Turnstile Concluded Their Generational Run With a Free Show in Washington D.C 10/24/26
By now you’ve probably heard of Turnstile– the hardcore rock band hailing from Baltimore, MD. They’ve had an incredible 18 months. Their nonstop run of shows kicked off on May 12, 2025 at the Wyman Park Dell in their home city. It was a free show supporting Healthcare for the Homeless that amassed 10,000 fans and raised $35,000. Turnstile’s fourth studio album Never Enough released the following June, receiving critical and audience acclaim. They added touring guitarist Meg Mills as a full-time member for this album cycle.
Never Enough earned two Grammy awards: Best Rock Album and Best Metal Performance for “BIRDS.” There was a “Turnstile” night at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in July, which celebrated the band in their hometown after a year of massive success. They were the musical guest on SNL in October– the first hardcore band to play the show in 45-years. All of this to say– if you haven’t heard of Turnstile by now– where have you been? Turnstile concluded part 2 of the “Never Enough” tour with another free show. This time they performed in the heart of the nation to raise money for Palestine, Sudan, and Lebanon.
I arrived at the National Mall at about 1:00pm. The Washington Monument stood tall and imposing as Turnstile fans descended amongst tourists. In the distance, I could see the band’s signature color-blocked wall. I strolled through the grass that would soon be covered with people. It was unseasonably warm, and I baked in the sun waiting for the band to start. Plenty of friends and coworkers were in attendance as well, so I was not flying solo.
Back in August, I saw Turnstile at Shaky Knees Festival in Atlanta. I was swallowed by an ocean of people immediately, and drifted away from my friends. I was hot and out of breath, but it was still some of the most fun I’ve ever had. This time however, I was holding down the fort at the stage left barricade. My camera was hoisted high above my head; it was the lighthouse guiding my friends back to shore after their moshing and crowdsurfing escapades. I was fully locked into the music this time, instead of focusing solely on survival.
They began their set with “BIRDS” yet again (just as they had in Atlanta); the droning vibrations became synonymous with my increasing heartbeat. “Finally I can see it. These birds not meant to fly alone” was chanted by me, my friends, and thousands of others. My earplugs had to come out. I had to hear the unanimous chanting rather than my own muffled voice.
“I CARE” is one of their most unique songs in their discography. It utilizes shimmering synths and emulates a bit of The Smiths and The Cure. It’s not your typical hardcore track, but it’s a fan favorite nonetheless. “DON’T PLAY” from their third album Glow On (2021) is melodic hardcore at its finest: gritty guitars, ecstatic drum fills, a rapidly changing tempo, and a soaring melody.
Frontman Brendan Yates instructed the crowd to sing with him on the opening “yeahs” of “WILD WRLD” Yates’s slurring sounding vocals escalate into a powerful final “YEAH” which prompted the crowd to erupt along with the thrashy guitars. “SUNSHOWER” kicked off with the now famous cannonball jump from Brendan Yates– a photographic moment that will go down in punk rock history. The repeated line “and this is where I wanna be” felt especially pertinent. The crowd perfectly chanted along to the “RAIN!” refrain.
The set gave a moment to breathe while synths whirred and Daniel Fang’s drumming on the cymbals shimmered along. Yates asked “Is everything okay out there?” The crowd responded with “woos” and rock hands brandishing in the air. Yates thanked the crowd, mentioning that there were some last minute obstacles in the way, but that “you all made it possible. We love you, thank you so much.” Yates continued, “We’re so grateful to have been raised by this scene– one that taught us that music not only reflects the artist making it– but the people, and the world, and the suffering, and the joy that surrounds it. Today we’re here to gather around music, to celebrate humanity, but also to fight for it. This show is for our brothers and sisters in Gaza, in Sudan, and Lebanon. Raising money for Human Concern International and all the brave work that they do, so thank you so much.” He paused as the synths and drums began to swell in volume: “If you’re able to donate, please do. If you have, thank you. If you’re unable to donate right now, you being here means everything. We love you all so much. Thank you for showing up.” I think Yates’s speech strengthened the community bond– acknowledging that while some people may not be able to give money– being present in the moment is everything. There’s power in numbers– all 60,000 attendees make an impact– and that impact was certainly felt.
“So loud enough for the White House to hear…free Palestine, free Sudan, free Lebanon, and always…ALWAYS…KEEP IT MOVING!” Yates proclaims, kicking off “7” with its Rage Against the Machine inspired opening. It marked the beginning of the “Old Turnstile” portion of the set. “7” off the 2013 EP Step 2 Rhythm, laid the foundation for Turnstile’s progressive hardcore sound, combining 90s thrash metal, beatdown hardcore, and transient tempos. The instrumental track blended effortlessly into “Keep It Moving” with Yates yelling, “DC! Show ‘em what you’ve got!” A crowdsurfer with a Palestinian flag serendipitously appeared in my field of vision. There was also the inevitable crowdsurfer in a banana suit. “Keep It Moving” ends with a hair-raising guitar solo from Pat McCrory.
Yates reaffirmed that everyone was alright in the crowd. He said, “We wrote this song in a small basement between Washington D.C. and Baltimore. It’s called ‘Canned Heat!’” “Canned Heat” closed out the old Turnstile portion, and it didn’t disappoint. Everyone was moving– several people escaped from the masses looking tattered and overwhelmed, but oftentimes I would see these same people go back into the deep end moments later.
The last portion of the set contained banger after banger from Glow On and Never Enough. “SOLE” is one that’s easy to sing along to, “we need all of y’all on this one,” said Yates. Yates lifted the mic stand above his head and chanted along to the “heys” started by the crowd. “SOLE” ends with an electric synthwave outro. The set was briefly interrupted due to sound issues, but the silence was filled with “free, free Palestine” shouts. “LOOK OUT FOR ME” starts off with spacey synths and morphs into a rock jam.
There were some more mic and sound issues leading into “HOLIDAY,” but that didn’t diminish the crowd’s energy. Yates instructed the crowd to take a few steps back and thanked everyone for taking care of each other. I’m not sure if the sound issues and the steps back were correlated, but things were definitely getting congested upfront. “This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever been a part of,” said Yates. I could tell Yates was getting frustrated with the sound issues, but it didn’t stop him or the crowd from absolutely turning up. I can’t believe I witnessed this, but someone deep in the crowd held up a vibrator and launched it into the air. Truly a “blink-and-you’ll-miss-it” moment.
"Everything's breaking up here, but we only have a few more,” Yates said, “Who came here with someone they love? Pick your friends up! We wanna see y’all!” If only I had the strength to get someone on my shoulders while simultaneously shooting with two cameras. Oh, to be a kid on top of the world (a parent’s shoulders). “BLACKOUT” is a Turnstile classic from the basslines to the beatdowns. Bassist, Franz Lyons, seemed to mouth to the crowd “I wanna see everybody” while pointing and motioning across the field before the final breakdown. Yates does some of his own drumming at the end as the atmospheric synths to “NEVER ENOUGH” fade in.
Yates lifted the mic stand up and down as the crowd sang “Never Enough.” The song battles with internal conflict, feeling that “in the right place at the right time” actions can still feel like “never enough.” The irony here is that the actions on the National Mall did more than enough– raising around $250,000 for HCI. We all fight our internal battles, but we can be so powerful when we come together for times like these. Yates held up the Palestinian flag onstage while “NEVER ENOUGH” droned out.
“Y’all know what to do!” Yates shouts as the “T.L.C. (TURNSTILE LOVE CONNECTION)” fast tempo begins. Shortly into the song, Yates pointed down below him and extended a hand, shouting “AYO!” A fan who crowdsurfed to the front was tackled by security, and Yates noticed, bringing them up onstage and making sure they were okay. His arm was wrapped around them as he began barking the iconic lines “I want to thank you for letting me see myself. I want to thank you for letting me be myself.” You could really feel the T.L.C. from the band.
The crowd held up their hands showing their love with heart symbols. Yates and Fang did a lap through the barricade for high fives, handshakes, and hugs. You could tell that Turnstile genuinely cares about the people that show up for them. I witnessed Fang shake hands with a young fan who looked absolutely exuberated– I hope he remembers that moment for the rest of his life– I’ll be remembering this day for the rest of mine.
