It’s a well-known fact that day drinking and live music go hand in hand, especially during St. Patrick’s Day, so that’s what brought me to Cheer Up Charlie’s BrooklynVegan Day Party. After grabbing a beer and making my rounds around the venue, I made my way to the front for New York’s queer punk duo PWR BTTM. After getting covered by enough glitter and loose acrylic nails, I found myself gravitating towards rock band Citizen and solipsist rock and roll band Spookyland while I waited for crossover/ thrash metal group Power Trip to start. Luckily for me, my photographer’s intuition led me away from my usual spot in front of the stage to a platform on the side, which ended up saving my tiny frame from being engulfed by a mosh pit. When in doubt, follow your gut.
Photos and words by Rich Hoang.