Tied Down Detroit 2026 Day #1 w/Blood For Blood, End It, Negative Approach and more.
Scott Vogel from Terror adding back-up vocals to a song during Pain Of Truth’s set during Tied Down Detroit 2026. All photos by Paul Holstein.
After back-to-back pre-shows, we needed our fourth cup of coffee (which was iced, from Dunkin' Donuts) more than ever on the way to the show. Saturday doors were 11:30, the first band at 12:00, and our intention was to see every band. Parking was $20 for the second day in a row (the biggest expenses over the weekend were merch, parking, food, and gas in that order), and the line was longer than a football field. I had VIP, but my friends didn't, so I started out standing in line with them. Everyone at these festivals is friendly, and before long we were deep in conversation with the guys behind us (who drove out from New Jersey) about our favorite hardcore bands. They were raving about Bayway, and it became apparent that I was going to miss them (or at least part of their set) if I stayed in the line (it was already too late for En Love and Start Today). They made their point, and I jumped to the VIP line and headed up to the stage in time for their sound check.
I was glad that I did, as I stayed in the same spot through Bayway, Kruelty (from Japan), and Shattered Realm. They were all great, and as time went by, the crowd filled in more and more. Tied Down Detroit is one of the biggest hardcore festivals in North America, and while Saturday was not sold out, there were easily several thousand attendees. People would eventually be packed all of the way to the back (almost too far to see from my spot on the stage), including the balconies, and on and behind the stage. Of course, there was almost always an open area in front of the stage for the circle pit, side to side, and two-step. I took a short break after the first three sets but made sure to be back for the first band that was on my cannot-miss list, End It from Baltimore.
During my quick break, I snapped a shot of the "For Bo, Forever" banner that was hung over the stage. I'd seen it at the Youth Of Today pre-show at Edgemen Printing, hanging from the rafters as well. Bo Lueders, co-founder of the Hardlore podcast and guitarist for Harm's Way (modern hardcore from Chicago), died unexpectedly on April 2, 2026, at the age of 38, and the entire hardcore community was devastated. Throughout both days, nearly every band did a shout-out to Bo. Although no official cause of death has been released, the official announcements have referenced the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. I was personally unaware of this, but you can dial "988" from any phone to be connected with trained crisis counselors to help with suicidal thoughts, depression, or any mental health or substance use crises. You can also call if you are concerned about a friend or loved one who may be struggling. If you are reading this and you are having a hard time, call or text 988. Please.
Michael Smith of Pain Of Truth at Tied Down Detroit 2026. All photos by Paul Holstein.
The first time that I saw End It was in Las Vegas, at Punk Rock Bowling, and the mosh pit was in an asphalt parking lot. I was blown away. I ended up seeing them again that weekend at a club show (with Ignite and Pulley) and then back in Detroit a year or two later at Edgemen Printing for their "Wrong Side of Heaven" tour. Akil Godsey is maybe the most talented vocalist currently in hardcore, and although he didn't do anything completely a cappella this time, they did play their Maximum Penalty cover ("Could You Love Me?"). This crowd was all about moshing, though, and their set that included favorites "New Wage Slavery" and "Pale Horse" was one of the most memorable of the day.
Peeling Flesh was up next. I'd never heard them, but my friends had them high on their cannot-miss list. From the entire weekend, this may be the band that diverged the most from hardcore, being self-described as "Slamming Gangster Groove" (a blend of death metal, beatdown hardcore, and hip-hop). At some point, I had to take a break, as this was a very long day, so unfortunately, I missed Missing Link but got back to my spot as soon as I could. Pain Of Truth, a New York hardcore band fronted by Michael Smith, was up next and blasted through a 10-song set that started with the title track from their classic "Not Through Blood" album from 2023. At one point, Scott Vogel from Terror stepped up to the mic and provided back-up vocals, and the pit just never stopped moving.
Walls of Jericho is one of the few classic local Detroit hardcore bands that I'd never seen live. They have been around for nearly 30 years, starting in 1998 and putting out their first album in 1999. While sometimes considered metalcore, the intensity of singer Candace Kucsulain (who is also a bodybuilder) had a pure hardcore feel to me. A highlight was the song "A Day And A Thousand Years," which I'll include a video for. I'm glad to cross this band off my must-see bucket list.
John Brannon of Negative Approach at Tied Down Detroit 2026. All photos by Paul Holstein.
If you are reading this, you already know that Detroit is a Mecca for classic hardcore bands. None would fit that description better than Negative Approach. The entire festival, after all, was named for their classic song and album "Tied Down" (which singer John Brannon joked about during their set, and he doesn't joke often). Negative Approach is the band that I credit with changing my life, going from a casual music fan to a lifelong punk rocker. As a preteen, I was walking through a local mall when an older kid walked up (I like to think it was John Brannon himself) and handed me a cassette tape with a sticker of The Exorcist on it. He just walked away, and I played that thing until it was no longer playable (not even knowing what band it was). Later, I tried to order The Misfits' "Halloween” 7” through Touch & Go mailorder, and I got back a handwritten letter from Tesco Vee explaining that they were out of The Misfits single but that he substituted the Negative Approach EP instead (for $3 shipped!). “Can’t Tell No One” may be the best hardcore song ever written, and I generally consider it my all-time favorite. Their set this year included both of the aforementioned songs, their cover of Sham 69's "Borstal Breakout," and all of the classics.
Never Ending Game is another great Detroit local beatdown hardcore band, fronted by Mikey Petroski. I'd seen them several times previously, most notably at Tangent Gallery in Detroit, opening for Sunami, and a prior Black Christmas festival. A quick shout-out to their bass player, who is a killer artist and not only drew the cover for the new Never Ending Game album but also Bad Beat's "L.P. 2024" (and many other classic hardcore releases). Their set was relentless and a perfect lead into Terror, whose new album "Still Suffer" has cemented their place in hardcore history. Scott Vogel's stage presence is mesmerizing, and even though the lights were turned down for their set (something that Scott repeatedly tried to get them to change), they never missed a beat, and neither did the fans. But the day was coming to an end, and the band that we had all been waiting for was up next.
I was a huge fan of Blood For Blood's "Livin' In Exile" and "Outlaw Anthems" albums back in the early 2000s, and I had no idea that they were playing shows again when I saw that they were announced as one of the headliners for this year's Tied Down Detroit festival. They are known for their brutal honesty about addiction, poverty, and self-destruction, and it comes through plainly in their lyrics. The songs are also catchy and always have me screaming along. Original vocalist Erick Medina was dismissed from the band in 2012 due to serious allegations (a whole other story), but apparently in 2025 the band reunited under founding member Rob Lind and put together an appropriately named 2026 "Return From Exile" tour. Some of the vocals had been Rob Lind all along, but for this show I immediately recognized Pete Morcey (who had temporarily stepped in on vocals for several 2010 - 2011 reunion shows) on lead vocals. I'd seen Pete the night before fronting 100 Demons over at The Magic Stick, but honestly, this was even better. They played a fantastic set that included my personal favorites "White Trash Anthem," "All Fucked Up," "Some Kinda Hate," and "Wasted Youth Crew." After the show, their bass player saw me pick up a nondescript guitar pick from the stage and came over to hand me his official Blood For Blood logo pick. It was an amazing night, not to be forgotten, but there was still one more jam-packed day to go.
