Written by Leila Miranda | October 18, 2025

Pinkshift: Ashrita Kumar (Vocals), Paul Vallejo (Guitar), Myron Houngbedji (Drums) | Photos by Leila Miranda

Austin, TX - Saturday night in Austin's 29th Ballroom marked the seventh stop in Pinkshift's ‘Earthkeeper’ Tour, making it known that Baltimore’s punk rockers had finally arrived. The night started off with Do Flame, their raw aggression and relentless riffs had the push pit split, with moshers two-stepping and throwing their bodies straight into chaos. A short but brutal set in all the best ways to set a little example of what the hardcore beatdown scene is really like.

Shortly after Lustsickpuppy opened up their set with killer grunge-like vocals overlayed with techno and jumpstyle beats. The crowd fully locked in, vibing to the club-like atmosphere that had the pit turned into a dancefloor. As Pinkshift entered the stage the cheering grew louder. Everyone watched in admiration. Lead vocalist Ashrita Kumar started off by thanking both Do Flame and Lustsickpuppy.

“Come on, let me hear it one more time for Do Flame!! Yeah, they fucking rock right?? And let me hear one for Lustsickpuppy!!”

Pinkshift Ashrita Kumar | Photo by Leila Miranda

Starting off strong with a newly released single that dropped earlier this month in October, “Athority Problem” a sick, raw and powerful song demanding action. Fueled by rage and frustration, this song screams against the injustices of the world.

“Suck on your laws and rules’ cause”

“You just make them up to step on me”

…

“Fuck what you say”

“I’m not gonna listen to you, so i’m gonna scream”

Pinkshift’s Earthkeeper album is a beautiful album that takes you on a journey. Taking you through rage, reflection and rebirth. This album successfully makes its statement loud and clear, confronting themes of violence, grief and healing. Their lyrics are magnetic, making it hard to look away and not feel a sense of hatred and withdrawal. With songs like “Patience” and “Spiritkeeper” playing right after another. Exploring tough moments of losing yourself and the struggle to come to terms with it all. The raw vulnerability that this album confronts reflects the state of the world today in its entirety.

Pausing for a second to share a couple words on their mind.

“Hey, Have yall ever heard that, if you leave the atmosphere and you hit earth’s orbit satellite, you just keep falling and falling forever…it's like at the end of that free fall, you have to catch yourself with something. Because if you let yourself keep going, you let the mind fuck take over and you become a shell of who you once were. And that’s not freedom.”

Their words echoed throughout the venue, a still silence fell over the crowd allowing Ashrita’s words to sink in. Pinkshift’s set was a raw experience, a reminder that chaos, grief and beauty is surrounding us all. With this being Pinkshift’s seventh stop, the Earthkeeper tour continues, catch them this November touring alongside Lustsickpuppy and Combat!!