Turnstile brought the pit to America’s front yard on Saturday (Oct. 24), playing a free show for more than 60,000 fans gathered near the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. The Baltimore hardcore group’s biggest show to date was also the final gig on the North American tour in support of their Never Enough album and a landmark for the group whose Maryland-bred singer is a practical native of the nation’s capital.
The show, “Turnstile at the Washington Monument,” was co-hosted by Human Concern International and aimed at raising funds to benefit humanitarian efforts in Palestine, Sudan and Lebanon.
The gig drew legions of the Grammy-winning hardcore band’s fans to the hilly lawn near the iconic monument for a rager that featured massive, roiling mosh pits, a likely first for the august site that in the past has hosted everything from the massive 1963 civil rights March on Washington to this past summer’s tepid Great American State Fair Kickoff.
According to The Washington Post, singer Brendan Yates told the crowd, “Today we’re here to gather around music to celebrate humanity. But also to fight for it. Be loud enough for the White House to hear,” then leading the crowd in a pro-Palestinian chant, “Free Palestine!,” with his head turned toward the White House just blocks away, as well as “Free Sudan!” and “Free Lebanon!”
Before the 75-minute show, Human Concern International’s global director announced that the show had reportedly earned $150,000, easily surpassing the initial $100K goal. The 19-track setlist included such beloved songs as “Birds,” “Endless,” “Keep It Moving,” “Holiday,” “Blackout” and the finale, “T.L.C. (Turnstile Love Connection).”
Turnstile won their first of two Grammy Awards in February for best rock album (Never Enough) and best metal performance (“Birds”) and then made their Saturday Night Live debut earlier this month, becoming the first hardcore group to rock the Studio 8H stage since Fear’s legendarily chaotic 1981 debut.
Check out Billboard‘s exclusive pics from the show.
