Out the Run once again proved their reputation as one of the most consistent underground promoters in Ho Chi Minh City, hosting Ảnh Ảo Choáng Váng at Le Café des Stagiares. Despite the storm raging outside, the venue was filled with familiar faces, newcomers, and scene regulars. The crowd came ready to support a diverse lineup of local acts and the highly anticipated Japanese guests, Vision of Fatima.
Ruôk – A Psychedelic Experiment with Teeth
Opening the evening was Ruôk, a newly formed psychedelic quartet whose lineup includes members from the ever-inventive RẮN CẠP ĐUÔI. Their sound leaned heavily on freeform jams, though the real centerpiece was the saxophone, which cut through the haze with melodic leads and gave the audience something to latch onto amidst the chaos. Unlike their spiritual sibling band, Ruôk’s basslines carried more riff-driven weight than funky looseness, anchoring the songs in a tighter groove. They played “two extended tracks,” both clearly born from improvisation. That flowed seamlessly and set a refreshing, experimental tone for the night. Ruôk may have been the only band without breakdowns or heavy riffs, but their hypnotic performance laid the groundwork for the sonic intensity that followed.
Final Heaven – Finding Their Footing in the Fire
The energy spiked as Final Heaven launched into their set. Their hybrid of metalcore and deathcore immediately sparked moshes, crowd-killing, and even bodies soaring toward the ceiling. Musically, the band delivered a tight performance, running through several of their known tracks with precision. However, their stage presence occasionally faltered, as moments of hesitation and lack of confidence softened the impact of their otherwise heavy delivery. Still, bursts of enthusiasm from their bassist, who shouted, called out, and hyped up the crowd, helped reignite the room at critical moments. While not yet fully commanding the stage, Final Heaven showed their potential and left the audience with plenty of reason to keep watching their growth.
1818 – A Heavy Chapter
1818, usually known for their upbeat, melodic blend of pop-punk, revealed a very different side of themselves this evening. In the lead-up to the show, the band hinted at a heavier set, and they delivered in full force. Their performance leaned toward hardcore and beatdown influences: breakdowns dropped like hammers, drums shifted into double-time assaults, and the atmosphere shifted from cheerful to crushingly intense. It was the kind of set that stripped away expectations and showed the deeper roots of their musical background. The polish of their sound stood out even more—the guitars rang clear, the tones were balanced, and the entire band operated in perfect sync. This sharper edge also served as a strong teaser for their upcoming release later this summer, which now carries much more anticipation.
Cút Lộn – Controlled Chaos, Relentless Energy
No local lineup feels complete without Cút Lộn, and once again, they proved why they remain crowd favorites. Despite having performed only a week earlier, their set was met with undiminished enthusiasm. From the first guitar feedback, the audience was already on top of one another, and the frenzy never subsided until the last ringing note. Cút Lộn brought their signature brand of chaotic hardcore, dark, aggressive, and strangely unifying. Their confidence on stage was absolute, commanding the room through waves of feedback, screams, and the ever-present sing-alongs. They remain one of the most reliable forces in the scene, a band that guarantees complete catharsis.
Vision of Fatima – Beyond Genres
Closing the night was Japan’s Vision of Fatima, whose set justified the anticipation surrounding their visit. While promoted as hardcore-emo, their music transcended both labels, blending elements of each into a performance that was at once chaotic, melodic, and deeply dynamic. Vocals shifted seamlessly from guttural screams to soaring, high-pitched melodies, layered with an endless array of effects. Their rhythm section drove the crowd to ecstatic highs with relentless speed, only to pull everything back into crushing breakdowns or passages of melodic clarity. Each member brought technical precision paired with undeniable stage presence. Their coordinated movements amplify the sense of unity and urgency. Watching Vision of Fatima was impossible without being pulled into the storm they conjured; the entire room moved with them as if caught in the same current.
Ruôk opened doors into new textures with their sax-driven improvisations, 1818 revealed a heavier side that few had expected, and Cút Lộn tore through their set with unstoppable force. Vision of Fatima sealed the night with a performance that showed just how far precision, experimentation, and raw intensity can push a band beyond easy categorization. Outside the storm battered the city, but inside, the music surged louder—pulling everyone into the same current until the final note rang out.
