Gouge Away - Live at the Masquerade
Rainy days sometimes make for the best shows. When it's gloomy, rainy, and wet out we can all let loose and not care what we look like – and that’s exactly what happened. South Florida’s Gouge Away took over Purgatory at the Masquerade in Atlanta this past Tuesday, and if you weren’t there you definitely missed out.
Gouge Away were joined by openers Gumm, a hardcore punk band from Chattanooga, Tennessee, who’ve been on the 10-show tour run since February. The openers let the crowd shake off the weather outside and live in the moment and the music. You could feel with every song the crowd starting to gain more and more spirit. Eventually, the crowd swayed and jumped with an infectious energy that made you want to join the pit and jump with them. By the time Gouge Away graced the stage, everyone was eagerly anticipating that first song. The band opened the show with the song Only Friend, from their 2018 album
Burnt Sugar. This song, being the opening track on their second album, is the perfect song to open a set with. Its fast-paced energy is exactly what we were all waiting for in the 300-capacity venue. As the show continued we heard songs old and new, many from their 2024 release Deep Sage. Once Stuck in a Dream played the crowd’s entire demeanor changed, instantly opening a pit in the center of the floor.
Everyone ran around, pushed, and sang in the most energizing and astonishing way. There’s no sight like a successful pit, and I will stand by that statement for the rest of my life. The show came to a close with their most popular track Ghost, a gritty song with a punchy bass line. Once the venue's lights came back on, it felt like the crowd didn’t want to leave and wanted to continue moshing and singing.
The show's setlist was a little bit shorter than the usual setlist due to two members being sick, with lead Christina Michelle stating on stage that the show almost didn’t happen entirely. I feel it’s safe to say we are all so grateful the show continued as planned. Gouge Away just concluded their tour on Wednesday, but we look forward to future shows and tours for the band! Stay updated by checking out their Instagram @gougeawayfl or site gougeaway.com
See the full live gallery here!