Knocked Loose Prove They Are Unstoppable Despite Adversity
In the midst of a demanding European run that includes stadium dates with Metallica and headline appearances at major European festivals, Knocked Loose brought their tour to a sold-out Doornroosje in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. With Graspop Metal Meeting in Belgium next on the schedule, the Kentucky hardcore giants showed absolutely no signs of fatigue.
The evening began with Dutch hardcore outfit State Power, who warmed up the packed, no-barricade venue before Knocked Loose took over. The excitement in the room was obvious from the start, with fans opening up the mosh pit even before the band had played a single note. As soon as State Power kicked off their set, the floor exploded into action. Fans threw themselves into the pit, showing off spin kicks, two-steps and all kinds of wild moves as bodies crashed together in the chaos. The energy only grew throughout the set, with crowd-surfers and impressive acrobatics adding to the spectacle.
Up next were the Kentucky heavyweights Knocked Loose. What's remarkable about this tour is the adversity the band has faced along the way. Last month, just before their first-ever show in Sofia, Bulgaria, vocalist Bryan Garris was diagnosed with Bell's palsy. A few weeks later, guitarist Isaac Hale was hit by a car while crossing the road in Switzerland. Lesser bands might have considered postponing dates, but Knocked Loose pushed forward.
Thankfully, Garris appears to be recovering well after a combination of acupuncture, facial exercises and sauna treatments, and if anyone in Nijmegen was worried about his condition affecting the performance, those concerns disappeared within seconds.
As expected, the set opened with ‘Blinding Faith’, immediately sending the sold-out crowd into a frenzy. Circle pits formed instantly, crowd surfers flooded the room and the atmosphere remained chaotic from start to finish. There were no major surprises in the setlist, but with a catalogue as strong as Knocked Loose’s, none were needed.
Garris sounded outstanding throughout the night, delivering every scream with the intensity and precision fans have come to expect. Hale, meanwhile, looked completely unfazed by his recent accident, hammering through riff after riff alongside fellow guitarist Nicko Calderon.
One of the standout moments of the night came with ‘Hive Mind’, the band’s recently released collaboration with rapper Denzel Curry, which translated perfectly to the live setting despite the absence of Curry’s guest vocals and drew one of the biggest reactions of the evening, already proving itself a fan favourite. Another highlight was undoubtedly ‘Suffocate’, as the crowd screamed every word back at the stage while people flew in every direction.The night ultimately concluded with ‘Everything Is Quiet Now’, bringing an end to a memorable performance that barely allowed the audience a moment to breathe.
At a time when Knocked Loose are balancing headline club shows, major festival appearances and support slots for one of the biggest metal bands in history, it would be understandable if cracks began to show. Instead, the opposite is happening. Despite Bryan Garris battling Bell’s palsy and Isaac Hale recovering from being hit by a car, the band sounds stronger than ever.
The no-barricade show in Nijmegen wasn’t just another stop on the tour – it was a reminder that hardcore is truly meant to be experienced without barriers. As the only no-barricade show of the tour so far, it created a level of intensity, connection and chaos that perfectly captured the spirit of the genre, further proving that Knocked Loose are currently operating at the very peak of their powers.
