Saturday Night with Big Boy at Chain Reaction

Last Saturday, a friend convinced me to check out a hardcore band called Big Boy, who was set to play on a larger bill at Chain Reaction, and honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’m not super familiar with hardcore, especially for shows, so it still feels like stepping into new territory. From the moment I walked in, the room had a great vibe: there was energy everywhere, people chatting and already moving to the music, creating that sense of community that really draws me in.

The floor was packed with people, making the venue fit the hot summer night, while the bar area stayed more relaxed, giving the space a nice balance between chaos and hangout energy. Technically, the full bill included Odd Man Out celebrating the release of their new LP Conviction, Allegiance, Firestarter, and About Face. But since the night was so spontaneous and we showed up a bit on the later side—like way later—I didn’t get a chance to catch Firestarter, About Face, or Odd Man Out’s set. I did, however, catch a decent amount of Allegiance, and they set the tone with a high-charged, intense performance that had the crowd moving non-stop.

I won’t lie, while I’m still trying to navigate the hardcore scene, I like chilling in the back and watching it all go down, simply observing. But the rush of people pushing me out of the way (respectfully) is what makes me really wish I had just an ounce of the energy these moshers and bands have to join in. On stage, Allegiance absolutely delivered that energy. I’ve already put them on my list to see again. One fan mentioned about the show thatnight:

“...still one of my favorite bands. Was so lucky to catch them in what I consider the golden years of California hardcore.”

It’s apparent that hardcore is alive and thriving, and the multiple mentions of my old home in the Bay Area from the bands throughout the night made me proud. Recently, my feed has been flooded with hardcore shows: indoors, in streets, backyards, under bridges—literally anywhere. The hardcore scene definitely hits in a way a lot of other genres can’t, and that’s exactly what outsiders like me are drawn to. Hardcore isn’t new, obviously, but its popularity keeps growing, and so does its community. The difference between this show and some recent ones I’ve been to has been pretty expansive. So again, just to reiterate, it was a good vibe and one you can’t really get just anywhere.

After Allegiance, it was Big Boy’s turn, and they tore through their set with raw riffs and throat-shredding vocals that left no room for anything but full immersion. They played fan favorites like “Spades,” “Identify,” and “Mystify,” each one hitting hard and sending the floor into chaos. Stage divers launched into the crowd, while pits swung as wide as the 250-capacity venue would allow. My girlfriend and I were eagerly anticipating the friend—who had invited us to the show—to join in on a stage dive. We saw bodies flying everywhere, but somehow, not his. That little moment just added to the charm and unpredictability of the night. Maybe next time.

Looking into San Jose’s Big Boy has been interesting to get into. Back in April, they dropped a surprise five-track EP titled Love Songs through DAZE—an unexpected but welcome mix of hardcore aggression with emotional depth. Since then, they’ve been hitting major festivals like Sound & Fury 2025 in Los Angeles, Outbreak Fest 2025 in Manchester, and The Rumble 2025 in Chicago. With a Hollywood Palladium show this October and European dates lined up into early 2026, they’re clearly expanding their reach far beyond the local underground scene and across the pond.

Saturday night felt like proof of that momentum. Every breakdown hit hard, every crowd-surf reinforced the bond between band and fan, and every song carried the urgency of a band hungry for more. Experiencing it firsthand, in a room that was alive and energetic but still welcoming, made me realize just how magnetic hardcore shows can be. It wasn’t just a good time with friends and new experiences, it was a spontaneous second step into a world I’ll definitely want to explore more of, with Big Boy and friends keeping the charge.