Heart Attack Man, The Dirty Nil Pump Punk Rock Blood Into Deep Ellum’s RBC

Tuesday, Aug. 5, RBC in Deep Ellum felt less like a venue and more like a time capsule of punk rock chaos. The tucked-away Dallas bar, with its dimly lit, no-fuss aesthetic—gear huddled in corners, walls blemished with ladders\ and only a sliver of outside light squeezing through the front door—set the stage for a night as gritty as it was enthralling. Heart Attack Man’s Joyride the U.S., & Toronto & Also Vancouver Tour made its pit stop here, bringing together an international punk quartet that left the crowd sweaty, sore-throated and wanting more.

Four acts from four corners of the globe joined forces to deliver some grade-A controlled (and occasionally uncontrolled) chaos. Kicking off the night was Australia’s Dear Seattle, followed by New York’s Carpool, Canada’s The Dirty Nil and the headliner, Cleveland’s incendiary Heart Attack Man. Each set built on the unrelenting energy of the last, with The Dirty Nil and Heart Attack Man doing their best to nudge the crowd closer to collective combustion.

A Little Bit of Sydney in Dallas

Dear Seattle took the stage like they had something to prove—and prove it they did. Playing to an early crowd, vocalist Brae Fisher broke the ice with humor and charm. “Dallas feels like home,” he declared, comparing the city’s vibe and RBC’s dark, grungy basement aesthetic to their native Sydney. “Thank you so much for making us feel like we’re back in Australia!”

The band’s sound is a melodic mix of emo and alt-rock with an undercurrent of punk spirit. Guitar riffs reverberated like waves crashing on a beach, building into crescendos as Fisher alternated between raw, almost tortured wails and moments of quiet clarity. Their set was anchored by “Cut My Hair,” a blisteringly honest confessional from their 2025 album TOY. Amidst rolling snares and cathartic guitar distortion, the crowd couldn’t help but belt out the angsty refrain alongside Fisher—a standout moment in an already stellar opening act.

Boonie Hats, Baseball Shirts and Unapologetic Cool

Up next, Rochester’s own Carpool sauntered onto the stage with a presence that screamed, “Yeah, we know we’re cool.” Frontman Chris "Stoph" Colasanto embodied carefree swagger, rocking a Looney Toons baseball tee and a floppy boonie hat that gave serious Raoul Duke vibes. But Carpool wasn’t just about aesthetics—they brought the house down with a brisk, high-energy performance that fused the DIY ethos of punk with the clean, tight melodies of pop-punk’s golden age.

Between songs, guitarist Tommy Eckerson charmed the audience with his wry commentary. His confession about sideswiping a Tesla a few shows ago (“Praying the insurance doesn’t catch up with me”) underscored the band's laid-back, “we’re just here to have fun” attitude. “Deep Ellum might just be my favorite part of Texas,” Colasanto added, earning cheers from the loyal crowd already jostling for more pit space. Carpool’s set felt like a 30-minute party, culminating in a finale that had bodies bouncing off the walls—both figuratively and very literally.

Canadian Thunder with a Middle Finger Up

Then came The Dirty Nil, the Canadian trio who took command as if they owned the very floor beneath them. Swagger poured from every riff, with Luke Bentham—guitar slung low and a mischievous Elvis sneer—reveling in every note. He treated his instrument like an accomplice in some glorious, noisy crime, whether flinging a nonchalant middle finger skyward or holding up his guitar to wring out one more howl from his strings.

Bassist Ross Miller stalked the stage with the presence of a rock-and-roll big cat, making his playing feel less like accompaniment and more like a call to arms. Behind them, drummer Kyle Fisher delivered blows with surgical precision, laying the foundation for The Dirty Nil’s exhilarating sonic assault. Songs from their latest album The Lash whipped the crowd into a gleeful storm—proof that even newcomers found themselves swept up in the band’s irresistible live spectacle. When Bentham cheekily declared, “We’ve always loved Texas, and we always will,” it was hard not to believe him.

Freak of Nature at Full Throttle

If the first three acts lit the fire, Heart Attack Man tossed in a canister of jet fuel and cackled as it exploded. Frontman Eric Egan’s boundless energy was the visual equivalent of the band’s sound—a cocktail of pop-punk hooks, hardcore breakdowns and singable nihilism. From the moment the band kicked into “One More Song” from their April album Joyride the Pale Horse, the crowd was theirs.

Egan didn’t shy away from connecting, frequently wading into the fray, barking lyrics mere inches away from ecstatic fans. “Dallas is freaky as hell,” he said with a grin before tearing into the band’s signature track, “Freak of Nature.” The floor erupted into flurries of moshing and flailing as fans screamed along to its irresistibly anthemic chorus—a reminder that Heart Attack Man crafts cathartic experiences.

Their set was a perfect balance of old and new. “Spit” and “End of the Fun” from Joyride the Pale Horse showcased their evolution into heavier, more confident territory, while tracks from 2019’s Fake Blood reminded everyone why they fell in love with the band’s darkly humorous take on life’s less glamorous moments. (Yes, people did scream every word of “Fake Blood” like it was sacred scripture.)

Midway through, Egan paused, laughing, “You can move your ass, or you can get the hell out of here,” before launching into another neck-snapping crowd favorite. The audience clearly chose the former.

By the end of the set, RBC looked like a war zone in the best way possible—tired bodies, satisfied smiles and every ounce of sweat well-earned.

See more photos from Tuesday's show: