Four Bands Rock the Stage at Three Sheets

Before stepping off the stage, Tony Mascolo of Wasteworld gave the crowd a sincere look. ​“Does anyone need to use my amp?” he inquired. Someone from another band set to play eagerly responded. Mascolo nodded and left his amp, assisting the next performer. This sharing of equipment and, at times, band members, underscored the camaraderie among the four bands that rocked Three Sheets on Friday. Two of the groups, who began by performing house shows just a few years ago, were now gracing established stages.

“OK, cool, we’re Wasteworld,” Joe Russo announced before the band launched into their first song. The New Haven-based trio—Russo on vocals and bass, Tony Mascolo on guitar and vocals, and Allie Falco on drums and vocals—delved into straight-up rock ​‘n’ roll, punctuated with catchy riffs and hooks. With Falco providing the rhythm, Mascolo created expansive sounds, and Russo alternated between maintaining the beat and adding melodic counterpoints. Their performance was both intelligent and entertaining, garnering cheers from the ever-growing audience.

In between songs, the band kept things light. ​“This song’s about a young lady who got knocked up,” Russo said with a friendly tone. The subject was in the audience. ​“Hooray for pregnancy!” he added. ​“We love pregnancy!”

As their set progressed, Wasteworld’s pop sensibilities shone through, with three-part harmonies and occasional background “oohs” and “ahhs.” The band approached anthem-like heights towards the end, concluding with an intense number that perfectly kickstarted the evening.

Next up was HardCar from western Massachusetts, featuring Devan Arnold on bass, Ryan Arnold on vocals and guitar, Clayton Marshall on lead guitar, and Rob Gerwiski on drums. They sustained the energy with vigorous, delightfully messy rock ‘n’ roll, interspersed with absurd lyrics and banter. Ryan Arnold was a particularly engaging frontman, often smiling at his bandmates or losing himself in headbanging.

“In case you didn’t notice, that song was kind of about schizophrenia,” Marshall remarked after an early number.

“And kind of about whiskey,” Ryan chimed in, adding a dash of humor to their punk-inspired performance. ​“You’re too kind,” he said after a round of applause. ​“You’re too attractive. Am I being too critical? You smell too good.” He then shared a story: ​“Let me take you back to a city, a city full of crabs. That city is Baltimore. The year—1975. This song is not about John Waters, though it is called ​‘John Waters.’” There was even a song about a secret program to design flesh-eating robots.

As their set neared its end, Ryan continued to invert typical stage banter. ​“You may be wondering at this point in the set: who is your favorite former mayor of New York,” he said before launching into a song about Ed Koch. Even if the audience hadn’t been pondering this, the band’s charming song might have made them wish they had.

The New Haven-based Death Valley Sun Troopers—Sebastian Bernal on vocals and guitar, Ryan Shea on guitar, Tyler Neuman on bass, and Daniel Lindberg on drums—then delivered the most raw and loud performance of the evening. They powered through a set of intricate originals, moving from tense, anxious moments to explosive climaxes. Drawing the audience close, they maintained a palpable emotional arc throughout, navigating tight changes in tempo and texture while retaining immediacy. This all culminated in moments of collective catharsis, as the band screamed together, filling the club with a sound that felt ready to burst beyond its walls.

Mildly Allergic took the stage next, comprising Ryan Shea on lead vocals and guitar, Sebastian Bernal and Tyler Neuman on guitars, Maeve Palma on bass, and once again, Daniel Lindberg on drums. Just before they began, Shea humorously questioned the wisdom of three guitars. However, any doubts quickly vanished as he, Bernal, and Neuman crafted a rich sound, firmly anchored by Palma and Lindberg. Unlike the complex allure of Death Valley Sun Troopers, Mildly Allergic, like Wasteworld, relied on catchy pop hooks which were well received by the audience. ​“I don’t know the last time I felt this way, but I’m going to be fine,” Shea sang, capturing a sense of optimism that resonated till the end.

Shea also mentioned the personal significance of the show. ​“I played a show here once when I was 12,” he said, recalling his first performance on drums. The drive and dedication shown by both bands he played with suggested that this night would not be the last time he’d grace the stage.