02/25/2023 - SIMPLE MALFUNCTION, C U SOON, PRESENT, FAIR LADY, GUSHR @ THE HIVE

If you haven't noticed, this blog post is going to be quite a bit longer than the last. Going forward, I want to keep diving further with bands and their performances--maybe even adding some interview clips here and there, just so that everyone has a voice (I can only convey the feeling of these bands/shows so well). If you do want to skip around and avoid me going on describing guitar tone, don't feel bad for doing so. I'll also add any upcoming show information for all bands mentioned below at the end of the piece, so if you do skip around, still check that out. 

Also, if anyone wants to send me info, tell me about shows, talk about music, send me YOUR music for review or anything like that, just shoot me an email at [ fosterhildingmusic@gmail.com ] or DM me on Instagram. Or leave a comment, too.

photos courtesy of Kelly Heusted

The Hive was a bit smaller than I expected--the stage taking up probably a third of the main floor space. Still, it was beautiful and lived up to its name. Murals and stickers plastered the walls and the support beams--descending down from the ceiling and up from the floor. It was a little punk oasis of body heat in the midst of a seemingly endless Flagstaff winter storm.

the shitty quality photos (above) are courtesy of me

I'd been looking forward to this weekend for a while--two back to back shows (I'll be writing about the next one very soon). Mina, Simple Malfunction's bassist, put together this particular one with her record label Satanic Panic. I met her first online putting together a show for my own music in March, then in person waiting in line to get a tattoo at a Friday the 13th house show (mentioned in the previous post), so I thought I'd come to show support and check out some new bands--plus I owed her one of my album t-shirts.

The lineup began with the familiar faces of Gushr--a bedroom punk trio from Phoenix (It's interesting to note that none of the bands playing this show were actually from Flagstaff). They burst through the walls of that little music joint with intensity and outright fun, starting with their song Knee Deep Tongue Tied. Necinite's (I sincerely hope I'm spelling this right, as well as the rest of the names mentioned in this piece--it's not easy to hear at concerts. Obviously) heavy tom-slapping passages made the song for me. That, paired with her anxious and loud vocals cemented her as the band's key front woman in the back.

A few other moments in their set that really shined were Dustin's sweeping licks that boarderd on math rock at times between his steel walls of chunky power chords--this was ever apparent on songs When You're Not High and Puke. Together, with Em's striking bass whose high end notes broke through the rest, the band makes for a relatable and tight package of punk for stoners. I'll be rocking their sick shirt soon.

Their aptly named EP, Bedroom Punk, releases March 10th. Until then, stream their singles Knee Deep Tongue Tied and Summer '17.

stolen from Gushr's Instagram

Fair Lady took the stage next with a slew of technical mishaps to follow--a broken mic stand, fallen cymbal and of course a broken guitar string. They quite literally broke the stage with their unique energy. They're an unapologetically mean and inventive punk trio (also from Phoenix), reminiscent of Absolutely. 

Clay's energy on drums drove their stage presence to a higher level--maintaining a fun and upbeat aura while swapping tempos and time signatures in their more diverse songs. My favorite example of this would be This Place--where underneath the meaty guitar tones of the song's breakdown, a satisfying CACK boom on the snare and toms snap your head into a thrash. Ty's guitar tone is just that--meaty--inner cut with stank screeching curtesy of his OCD pedal.

One thing I wanted to note about this show--I'm not sure where, who or what it came from, but every once in a while it smelled awful. I would be standing in the crowd just enjoying the show, and then a wave of absolute manure would take over my senses. Not sure if someone was having plumbing issues or if an audience member actually shit their pants. Of course, it wasn't enough to distract from the show, but I am curious what it was...

Now, the band that really sold the show for me was Present. They started setting up with their pedalboards and Jazzmasters and I turned to my girlfriend and said I bet you these guys are either math rock or shoegaze. Yeah, I'm probably biased because I just love shoegaze so much, but they brought such a refreshing and well-presented, rehearsed and thought-out take on the genre. In the spirit of nugaze, their songs blasted through their amps with a clarity that other shoegaze acts lack--and an addictive approach to songwriting that hits you when you least expect it. Their bursts of noise-walls are a gut-wrenching aspect of their songwriting that keeps your eyes glued to the stage and your body moving.

Alex's vocals remind me most of Beabadoobee: sing-songy passages that float above the beautiful walls of distortion like a melody for fairies. New and Facedown are great examples of this, with the latter's outro consisting of a gorgeous unison of Alex's vocals and JB's (Okay, so I have their guitarist's name written down wrong in my notes [autocorrect], but after some Instagram stalking I found this. Please correct me if I'm wrong, at least I can always edit this) soaring guitar passage like the calls of passing whales. Craig's (Also found from instagram stalking) distorted bass hooks make songs like Dissolve, and paired with Dani's (Again) concise drumming--they do more than just get the job done.

They can sound more pop-punk at times, yet still return to the familiar comfort of blazing nugaze passages. They can be soft, subtle, diverse and everything in between. Stream their EP, I Want.

After talking to Mina about the lineup beforehand, I knew the show would be pretty heavily multi-genre, but I wasn't fully prepared for the extent that it was. C U Soon took the stage and the audience multiplied--streaming in like a school of fish. They were fun, unserious and cool--all the members had a great dynamic with each other both musically and in general. The singer joked that her name was Bones and their guitarist was Skunk (I'll be referring to them as this going forward because it's awesome). They brought a sort of chillness and a laidback attitude to the scene that was refreshing. They coaxed the audience into engaging in their relaxing and dynamic song-scapes. 

Their sound was eccentric and different, a sort of gurlpunk take on mainstream indie rock. Skunk's guitar riffage sounded creamy and golden over Mikey's easygoing drums. I found myself staring at Jacob--their bassist--and his sick shirt that I couldn't make out from the back of the room. With a driving and tight rhythm section, energetic and engaging vocals over catchy riffs, C U Soon obviously strikes a chord with young audiences with their fluid Demarco-core grooves. 

I'm Drunk and I Miss You was a favorite of mine. They introduced dynamic transitions and the final section was a funky and awesome little bop. Their punk-infused encore/cover of Feliz Navidad featured Bones's satisfying screaming that I hope to hear more of in the future. Stream their EP, 3 AM Demos.

The finale to round off a long night of genre-blending noise was Simple Malfunction. Swapping places from Fair Lady, Ty switched to drums as Clay took on the guitar. Together, with Mina's bass, they conjured a messy and hateful brew of straightforward hardcore punk. Clay’s insane and unrelenting energy transferred to his performance on guitar as well. Their scrappy, berating wall of punk sound flattened the audience.

Diversifying their set, they introduced more spoken-word passages and experimental rhythms, as well as breakdowns and In Utero-esque drumming. Overall, they delivered solid, punk rock fun with tidbits of experimentation to spice it up. Stream their newest album, As Good As It Gets.

I went home after the show cold, tired and hungry. The mark of a good night. I don't think I'll ever beat the obsession with chunky, meaty guitar--and comparing even the most opposite music with shoegaze's tropes. Hopefully this blog will help me come up with some more diverse avenues for describing music and sound. Tomorrow (actually yesterday [actually three days ago]) is another show, and three days from now (actually tomorrow [actually tomorrow, but today's tomorrow]), I'll write about that one too. But for now, I spend the next days trekking the sludge with ringing ears and sore legs. And a hunger.

- Foster

See Gushr in concert at The Void 909 on 03/11 in San Bernardino, The Linger Longer Lounge on 03/21 in Phoenix, or at their upcoming benefit show for the houseless on 03/26.

also stolen from Gushr's Instagram