Béton Armé, Dark Thoughts, Traxx & Brazen Bull at Soda Bar — A Full-Throttle Night of Punk Energy
Soda Bar welcomed San Diego’s punk crowd on November 26 — the place turned into a Doc Martens temple for the night — with four bands bringing their own fast, loud take on punk, all building toward a chaotic finale from Montreal’s Béton Armé.
Opening the night, Traxx (San Diego) came in sharp and direct. Their set had that classic SoCal punk bite: fast tempos and gritty vocals. The crowd was already moving, pushing, testing the room’s energy. For an opener, they set the bar high and immediately put the night into motion.
Second on the bill, Brazen Bull kept the pace high. Their sound leaned more into hardcore punk: heavier riffs, more urgency, and a frontman who never stopped pacing and scanning the crowd. It was raw, loud, and exactly what a Wednesday night punk show in San Diego should be.
Philadelphia’s Dark Thoughts kept the pace brutal and steady. Their set was fast, tight, and completely no-frills: short songs, quick melodies, and drumming that never let up. The crowd stayed active and packed in, matching the band’s speed from start to finish. No slowdown, no shift, just straight, high-intensity punk that kept the room moving and ready for the rest of the night.
Then came Béton Armé. The Montreal oi!/punk band hit the stage with a different kind of energy: chaotic, wild, and fun. From the first note, the room blew up. Their singer was completely unleashed: dancing, crowdsurfing, even dropping into a split on stage, pulling everyone into something raw and communal.
It wasn’t just a performance, it was chaos: loud, fast, and emotionally charged. The pit turned into a pile of bodies, the front row screamed every word, and honestly, as a French person, I was surprised to hear that many people singing in French! Personally, my favorite song is “Cercle Vicieux”.
From local openers to an international finale, the night showed punk in all its forms: messy, loud, aggressive, communal. A perfect pre-Thanksgiving night at Soda Bar: sweaty and loud!
If your city is on their December tour route, do yourself a favor and go: it’s absolutely worth it!
