© Dylan Lappin

On August 8, Boston hardcore band The Suicide File played a sold-out reunion show at St. Vitus as a preview to their appearance at the This Is Hardcore festival in Philadelphia. Panic, another Boston hardcore band that was active at the same time as The Suicide File, also reunited for the show, playing for the first time since 2006. Incendiary and Believer/Law opened. 

The atmosphere at St. Vitus was electric as The Suicide File tore through most of the tracks from their 2003 album Twilight and their two EPs. Although the band was only active from 2001-2003 (not counting a handful of reunion shows since then), they gained a loyal fanbase and left their mark on the hardcore scene. Their style pairs a ferocious rock-and-roll energy with poetic yet merciless lyrics touching on both personal and political themes.

© Dylan Lappin

Singer Dave Weinberg devoted most of his between-song banter to taking jabs at Brooklyn, quipping, “This is like my worst nightmare, getting kicked in the face by people in Mets hats.” He also said, “This song definitely goes out to Brooklyn” before the band launched into “I Hate You,” a vitriolic rant against “a**holes who hide behind fashion, who live life devoid of emotion or passion.” The crowd clearly didn’t take it personally or consider themselves to be among the group described in the song, as they matched Weinberg’s intensity in screaming along with every word.

© Dylan Lappin

Later in the set, Weinberg announced that he had “a shocking and horrible confession to make: I recently moved to New York. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Let’s hang out—it’ll be fun. We’ll dress terribly and eat great food.”

The Suicide File closed out the evening with “Song for Tonight,” arguably the best love song ever written by a hardcore band, as the crowd piled on Weinberg and gave the band an enthusiastic send-off. As the final notes rang out, I was already wondering when, if ever, I might be able to see them play again. Weinberg had half-jokingly answered that question earlier in the set: “25 years.”

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© Dylan Lappin

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  1. Nice to see a write-up about the show! I’ve been looking for any photos/videos of the set since the 9th and I’m surprised I haven’t seen anything (aside from instagram posts) until now.

    It was my second time seeing The Suicide File and they did NOT disappoint. I saw them at CB’s in 2003 with Blood for Blood, and I’ve been waiting to see them again ever since. I had no real idea who they were at that point, but I’m glad I caught their set. Although I definitely don’t recover from shows as fast as I did back then. oof.

  2. Oh my god. I’m finding these pictures over a year later. Let me just say I was NOT expecting to see my own face hahahaha. This is INCREDIBLE!!!!!!

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