By Benjamin Joe
(Image above: Mariyah of Hostile Makeover. Photo by Brandon Olesky)

The four-piece Hostile Makeover is comprised of Daisy, Dave and Ben on guitar, bass and drums, respectively, and the femme-fronting vocalist Mariyah. The band has been playing each month and this month is no different. Hostile Makeover will be playing Hen House at 690 Hertel Ave. with Dishonored ( who are playing their last show), Pissguzzler, Bus Stop Abortion and Pure Bliss at 6 p.m. on June 26.

Mariyah said the band “brings a good fun vibe and definitely a younger crowd,” which is not surprising as two of its members, Dave and Ben, are still in high school.

The band got together through a youth program called School of Rock.

“It’s for kids and teens to get into music. How it works is you have lessons, like one-on-one lessons …. they have a performance group setting where you all play together. And then they’ll have shows. So we did the Erie Fair,” Daisy said.

Dave on drums. Photo Credit Brandon Olesky.

“We did Rock on Main, and I think we did Wing Fest,” Ben interjected. “This year Daisy’s not in it, Mariyah’s not in it anymore, but me and Dave are still in it. I think we’re playing the Erie County Fair, so that’s going to be big.”

“Yeah, so we were already in music and a live music environment and Mariyah was the first to introduce us to the hardcore scene here,” Daisy concluded. “She was like, ‘I want to start a band.’ We were like, ‘yeah that’s cool.’”

The three backing musicians were able to meet up earlier last week without Mariyah, but all members shared her sentiment. Hostile Makeover does bring a “fun good” energy. Sing-a-longs are common and encouraged and Mariyah said that was definitely a high point.

“Being behind the mic is so awesome,” she said. “I love performing and watching people know the lyrics to our music. It’s a real adrenaline rush.”

When it comes to the political part of being a hardcore band, the group seemed to think that was just part of the territory. Daisy and Dave listed some causes. Anti-capitalist. Anti-ICE. Anti-a lot of stuff.

“It’d probably be easier to list of things we’re not (against),” Daisy said.

Dave on bass. Photo Credit Brandon Olesky.

Daisy also said the Hen House does have a stage and is a square room with players in the corner. The venue also serves very good chicken.

“If you don’t go for the music, definitely go for the food,” she said.

What’s next for the band? They will be playing Area 54 on June 28 at The Hardcore Matinee with Numbskull and Sleep Lost and again on July 16 with Quantifier, Jerry Big’s World Famous Band and Off-Leash at Hen House. Hostile Makeover is the band to follow, it seems, to get the total picture of hardcore in Buffalo.

A Hostile Makeover sing-along. Photo Credit Brandon Olesky.