Catherine Cox ’29
Staff Writer
On Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, hardcore band Turnstile had a free benefit concert at the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., with the crowd reporting about 60,000 attendees. The free show really emphasizes the “for all” agenda of the hardcore scene, something that has been less present within the modern hardcore scenes, as the motivations of fame and profit often overcome the art for art’s sake mentality.
As a large fan, and heavily influenced by the punk scene of New York City in the 1970s, this free concert was something that I really appreciated and wished that I could attend. Turnstile’s efforts in making music accessible for all demonstrate their commitment to the punk and hardcore agenda, as they were open to anyone and everyone attending this concert.
Fugazi set this trend with their show at the Washington Monument back on Aug. 7, 1993. The show was reported to have about 5,000 attendees, only a fraction of what the Turnstile crowd had. Nonetheless, the DC native Fugazi was a pioneer in the hardcore movement that promoted free shows and the accessibility of the music.
Turnstile’s concert has taken over my social media feeds, as I see videos of the mosh pits, celebrity sightings like The Chainsmokers, and the iconic image of lead singer Brendan Yates jumping from the amp. As I see all of these posts on my feeds, I think about whether Turnstile’s bringing the hardcore scene to the mainstream will make music more equitable for all, as these free concerts have been becoming more popular within the hardcore scene recently.
Boston band Fiddlehead had a pop-up concert recently at the Alewife MBTA stop, promoting the free hardcore scene in the Massachusetts area. The station was taken over by the band’s fans, where they played a few tracks while the crowd moshed and sang along. These events are keeping the hardcore communities alive all over the world, as everyday places like the train station can be a stage for the hardcore bands of the local scenes.
Another Boston-based band, Haywire, had a pop-up concert, but in Times Square. The band’s show, which was announced with the coordinates of the location on Instagram, got shut down by the NYPD. Even though the show got shut down, the spirit of the hardcore pop-up show was definitely recognized by many, as was the promotion of the free and accessible shows.
Pop-up shows like this have always been big within the hardcore community, but have gone away in their presence within the scene over the past few years. The community that this creates within the hardcore scene is like no other, and it is something truly unique to be a part of. The large success of Turnstile’s show brought me excitement for all of the future pop-up shows to exist within their concert lineups, as well as the other shows in the greater Boston area that I can attend, like Fiddlehead’s Alewife Station show. I hope to see more pop-up shows like this happen, as well as to attend them myself, and I encourage everyone to attend events like Turnstile’s show at the Washington Monument.
Image courtesy of CNN
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