“We All Need A Punk Show Right Now”

“How many people are here to hear the song ​‘Jim Martin?’” asked Al ​“Pist” Ouimet, lead singer of local punk legends The Pist — who on Friday celebrated the release of their 7‑inch vinyl record that included a song about another local punk legend, Jim Martin. The crowd cheered loudly enough to confirm that yes, many of them were. It was one moment of many that solidified the strength of not only the local punk scene’s commitment to continuing to make music that matters, but to letting their friends and fans know that their connections to each other are just as strong. 

Three bands completed the bill at the Space Ballroom on Friday night, where smiles, laughter, and hugs were punk AF as old friends gathered after a long hard week to shake off the weariness and hit the pit.

First to take the stage were New London’s Productive Member, a lean four-piece that were heavy on sound. From moment one audience members were singing along. A few were even thrashing along through songs with titles such as ​“Monsters,” ​“Chronic,” and ​“You Killed Our Country,” which guitarist and vocalist Chris introduced by saying, ​“We wrote this one eight years ago and the same thing is happening now.”

Before another song he said they also wrote eight years ago, called ​“In the Red,” Chris added, ​“What can I say? We talk about heavy issues.”

The issues and the music may have been heavy, but the mood was often light as audience members shouted out each band member — Chris, vocalist Audrey, bassist Brandon, and drummer Sanchez — and had a few laughs.

The song ​“Resist” was introduced again by Chris, who added ​“it’s going to get worse before it gets better — resist!” He was met with loud cheers as the music exploded, the energy rising higher and higher.

“Thanks for putting up with us,” said Audrey as the set ended, but from the vibe of the audience it felt like people would have been thrilled with a few more. 

Second to the stage were The F.U.’s, billed as Boston hardcore legends who apparently have local connections.

“One of us here is from Hamden,” said vocalist John Sox. ​“That would be me.”

When someone asked where he went to school, he answered that he ​“did eight hard years at St. Rita’s,” which garnered a lot of laughs. The songs were hard too, but often melodic as well, with a double dose of guitars adding a metal edge. The band’s 40-minute set was chock full of songs like ​“Rock the Nation,” ​“My America,” and ​“Razor” that continued to get the ever-growing audience fired up and even more fans singing and thrashing at the front of the stage. 

I won’t go further without mentioning the mosh pit: people flinging their bodies around in uninhibited movement that brought people together. Intimidating and cathartic, it was quite a beauty to witness, if only to understand what it meant to those who were in it. It was a collective release, connective expression, and yes, also just a flat-out good time.

The Pist had a pit that was filled to the brim with diehard fans exalting in the hard-hitting words and sounds of this preeminent punk band made up of Ouimet, Bill Chamberlain on guitar, Aaron Kirkpatrick on bass, and Brian Marshall on drums. They shouted out old local friends like Malachi Krunch, performing a song they had on a split with them, and even performed what Ouimet said was the first song they ever wrote. Old songs or new songs, the crowd loved them and the band loved them right back.

“I feel like we all need a punk show right now,” Ouimet said. ​“Something like this, all of us together.”

Later in the set he talked about the reason why The Pist was there: the release of the seven-inch record. The first song was ​“Right to Choose,” which they originally recorded three years before but decided to re-record after the overturning of Roe v Wade. The women they included on the new recording to take over lead vocals couldn’t be there on Friday, so Ouimet took the lead. Many sang along to lyrics like ​“no, we won’t listen, especially not to you” with fists raised and fight in their voices, pumping everyone up.

The B side of the single is the aforementioned ​“Jim Martin”; Ouimet called the ​“man of the hour” to the stage to participate and be celebrated. 

“So many people we know have died recently,” he said. ​“It’s important to tell people we love them while they’re still around. We couldn’t think of a better guy to do that for.”

Martin sat on the edge of the stage smiling while the entire room sang along to lyrics that rejoiced in his giant presence and kind heart: ​“Everywhere you go, you always find someone who knows, Jim Martin!”

Even if you did not know the lyrics, simply shouting out ​“Jim Martin” each time it was said was reason enough to smile. For the release, ​“Jim Martin” art was done by artist Tim Tanker, and Martin himself did the art for ​“Right to Choose,” as well as the flyer for the night’s show. More community, more connection, all the support.

It was a punk lovefest. Whether you were in the pit, or sitting off to the side, or standing in the long lines to buy merch, the camaraderie was ever present. Artist Rose Martin solidified that camaraderie and kept the glow going the next day when she posted a photo of herself and two friends at the show smiling on Instagram with the comment ​“see you in the pit for hugs” with a hands-making-a-heart emoji. Exactly, Rose. Exactly.