Truckfighters played ONCE Ballroom – 1/18

Swedish riff-dealers Truckfighters headlined a heavy bill at Somerville’s ONCE Ballroom last week with support from Brooklyn’s Kings Destroy and locals Gozu and Leather Lung. 

The fuzzed-out desert rock power trio of Truckfighters is truly something best experienced in a live setting. The band’s records are good fun, but nothing really compares to the unstoppable ball of energy they combust into on stage. Guitarist Niklas “Dango” Källgren spent about as much time airborne as he does on the ground, and he and bassist/vocalist Oskar Cedermalm riled up as much engagement from the crowd as possible. It would’ve been hard to keep a smile off your face during their set.

Boston’s Gozu offered the best of the night’s opening sets with airtight, hammer-down heavy metal. Kings Destroy took the most measured pace of the evening to their doom-y excursions and Leather Lung sort of split the difference between the two, sounding just about how you’d expect a band with a song called “Gin and Chronic” to sound.

Photos from all four sets of a long, loud night below.