The artist known as Caspian leads the band Twisted Teens in a sold-out performance at Comet Ping Pong on May 6, 2026. (35mm film photo by Casey Ryan Vock)
Twisted Teens is as unruly and rowdy as its name suggests. But it’s also one of the best-sounding bands to emerge as of late.
Led by a New Orleans-based duo, the project’s seen two full length albums and an EP released all within about the last year and a half. And it’s taken only that long for the group to catch on quickly with listeners across the country and beyond.
It’s the creation of two musicians: guitarist and vocalist Caspian Hollywell, who’s often referred to simply as Caspian, and steel guitarist Ramon Santos, who’s known as Razor.
Caspian and Razor brought the band to DC on May 6, packing Comet Ping Pong and amusing the sold-out Chevy Chase venue — a fitting space to play some of the distinctively raw rock tunes they’ve introduced thus far.
It’s a bit of a challenge to describe the Twisted Teens sound, but it’s a safe bet most would recognize the blend of punk volatility and country twang. Album reviews have helped shine the band’s work in a positive light, but Bandcamp writer Sims Harden might have nailed it with his commentary:
“Here to put some steel wool type hair on your chest. Gritty, toothy lofi punk with some stoink on it.”
On May 6, those on hand heard tunes from the self-titled Twisted Teens debut album as well as tracks from Blame The Clown, which dropped in February, and at least one new song in the works.
Listen to Twisted Teens’ latest studio album, Blame The Clown:
Recently announced as the opening act for the last 18 shows of Kurt Vile’s “KV’s Been Good to Me” tour this fall, Twisted Teens will be back in the DMV in late November for a visit to another perfect-match venue: Baltimore’s Ottobar.
But for anyone who was lucky enough to be at the band’s headlining show DC, it was a wildly satisfying showcase of a band swiftly on the rise.
Parklife DC was there, sprawled on the floor in front of the stage, to take it all in.
Below are black-and-white home-rolled/developed/scanned 35mm film photos along with color digital photos of Twisted Teens, as well as openers Gerf and g2k, performing at Comet Ping Pong in Washington DC the night of May 6, 2026. All photos copyright and courtesy of Casey Ryan Vock.
Twisted Teens
Gerf
g2k
