Concert Review: Cattle Decapitation with Bayonet Dismemberment, No Cure and Brujeria at Rickshaw Theatre in Vancouver, Canada

On April 24th 2026, I walked into one of my favourite Vancouver venues, the Rickshaw Theatre, eagerly anticipating what I already knew was going to be an unforgettable night. Cattle Decapitation’s music and I go way back. When I say I have been listening to them for half my life, there is no exaggeration there.

I immediately knew this wasn’t going to be a regular Rickshaw show, because by the time I got in, the merch line was somehow longer than the actual room. People were lined up from the merch table at the end, through the stairs and out the doors. The people were already screaming, and yes, of course there was someone in a full cow suit. That energy pretty much set the tone for everything that followed, and I say that with confidence because our first act of the night, Bayonet Dismemberment’s set solidifies this. 

Bayonet Dismemberment was the first to take the stage, and they wasted no time getting into it. I have heard of them previously, as they are local to my city here in Vancouver. After a few quick checks, they dove headfirst into their set and the crowd instantly locked in. The attention was on them, and honestly speaking I don’t think there could have been a better fit to open the night. The front row was relentless. They were all headbanging from start to finish, and the guy in the cow suit decided to Cattle Decapitate (pun intended) himself, and swung his cow costume head to the beat. This could not have been more on brand for the insanity of the show. Their stage energy was tight and synchronized, the vocals sounded straight out of the gutter and I mean that as the highest compliment. If you’re into heavy music, you will know exactly what I am talking about. Their drummer was absolutely obliterating the kit, and I could feel every beat through my skin. There is something oddly satisfactory about that. Between the small but lively mosh pit, fun breakdowns, and those sharp little guitar squeaks that make your brain tickle and face smile with excitement… It was a strong, no-gimmick, straight power opener.

Going into our second set, I hadn’t heard of No Cure before but they ended up being one of the most pleasant surprises of the night for me. The moment they started, the pit exploded into action. There was no warm-up or build up to the insanity, just immediate “alright everyone start swinging”. I would describe their sound as being exactly what comes to mind, when you think of the subgenre hardcore: fast, aggressive, and impossible to ignore. The whole band had constant movement on stage which kept their set engaging and exciting. I must add though, that their bassist in particular stood out to me. He was windmilling like there was no tomorrow, and I know for a fact I would scramble the few brain cells I have left trying to match his energy. Their vocalist decided to power through their entire set wearing a bulky jacket (no idea how he survived that), but that aside… What impressed me even more, is that he had incredible command over the crowd. It never felt like he was performing at them. It felt like he was part of it, feeding off the same energy he was emitting to the crowd, who was completely gorging on it. Their final song was easily a highlight for me, with a sudden shift in intensity that hit hard enough to stick in your memory. I still remember that shift, as a music fan those are small but monumental things I look for in a song and at a show. A surprise guest vocalist was added to the fun, and if I’m not mistaken, I believe he was a part of the road crew. Regardless, it is always heartwarming to see bands share the stage with other passionate people. 

It was time for Brujeria to hit the stage next, and before they even came on, fans in masks were pushing their way to the front. It wasn’t until they came on that I learned why they were wearing those, and as a fellow music lover I can imagine they have built up a very loyal and solid fan base to have attendees dressed in ways that resemble them. The first thing I noticed about Brujeria’s set was that they leaned heavily on the bass, and I truly think it paid off. I felt like it added qualities of both uniqueness and depth, as the tone was thick, technical, and for me, one of the most interesting parts of their set. I have a deep appreciation for bass as an instrument, and I find that it sews all the sounds together. Their bassist’s playing stood out to me immediately, and I have noticed it’s on the rare side to see that level of attention given to the bass in a live setting. The guitars were tightly knit, every part hitting cleanly and crisply. The band’s energy came through loud and clear unapologetically, both in a musical sense and in their messaging. They spoke loudly, proudly and passionately against reckless violence from those in positions of authority which I thought was amazing. At some point they whipped out a song about their good ol’ friend Mary Jane, and the whole venue’s scent shifted from the usual Rickshaw scent to hers.  It was intense and hit exactly the way it needed to. 

Then, it was finally time for our main act and headliner Cattle Decapitation, who closed out the night. From the exact moment that their drummer walked out and ripped his shirt off, the crowd lost it. Everyone was screaming and losing their entire minds. Their entrance was quite eerie and perfectly on brand for these guys. If you know anything about Cattle Decapitation, you know that horror is a primary element of theirs. Any sense of anxious buildup quickly dissipated the moment they started though, because they immediately went straight to 100 and never really came back down… Except for the one moment where their vocalist stopped to tell the crowd to take care of each other as the chaos grew. Adding in my own personal experience, I actually saw these guys in Winnipeg in 2017. I got crowdkilled in the pit, and he spoke up right away and I got pulled out of the crowd. It was really amazing to see that he still takes the time to take care of his fans all these years later. Moving on… Their drummer is easily one of the most insane ones I’ve seen live. He combines technicality with raw power in a way that doesn’t even feel real, and my brain simply cannot comprehend how his brain works in the slightest. All across the board their stage presence was massive. They owned that room and they knew it. I can’t properly express how impressive these guys are, especially considering how complex their music is. It’s one thing to play a sonically accurate set, but it’s another to bring that level of momentum and stage presence alongside it. The vocals sound just as unhinged live as they do on record. Throughout the night, the crowd was in nonstop movement and crowdsurfing. Having seen them a few times, I knew that I was in for a mind blowing show but this one was easily the best set I’ve caught yet. It felt sharper, heavier, and more commanding than ever. 

Overall, April 24th was one of those shows where everything just flowed beautifully with no unpleasant twists or unwanted turns. These were all great performances that each boasted a fully engaged crowd, and a remarkable level of absurdity from both the bands and crowd (shoutout to you, cowsuit guy) to make it a night that I’ll be thinking of for the weeks to come. Until next time, Cattle Decapitation!