The HIRS Collective x Death Goals UK/EU Tour
The HIRS Collective and Death Goals are currently storming through a fierce UK and EU tour. We caught their Brighton show, at the legendary Green Door Store and it was nothing short of queer mayhem.
The night kicked off with local trans feminist hardcore band Brick, who tore into their set and had the room moving straight away. It was only their first show, but they played with confidence and weight. Their songs were heavy, rough and uncompromising — just like their name. In a time when hostility toward trans people keeps growing, it’s worth remembering that trans women have always been central to our fight for rights. They threw the first bricks, and they're still leading the charge. Brick honoured that legacy with every scream and every riff.
Next was Misgendered, a queer hardcore band that screamed straight from the gut. Their set was pure energy — spit, sweat and anticapitalist rage delivered with relentless conviction. It was a gift for the pit lovers, anthems for those who mosh with both fists and open hearts.
Leibniz followed, and they kicked things off quite literally with fire in the house. Their opening exploded like a match to gasoline. It was intense, unpredictable and impossible not to want to mosh or stage dive. With their EP released earlier in August, the band is building momentum.
Closer to the end of the night was Death Goals, a queer hardcore duo who had the Brighton crowd ready to go. With their recent EP ‘Survival Is an Act of Defiance’ (released just last month and featuring Jenna Pup of HIRS Collective), the queercore duo brought explosive energy. Unfortunately, Harry had lost their voice, so their set was entirely instrumental but that didn’t stop the chaos. The crowd was fully locked in, with stage divers launching and moshing hard, feeding off every riff.
The HIRS Collective, Philly queercore legends, delivered a blistering set — raw with rage, unfiltered anger, and radical resistance. But beneath the brutality was something tender: a soft, whimsical side that spoke directly to the heart of the queer hardcore community. It was heavy, it was healing, and it was everything we needed.
2025 has been a powerful year for queercore, with more and more bands carving out space in a scene still too often dominated by cis male voices. These artists aren’t just making noise — they're building platforms where trans and queer punks take the lead, speak their truth and create community.
Every single band on this bill was unapologetically queercore, pushing back against transphobia, misogyny, and racism — not just in lyrics, but in action and presence.
If you're like me and you're tired of macho posturing and just want raw, honest hardcore, I definitely recommend keeping an eye on Death Before Detransition. They're not just booking shows but building something better with zines and tapes coming. And KNM Presents is where you will find gigs, cute HC merch and more.
