February 24, 2026 - Brooklyn, New York

Not even two feet of snow, sub-zero winds, or the treacherous stretches of frozen sidewalks and brown slush could stop the HOOLIGANG from packing out Brooklyn Steel this week for Joey Valence & Brae. The duo is continuing their HYPERYOUTH tour with a second leg and another stop in New York City, and we were lucky enough to capture their electrifying stage antics yet again. As is customary for fans of JVB, everyone was clad in handmade outfits, crazy sunglasses, liberty-spiked hair, and most importantly, whatever shoes in their arsenal are best for jumping around like lunatics. And that they did.

In what has become a staple of their live ritual, 15 minutes before the boys take the stage, their DJ, EWOOK, warms up the crowd with a selection of tracks that influenced the HYPERYOUTH era. This includes some recession pop hits from Lady Gaga, Ke$ha, and Charli xcx, as well as some Missy Elliot and Limp Bizkit to round out the set. This tour is the only time I have experienced a ‘warm-up’ set such as this – not an official opener, but rather a quick prelude to the excitement that is to come. EWOOK bottles the electric synchronicity of a perfect night out, when the frequency of the music aligns with the frequency of the crowd and the collective adrenaline is palpable. The fans are raucous with energy before Joey & Brae even take the stage. The lights dim, and the album’s opening line – notably, the first-ever Adventure Time sample cleared for a song – rings through the venue:

“Does growing up change your body, or also your soul?”

The perfect quote to encapsulate HYPERYOUTH, an exploration of party culture and fleeting youth through the lens of self-discovery. The album functions as a sonic mosaic, pulling from music, media, and pop culture to mirror the very concepts that shaped its sound. Following the Adventure Time sample, the album’s opener and title track, “HYPERYOUTH”, transitions into a sample from Ice Cube’s 2011 hit, “$100 Bill Y'all”. At that moment, the beat drops, the lights raise, and Joey & Brae storm onto the stage amidst roars from the fans. Later, the track leans into Joey’s production roots, pulling samples from two of his main influences, The Chemical Brothers and Skrillex. It seems as though every fan knows every word. Subtle nuances and humorous one-liners hidden in the music are echoed back from the crowd tenfold.

The HYPERYOUTH era is truly Joey Valence & Brae at their artistic peak. It’s a true celebration of early 2000s recession pop culture, an energy that is so desperately needed in the world right now. No matter how bleak it may seem, there is joy in shared community, and there is freedom in not taking ourselves too seriously. These are the core values etched into the DNA of JVB. For the next hour, the fans shared sweat and tears, (and maybe even blood – there were some fanatical moshpits in the heart of the pit.) From the breakneck energy of “PUNK TACTICS” to the evolved sounds of “NO HANDS” and “HYPERYOUTH”, the set was a high-energy journey through a discography built for losing one’s mind.

Joey Valence & Brae are continuing their HYPERYOUTH era with a deluxe album dropping this Friday, February 27th, and another several months of tour to follow. Catch them at one of their upcoming shows at the link here.