GALLERY: Ax and the Hatchetmen
CARRBORO, NC | JUNE 7, 2023 | BY ISAIAH PATE
Last year in November, I came across the music of a star studded seven piece band that goes by the name of ‘Ax and The Hatchetmen’. In that short time frame of discovering their music, they were setting sail on an east coast tour and their first stop was at The Mercury Lounge in New York, New York; and thankfully I was already in the city. I got the amazing opportunity to experience and shoot the band live for the first time for Euphonic, after only being exposed to their artistry only 42 hours beforehand. It was one of the best live shows and performances I had seen all year; I quickly became a huge fan and addicted to their sound.
Jumping to the present time of June, 2023 - Ax and the Hatchetmen are now on a US tour and are almost half way through. Having made their way through Carrboro, North Carolina, they took on Cat’s Cradle for the first time, as an NC native; this was a special show to me as one of my favorite bands was able to showcase their talent at one of North Carolina’s staple venues.
With eager fans waiting, a shoulder to shoulder crowd, and media coverage from every angle possible, This sold out show was easily one for the books. Making the first appearance of the night, Phil Pistone (Trumpet) dazzled the room with a soulful solo trumpet performance - raising the temperature and rolling out the red carpet for his fellow bandmates. Out came the rest of the star crew Quinn Dolan (Saxophone), Nick Deputy (Drums), Kenny Olzewski, (Vocals/Guitar), Sal Defilippis (Guitar), Hunter Olshefke (Bass), and Axel Ellis (Vocals/Guitar).
Jumping straight into it, their 2020 EP grows more prominent with age as ‘What’s New’ and ‘Sleeping In My Jeans’ are the first songs of the night and fans knew exactly what to expect and can be seen matching the energy and lyrics along with the band. ‘Existential Crisis, Pt. 1’ made its way to the set list, a song that seems to tell a story of someone who is reflecting on their time spent in the real world and the digital one, opening up more to the people that surround them about the struggles they face and how friends can be the ones to help you heal, grow, survive, and find a peace of mind if you let them in a bit more.
The boys surprised fans with new unreleased songs they had ready and stowed away; preparing for these moments. Among these new discoveries were songs by the titles of ‘Victim’: a gut wrenching tale of a lover turned murderous ex-lover (my top pick of the night) and ‘Drive-in Movie’: a song about not going to a drive-in movie, plus a few more. This night was jam packed with fan favorites, new songs, strokes covers, passion, and a ton of sweat. Ax and The Hatchetmen know how to rock out a show as if their lives depended on it, this drive is a part of their nature and it runs through their veins. This was a band born to take over the music scene with their diversity, family-like synergy, musical chemistry, and just a genuine love for music.
