The underground punk scene in Hattiesburg, MS was in for a treat on March 6th, 2025, when Bay Area hardcore punk band Scowl took to the stage at the local music venue Fat Cat. With an intensity that left the crowd drenched in sweat, Scowl’s performance was a relentless explosion of energy. The venue, a staple for local shows in the Hattiesburg area, created the perfect intimate setting for what turned out to be a cathartic night of punk music that featured a stacked local lineup of openers with OpFor, shesmadefromsuede, and Skinman.
Kicking off the night was Hattiesburg hardcore newcomers OpFor and they wasted no time getting the crowd pumped with the venomous vocal styling’s from lead singer Rosemary Panella. Up next was shesmadefromsuede and while I unfortunately missed their set, I could hear the crowd going wild from behind the scenes.
But it was Skinman who really set the bar, delivering a particularly blistering set with pummeling riffs and chaotic feedback drenched breakdowns. Their ability to shift seamlessly from slower more melodic riffs into bursts of frantic blistering speedrun riffs was such a rollercoaster of energy and the crowd was absolutely all-in. Skinman is definitely a band to watch. Featuring the powerhouse vocals of Emma Moore, Justin Blaine on guitar, Bradley Presson on bass and anchoring the chaos behind the kit is none other than Dee Dee, frontman of MSPAINT.
When Scowl took to the stage, the crowd was buzzing with excitement. Lead vocalist Kat Moss emerging with her signature green locks and impeccable style, instantly commanded the stage. Alongside her were band members Malachi Greene (guitar), Bailey Lupo (bass), Cole Gilbert (drums), and Mikey Bifolco (guitar), each contributing to the sonic assault that kept the crowd in motion.
Their set spanned their entire discography, from How Flowers Grow with songs like “Bloodhound,” “Fuck Around,” and “Four Walls,” to material from their latest album Are We All Angels, including my personal favorites “B.A.B.E.,” “Not Hell, Not Heaven,” “Special,” and their newest single, “Tonight (I’m Afraid).” They also tore through tracks from the Psychic Dance Routine EP, such as “Shot Down,” “Wired,” and “Opening Night,” which served as the perfect closer as it is a fan favorite.
It was an endless wave of bodies as everyone in the crowd moshed their way toward the stage. Moss, fully immersed in the chaos of it all, dove into the pit several times as the pit raged around her, amplifying that connection with their fans. There’s something raw and irreplaceable about those moments in intimate venues, where the energy between the band and the fans is palpable and unfiltered.
Scowl’s performance at Fat Cat was a no-holds-barred display of their evolution as a band and proof that this is just the beginning for this hardcore 4 piece. From the moment I saw them at Sick New World in 2023, it was clear they were on the rise, and seeing fans scream the lyrics back at them only confirmed it. If you haven’t had the chance to see Scowl live yet, make sure to check out their tour schedule as they have upcoming shows with Movements across the US and their headline tour in the UK. They will also be performing at Slam Dunk Festival, Louder Than Life, Shaky Knees and Aftershock Festival.
