broke out almost immediately after the initiation of Apache Chief's set, I observed from upstairs in the old persons' loft of the Peabody Waldorf.

Apache Chief is a band that values cacophony above many other things in life, as their live show strives to prove. At certain points, all of the band members (not counting drummer Jake Hupp) faced away from the audience as they leaned into the amplifiers, creating squealing feedback to punctuate the searing punk-rock. It wasn't long before the crowd started to seethe, one guy shoved another, and utterly incongruous mayhem tore through the twee interior of the Peabody.

The band's set list consisted mostly of tracks off of their debut album, Trail of Beers-"Rape Cave" and "Dogfuckers" and all-with the exception of a new song that was premiered midway through. With a more pronounced sense of pop songcraft, it hinted at exciting growth and a broadening of sound for Apache Chief.

Red Hex followed Apache Chief, with frontman Sam Olsen announcing into the microphone, "This song is about you getting fucked by everyone who's in power!"

Moshing, once more.

Red Hex showed off an impressive range, from garage punk to head-banging metal to near-balladry. Olsen proved himself to be not only a fine technician, but a surprisingly soulful guitarist. The silly impromptu exchanges over the microphone in between songs did well to hide just how sophisticated and well thought out Red Hex's material is.

During the last song of Red Hex's set, moshers took advantage of the last time in the night when some rambunctious behavior might be appropriate, and took to slamming into one another again. A tennis shoe shot into the air, ejected from the tangled pit, and it was time for the Drug Purse to take the stage.

Unfortunately, as the show had started about an hour and a half late, a previous engagement called me away and I had to leave shortly into the Drug Purse's set.

We'll meet again, Peabody. Until then, we'll think on how wondrous it would be for a second restroom to magically make its home inside you.