Various Artists “No One Left Behind: A Benefit Comp to Save the Stage at Lucky 13”

For those of you outside New York and/or the US, Lucky 13 Saloon is a local club that has given a platform to surrounding punk, hardcore and metal scenes for several years. It also hosts international bands, exotic dancers and burlesque shows. Lucky 13 is among the few bars continuing the tradition of supporting live music and alternative entertainment since the 1980s and 1990s.

Since 2020 Lucky 13 has been caught up in the restrictions imposed on nightclubs due to the Covid pandemic. As a result it has suffered financially and is open to the public on a limited basis. For more information about this visit the official Lucky 13 Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Lucky13Saloon. The owners hope to reopen full time in March but it’s uncertain whether this will happen.

Despite this, and the precarious situation of the local scenes surrounding Manhattan, it could always be said that fans from these areas have always been resilient and determined to keep their lifestyle alive. This month the independent label No One Left Behind released a compilation of local punk and hardcore bands to generate funds for Lucky 13. The artists who contributed to “No One Left Behind: A Benefit Comp to Save the Stage at Lucky 13” did so to give back to a club that has genuinely supported independent and unsigned bands. Besides social media ads the label is selling digital downloads for $10 to be donated directly to the club. Some of the bands appearing on this comp are Crazy Eddie, Stigma, Two Man Advantage, Silence Equals Death, Kill Your Idols, The Great Lie, Reason To Fight, This Is Hell, Playing Dead and Mad Mulligans. Like the gritty streets they came from, these bands play music that is raw, gritty, uncompromising and unapologetic. It’s a worthwhile cause they’re taking part in and their dedication is inspiring if you’ve been discouraged by the mass nightclub closing caused by the gentrification of the city. Check out Loixratta’s cover of Iron Maiden’s “Wrathchild.” –Dave Wolff