About six years ago, I Heart Local Music made a decision that we would no longer photograph teen musicians. We were worried it might do harm to their mental health, considering their age (by plastering their photo on the internet).
But this week, we will make an exception for a band that is so phenomenal, we think everyone should embrace in the joy of their performance.
Steer Away is, at heart, just a regular young punk band. But these kids sound so tight and well-rehearsed, it was hard to believe that they were a group of 16 year-olds. Their families told use that up until recently, they had to be driven to practice. This is no small feat, since all the members come from several different cities along the I-70 corridor (Lawrence, Topeka, Perry, and Shawnee).
When they hit the Replay up on Thursday for an early all-ages show, the energy immediately felt different than what we’ve gotten used to. Since the pandemic, bands in Lawrence have been a little different. They’re taking things more slowly, cautiously. It took a long time to see the youthful enthusiasm return to the scene because the COVID shutdown interrupted the idea of young kids getting together to rock out and explore being in a band together. That vibe has tapered off in the past year, and in its place is a scene that is about to burst with energy.
The Replay is, hands down, THE punk venue in town. So it makes sense that Steer Away already has a small following there (despite not being old enough to play any shows past 9:00 p.m.). Their rabid fan base thrashed, moshed, and formed a never-ending (and itty bitty) circle pit for most of the evening. It was a sweaty affair. The stage at the Replay is low to the ground, but if it were higher, we’re certain these kids would have been stage diving from it. The band’s songs centered around capitalism and anti-establishment moves. Their “FUCK ICE” rendition was a particular fan favorite, with many of the kids screaming along. Steer Away gives us major “Turnstile in training” vibes.
It was such a wildly entertaining show, we forgot SEVERAL times that these were teenagers… until we turned around and saw all the moms and dads with their phones out recording the show, their faces beaming with pride. Even the vocalist’s 82 year-old great grandmother was there, watching her great grandson sing in a bright neon green shirt that said “CUNT” across the chest. It was obvious that both Steer Away and opener Table Thunk were well-supported and well-loved by their families, a crew of concert-shirt-clad millennials and Gen-Xers who are trying their damndest to keep live music alive in this town by supporting the next generation of artists.
Photos from the night below: