Dance Hall Crashers and Hepcat Take NYC!

Karina Denike, of Dance Hall Crashers, gets the crowd on their feet. - photo by kim moenich

One of the great joys that has come of the post-pandemic years is so many of my favorite 90’s bands reuniting and going back out on tour. And, simultaneously, I have doubled-down on my concert-going, and I now make it a point to go to every show I possibly can, to see every band I love, often multiple times each year (and sometimes multiple times in a week). This often means hopping on a plane after working several grueling shifts in a row (ER nurse by trade), flying to a city, lugging my two hundred pounds of camera gear, standing in line, seeing/shooting said bands, getting bitten by bedbugs in a fleabag hotel (that was NOT cheap, for the record), and then hopping on an early morning flight back to work. This is exactly what happened this past Friday, when I flew to NYC to see Dance Hall Crashers and Hepcat- a double bill that I felt simply could NOT be missed! 

Back in 2024, during the Brockton stop on the NOFX final tour, Smelly was kind enough to gift me with an onstage pass for the second night of the show. While onstage, I stood behind Karina Denike, the one and only. Karina had long been an icon of mine, as I was obsessed with female-led ska bands in the 90s (Bodysnatchers, The Selecter, The Cover Ups, etc.), and she was in one of my favorites, Dance Hall Crashers. So when Karina happened to come up to me and start to chat (because she really is one of the nicest humans on the planet!) I took the opportunity to ask if there was any chance of DHC getting back together. Her reply was, “It’s been 23 years at this point, so I don’t really think so!” I was crestfallen, but I understood. People grow up and move on; it’s the way of the world. 

Fast forward to the beginning of 2025, and WHAT?!!! DHC posts a reel to Insta saying that Kevin Lyman was getting Van’s Warped Tour back together and had contacted the band to ask them to play, and THEY ACCEPTED! I was stoked! I immediately bought a ticket to the DC show, not knowing if I could go or not. As luck would have it, I couldn’t make it to DC, but DHC also got announced for Riot Fest (as did Jawbreaker!), so I cancelled a trip to Italy I had planned and headed to Chicago! 

Elyse and Karina bringing the joy! photo by kim moenich

I’ve been following them closely ever since, hoping for more shows, and my dream came true this weekend, when they placed at Irving Plaza with a lifelong favorite, Hepcat. If you’ve followed me since I started writing here, you’ll know my love for all things Hepcat. I was fortunate enough to see them many times over the years, including one of the band’s last performances with the bright light that was Greg Lee, who was taken from us much too soon. I then moved heaven and earth to see Hepcat on their first performance after Greg’s passing at the No Values Festival in Los Angeles in 2024. It was an emotional reunion, with most of us shedding tears on that dry asphalt at the Fairgrounds, as co-singer Alex Désert appeared choked-up when talking about the loss of his lifelong friend. Thankfully, I was also able to make it back to LA later that year for the memorial show for Greg Lee, which featured Hepcat and a bevy of other guests, including Karina Denike, with one of my favorites, The Aggrolites, as the backing band. It was truly an unforgettable show that left a lasting mark on all of us. 

Hepcat making us smile and groove. photo by kim moenich

All of that is to say that I have quite a history with Dance Hall Crashers and Hepcat, and there was nothing that was going to keep me from seeing them in NYC (even bugs, which I think has given me PTSD for life!). 

• Hepcat pulled out all the stops, with one friend noting, “How is it that Alex can still move like he’s 22?!” I swear that man does not have kneecaps! The band was on fire Friday night, with every note hit perfectly, everyone jumping and dancing onstage, and laughter abounding. You could tell how much these guys love what they do, and we showed that love right back to them. At one point, I got so caught up in the music that I forgot I was in the photo pit, and had to jump back into photographer mode! I could seriously watch them play every single night, and never get bored of it. Hepcat is definitely one of my desert island bands- it's truly impossible to listen to them without smiling and swaying along! 
  

Dance Hall Crashers came out with a bang (after they got Karina’s mic fixed, that is!), and they didn’t stop for nearly 2 hours! They played all their hits, including my favorites, “Mr. Blue” and “He Wants Me Back," but it was the closer, "DHC," that had us all jumping up and down. The excitement in the crowd was palpable, and I even noticed a large circle pit in the middle of the floor below when I went upstairs to shoot. They played a banging 22-song set, and every hit was met with raging enthusiasm. Even the kids were screaming along to every word.  

These two bands have been performing together for nearly four decades now, so to get to see them at a small-ish show together truly felt like coming home. Watching these amazing artists do what they do so incredibly well rejuvenated my spirit and made my soul dance. Let this be the year that you commit to going to see your favorite bands, especially if they are in a town near you. When the rest of the world is burning down, we still have music to fill our hearts. 

Poor Mikey doesn’t stand a chance against Karina’s mean right hook! photos by kim moenich

Didn’t even recognize this guy for a hot minute, now that’s he’s as bald as a newborn baby! Get it, Jon! photos by kim moenich

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