WEEK OF 3/13/20

So Pretty / all 📷 : Aaron Pylinski

Hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes were out on the stage for anyone that needed or wanted to kill some germs. It was a strange sight and a sign of the times. As COVID-19 has since caused venues like The Empty Bottle to cancel shows and some to close up altogether, it seemed a simple precaution. A few in the crowd took wipes and tossed them around, finding an element of darkly humorous play, while people I know were texting me about the likelihood of office closures. Hypothesizing how quickly and for how long. Should we wait for someone to have been in contact, or take drastic preventative measures? I was still planning on going to Austin for what promised to be a hyper-local unofficial SXSW, but just a few days later, it seemed socially irresponsible. It is likely this will be the last show I will attend in the month of March. I’m glad it was filled with warm vibes and three very different but equally emotionally expressive bands.

Being able to look each other in the eye as they played meant Diarrhea Sprinkles was further from the audience than I would like, but it also made their playing connected and intense. I could almost feel it click into place as they played "Gurl." They were fast and bouncy. The kind of music that requires jumping around with abandon. The vocals by Jessica, were guttural. Singing that was more like screaming or yodeling, but punk. Jessica’s guitar set the tone and pace for their new song "Transit Bus.” Tia’s drums took over and pushed the song into hyperdrive. She put her head down with the effort, letting her hair fall over her face and her sticks fly. Their closing song "Bug Man" was a close second fav, especially when Tia let loose not just on her kit, but with her voice. Her unamplified scream felt like a punch in the gut.

The God Awful Small Affairs were like a vision as they wove an atmospheric spell over the Bottle. The soft rocking swells built to an epic crashing. The speakers and room reverberated as the power Missy Preston’s vocals blasted through. The God Awful Small Affairs set a tone so very different from the  first band. They were dramatically complex and tight, supporting vocalist, acoustic guitarist, and songwriter Preston’s virtuosic vocal range.

It can be hard to take your eyes and ears off of Preston and take in the rest of the band. I loved when Niko Kapetan’s bass lines got funky. The drumming stood out because of the way Bailey Minzenberger’s rhythms delicately danced under the music or crashed through it. MVP and Preston’s best friend Mark Muniz’s guitar morphed subtly from floating on reverb, to screeching feedback, to psych, to twang. The styles were cohesive, but also shifted to fit the tone of the song. Preston’s songs have hefty emotional weight. The combination of storyteller and vocal power wouldn’t be out of place on Broadway. As a devoted theatre fan, I would show up for any production she was in, just like her audience showed up to The God Awful Small Affairs, singing every word and worshipping at her feet.

It is always exciting when a band you love performs. When they are doing a record release there is a special energy. So Pretty took two years to make VS Me, and the atmosphere wasn’t just celebratory, it was a party. There was dancing and singing and thrashing, echoing the energy of So Pretty’s performance.

They threw themselves around the stage with abandon. The way they moved balanced the violence with silliness. A pure expression of the music and emotions. Ashley Holman had a hardcore streak that was shown in full glory on “Manhandler” and hit home with emotional heft on “Mother Mother.” When Rachel Manter took over the vocals she showed range, singing with sonorous or screeching emotion. She took “Full Rabbit” to a point of cathartic exhaustion not captured on the album. I am so glad I got to see that performance. Truly breathtaking. James Seminara’s bass playing was equally arresting throughout. Moving back and forth. Balancing on his toes and then folding over his bass. Stefan Lindgren’s drumming was faaaast whenever given the opportunity, and always had punch.The rhythm section was featured to great effect in “Limbo.” The funk was thick and delicious. But even when they bring the funk, they still have some thrash. Eventually a mosh broke out, which is not easy to do with a small crowd; but like I said before, this crowd was devoted to the music and when the music demands richoteing bodies, they would go to any lengths to comply. Their devotion pulled the band up to another level. A seemingly impossible thing given the already killer performance. Holman kneeled at the edge of the stage, letting members of the audience surge forward and thrash the strings of her guitar. That trust and connection to their crowd was powerful. When they ended their set they spoke of how important music is to their lives and how it should be open to anyone. The band had a guitar they intended to gift to a friend that couldn’t afford to buy one for themself. It was a surprise, and unfortunately they ended up having to work. But the band gave this message to us all: You don't have to be good, or have time. You just need to love music, and have people who support you. And a guitar. 

-Tina Mead 

The God Awful Small Affairs will be playing GMan on May 15th. Here’s hoping that shows will be back on by then!