The Exploited

The Exploited play the Federal Theatre on Wednesday, November 25, 2026, at 7 PM. It's a single-act bill, with the Scottish punk veterans taking the whole stage.

If you're not familiar with the name, they're a seminal band from the second wave of UK punk. They formed in Edinburgh in early 1980, started by ex-soldier Wattie Buchan. They signed to Secret Records in March 1981 and put out their debut EP, Army Life, followed by the influential album Punk's Not Dead that same year. The title says it all about where they stood in the scene back then.

One thing that stays constant is Buchan himself. While the lineup around him has changed constantly over the years, he's remained the frontman across more than two decades of gigging and recording. He's also the one who steered the band's sound: they started in the street punk of the late 1970s and early 1980s and shifted into crossover thrash from 1987 onwards. So if you've only heard the early stuff, the later years lean a bit more toward metal.

It's a mid-week show, so keep that in mind when you're planning your night. The Federal Theatre is at 3830 Federal Blvd in Denver, and the set starts at 7 PM.