Photo by Daniel Polevoy
Ahead of their New York concert, Anti-Flag told fans on Instagram “Don’t fight it. Feel it.” They encouraged everyone to dive in and scream every single lyric like their lives depended on it—and that is exactly what happened. The punk band, who are known for their political and societal critiques, took Gramercy Theatre by storm on Thursday night.
Doll Skin kicked things off. The Phoenix-based band brought tons of energy and pop punk songs to the table, with lead singer Sydney Dolezal’s captivating voice and gutsy scream commanding the room. They got the crowd going with the thrashing “Puncha Nazi,” flawlessly setting the tone for the rest of the night.
Bad Cop/Bad Cop was up next, performing their arsenal of rebellious rock anthems. The band kept the fervor of the night going, firing fans up with songs like “Pursuit of Liberty” and “Womanarchist.” They closed their set with the defiant “Wild Me,” singing “They'll tell you to slow down/They'll teach you to smile and nod your head/That's a dangerous road, my friends/Nice girls are as good as dead.”
By the time Anti-Flag took the stage, the New York crowd was ready. It was a triumphant return to the city for the group, who were forced to cancel their last tour after just two days due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The nearly two year wait did not phase fans, however, and they were more charged up than ever. The Philadelphia-based band led the crowd in impassioned, protesting scream-a-longs.
The band is currently on their North American tour, which will wrap on November 21 in Buffalo, New York. Check out our photos of their NYC concert below, and be sure to follow these three awesome groups on Bandsintown to know when you can see them next!
Photos by Daniel Polevoy