Junk Punk, Hopeless Otis (NYC), Churches & Trains, and Left Off played a sweaty, loud, and fun show at Bad Habits in Martinsburg, WV on August 15, 2026.
I was really looking forward to seeing Italian Blood, but they had to cancel due to an emergency. I hope everything is okay with them. The show was still a blast, though, and the bands that played were super fun. In fact, I've never seen any of them play except for Junk Punk prior to this night! I love when that happens... Anyhow, before we get to the gritty details, shout out to Churches & Trains for stepping in on short notice.
The night started with the aforementioned Churches & Trains, who played a short and energetic solo set of acoustic punk rock mayhem. C&T's energy was infectious, and he got the crowd moving right away. I can't tell if he likes trains or not, but hey, what do I know!? Check out Churches & Trains on Bandcamp. This was my first time seeing C&T, a full band is credited on some of the stuff at Bandcamp, so excuse me for not knowing if this is normally a solo acoustic act or not. Nevertheless, it was a fun performance!
Next up was Left Off, who describe themselves as a "3 piece punk/metal band out of the Shenandoah Valley." They played a short set of heavy, fast, and aggressive melodic punk that got people moshing as the crowd started trickling in. Left Off's energy was intense, and they definitely left an impression on the audience. Check out Left Off on Bandcamp for more of their music.
Hopeless Otis from NYC took the stage next. Joey Broy, who was in The Deadnecks eons ago, grabbed me right away and said, "These guys sound like Fugazi!" The funniest part about that, and the reason worth a mention, is because I didn't think that at all until he said it. Now I couldn't unhear the influence. It was spot on... kinda'. At any rate, Hopeless Otis definitely had that New York punk vibe going on combined with a dead-red, hard-hitting drummer, bangin' bass riffs, and solid melodic rock 'n' roll guitar with just enough of that pretty sprankle in the vocals to glue it all together. These dudes wear it on their sleeve, and I think that's what made their performance an awesome one. Hell, I bought a shirt!
Stream Hopeless Otis right here! Make sure to give them a follow on Bandcamp as well.
...and here's the aforementioned merch table where I bought that shirt from the band. I snatched the bottle design, upper-left. Boom!
And finally, ladies and gentlemen, rounding out the night was Junk Punk, who played a set of his signature "pumped rock" acoustic punk rock. Songs about fishing, stories about playing rock 'n' roll and having a fabulous mullet (ok... I made up the last part; but his mullet is definitely noteworthy), and he even issued an old-school WWF style challenge for someone to eat a can of Chef Boyardee raviolli in honor of Italian Blood (I don't think anyone took him up on it).
Note: Italian Blood usually give away free pizza at all their shows, so make sure to hit 'em up for a slice next time you see them!
Anyhow, back to Junk Punk! The crowd was fully engaged, singing along to every word and dancing with reckless abandon -- being an acoustic act doesn't matter to us because we love Junk Punk! Shane's performance was a perfect way to end the night, leaving everyone sweaty, smiling, and wanting more.
Overall it was a fun night! The venue was packed, the energy was high, and I got to see three bands/performers for the first time. If you missed this show, make sure to catch all these bands the next time they come through, or catch 'em on the road!'
Oh yeah, almost forgot. Buy this guy's shirt, too! I love his sense of humor slingin' white ink on a light colored shirt. Haha... that's punk rock!
He also posts hilarious high-quality videos and content regularly on his Blue Checkmark Facebook page. Give him a follow, and harass him on Messenger for a shirt!
— Jimmy Flame