On Saturday night (10/24), Los Angeles punk firebrands NIIS (Nice) took over Franklin Music Hall, opening up a massive, high-stakes bill alongside Movements, Balance and Composure, and Midrift. They delivered a white-hot set of raw, rage-infused punk and hardcore aggression; the quartet didn't just warm up the Philly room they completely ripped it apart.
Mimi Doe was a total force of nature at center stage, commanding the venue with a razor-sharp snarl and an electric, unhinged presence that instantly grabbed the early-arriving crowd by the throat. Flanked by Ryan McGuffin’s blistering, feedback-drenched guitar work, Izzy de Vroede’s driving, heavy basslines, and Jonathan Salvo’s relentless, thunderous beat behind the kit, the band moved like a freight train of pure, unadulterated energy.
Fresh off the release of their blazing new EP Play Niis, the band tore through a ferocious setlist packed with razor-sharp anthems like "Earthquakes", "No Flowers", and blistering cuts that hit like a physical blow. Their sound is loud, dirty, and fiercely alive, a blistering collision of classic punk attitude and modern underground grit that left the floor vibrating and the pit in total chaos.
NIIS staked their claim as one of the most exciting, uncompromising live acts in the underground music scene out right now. If you missed this show, be sure to catch them at the next tour stop and get ahold of their ever-growing discography.
Set List
Westside
Tyrant
STK
Bad Aim
Earthquakes
No Flowers
New Pig
The Bow
Spite
Tour Stops:
Oct 28, Silver Spring, MD
Oct 30, Richmond, VA
Oct 31, Norfolk, VA
Nov 2, Raleigh, NC
Nov 4, St. Petersburg, FL
Review and Photography by: Craig Eidell