Second Home Gigs

 Box Elder - "Arrows" (self-relased) FFO: SPRAYNARD, HOTELIER, BLINK-182 Hey look it's a band from Wyoming! Fun! BOX ELDER plays the kind of glossy emo/pop that I might have written off in the late 90s as "false" or "fake" emo cuz I was dumb and opinionated .Boy I'm glad I grew up a bit, as did the DIY scene I came up in. There's now plenty of space for huge hooks and polished songwriting, big shiny guitars and "classic" emo vocal affectations.  I hear a good amount of SPRAYNARD or GET BENT, and the kind of busy drumming that can be traced back to Travis/BLINK-182. There are few, if any, rough edges here but still tons of energy and passion. We're very excited to have them coming to Olympia in April.  Arrows by Box Elder

  Vulture Feather - "Liminal Fields" (Felte) FFO - Killing Joke, Lungfish, Jawbox, Fuel.  This is a new trio of DIY lifers playing what they describe as "past/present/future punk" and i describe as "magic". These folks turn open-tuned chiming guitar riffs into a substrate from which oceanic feelings can grow and take shape in a way that feels both precise and open-ended. The effect is similar to LUNGFISH or Colin and Brian's previous band WILDERNESS in that repetition allows for contemplation and mythmaking.  Colin's vox are reedy and strident as he deep-dives into a place of calm within the violence and turmoil of modern life. Lyrically he delivers on the "liminal" in the album title. Bass guitar handles the melodic movement and syncs with creative, floor-tom-heavy drumming. This is one of those albums that has an undeniable presence, Breathtaking, life-affirming stuff.  Liminal Fields by Vulture Feather