The house band of the End Times - Spades GT Live @ The Queens (Nov 9, 2023)


The expectation of a band to sound as good, if not better, live than recorded is a bastard of a battle. Demolishing that expectation and standing proudly in the debris is Spades GT. 


Preceding the legendary headlining band Anvil, Spades GT not only held their own, but made a bold proclamation that they are headliner material. 


Their aptly named debut Sewer City Radio is the perfect fit for this thrash/hardcore outfit that creates a soundtrack for the bad times. The structure and sonic assault of Spades GT would make them the perfect band at a house party at the end of the street at the end of the world. 


To label them as a mixture of thrash and hardcore is a disservice (my bad), as they represent an authentic convergence of style, influence, tone, and delivery. They are an enigma as their sound is heavy, but uplifting. The lyrical content is harsh, but delivered with enough Woah-Ohs, Yeahs, and Bleghs to satisfy anyone. 


Spades GT is the band on the Titanic but play with the attitude of “If this bitch is going down, we’ve got one more song to play.”  


JD owns his role as lead vocalist. Unbound by the perimeter of the stage, he swaggers into the audience and stalks like a predator (the good kind), waiting to launch his attack. He is a walking set of lungs that deliver lightning fast lyrics that are anthemic and striking.


Guitarist Dan plays with singular focus, and that focus is to set the venue on fire with every note. He plays with such reckless abandon and disregard that his fingers could be considered “fuckboys”. Like the pied piper, he can get the crowd clapping and shouting, even when he’s not playing guitar. .


Roy buries any misconceptions that the role of bass in a band is to shallowly echo/compliment the guitar. His bass lines don’t just stand on their own two feet, they are a choreographed slam dance that makes the people move. 


Tyler is a surgical maestro behind the kit. The drums are a danger to the people as his beats shake the foundation of the venue and I’m sure have loosened a few screws. Even with such ferocity, there is a sense of preservation that he plays for the song and not for himself.


We’re living in a time plagued by facsimiles of realness that are designed to break under the weight of even simple scrutiny. Spades GT is made of genuine material that has been tempered by years of experience and a passion to perform. 


See. Them. Live.

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