Wage War has been a rock of the screamo community for 10 years. The five-piece hardcore band from Ocala, Florida celebrated their tenth anniversary with two sold out nights, December 15th and 16th, at The House of Blues in Orlando. Wage War got their big break on The Warped Tour, like many other hardcore bands from the 2010s. Since then, they have grown their fanbase immensely and headline tours and festivals regularly. In 2024, they will be performing at Sick New World in Las Vegas, Nevada, Rockville in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Sonic Temple in Columbus, Ohio.

They opened their energetic show with hits “Relapse” and “Teeth” off their newest album, “Manic,” which surely opened up the circle pit and sent crowd surfers flying overhead. The crowd participation never faded throughout the night as lead singer/ screamer, Britton, led the audience in many call and response sections. Like in “Godspeed” and “Hollow,” where the vocals echo for the perfect opportunity to sing along with singers Cody and Britton.

Something to highlight about Wage War’s performances is their ability to never miss a beat. Every member of the band is polished and sounds exactly like they do on their records. Not to mention they do not stop moving the entire show, and after 10 years of performing, that says a  lot about their fitness and musicality. 

Wage War’s 10 year anniversary show definitely had a sense of community and familiarity. Many audience members were embracing and kind to one another. It was nice to see a fan base that picked each other up when they fell down and gently lowered crowd surfers to safety. Although Wage War’s music is heavy, their fans are nice to each other because the band is nice to them.

The songs played throughout the night ranged across Wage War’s entire discography and various styles they perform. Along with classic screamo bangers “Hollow” and “Stitch,” they also played newer songs like “Circle The Drain” and “High Horse,” as well as a stripped version of their song “Johnny Cash,” which had everyone waving their flashlights (and some lighters) in the air. They closed the night with the title track of their newest album, “Manic,” which surely opened up the pit one last time. Overall, Wage War is a staple of the screamo community and a great band to introduce someone to the hardcore genre.

Review & Photos by: Emily Tonnessen

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