HARDCORE RETURNS. Abraxas Wax in downtown Eau Claire will be host to four regional hardcore acts on Sept. 20, brought together by a collaboration between shop owner Seth Larson and Daniel Coughlin. If you've seen the flyers around town, it's true, Eau Claire Express' mascot Trax has humorously become the show's mascot too. (Photo of At The Bottom Of The Great Lakes by @briddell.arts)

Eau Claire’s hardcore music scene has fluctuated between periods of high activity and calm, taking root in diverse venues from basements to indoor sports centers. An area record shop continues to champion the revival of this local scene and “bring hardcore back to Eau Claire.”

On Sept. 20, Abraxas Wax (320 Graham Ave., suite 102, Eau Claire) will host four regional acts in the storefront for a night of hardcore music: At The Bottom Of The Great Lakes, XAblazeX, By All Means, and XDeluminate X.

Seth Larson, owner of Abraxas Wax, was approached by Daniel Coughlin, a local music enthusiast and self-identified “screamer” for the band Face First, with the idea of using the space to host local shows that tap into the community he longed for.

"I am trying to get kids out of their shells and listen to something different."

Seth larson

owner, abraxas wax

“I think back to when I was not even really a teenager yet in the late '90s, and I was already getting exposed to (hardcore music),” Daniel said. “I got lucky that I just happened to get exposed to and drawn to that (scene).”

Seth and Dan, despite their difference in age, found themselves attending similar shows back in the day and felt seen in the straight edge scene — a subculture of hardcore punk whose values refrain from using substances.

Today, their aim is to not only promote awareness of straight edge music's value but also to embrace all interpretations of the "hardcore" music genre, all of which are encouraged at the record store.

“I just look at (Abraxas) as a safe spot for any age,” Seth said. “I am trying to get kids out of their shells and listen to something different. I just have fun bringing in certain artists that normally, they wouldn’t see.”

XAblazeX, a Madison based straight edge band (pictured above), will perform live at Abraxas Wax. (Photo by Chance H. via Instagram)

Doors will open at 6:30pm, and music begins at 7pm; all you need is $5 for entry and an open mind. Each of the four hardcore and straight edge acts hail from different regions of Wisconsin and Minnesota, each with their own interpretation of the genre.

With Abraxas Wax providing the venue and Daniel's connections to regional acts, the duo hopes this all-ages, low-cost event is just the beginning of their new collaboration.

They also hope this event will spark curiosity among young people in the Chippewa Valley, encouraging them to form their own groups or book their own shows as the demand for more hardcore performances continues to rise in the area.

And if you've seen the event flyers around town, yes, it's true — Eau Claire Express's mascot Trax has unofficially been confirmed as the event’s mascot, a playful nod to Daniel’s former days spent with his bandmates and buddies in the local scene.

For more information on the upcoming hardcore show at Abraxas Was, visit the storefront’s Facebook page online (@AbraxasWax).