It had been so long since I last saw Dmize perform live that I was still in high school in the early '90s, but there I was in my adopted hometown of Los Angeles a couple of nights ago, getting ready for them to hit the stage at 1720.
Their stop at 1720 on Sunday night was both a victory lap and a minor miracle. Closing out a California run through San Jose, Oxnard, San Diego, and Los Angeles, the New York hardcore vets proved that time has only sharpened their songs—they hit even harder now.
Long considered an underground name outside NYHC circles, Dmize earned their place in hardcore history with a handful of early ’90s demos that quietly influenced such bands as Combust, Soul Search, and Backlash. Seeing those songs come alive in 2026, in a packed LA room, felt like a real payoff. The set leaned into that legacy—delivered with grit and zero nostalgia padding.
With original guitarist Rob “Beto” Rosario unable to make the West Coast trek, Pete Wachmiler filled in seamlessly. The rest of the lineup was stacked with hardcore lifers: drummer John LaFata (Mind Over Matter, Madball), bassist Geo Estevez (Cult Dialect, Step2Far), and guitarist Taras Apuzzo (All Out War). Together, they gave the material a muscular, lived-in feel that hit especially hard live.
By the way, thanks to Evan Moses for hooking me up with some shots from the festivities. Check him out on Instagram if you haven't done so already.
Opening with 1990's "No Way Out," Dmize blessed the crowd with the best material from their hallowed demo cassettes, along with more recent tracks, including "Minus Zero" and "Calm Before the Storm," a pair of bangers from 2024. The group closed the Los Angeles show with "Soul Search," my all-time favorite Dmize cut. I felt like I was back home in Elmhurst, Queens, walking to Newtown High School with my Walkman blasting out their demo again.
Just before I ran this story, I texted Chiqui to get his thoughts on Dmize's long-awaited California debut:
"The run was amazing. It was a very humbling experience, to say the least. Everywhere we went, from old heads to new heads, expressing the fact that they'd already resigned themselves to the fact that they would never see Dmize. Everyone was so welcoming; Alex, Leave No Doubt, and all the promoters made this such an easy run. The energy out in Cali was unmatched, with a strong emphasis on the Oxnard Springboard Contingent. I was so tempted to join the parade."
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