Review: Maruja @ The Rockwell 3/23
Photo credits: Cal Moores
Review by Sydney Spottiswood
Maruja’s sold-out show at The Rockwell this past Sunday was nothing short of electric. Establishing themselves by their blend of hardcore punk, noise rock, and transcendent saxophone melodies with provoking lyrics, the rising Manchester-based quartet – composed of guitarist and vocalist Harry Wilkinson, saxophonist and secondary vocalist Joe Carroll, bassist Matt Buonaccorsi, and drummer Jacob Hayes – performed with opener We Broke the Weather in an experience that was as potent as it was immersive.
The Rockwell, a performing arts theatre typically known for hosting comedy shows in the heart of Davis Square, fostered an energy akin to a dive bar as the attendees — an eclectic mix of Carhartt-clad Fantanoheads and your typical old school crust punks — bustled up in the theatre’s hallway. Nondescript saxephone notes floated down the hallway as the bands wrapped up soundcheck amid the chatter of the night.
“I mean, [hosting comedy shows] just seems like what you’d use a black box theatre and bar for,” commented an attendee waiting in line, fitted up in a patch-ridden battle jacket and facial piercings. “[I] wanna see how they’re gonna switch it up with, like, a noise rock band playing here.”
Under a wash of blood-red stage lights, We Broke the Weather, a self-described “fuzzed out garage prog” act from Somerville, opened up the show. Assigning titles to each member would be a misunderstanding of the band’s ethos. Throughout each song, the members would swap instruments with each other, switch out whoever was singing, even erasing the line between audience and performer as one of the guitarists ran into the mob mid-song. A saxophonist became a guitarist, and vice versa.
To begin the set, Wilkinson sprinted on stage in a red and black keffiyeh, and the rest of the band commenced with “The Invisible Man” from the band’s 2024 EP “Connla’s Well.” Immediately plunged the audience into the band’s signature controlled chaos, the brooding bassline and Carroll’s frantic saxophone wails set the tone for a relentless onslaught of sound. “Break the Tension” followed as a bit of an ironic counterpoint to the band’s ever-growing intensity, with Wilkinson’s voice flipping between gentle croons and screaming with each line.
The highlight of the night was with “Zeitgeist,” a track that perfectly encapsulated the band’s ability to shift between hypnotic grooves and full-throttle catharsis. Everyone erupted into a circle pit as the song’s climactic breakdown played, where Carroll parted the crowd in two — all while playing the sax, mind you — and proceeded to run around the entire theatre. The politically charged “Look Down on Us” carried a raw defiance, with its menacing and shameless instrumentals reinforcing the lyrics’ power.
“We’re from the UK, but corruption is everywhere now,” said Wilkinson after he wrapped up the song. “And we know you guys have a whole lotta that going on right now … We stand with you.”
Midway through the set, “One Hand Behind the Devil” and “Thunder” carried the energy at a fever pitch. The band’s chemistry was on full display as they navigated intricate shifts in rhythm, seamlessly blending the heaviness of the bass and drums with Carroll’s light and jazzy saxophone. “Kakistocracy,” in what felt like the night’s most thematically intense moment, was a war cry against societal decay, its chaotic saxophone and pounding drums fueling the mosh pit in the room.
“Although our music sounds violent, our lyrics are meant to promote peace,” said Wilkinson. The vocalist then led the audience into raising their fists in solidarity with Palestine and those targeted by ICE raids in the United States. A minute of silence followed.
Maruja rounded out the night with “Resisting Resistance,” which was an anthemic yet cathartic finale that left Buonaccorsi and Carroll as the duo to control the stage. As the last notes rang and the lights dimmed, the room was left in stunned silence before erupting into thunderous applause.
Maruja’s set at The Rockwell cements the band as one of the most invigorating live acts growing today. Their ability to channel raw emotion and political messaging into a meticulous yet explosive sound is simply unparalleled, making their show last Sunday a performance that won’t soon be forgotten.