Some nights you just know you picked the right show, and this was one of them. I wanted live music to shoot on August 30, looked at all the options, and landed on Truckfighters at the Masquerade. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but by the end of the night, I was completely won over.
Bad Guru kicked things off, and what a fantastic opener they turned out to be. They’re an Atlanta band and their sound pulls from all kinds of places: alt rock, psychedelia, even a little stoner rock, and it just works. Sierra Watkins absolutely owned the stage, and I loved that she stuck around to cheer on the rest of the night. They didn’t feel like “just” an opener; they set the bar high right from the start. Her vocals are lovely. She is stunningly beautiful. The stage was filled with talent reminding me that Atlanta will always be a leader in growing bands.
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Then came Restless Spirit out of Long Island with a solid metal performance that felt like a headbanging storm. Rich riffs, thick grooves, and pure force pouring off the stage. They’ve been putting out records steadily since 2019, with albums like Lord of the New Depression, Blood of the Old Gods, and their most recent, Afterimage. You could feel all of that live—every note landed heavy, every riff carried weight. The crowd was completely in it, and when the band came back out later wearing Truckfighters shirts, it was clear they were fans themselves. That kind of energy and respect made the night feel like one big celebration of music.
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By the time Truckfighters hit the stage, the room was buzzing. Even when it seemed some equipment issues popped up, the crowd only leaned in harder, chanting “Truckfighters” until the band finally took the stage. Niklas “Dango” Källgren was absolutely something to watch. I hesitate to draw comparisons, but I got a strange Eugene Hutz vibe from him—if you’ve ever seen Gogol Bordello live, you may know what I mean. Pure passion, all night. He was never still, constantly airborne, constantly moving, and at one point he jumped into the crowd with his guitar. Fans immediately whipped out their cameras to capture the moment, because he was that magnetic.
Truckfighters are fun, loud, chill, and totally committed to their craft. The chemistry between Dango and Oskar “Ozo” Cedermalm is undeniable; you can tell they’ve been playing together for years. Their connection kept the whole performance grounded while Dango went wild. The crowd was stacked with die-hard fans. One person told me they’d waited nearly a decade to see them live—and that dedication was reflected back by the band onstage.
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And here’s the funny part: out of all the shots I took that night, my favorite photo ended up being of the socks and shoes that Niklas wore as he walked on stage. Strange, right? But it’s the one that will always stand out to me, even as I take thousands of photos every year. I still need a pair in small, please. I also bought a shirt, because after seeing that set, how could I not?
I went into this night thinking, “let’s try something new,” and walked out a fan. Truckfighters were fun, energetic, and absolutely worth the chance. If they come back around, I’ll be there again without hesitation.
Text & photo: Jennifer Turpin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1Lt9odSRUs
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