Bands – The Suicide Machines & The Write-Ups
Venue – Flint Local 432
Location – Flint, MI
Concert Date – November 23rd, 2025
Words & Photos – Porous
My first love was punk rock. In the mid-to-late 90s, bands like Propagandhi, NOFX, Rancid, Misfits, AFI, and Suicide Machines were what helped turn this shy, awkward kid into an obnoxious, awkward kid. But seriously, they truly helped me find myself and blew open the doors to my political and societal awareness (maybe not so much Misfits, but I do adore horror movies).
In high school I was in a punk rock band that dabbled in ska at times. Heavily influenced by the aforementioned groups and one of our favorite spots to play was the Flint Local 432. Which for us, being sheltered kids from the suburbs/boonies, getting to play in Flint expanded our minds even more. I could write for days about how much this meant to me, getting to experience The Suicide Machines in that same environment (although a new location). I suspect everyone in attendance at this sold-out show (including their opener, The Write-Ups) would express a similar sentiment. Let’s get to it.
THE WRITE-UPS
Although we live in the same county, I wasn’t super familiar with The Write-Ups. I’d listened to their self-titled full-length when it debuted and dug the songs (especially the lyrical themes), but was knee deep in metal at the time and didn’t give it a proper listen. Seeing these five fellas perform it live though… yup… I’m sold. Any band who opens their set with “Free Palestine, Fuck ICE, Fuck Trump“, along with a pro-trans rights message are kindred spirits. The Write-Ups went on to play for around 30 minutes, sounding just as tight as any other ska band I’ve ever seen live. They were hilarious and sentimental and the whole set felt like I was home again. The Write-Ups instagram states: “Would probably play your basement for $50 and some vegan chili.” If I wasn’t sharing my basement walls with neighbors, I’d book ’em. I guess you’ll have to instead. And I have a great recipe for vegan chili if you need it.
THE SUICIDE MACHINES
As I mentioned throughout the introduction, my adolescent musical tastes leaned more towards punk, which eventually led to extreme metal. My trajectory went as follows: Grunge > Punk Rock > Hardcore > Metal. For the “punk rock” and “hardcore” portions of it, there were 2 pivotal “gateway” albums that drew me into the genres: Destruction by Definition and Battle Hymns by The Suicide Machines. As expected, tracks from both albums were performed over the weekend, along with a flurry of deep cuts that were at times hilariously panned by members in the band. The banter, energy, and stories throughout that entire evening was incredibly cathartic.
Flint was the final stop of The Suicide Machines’ Michigan Weekender mini-tour, preceded by shows in both Ann Arbor and Paw Paw (yes, that’s a real town). From what I gathered, they tried their damnedest to play different sets each of the three nights. A couple favorites of mine included, “Break the Glass”, “S.O.S”, and “Someone”. Jay would humbly provide backstory and raw context to a lot of these, highlighting the need for and thanking close friends who provide support during those dark times of depression and anxiety. An incredibly relatable sentiment for many of those in attendance (myself included).
Jay’s welcoming and inclusive attitude is what all vocalists should aspire to. If he wasn’t shoving the mic in someone else’s face, he was down in the middle of crowd singing along with everyone. And Rich, well, he needs a new bass head. But no, he was incredible and grinning ear-to-ear the entire time. T’was infectious. Ryan V back there on drums was a machine. I messed up and didn’t get as many photos of him, oof. Next time though! And Justin on guitar. Playing flawlessly and having what looked like the time of his life up there. Huge thank you to Justin for having me out!
The Suicide Machines are one of the best bands to ever come out of Michigan. They have a few shows down south towards the end of December, but make sure you’re following The Suicide Machines on instagram (or wherever) to see when they’ll be playing near you next!
So, I get that this is a metal website I’m writing for. But it’s not called “MetalWebsite.com”. It’s MoshPitNation.com. So I cover anything you can mosh to, including ska punk. Which is hilariously ironic to me, as the Flint Local has a big “No Moshing” sign posted. This is an all-ages venue and funded by community grants, so they have lots of rules. It’s another reason we don’t get to experience much metal, punk, or hardcore at this spot anymore. Maybe I missed it, but Flint Local 432 I have request for additional signs to be posted: “NO KINGS”, “NO GENOCIDE”, and “NO BILLIONAIRES”. I really hope I don’t have to amend this to include “NO TRILLIONAIRES” in the coming years. But for real, Flint Local 432 is an amazing spot, doing so much for the youth in this community. Thank you for keeping local music alive.
NO AI WAS USED FOR ANY OF THIS COVERAGE. A HUMAN BEING USED THEIR OWN BRAIN
Follow @porousphoto on Instagram to see more photos from the show.
Biography: Porous has been possessed by heavy music for the vast majority of his life. For a good chunk of it, that love was exorcised by playing metal, punk, and hardcore with other musicians. Nowadays Porous writes/records music mostly on his own, but engages with the community by supporting/encouraging other artists, and one of those ways is through writing! In early 2025 he joined MoshPitNation to contribute album/show reviews, concert photography, and hopefully an infectious love for metal, punk, and hardcore. For more photography, visit his digital portfolio.
