The larger than life hardcore band Turnstile played their largest New York City show yet at Forest Hills Stadium with support from Clipse and Julie.
Sometimes I think to myself, "how did we get here?" Or more so, "how did Turnstile get here?" On paper, there isn't much about Turnstile that separates them from other hardcore bands who have shared stages and been apart of the same scene as this Baltimore quintet, but at some point over the past year and change, they have somehow emerged as the biggest band in hardcore and while it seems a bit like an anomoly, it couldn't be more deserved. After the release of NEVER ENOUGH in June 2026, the band embarked on a world tour which has now come back around to find them playing the biggest venues of their career with a wide-range set of support acts at every stop. For their show at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, they tapped the shoegaze band Julie and hip-hop icons Clipse to kick off the night.
While I didn't make it in time to catch Julie, I was able to snag a spot up close for Clipse and prayed that my friends and I would be able to hold our ground for the entirety of the night. As the brothers Pusha T and No Malice entered the stage, their swagger was prolific as the duo swapped verses with incredible dexterity and immaculate flows. While they might've seemed out of place as an opener for Turnstile a few years ago, the diversity of the band's own influence and inspiration has become so massive that there were plenty of Clipse shirts in the crowd and many around me knew every lyric to every track. "Chains & Whips" was a strong opener that set the tone of their gangsta rhythm as the two marched across the stage, spitting bars with a ferocious snarl and ultra-crisp beats. Busting into "Grindin" had the floor lit up and the crowd's energy began to heat up while the two brothers soaked up every bit, flashing homages to Black history behind them and conquering with each hit of the snare. "Ace Trumpets" brought the house down and really got the crowd hyped for what was to come, while also affirming Clipse's own status as legends of the game who still can throw down with the best.
After paying homage to Queens' hometown heroes the Ramones by dimming the lights to blast their take of "Do You Wanna Dance," the energy skyrocketed and the floor began to quake, as their spectrum of color logo appeared on stage, things got restless and when they instantly dropped into "BIRDS," the floor erupted and all hell seemed to break loose. Swarms of people pushing and shoving, jumping in total thrill, and releasing an infinite amount of energy made the stadium burst like a stick of dynamite and in a flash the night was off to the races. Engulfed in madness, the crowd spilt into pits in every direction as chaos reigned supreme. Yet for the intensity that was unleashed in sheer seconds, the magnitude thrived while the sincerity remained intact, neighbors looking out for one another and ensuring a good time was had by all no matter how much it felt like we were all about to cave in on one another. Riding hard on their two most recent albums was a guarantee for the night, so when they dropped "Real Thing" so early in the night, it was a real testament to see just how many people were still pumped to hear a deep cut that you'd never have imagined would be played in front of a crowd of this size. "ENDLESS" kept things moving as the pace of the show only knew one speed: maximum. For a more "mellow" track, the band ripped into "I CARE" and wasted no time in inviting Faye Webster to join them to accompany Brandon on vocals for which the crowd went totally mental. Webster recently covered the track for NEVER ENOUGH: VERSIONS, but the band kept it traditional and didn't opt into Webster's coffeehouse-style take, instead keeping the energy at a high before launching into "DULL" as strobe lights flashed the swirling crowd. A few more classics were surrounded by more ambient interludes, thankfully allowing us all to recenter and regain our balance before thrashing into the next pit. "WILD WORLD" picked things back up and "LIGHT DESIGN" elevated the show creating one of the best sing-a-long moments (at least until that point). When the twinkling opening notes of "MYSTERY" started to dazzle their way over the crowd, I did my best to make a break for the middle and get as close as possible to the front and as I got slammed from side to side with other fans, it was a moment of real levity, one full of raw, pure emotions that felt euphoric and beyond compare. Feeling one with the crowd, bodies swayed together in one total motion, everyone keeping each other afloat while passing the crowd surfers above us overhead as they flowed like items on a conveyorbelt. Playing a few more old tracks, the band zoomed in on a Sick of It All shirt that was draped onstage, paying tribute to the New York hardcore legends and showing signs of respect to those who paved the way and never could've imagined a punk show like this on a scale of this size. There may be purists who will argue the legitimacy of Turnstile's hardcore status, but no matter what, being able to witness their greatness live feels like a moment of a lifetime. There's something utterly special about this band and their ability to connect with so many people and seeing hardcore brought to the masses with such love and care is a really beautiful thing. Brandon Yates stood center stage in a rare moment of stillness as he shouted out "MAGIC MAN" for a peaceful stint that helped calm the nerves before the all out attack of "LOOK OUT FOR ME" and as the stadium chanted back "now my heart is hanging by a thread" it was total blast of a punch before they returned for the knockout. Throughout the night the band shared videos of fans from throughout the tour where they all talked about their passion for Turnstile and the community they've found at shows. There was also a video from Yates' father where he talked about how the band finally graduated from basement shows and how they're even better in these huge venues because there's even more energy to feed off of from the crowd. I'm sure real hardcore dudes will tell you there's nothing hardcore about your dad loving your music, but on this occasion, everyone in attendance was head over heels to see this support. As the tension hit critical mass, it finally broke when they hit us with "HOLIDAY," a track that felt like it unleashed enough power to split the atom and "BLACKOUT" felt like enough to make the venue crumble into dust. The striking synths of "NEVER ENOUGH" rang out as their spectrum logo returned for another triumphant and unifying moment that had everyone shouting back at the top of their lungs before one final rush of "TURNSTILE LOVE CONNECTION." As thousands screamed out "I want to thank you for letting me see myself" it was another reminder of how powerful and important this band has become to so many. On the surface it looks intimidating as hell, but to be a part of a Turnstile show and see the connection formed between so many different people is downright healing and an inspiration of what the power of people and a community of acceptance can do for us. Calls of "Free Palestine" and images of fans in "Fuck ICE" tshirts was another uniting front and proved just how easy it is for an artist to call out right from wrong. Turnstile is a band for everyone and it's never been more apparent than their current live show, one of the best of the year, and how they've become not just a band for the moment, but the band of the moment itself. Long live Turnstile.
Clipse set list:
02 "P.O.V."
03 "Popular Demand (Popeyes)"
04 "Chinese New Year"
05 "Inglorious Bastards"
06 "Grindin'"
07 "F.I.C.O."
08 "So Be It"
09 "Ace Trumpets"
10 "So Far Ahead"
Turnstile set list:
01 "BIRDS"
02 "Real Thing"
03 "ENDLESS"
04 "I CARE / DULL" (with Faye Webster)
05 "DON'T PLAY"
06 "I Don't Wanna Be Blind"
07 "Drop"
08 "WILD WRLD"
09 "LIGHT DESIGN"
10 "MYSTERY"
11 "SUNSHOWER"
12 "7"
13 "Keep It Moving"
14 "Canned Heat"
15 "SOLE"
16 "MAGIC MAN"
17 "LOOK OUT FOR ME"
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18 "HOLIDAY"
19 "BLACKOUT"
20 "NEVER ENOUGH"
21 "T.L.C. (TURNSTILE LOVE CONNECTION)"
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