None Harder: Harm's Way astound at a sold-out 1720

The "Common Suffering" celebratory run hit a high point as Chicago's hardcore frontrunners bring together a communal powerhouse.

Photograph by Oscar Rodriguez

Text, Photos by Oscar Rodriguez (@bloomxphoto) at

1720 in Los Angeles on November 9, 2023:

Harm's Way are on a pedestal. For one, the band have just delivered a monumental new album, Common Suffering, which we've explored at length through an in-depth Behind the Cover feature alongside the band's own Chris Mills and cover artist Corran Brownlee. On another note, they delivered an unparalleled live experience that will you have swinging, roundhouse kicking, and jumping from the get go. Said live experience is currently hitting venues stateside as the band celebrate a noteworthy follow-up to the seminal Posthuman (2018).

The tour hit 1720 in Los Angeles alongside standout hardcore contemporaries Fleshwater, Ingrown, Jivebomb, and London hardcore punks Final Dose. The outcome? Madness from beginning to end, laying waste to a sold-out 1720.

Photograph by Oscar Rodriguez

Bodies were moved and flew from the stage as the Harm's Way logo shined behind the James Pligge-led unit. Common Suffering standout, Silent Wolf, kicked off the night with turbulence, showcasing the newfound prominence of the just released album. As fan-favorite, Become A Machine, hit next, many pushed forward towards a rip roaring Pligge to scream along.

Guitar duo Nick Gauthier and Bo Lueders excelled on the riffage, jumping high and exploding alongside the otherwise bombastic soundtrack on display. Whether you laid back along the sides or spinkicked in the pit, the energy was strongly felt throughout the warehouse, sparking a driving momentum in the room that speaks highly of the lively presence Harm's Way radiate. Rumbling Casey Soyk bass lines and shape-shifting Christopher Mills drum patterns kept the pace throughout as a shirtless Pligge paraded around the stage with commanding presence.

Photograph by Oscar Rodriguez

It's during moments such as Breeding Grounds and Human Carrying Capacity that the hold that Harm's Way have on the community becomes ever so evident. All eyes were on the band, a band at a culminating peak of a celebrated hardcore trajectory. There was little breathing room throughout the performance, and rightfully so. The catharsis felt upon the release of Common Suffering was lived throughout this showing, and it made it that much more significant. Harm's Way then looked back to Scrambled to conclude the memorable tour stop — an act of reflection for the band and fan service to the many in attendance.

Four dates remain on this barn burner of a trek, which you can find below alongside tickets and photo galleries of the insanity that transpired that Thursday evening at 1720. Be there.

Harm's Way Tour Dates (Tickets)

11/12 – Sacramento, CA @ Goldfield Trading Post

11/14 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall

11/15 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater

11/16 – Kansas City, MO @ RecordBar

Harm's Way Photo Gallery

Fleshwater Photo Gallery

Ingrown Photo Gallery