Of all the hardcore scenes that emerged across the country in the 1980s, New York City had one of the loudest and most aggressive of the bunch. Much like the Hip-hop that came from the city in the 90s, there is an undeniable grit and rawness that can only be achieved by applying the experience of living in the concrete jungle to your music. NYC’s hardcore scene gave birth to some of the most memorable bands of the era, but few can define the sound the way Cro-Mags can.
Cro-Mags was founded and continues to be carried by multi-instrumentalist and hardcore purist Harley Flanagan. While the origins of the band have been discussed and disputed by the original members, tracing the band’s history is challenging. However, one thing is sure: no matter who was drumming or belting out guitar riffs, the Cro-Mags know how to rock. This is evident in today’s Golden Age Thursday as we look at an explosive performance from 1986 by Cro-Mags, who detonated a stick of hardcore punk dynamite at the legendary Ritz club in their hometown of NYC. The performance takes place in November, just two months after Cro-Mags released their iconic debut album, The Age of Quarrel, in September of 1986. You can watch the full head-spinning, palpable performance below.
