IN CONCERT: Osees - Warsaw, October 25TH, 2025

Oct 30

Concert review by Beau Croxton, all photos by Tommy Krause

Osees at Warsaw by Tommy Krause

Here we are again— another year, another amazing Osees record, another tour, and another set of sold-out Osees shows at Warsaw in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. John Dwyer and company returned for a duo of high octane shows this past Saturday and Sunday, and Occult was there to capture Night 1.

Anyone who has had the privilege of seeing Osees already knows the deal— as soon as the drums kick in, the crowd turns into a storm of bodies flying across the room in tandem to fuzzy, manic guitar riffs and the barbaric double drumming of Paul Quattrone and Dan Rincon. John Dwyer’s iconic stage moves and unstoppable energy always directly fuels the primitive mosh pit from the first second to the last. If you haven't been lucky enough to catch them live, I can't recommend it enough– the raw energy is colossal, and I haven't missed a single show since I first started seeing them.

Osees at Warsaw by Tommy Krause

Animated VIolence

Dwyer began by greeting the sold-out room– “Good evening Greenpoint. Thanks so much for having us, we’re Osees from Los Angeles.” After taking a beat to thank the openers, Dywer said “Here’s an old one” and began the riff to a notable Osees classic: “Carrion Crawler”. In seconds, Dwyer assumed his signature stage moves– with his guitar up at breast height, he moved frantically with the exaggerated poses and wild enthusiasm he is admired for. His charisma and presence are unparalleled, and it's clear that the crowd feeds off of his energy and channels it through their own adrenaline in the moshpit.

The opening of the set was a barrage of major fan favorites– including an absolutely scorching rendition “I Come From The Mountain”, which got crowd surfers flying over the rail in no time, and a raucous version of “Rogue Planet” from the band’s 2015 masterpiece Mutilator Defeated At Last.

Osees at Warsaw by Tommy Krause

John Dwyer took a moment after “Carrion Crawler” to share an spicy story about a booking conflict at Warsaw this season. Some context: Pop artist Sam Smith 12 dates booked in October at Warsaw, as part of his residency that extends through November. But (apparently) Sam and Live Nation wanted more– they wanted to book additional shows during the nights that Osees already booked and sold-out. Dwyer explained the situation, went on to thank Warsaw and their team for not allowing Sam or Live Nation to overstep– he said Warsaw “had their back 100%” in ensuring that Osees kept their shows.

This turned into a running joke– Dwyer took plenty of opportunities to say “Fuck Sam Smith” after many songs, and there was even a shirt at the merch booth that depicted the character “Goofy” (from Disney) dressed in one of Sam Smith’s most notoriously ridiculous outfits. The back of the T-shirt may have been the best part. Needless to say, the whole bit was absolutely hilarious— it added a significant dose of humor to their epic set.

During the Sorcs 80 bangers “Blimp” and “Drug City” – Dwyer put the guitar down to have free reign to fully rock out. Both tracks featured a furious and highly animated performance from Dwyer that sent the crowd into hysterics.

Speaking of hysterics– during mainstay set highlights like “Withered Hand” and “Animated Violence”, the band’s vicious stage presence translated tenfold to the energized audience. Mosh pits began to gyrate into a rabid fuss, and more ecstatic crowd-surfers were hurled towards the barrier. It is during iconic moments like these where Osees shows feel like a joyous warzone of pure adrenaline. The double-drumming power of Dan Rincon and Paul Quattrone is an absolute force, and their stamina to perform so intensely throughout the hour and a half set is quite staggering.

Osees at Warsaw by Tommy Krause

In addition to the ultra satisfying Osees classics like “The Dream”, “Plastic Plant”, “Tidal Wave” and “Toe Cutter - Thumb Buster”– there were plenty of deep cuts sprinkled in the mix. “I Was Denied” from Warm Slime provided a fuzzy, anthemic ruckus that got a notable response from die-hards in the front row, and “Humans Be Swayed” propelled the band forward with its mellotron flute sounds and its explosive garage-rock drive.

The momentum of the set was always irresistible and frantic— at one point, Dwyer impressively performed the majority of one song with his guitar strap completely undone. The show reached its undeniable energetic peak with the hardcore punk of 2022's A Foul Form– “Funeral Solution” and the “A Foul Form” title track had the place going ballistic. The energy and BPM always goes through the roof on these tracks, and this brilliant onslaught of punk was cleverly placed at the peak of the set.

Osees at Warsaw by Tommy Krause

The band closed out the night on an infectiously groovy rendition of “C” from 2019’s Smote Reverser. The band let loose and extended their jams to a place where Dwyer got to branch out and play some Doors-esque keys. They brought the extended instrumental from a dreamy hush to a thunderous explosion, and the dynamics were expertly coordinated between Dwyer, Quattrone and Rincon. As the band waved their goodbyes, Dwyer took one last opportunity to say “Fuck Sam Smith! You guys have a great night.” to roaring applause.

Every year, Osees continue to deliver brilliantly to their cultish fan base with their punky psych-rock tinged records, their unmatched stage presence, and their raw and energetic live show. John Dwyer has continuously defined what makes him an absolutely electric presence both on-stage and on wax, for multiple decades now, and it’s a damn good thing to see him and his band delivering at the top of their energy and ability year after year.

Osees are easily one of the most reliable and exciting rock bands out there doing the damn thing– they’re nothing short of incredible anytime they hit the stage. It’s always an honor to witness Osees blow the lid off of Warsaw, and like clockwork, we’ll absolutely be at their next NYC show to witness one of the most dependable and feral live sets in the biz.

Check out the setlist and Photo Gallery by Tommy Krause below!

All photos of Osees by Tommy Krause

( @_tommykrause_ )