ANGEL DU$T TURN 1720 INTO TOTAL ANARCHY WITH STACKED HARDCORE LINEUP
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY TAYLOR WONG
A rare thing happened the other night. A full lineup where I genuinely cared about every single band. No filler, no “I’ll go grab a drink during this set” type shit. Just straight through.
I pulled up to 1720 early for the Angel Du$t show and somehow landed a parking spot right out front. If you’ve ever been there, you know that’s basically winning the lottery before the night even starts.
I was especially hyped to catch No Guard. They’ve got that split with Haywire that I’ve had on repeat for a minute now, so seeing them live felt like a must. Also worth noting, their guitarist, Jack, is the son of Hot Rod Todd from Le Shok, which just adds another layer of cool to the whole thing.
From the jump, the crowd was on one. No slow build, no easing into it. Just immediate chaos. Nonstop hardcore dancing, bodies flying, stage dives coming from every direction. And at 1720, that kind of energy puts photographers right in the middle of it, especially when you’re pushed up on stage with a bunch of the bands’ friends and regulars. It’s tight, it’s hectic, and you’re constantly trying not to eat a stray boot while still getting the shot.
By the time Angel Du$t hit the stage, it was already a full sweatbox. I ended up wedged behind some amps on stage, shooting alongside Kat Nijmeddin, trying to find angles through the chaos.
They opened with “Du$t,” and the entire room locked in instantly. Every word screamed back at the stage. From there, it just escalated. Wave after wave of crowd surfers, constant movement in the pit, and that perfect mix of newer material and older tracks that kept everyone engaged. No lull, no drop in energy, just a band completely in control of a room that was already on the edge.
One of those nights where everything lines up. The bands, the crowd, the chaos. The kind of show you feel for a couple of days after.
