Frank Carter performing at 924 Gilman Street in Berkeley, CA. April 22, 2017. Photo Credit: Jared Stossel.

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes
w/ Culture Abuse, Vultures United
924 Gilman Street
Berkeley, CA
April 22, 2017

Photos and words by Jared Stossel.

It's just past 9:40 and the vivacious crowd of punk rockers at 924 Gilman Street, a coveted spot in the long-preserved Bay Area music scene, are packed and anxiously awaiting for the UK's Frank Carter to take the stage for his long-awaited Bay Area debut. Carter and his band, The Rattlesnakes, walk onstage, with Carter donned in a blue suit, leopard-print button down, dress pants and shoes; a stark contrast to the scenery that befits the hole-in-the-wall punk club.

The frontman, formerly of UK hardcore act Gallows, is singing a bit of a different tune with his solo project. The songs on Carter's sophomore effort, Modern Ruin, tread the line between alternative rock and punk, showcasing a different side of Carter's vocal abilities in comparison to harsher screaming vocals that accompanied tracks in Gallows.

With that being said, the energy of Carter's show is that of a traditional punk show. Stage diving, a circle pit that encompasses the entire floor of the venue (it's not a large place, but all that space still makes for a large pit), and even jumping into the audience with only the crowd and the lighting truss hovering above the tiny stage as support are some of the key elements that make up the chaos that is a Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes show.

At one point during the night, Carter addresses the issue of crowdsurfing and stage diving, even dropping the microphone to talk straight into the crowd. With a place like 924 Gilman Street, this is an effective tactic, no matter how packed the venue is. It makes the intimacy of this venue that much more special. Carter recounts that he now has a daughter, going on to state that his show is a safe place for everyone, which means picking people up from the crowd when they fall and not groping people when they crowd surf.

When you're at a Frank Carter show, you're going to be entertained. Whether you know his entire catalogue of music by heart, or never heard a single track, you're walking into safe place that retains all of the good-natured chaos of a punk rock show.