YABAI: A versatile piece of Japanese slang meaning anything from “sick” to “WHOA!”, secondarily referred to as THE FUTURE OF CHICAGO PUNK!

To the frequenters of the neighborhood scene, we know YABAI as the local punk band that makes self-proclaimed “evil music,” consisting of frontman Jesse Vasel, his brother Jaden Vasel on the drums, friends Austin Martinez and Elian Gonzalez both on guitar, and Mikey Marcuccelli on bass. What’s so much fun about YABAI is how apparent it was that we were all witnessing the future of the scene – spiky hair, killer style, and stage presence that could light a room on fire. YABAI’s music is hardcore, it’s punk, it’s quintessential rage. YABAI delivers, and the entire crowd responds: they mosh, they stomp, and they scream as loud as they can. This band is a wicked force of passion and young rage, and you are not going to want to miss being a part of the YABAI empire!

I got the chance to sit down with the members of YABAI to discuss Chicago punk, local chatter, and what YABAI means to them as musicians. When asked about what they want it to be like for new fans from different demographics, Jesse said, “We want to trick [non-punks] into thinking we’re like, not evil. Like really, really cool. Then they come to the show and see the chaos, and it’s like, oh, what the fuck? But then they like it. That’s what we want to happen, and that’s the goal of YABAI.”

YABAI is that in a nutshell! An unexpected meteorite of hardcore morals, vibes, and demeanor. These four come together to create something very special, something that thrives off the energy of a bunch of no-good kids going crazy in a dimly lit basement. *THAT* is what the Chicago scene is about, and as a fan, I couldn’t not talk about how crucial that is to the punk scene in our interview.

We discussed the state of Chicago’s DIY venues, noting that many of our favorite spots are closing, yet an equal number are thriving. One of the budding venues of the local scene is Casa Cafe – a casual Mexican restaurant that hosts local punk & hardcore bands. YABAI is one of many local projects that love and frequent Casa Cafe consistently.

“This shit is run by hardcore kids, for hardcore kids, and it’s just like a pure scene,” Jesse laughed. “These venue owners aren’t some outsiders, they’re just grown-up hardcore kids.”

On a similar vein, the Vasel Brothers recently hosted a gig called “Divorce Dasher V” in their own Chicagoland home, featuring special performances from YABAI, as well as the debut of their new project, “Whelmed.” The YABAI boys keep the scene alive through their commitment to the music as well as their commitment to the community and its crucial message. YABAI is one of their many ways of keeping the music and the memo pure, alongside the opportunity to play with and in front of their family and friends. It’s clear that Jesse, Jaden, Austin, and Elian’s second priority is supporting the scene enough to keep other local bands engaged and passionate. They play alongside other acts, shouting when shouted at, and getting better off of the sheer motivation to be as good as the musicians around them. These hardcore kids are what keeps hardcore alive.

YABAI is currently reworking their Spotify, but they do have one available single, entitled “Swing Through“! You can check them out on Bandcamp for a bigger chunk of their music. For Chicagoland readers, they are also playing a show on February 7th at the WC Social Club! You can check out their Instagram @yabai_punk for more information.

There are no “YABAI’s”, only “SEE YOU LATER!”