Tomahawk & Melvins at Brooklyn Steel, New York City

“The cat’s in the bag and the bag’s in the river.”

Shot on 28th July, 2026. Photography and words by Kyle Ostrander. Contact before any use.

On Tuesday evening, legendary supergroup Tomahawk brought their “Huge Waste of Your Time and Money” tour to a sold out Brooklyn Steel in NYC. Despite heavy rain and an ominous flood watch, nothing could keep fans away from the band’s first tour in 13 years. Joining them on the trek were long-time tour mates and sludge veterans Melvins.

Melvins

Up first were Melvins, who triumphantly took the stage as a distorted and dissonant version of the “The Star-Spangled Banner” rang out over the speakers. The quartet, composed of guitar, bass, and their signature dual drummers, wasted no time diving right into their first song, “Working The Ditch”. Deep, heavy riffs permeated through the crowd, never ceasing throughout their 60 minute set, which covered a range of tracks from the band’s long catalog, including “Civilized Worm”, “A History of Bad Men”, and “Honey Bucket”. The group barreled from song to song, keeping the momentum fast, working in extended jams and instrumental intros that kept the energy heightened. The arrangement of dual drummers brought an even larger-than-life feel to the music, with both drummers keeping perfectly in rhythm and dynamic-feel with every hit.

Vocalist/guitarist Buzz Osbourne, dressed in his signature mumu, would intensely hit his guitar while delivering screaming vocals, occasionally retreating to his pedalboard at the back of the stage to kick on extra distortion or layer in wah pedals. Bass player Steven McDonald also grabbed attention with his sleek white suit covered in illustrated eyes, as he spent much of the set thrashing about the stage, making animated faces to the crowd, and delivering melodic backing vocals. “East Williamsburg…do you want to party tonight? Then come and show me!” exclaimed McDonald as he delivered crushing bass lines.

Tomahawk

Anticipation grew higher as the stage was set up for Tomahawk. Vocalist Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle) placed his keyboard/vocal station front and center, right at the edge of the stage. Flanking on either side were the band’s guitar and bass rigs, splitting the stage into three distinct areas. By this point, the crowd was packed wall-to-wall, spilling into the hallways of the venue. The house lights turned a dark blue as smoke floated across the stage, ushering the band members into their positions. The crowd erupted in cheers as the dissonant opening riff of “Flashback” echoed over the space, leading excited fans to shout, sing along, and jam out to this long-awaited comeback.

The band barely paused for breath across their 75-minute set, tearing through songs like “Eureka”, “Sidewinder”, and “God Hates a Crowd” with little room between them. Patton’s vocal station had several different microphones that offered up various vocal effects, utilizing each throughout the different songs. He stood at his vocal station most of the set, occasionally stepping back to deliver visceral howls and interact with drummer John Stanier (Helmet, Battles). Guitarist Duane Denison (The Jesus Lizard) held down stage right with his intricate riffs, seemingly entranced in the rhythms and bellowing sound. Bassist Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle), dressed in a cowboy hat and vest, peppered in backing vocals while locking into his bass riffs. Although only a four-piece, the sound enveloped the room with a presence and intensity that only tried-and-true musicians can deliver. The stage lights, which fluctuated between bright whites and dim hues of blue, green, and red, further accented the dynamics of the music, swelling and fading with the songs. I have no doubt everyone at the show has the same hope that it won’t be another decade before the band’s next tour.

Tomahawk continue their US tour with Melvins through mid-August, with about half the remaining dates already sold out. More info on cities and dates can be found on the group’s social media.