3 Feet High & Rising: Wisconsin’s Own Melodic Hardcore Band Drop Deeply Personal First Single “Nightmare” (self-released)

Crucial Moves pictured outside of Missfits Tavern, Appleton, WI (CREDIT: Cameron Hoerth)

So, right around this time last year (on Sunday, February 26, 2023, to be exact!) The Witzard and special in-field/live scenario/concert correspondent Omarey “The O-man” Williams attended a show together at the legendary First Unitarian Church in South Philly. It was billed as a Sunday Mass/Hardcore Matinee show featuring HARD TURF, DEAD LAST, COMBUST, Raw Brigade, KILL YOUR IDOLS, and fabled headliner Gorilla Biscuits. The Witz & The O-man met amany fellow elder Punks/grown Hardcore kids and Punk lifers out in the crowd through the afternoon’s sweaty frenzied wintertime sets, including Dan (who asked us to call him “Dirty Dan”) Koerner, who flew in from Wisconsin just to see the Gorilla Biscuits perform at a dingey old church basement in the depths of Philly. At the time, Dan was telling us and other nearby crowd-goers about his then-still very new band, Crucial Moves. Dan & The Witz swapped information, went their separate ways, and enjoyed the rest of the early evening’s acts. Now, again, fast-forward to almost a year later: Crucial Moves dropped their debut single, “Nightmare,” on Christmas Day. Before we get too far ahead of ourselves… Crucial Moves is frontperson Trayc Patchin, rhythm guitarist Jazareth Hernandez, lead guitarist/vocalist Jordan Clark, drummer Hayden Petit, and bassist/vocalist, our guy, Dan Koerner.

Crucial Moves’ members have recorded and released music as part of note-worthy projects, including, but not limited to Awe of The Slaughter, Backbreaker, FASTPLANTS, and Luma Knotty. Koerner, who actually wrote “Nightmare,” told us its source material has very personal ties to his own life. “So, in short, I wrote this song about the death of my 3 ½-year-old niece due to a [domestic violence] issue. Carrying the coffin of a small child really messes you up and has long-term [effects] on your mental health. With the help of the other Crucial Moves guys, I was able to release a great deal of the soul-crushing pain I’ve felt since then. Honestly, without them, this song would have just been another poem in a notebook with some acoustic guitar chords sprinkled in,” Koerner explained in a heartfelt statement. Unfortunately, it’s an all-too tragically “hip” re-telling of domestic violence and utterly senseless loss of a life that was just beginning to blossom over a frenzied backing track and emotional guttural vocals. Crucial Moves’ “Nightmare” is now available on streaming platforms. Stay tuned to their Instagram page for additional updates. If you or someone you know are/is currently experiencing domestic violence, we urge you to call The National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800)-799-7233. They’re open 24/7/365 and are awaiting your call, if you need them.