Die Spitz threw a Valentine’s Day party to never forget on Friday night at Mohawk. The cold rain didn’t stop the sold out crowd, who showed up in their rowdiest moods to pack the venue to capacity. This was one of the most fun concerts I’ve attended in recent memory.
After fellow locals, Pussy Gillette and Farmer’s Wife both played badass sets to kick off the evening, the chilly all-ages crowd was warmed up and ready to explode in a burst of energy for Die Spitz. And that’s exactly what happened.
Die Spitz made a grand entrance, with a few friends coming out dressed in Valentine’s Day lingerie garb, straight out of the 1920s, followed by the band themselves. After a quick shout of something like, “Fuck yeah, we sold out the Mohawk” by lead singer and guitarist Ellie Livingston, they launched right into it.
Right away, people started to jump off the stage like crazy. Whether climbing up from the front or running from side stage, they dove out into the sea of hands. For some stage divers, it was clearly their first experience in a crowd like this, or a photo opportunity, while others were more graceful with it.
At one point, a young attendee jumped off the stage with a mic cable stuck in their belt, nearly pulling the entire mic stand off the stage with them. Either way, it’s all in the spirit of rock & roll, and the band didn’t seem to mind. From my vantage point up in the risers, it made the whole thing more exciting.
One photographer shooting for The Cosmic Clash, a fellow blog in the local scene, had their camera completely destroyed in the chaos.
This is all to say that Die Spitz had Mohawk completely lit up for the duration of the show, and it’s obvious to me, both from the crowd reaction and impressive performance quality, that they are on a path to much larger stages.
This all-female band plays some of the most badass punk rock I’ve ever seen, and they’re clearly just getting started. Mohawk is one of the most respected venues in Austin, and to sell it out is a big deal. They’ve already toured with Amyl & The Sniffers, and this summer they will make their Bonnaroo debut.
Die Spitz mentioned their upcoming debut album, which they are set to record in the next few weeks. They thanked the audience for giving them that opportunity, with guitarist and vocalist Ava Schrobilgen stating how it happened because “people like you show up to see us in the cold & rain.”
Die Spitz were actually one of the bands that made me personally decide to move to Austin. I first saw them at Hotel Vegas during SXSW 2024, and their raw energy, combined with the way Austin crowds rally around their local bands, sealed the deal for me. An older woman in the crowd—probably older than my mom—told me to write their name down and gave me the scoop. That moment was almost as cool as the band itself. And here I am now.
Enjoy a full photo gallery from the evening below.
Die Spitz at Mohawk (Photos)
All photos by Mia Naome Al-Taher (@theladywiththechipsandsalsa).
