We genuinely wish every show we see could have been like this one. On Friday night, The Taproom became home to one of the most enthusiastic show we’ve seen in months. The Vagabonds delivered a masterclass in what it  means to be young and make loud music with your friends. Something you have to remember about the Taproom is that it’s very small and underground. So when the entire crowd was jumping and flying across the basement venue, we were shocked they didn’t slam their heads into the ceiling (instead, they slammed their heads into each other).

What an infectious energy! The Vagabonds are just one of many Wichita bands who knock our socks off. They lit the place on fire with flailing, fuzzed out guitars and screaming vocals. But most of all, they had a camaraderie that spread like a wildfire. The best part of the night came when they extended their set to an encore with a cover of Modern English’s “I Melt With You.” By that point, the frontman for The Vagabonds had already smashed his guitar in the madness. So the guitarist for Truant Kids dived right in and filled the gap.

The rest of the lineup was rounded out by Truant Kids (who share guitarist Deacon Marlin with The Vagabonds) touting new songs from their latest album, as well as The Fun Guy who continued their anti-war rampage throughout the land (the band was met with a roaring round of applause when their frontman leaned into the mic and yelled “Is anyone here a billionaire?… FUCK you! FUCK you!”). Easily one of the top five shows of the year.

Photos from the night below.