By Benjamin Joe
(Image above: One Way Terror. Photo by Tyler B. Morrill)

Milkie’s Elmwood Lounge continues to be a place for new and older acts to ply their trade.

From hip-hop, to indie, hardcore and karaoke, it’s a venue that has pulled through the bad times, notably when musician extraordinaire Lance Diamond (who had a regular gig there for what seemed like decades) died, and as two new ownerships revamped the original Elmwood Lounge to a new generation as Milkie’s.

That line of entertainment continues into spring as the venue hosts “Headbanging the Milkie Way” with bands One Way Terror, Fane, Bitchin’ Hour and Tar Bucket on Friday, April 11. Doors open at 8 p.m.

Shannon Dawn of Bitchin’ Hour said her band pulled in a decent crowd at her last gig at Mr. Goodbar and she was excited to be playing again on Elmwood, though closer to downtown.

“Our set list is building with a nice mix of the different varieties of sludge hardcore and thrash that we like,” she said. “It’s a fun set. There’s some different moods throughout it but all upbeat stuff just different variations of sludgy and thrashy. We’re a hardcore crossover thrash band, so we have a variety of different elements.”

Dawn also noted that Fane was “really heavy” and was a good reason to come out.

“They’re a band where they don’t play out too much, so it’s great to see them,” she said.

Fane’s last release was in 2021 called Solitude. It features the three-piece’s relentless barrage of heavy metal on “Hooves” which can be downloaded for free HERE!

One Way Terror, another metal/thrash/punk band was described by Dawn as “driving” and “skilled.”

“That band’s about big guitars and lots of energy,” she said. “They’re going to close it down right.”

In the end, Dawn said people dig her music because, “they can tell we’re having fun.”

“Our band is just fun and free-spirited,” she said, noting the summer is coming with great venues like Milkie’s, as well as the newly saved Mohawk Place, that still support the scene.

“People are excited Mohawk Place is reopening, everyone’s eager for things to thaw out. It’s not quite here, but I’m ready for it,” she said.

Blind Tyrant was originally scheduled for this show, but had to cancel.