Looking for local music in the High Desert? Victorville music label Extinction Burst has the answers

Hardcore, earplug-wearing fans headbanged to a four-beat drum in a room the size of a small office.

The ceiling lights were switched off in the DIY space, replaced by strings of silver ambient lighting tacked to the wall beams and an extraterrestrial spotlight that changed colors with the rhythm.

"C47 HD DIY" was spray painted on a cardboard box that backdropped the performers as decor, neighbored by Japanese pizza boxes and high-top Vans tethered to a hanging disco ball.

"I've already lost my voice," said Daniel Destroi on the microphone after his second song. The vocalist for the German punk band I Recover was not what you'd expect for such a show. A dad hat in place of a mohawk and t-shirt instead of a studded jacket commanded the crowd.

The touring band was fourth in a line-up of five at an underground show thrown by local Victorville music label Extinction Burst.

The local label

Extinction Burst was started by High Desert locals Raymon Ruiz and Julio Chavez in 2019. The duo are also the singer and guitarist for the band A/way that was on the bill for that night. The label is one of the only organizations that puts on shows in the area.

They have 47 signed artists, an overwhelming majority of which are High Desert punk and hardcore locals, and are a 100% DIY-rooted label, a punk subculture where all aspects of production are self-constructed.

The High Desert was in need of a community-forward space and Extinction Burst has really done a lot for the scene, said Brandon Kloesel, show attendee. The underground venue C47 predated Extinction Burst by a few years, but the label helped kickstart somewhat regular shows.

According to Kloesel, it's the only place for local DIY music in the High Desert.

"Don't be offended," Destroni said to the crowd, "but get involved. Put on shows, beat up nazis, involve yourselves."

The German touring artist apparently caught wind of the lack of community involvement in the High Desert in the short amount of time he was around and saw fit to encourage the local crowd to do more for their communities.

Sundae Best

Heads of all ages were present at Extinction Burst’s latest show on Wednesday, July 17 at an undisclosed address. No alcohol, no drugs, no exception was enforced and respected, although I can’t speak for patch-wearers who disappeared to the parking lot for a set or two before returning to the public garage-lighted venue giddy and eager to groove.

The opening act was Sundae Best, a surf, indie, emo band that defines their music as “alternative rock” according to the bassist Aidan Alcala. Mellow tempo changes and enthusiastic drum fills on the silver glitter house drum set delegated the mood for the night ahead.

The four-piece band played their hit about getting fired, a song that took an emo turn but had the crowd engaged. A member of the band I Recover flipped the light switch off toward the end of the ice cream ensemble’s set, prompting a more energetic outro.

Car Failure

In between skate-alternative songs, lead singer Nate Wilberding told stories of the band’s history with car troubles. A flat tire here, a broken down car there. Bad luck, sure, but at least they’re living up to their name.

The young trio consisted of brothers on the bass and guitar and their good friend backing them on the opalescent drum set. The band, whose upbeat yet lo-fi songs are comparable to the band Homeshake, formed in October 2023. They aren’t signed by Extinction Burst yet, but they’re optimistic for the future of Car Failure.

When asked how they would identify their sound, girlfriend and front-row supporter Lizzy Sharpe replied, “They’re in the freaking awesome genre.”

A/way

The punk house band of the evening, A/way, was the third to serenade, or wake up, the crowd. Concertgoers were packed in the small space like a busy city bus to see their favorite band.

Kloesel was at the event for A/way alone. He propped up from the outside sofa mid-sentence as we were talking at the first strum of A/way’s soundcheck, eager not to miss his friends Cesar and Brad in the band.

“Most of our songs are in Spanish,” Chavez said into the microphone. “If you don’t know Spanish, well, this is Southern California and you should learn.”

One, two, three, four..

Chavez took the microphone out of the stand for mobility and stomped around the impromptu concrete stage while a shirtless drummer and three string instruments instigated the chaos.

Surf rock gave way to a much faster tempo as A/way introduced the crowd to the first hardcore beat of the evening. Headbanging replaced swaying on the "dance floor" and the energy was as high as the late parking lot stragglers.

I Revolve

The night was growing late but a consistent crowd stuck around for the German touring band. Destroi encouraged the crowd to inch closer to the music. Front row wasn’t close enough, the band wanted to sing directly into their fan’s unplugged earlobes.

Only then would it be true hardcore.

The long-limbed vocalist danced with jellied moves like Squidward from the talent show episode while the guitarist routinely karate-kicked mid-performance.

I Revolve was definitely another crowd favorite.

Jade Dust

Only the hardest of the hardcores stuck around for the headliner. That’s the thing about being the star of the show, you usually don’t go on until the Milky Way is well defined in the late night sky.

Jade Dust is an Extinction Burst band from Portland, Oregon.

Vocalist Rudi Junghad didn't care if his words were audible (they weren’t), but that’s punk. Hand in his pocket the whole time, Jungsang sang to a thinned-out crowd as the band executed “sincere, emotional hardcore.”

It may have been a Wednesday night but that didn't stop the 50 or so attendees from staying out late on a work night to get their fix of local mayhem. The sober-enforced policy didn't seem to deter the crowd, in fact, sobriety is "punk as hell."

Is there a specific band or show you want McKenna to review? Email her at mmobley@gannett.com .

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Looking for local music in the High Desert? Victorville music label Extinction Burst has the answers