This photo captures Davey Havok of XTRMST during their performance at The Observatory OC on January 31, 2015. Documenting this show was a unique experience; the energy on stage was raw, visceral, and unrelenting, matching the exact ethos of the project. This frame freezes a specific moment that defines the weight and focus of the straight edge hardcore movement.

XTRMST, the straight edge hardcore punk side project from Davey Havok and Jade Puget of AFI, brought together a notable lineup of musicians for their live dates. Alongside Davey’s vocals and Jade’s intricate lead guitar work, the band featured rhythm guitarist Josh James of Stick to Your Guns, bassist Chris Sorenson of Saosin, and drummer Val Saucedo. Together, they built a sound that was both furious and uncompromising, translating the straight edge ethos directly into a live setting.

The band tore through a blistering set list that night, with Davey moving across the stage with an urgency that completely locked the room in. Watching Jade and Josh lock into tight, aggressive guitar interplay while the rhythm section anchored the floor showed how serious this project was to everyone involved. Despite their brief active run from 2012 to 2015, XTRMST left a distinct mark on the scene. Their self-titled debut album, released via Dim Mak Records in 2014, captured their studio intensity, but documenting the material live was a completely different experience.

Setlist from The Observatory OC, January 31, 2015:

Conformist, Coward Bow Your Head, Words for the Unwanted, Straight Edge (Minor Threat cover), Division, Sharper, Humanity, The Way, Filler (Minor Threat cover), Dirty Nails, Swallow Your God, Juliets, Social Deathplay, Merciless, The Breed, In My Eyes (Minor Threat cover), Extremist, Exterminate.