Ceremony and Touché Amoré Bring Punk Rock to the Great Outdoors
Touché Amoré—All photos by Goody James
Despite the stereotypical “tough guy” style that many in the general public associate with hardcore, bands have been pushing the limits of the genre since its inception. Throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, various subgenres surfaced, including emotional hardcore, powerviolence, and post-hardcore. In the mid-2000s, a new generation of artists emerged, gaining traction through online blogs and the sharing of MP3 files. Not only would these bands synthesize the musical contributions of their predecessors, but they would also further expand the definition of hardcore, playing integral roles in bridging the gap between a niche genre and the mainstream.
Ceremony released their debut EP, Ruined, in 2005, followed by their first full-length, Violence Violence, in 2006. These would prove to be monumental releases for this new generation of hardcore. Demented yet infectious guitar riffs and blast beats collided with poetic lyrics to create something both familiar and fresh. The song “Kersed” became a staple in Ceremony’s live set and remains so to this day.
The band seemed to take a left turn with each of their subsequent albums, exploring styles like garage rock and new wave. Although this initially made Ceremony a divisive band, they are now beloved by the greater hardcore scene and beyond. Their live sets seamlessly flow from grinding blast beats to post-punk dance anthems and everywhere in between.
Ceremony—All photos by Goody James
Touché Amoré released their debut album, “...To The Beat Of A Dead Horse” in 2009. Their sound was reminiscent of screamo bands from the 90s and early 2000s, such as Saetia, Pg. 99, Orchid and Jeromes Dream, complete with earnest lyrics and angular guitar chords. “Honest Sleep,” became an ultimate scream-along anthem, much like Ceremony’s “Kersed.”
Since then, the band has toured relentlessly and released five more studio albums. They have also evolved their sound, incorporating more melodic elements and even sung vocal lines; something that early fans of the band might have had a difficult time imagining. Their current live sets feature a balanced mix of newer and older songs.
Touché Amoré - All photos by Goody James
On November 8, both bands performed at Pappy and Harriet’s in Pioneertown, California. The venue is a fairly unconventional space for such a high-energy, high-volume show. It sits about 16 miles north-west of Joshua Tree National Park. Pioneertown is small and usually quiet. At night, the stars shine bright in the unpolluted sky. But Pappy and Harriet’s is no stranger to punk rock. They frequently host great, loud bands, like Subhumans, who played there a week before this event.
Touché Amoré and Ceremony at Pappy & Harriet’s, November 8, 2025
As the outdoor venue filled, the energy reached almost tangible levels. Drum machine-driven post-punks Provoker opened the show with a cool and somewhat apathetic set. Ceremony opened their set with guitarist Anthony Anzaldo playing a keytar on a groovy and melodic song. They played songs spanning their entire discography, including crowd favorites like “Kersed,” “Sick,” and “World Blue.” Although their musical range was on full display, they played with the same ferocity that has drawn fans for the past two decades.
Ceremony - All photos by Goody James
Touché Amoré also played a versatile and lively set. Frontman Jeremy Bolm spent the majority of his time off the stage, standing over the crowd barrier and holding the microphone for members of the crowd to shout along. They played songs from every album and ended the night with a rush of fans taking the stage to scream the final verse of “Honest Sleep.” The show ended at 9:45 pm. “If you’ve been a fan of this band for a long time, you’re not young anymore,” Bolm joked. “We all get to be in bed by 11 o’clock!”
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