Turnstile proves they are enough

June’s announcement that the rising Baltimore band Turnstile’s “NEVER ENOUGH Tour” would stop in Buffalo had stoked plenty of excitement for three months. A snowstorm had forced the band to cancel a November 2022 show at the Town Ballroom, so to say the anticipation had risen to a fever-pitch would be an understatement.

But once again, Sunday’s show at Outer Harbor Live at Terminal B had to square off with Mother Nature.

All was going well as thousands of fans made their way into the waterfront venue while the sun was setting during a triple bill of acts to warm up the crowd. 

Jane Remover had fans at the barricade singing and jumping along for their 20-minute opening slot. Australian hardcore band Speed played next, and vocalist Jem Siow shared that Turnstile was one of the first bands he considered his inspiration.

Final opener Mannequin Pussy brought on their Philadelphia punk, not just with lead singer Marisa “Missy” Dabice’s energetic stage presence, but also a message of community and inclusion that would be the theme for the show. Dabice stressed in-between songs that fans should be mindful of LGBTQ+ rights, Palestine and more minority groups the band supports.

But as Turnstile’s stage crew was setting up for the headliner, Outer Harbor Live staff announced that the venue had to be evacuated, as a thunderstorm with lightning was spotted nearby. Fans returned to their cars and waited out the storm for over an hour before being allowed back in. There wasn’t going to be a cancellation this time.  

Turnstile brought their NEVER ENOUGH album cycle full circle with a high-intensity performance and an interactive stage production.

Their set consisted of a mix of their two latest albums, including NEVER ENOUGH’s title track and fan favorites like “Drop,” “Real Thing” and “LIGHT DESIGN.” The music was accompanied by an array of eye-catching elements, such as an oversized screen that shuffled live fan shots and a spinning disco ball; a spotlight was also fixed on lead vocalist Brendan Yates as he sang “Let the spotlight shine on me” during “BLACKOUT.” 

To many fans there Sunday, especially those who waited nearly three years since the canceled show, a Turnstile concert is about the immense amount of energy the group creates live.

From the opening melodies of “NEVER ENOUGH” to the pounding rhythms of show-closer “BIRDS,” everyone was moving, singing along at the top of their lungs and beyond excited to see one of the best bands in America today.