A Monumental Day in Roanoke’s Hardcore Punk Scene: A Preview of Terror at Flying Panther

A Monumental Day in Roanoke's Hardcore Punk Scene: A Preview of Terror at Flying Panther
by Jack Martin

September 2023

Monday, September 18, 2023 promises to be a monumental day in Roanoke’s hardcore punk scene. The community’s main venue for hardcore shows, Flying Panther Skate Shop, will be welcoming the legendary band Terror along with four notable supporting acts. While the show may be sold out now, some ticket holders may not be aware of the significance of this event. This show is remarkable not only in Roanoke’s local context, but in the context of the wider hardcore punk scene as well.

The Roanoke hardcore community is no stranger to booking both notable up-and-comers as well as famed legacy acts, but no band to play the city has approached the magnitude of Terror. Terror has been a definitive group in the heavy music sphere for nearly two decades. The band has millions of streams, hundreds of thousands of record sales, and fans on a global scale nearly unmatched by other bands in their genre. With all of those things considered, one might ask why such a monolithic band would play a 250-cap venue in a small city in southwestern Virginia. The answer is that our city cares about Terror, and Terror cares about cities like ours.

The band is in the midst of a headlining touring block with fellow giants Hatebreed, but the band chose to break away from the tour package and play a series of shows in smaller cities and venues between the major headliners. First time goers to the Flying Panther should prepare themselves to see full engagement between audience and performer. Excitement has perhaps never been higher in Roanoke hardcore, and it will reach a fever pitch when Terror takes the small, DIY cinder block stage at the Flying Panther.

Showgoers will also get to see four notable supporting acts. The most remarkable of which is Richmond’s legendary Naysayer. The band is held in high regard in the histories of both Richmond and Roanoke’s hardcore scenes. Naysayer has played Roanoke before, but their return after several years will perhaps provide fans with an added sense of anticipation. Rounding off the lineup are two exciting newer bands with members from both Richmond and Roanoke, Dimension Six and Infernal Gaze, and Roanoke’s own Hostile Takedown. These three bands bring a sense of homegrown pride to the bill. Hardcore fans in the city are excited to see their peers and friends perform alongside the two monster headliners.

The sold out, max capacity show will hopefully be the catalyst that truly starts the fire for Roanoke hardcore. Many dedicated individuals have put hard work into making this show happen, and its success comes from years of buildup and persistence to grow the local scene. Those unfamiliar with the scene will bare witness to a true display of community effort. <>

Photo credit: Openhead Takes Photos