Six acts, a sold-out crowd, and a night that marked a high point in Saigon’s heavy calendar.
This past Friday night at Úm Ba La was, in a way, a convergence of years of grind, touring miles, new faces, and old friends. District 105 returned home after their first European tour, bringing with them the momentum of international experience and the backing of their Vietnamese tour. For a band that’s come to symbolize the new wave of hardcore in the region, this night felt like more than just another stop. It was more of a checkpoint and a celebration.
Joining them were long-time peers and collaborators from the local scene — Empathize and Bornxhatered — alongside international guests: Taiwan’s Xmoraz, and two genre-pushing artists from the US, Ded Stark and Mikey Rotten. The lineup was diverse in style but unified in spirit, creating a night that was heavy not just in sound, but in meaning. The venue was packed to the rafters. A mix of generations, languages, and subcultures, all there to see how far the scene could stretch.
Breaking the Silence
Kicking things off was Bornxhatered, stepping back into the spotlight after over a year’s hiatus. With a completely new lineup, the band’s set carried both the tension and excitement of a fresh beginning. While the nerves were visible, a bit of hesitation here, a touch of stiffness there, they powered through with determination. There was a roughness around the edges, but also clarity in their potential. For an opener, they managed to warm up the room and remind everyone that growth takes time, and that comebacks can start from quiet places.
Empathize Tightens the Screws
Without much pause, the stage shifted, a few members stayed, a few rotated, and suddenly Empathize took over. The switch was seamless, and the energy didn’t drop an inch. Empathize have been steadily sharpening their sound over the past year, and it shows. Their set was a barrage of tight breakdowns, sharp transitions, and relentless callouts. More than any one song, it was their presence that stood out, confident, unapologetic, and aware of their role in this ecosystem. With a new split record on the way and a spot supporting District 105 on tour, this set felt like a band fully stepping into their lane.
Melancholy in the Middle
As the first two sets left the room sweat-soaked and pulsing, Ded Stark entered with a reset, a mood shift rather than a tempo drop. Hailing from the US but no stranger to Vietnam’s stages, Ded Stark offered a sonic palette that felt equal parts raw and introspective. Think post-grunge textures layered with contemporary hip-hop delivery, wrapped in a tone that’s more about atmosphere than aggression. His set gave the audience space to breathe, but not to disengage. The performance was intimate without being passive, and even amid the distortion and haze, connection was at the center.
Xmoraz: Precision Meets Passion
The arrival of Xmoraz marked a turning point in the night. The Taiwanese metalcore unit brought both novelty and mastery, immediately capturing attention with a haunting violin-led intro that pulled the crowd closer. What followed was a tightly woven set of melodic aggression, technical precision, and emotive execution. Their chemistry on stage was evident, transitions were smooth, dynamics were carefully balanced, and vocals traded between members added texture to each track. Their ability to shift from near-balladic moments into full-blown chaos, without ever losing control, made them one of the most compelling acts of the evening. For many, this was a first glimpse at Xmoraz. Judging by the reaction, it won’t be the last.
Mikey Rotten Brings the Mayhem Back
Before the final act, Mikey Rotten (another rapper with a past in guitar-based sound) stormed the stage with the kind of confrontational energy usually reserved for punk basements. Merging elements of hardcore attitude with distorted beats and shouted lyrics, his set stood as a counterpoint to genre conventions. This isn’t your typical hip-hop act; it’s more chaotic and engaging in all the ways live performance should be. There were no breaks, just full-throttle energy that fed off the crowd and threw it right back. In a scene still exploring the boundaries of crossover performance, Mikey Rotten’s set expanded the blueprint.
A Tour-Hardened Return
Then came the moment the night had been building toward. District 105 took the stage not just as headliners, but as a band returning to where it all started. Sharper, louder, and with the kind of momentum only a serious tour can generate. Rather than easing in, they tore through their set with barely a pause, letting the songs speak for themselves. Tracks like “A Broken Symbol” were met with full crowd vocals, and the room’s energy became a physical thing. From the first note to the encore, District 105 played with a command that felt earned. They didn’t need to demand attention; the room had already given it.
A Scene in Motion, Not Just in Celebration
The night wasn’t a victory lap for District 105 but a statement of where things are, and where they might go next. A sold-out venue, six distinct performances, and a crowd that showed up early and stayed late. All point to a scene that’s no longer surviving, but evolving. Credit is due to everyone who made the night possible: organizers, engineers, crew, and of course, the performers who trusted a new space like Um Ba La to carry their sound.
It wasn’t a perfect night. The heat was brutal, the air thick, and the bodies close. But that’s part of what gave the evening its edge. This sense that something real is happening, and that everyone here had chosen to be a part of it. There’s no formula for moments like these. They’re built show by show, set by set, crowd by crowd. And if this night is any indication, the work is paying off.
