Pinkshift brings the heat to Chicago

Last night Baltimore, Maryland punk outfit Pinkshift took the stage at Chicago's Salt Shed, supporting The Gaslight Anthem and Joyce Manor. Last year they played Chicago's premier punk festival Riot Fest, as well as a headlining show at Cobra Lounge the year prior. Having kept hearing name, I finally decided to see what all the rage was about, and can definitely see why they have media outlets buzzing about them.

Having released their debut album "Love Me Forever" in October of 2022, they brought a short, but imposing set to the audience. Although though they were the first act, they didn't let that deter them from playing the show with maximum energy, lead vocalist Ashrita Kumar howling with angsty screams and weaving into striking high notes, as the band launched into the first song "Toro".

The bands performance oozed with passion, performances were sharp, and the energy was on point. Pinkshift was able to encapsulate the engaging, high energy that make small room performances so special, and blast it into The Salt Shed's 3,000 capacity room with ease, as they trekked deeper into the set with cuts off their "suraksha" EP that released just last year.

They even treated the audience to a new, unreleased song, titled "Break Free" which was a welcomed change of pace. A slower, more emotional track than the songs before.

Although a brief set, Pinkshift made a phenomenal impression with their time last night, and I definitely look forward to what they do next, if you plan on seeing The Gaslight Anthem on this tour, do yourself a favor and show up early for Pinkshift, you will not be disappointed.