Twin Cities Edge Day

The straight edge capital of the world

Tavi chhay

On October 17, 1999, the seminal Boston straight edge band Ten Yard Fight played their last show. This date would come to be known as National Edge Day, a day when the straight edge hardcore community celebrates their commitment to living a life free from alcohol and recreational drugs.

I wouldn’t trade growing up in the Twin Cities hardcore scene for anything. It’s been one of my most formative influences. I’m proud to be from the Twin Cities, and I love being straight edge. Those two things are inseparable from what makes the scene so special. But what does “Twin Cities Straight Edge” even mean? With “Twin Cities” in its name, you can’t separate the music scene from the city, a place that has been the country’s epicenter of political unrest in recent years; but that speaks to the strength of this community and its willingness to stand up for one another in the face of adversity, whether that means confronting police violence, resisting the federal occupation by ICE, or simply coming together when the government fails us. That sense of solidarity, commitment to one another and to building a community rooted in safety, autonomy, and care is also reflected in the strength of its straight edge music scene. Minnesotans are tough. You have to be to live somewhere as frigid as this. Straight edge embodies that same resilience: the determination not to let substances or societal pressures dictate how you live. Twin Cities Straight Edge is the product of that relationship between those two identities—a shared spirit of love, resilience, and self-determination.

The cold keeps the bad people out and brings everyone closer together. This state can be unforgivingly cold, but there is warmth to be found at shows. It’s a close-knit community. Frankie Weaver (Everybody Takes One & Frozen Over) spoke to this ability to foster genuine connection: “I’ve been to and played hardcore shows in cities bigger and smaller than the Twin Cities, and there is always an element of community missing. Bigger cities like Chicago and New York, while maybe filled with people, actually just end up feeling like a big room full of people who don’t care about each other. When you go to a hardcore show in the Twin Cities, it is the perfect balance of great attendance, but you always see the same faces. Everybody knows each other, which is what real community looks like.”

I often hear people outside the local scene ask, “Why is it so straight edge here?” And yeah, it is a very straight edge town. Being straight edge means being part of something bigger than yourself. It requires a strong sense of community, and I think that’s how so many of us found our way to it. We have that here in the Twin Cities. Hardcore has always been for the youth and by the youth. The reason straight edge is alive and thriving here is because of the kids that continue to carry it forward.

Minnesota hardcore history was made this year when the Twin Cities held its first-ever Edge Day Show: an all-ages show featuring 15 straight edge bands for $15, held at Walker Community United Methodist Church in Minneapolis. It featured a zine swap, and bottomless coffee and root beer. It was a convergence of old heads, a new generation of straight edge kids, new bands, youth crew, metalcore—everyone came together to be one family. It was a generational gathering. No More, a Twin Cities vegan straight edge band, came out of retirement to play its first show in 12 years. For a lot of bands it was their first show ever. And, in true Twin Cities style, there had to be a Frozen Over secret set. But the highlight of the show and ultimate showcase of Twin Cities Straight Edge unity was the Scrapin’ By X Seraph set.

$1,056 in proceeds from the show were donated to People Serving People, a local Minnesota shelter that supports families experiencing homelessness. As Frankie put it, “Our community is not limited to who walks in the doors at shows.” Being part of the hardcore scene means showing up for your neighbors and recognizing that our responsibility to others extends beyond the walls of a venue. Being straight edge is not only a commitment to yourself, but also to the well-being of the people around you.

The scene has evolved so much over the last few years. I’ve grown alongside the people in this community, and I’ve watched a new generation of youth come into the scene. Bands have come and gone, and more youth have embraced living a positive lifestyle. We are in a straight edge renaissance. This is the best place in the world to be straight edge. Stay true, keep it Twin Cities style.