On the night of January 12th, audiences at Mid City Ballroom had the privilege of witnessing a four-part show consisting of folk singer Evie Richard, riot grrl group Pillow Kisser, post-hardcore group Moon Medallion, and hardcore punk band CoffinWolf Ultra. The venue has been the host of many acts both local and across state lines, with genres ranging from hardcore punk to electronica as well as various metal acts. While the average set for a night at Mid City usually contains three bands, the addition of Evie Richard to the roster helped rake in a sizable audience in anticipation of the new performer. Friends, family, and unrelated audience members alike all gathered together to take part in a night of hardcore tunes mixed with gentle folk ballads.
Though this night was her first show, Evie Richard is no stranger to the local BR area. More widely known as KLSU’s very own DJ Roomba, Richard has spent years crafting a songwriting style influenced by Elliott Smith, Liz Phair, Jeff Tweedy and Adrienne Lenker to name a few. Many know her as not only an outspoken fan of these artists and an engaging radio personality, but also as a blossoming creative yearning to display her talents to the public as a songwriter who mixes these influences into her own sound. It was an unusual move from Mid City Ballroom to welcome a musician that deviated from their typical sounds, yet this decision resulted in an intimate opening performance that left the audience stunned.
Right off the bat in the first song, “I’m On”, Richard’s vocals echo those of her influences (notably Elliott Smith) while her lyrics and sense of melody work to make a song that is catchy and captivating. She devotes songs to winding narratives that had listeners breathlessly standing still as they absorbed the gentle solemnity of the performances. Many of the lyrics focus on relationships and addiction in a way that is laced with both resentment and regret, but is never overwhelming in either emotion.
The next two songs, “Don’t Come Back 2 Me” and “I Sober Up”, have an earnestness to them that is cutting in their disavowing of their subjects while also relatable in their confliction of emotions and attitudes. Her fourth song “The Game” was her longest track that demonstrated her vocal ability and breath control. The increasing softness of this performance helped further carry the forlorn yet hauntingly beautiful melody accompanying lyrics of loss and chances. The final song, currently titled “Blackjack Baby”, is a cover of material from drummer of Pillow Kisser Nicole Phillips, showing Richard’s support for local hardcore groups bleeding into her capabilities as a songwriter. For a first show, Richard has excelled by managing to instill confidence in her supporters in the local scene while asserting her talents to those unfamiliar with her work, leaving listeners eager for more to come.
Once Richard’s set concluded, Pillow Kisser was next to take to the stage. Consisting of frontman Vince Anders, guitarist Sadie Roberts, drummer Nicole Phillips and bassist Jade Buff, the riot grrl group has had up to three performances at Wonderground, this night marking their first performance outside of that venue, and an uptick in the attention they’ve received as of late. More importantly, their growing presence represents a desire for a stronger riot grrl presence in BR’s hardcore scene and a sense of unity with those same communities in cities and states nearby. Phillip’s talents as a member of the local music zine The Refrain go towards shining a light on BR hardcore bands and presents an opportunity for punk enthusiasts to become a part of a larger community. This seemingly ambitious task has been met with eager voices and bands willing to work towards promoting more inclusive, riot grrl attitudes within the scene, and Pillow Kisser stands as another welcome addition to this roster of abrasive yet enthusiastic new groups.
The group’s subject matter is reminiscent of that from traditional riot grrl groups, ranging from issues of sexual assault and male hypocrisy, but their attention to issues such as systemic transphobia in contemporary politics shows a willingness to address situations that discreetly permeatelocal scenes and present dangers to others. This group tackles these issues with disregard for adversity, painful howls, driving bass, steady drums and crunched, distorted chords, just as their influences have before them. Aside from some technical difficulties with vocals towards the middle of the set, the biggest hurdle the band faces is overcoming the stress that comes with the occasional misstep in a performance; and this would greatly demonstrate their confidence in how they deliver these encharged displays of anger, vulnerability and mockery towards their opponents.
The first two songs, “Johnny Jump Up” and “Ronald’s Law”, highlight the band’s penchant for steady grooves that mesh together with harsh riffs to make for enjoyable live performances that remain impactful in their lyrical content. And while the same could be said about the last two songs, “Bottle Blondes” and Pretty On The Floor”, the abrasiveness of these tracks and the rough screams from Anders – as well as an invitation for all the women in the audience towards the front of the stage – resulted in one of their most shining displays of hardcore riot grrl attitude. With enough time and effort, hopefully Pillow Kisser may find itself a stronger foothold in the BR scene and show off their talents in venues across the area.
Marking the halfway point of the show, the post-hardcore group Moon Medallion made their entrance. Hailing from Austin, Texas, the group consists of vocalist/guitarist/frontman Andre Velasco, bassist Jack Meidel and drummer Mario Alvarado and specializes in crafting fast-paced, irregular post-hardcore melodies that prove to be just as electrifying in a live show. Most of the material played that night came from their newest album, a self titled debut released in the middle of last year. This record contains some of their more popular tracks such as “Leopard” and “Phase” as well as those they have released over the years like “Obelisk” and “Don’t Waste Your Time Waiting For Me” as early as 2020. Their efforts have resulted in them touring out of state for both tonight as well as a summer tour coming up later this year, which will hopefully get listeners tuned into their chaotic proclivities .
With the aid of an analog synthesizer, the group created walls of noise that felt like a constant shot of adrenaline combined with the speedy drumming and boisterous vocals. Though much of what the group presents isn’t necessarily groundbreaking, it is most definitely thrilling in its execution and energy. It didn’t take long for moshers to start throwing themselves at one another in the crowd, and the rapid fire chords of these songs were especially striking after the steadier tunes from the prior two acts. Their engagement with the audience (such as throwing a large green puppet towards members) kept things amusing as well as stoked the flames of the enthusiastic moshers.
The casual attitude of the group betrays the cacophony of their music; they offer up a sound reminiscent of a noisier take on a band like At The Drive-Thru. And the variety in the melodies for this setlist had me consistently attentive to the methods in the madness of their arrangements. Though their output may still be on the slimmer side as of now, further efforts down the line could present a chance for the group to further refine their melodies and develop a more unique identity in their presence. Even as they currently stand, Moon Medallion is a rip-roaringly good time for post-hardcore enthusiasts whose interests lie in the more jagged and unconventional song structures that the genre provides.
Coming in as the last act of the night, Coffinwolf Ultra gave listeners a straightforward and humorously irreverent display of hardcore punk with a bit of crustpunk and noise. A quintet from New Orleans featuring vocalist Rex Wrecker, guitarists Ronna Whiteman and Nate, bassist Corey Johnson and drummer Cam Z, this group is one of several projects under the NOLA DIY label BluniCorp. They played the most songs that night on account of them being quite brief in length, as expected from crustpunk/hardcore bands. While the project still doesn’t have enough to stand out entirely from other hardcore groups, their attitude in a live show is simultaneously no-nonsense and off-the-rails in an amusing manner.
The setlist contained mostly material from their sole record Palms, with a few other singles here and there thrown in over the years. Coffinwolf Ultra is beyond capable of creating a noisy assault to listeners while being condescending and mocking towards their lyrical subjects. Wrecker’s zany yet casual mannerisms in his onstage performance helped keep members chuckling and listening intently to their rowdy antics. Whiteman and Nate’s guitar playing came together with Cam’s drumming to make for pretty intense moments of crustpunk hardcore, however brief they were. I have no doubt that much of these same sounds and sentiments carry over onto other projects on their label like redfaced whiteman and Jerk Unicorn. Perhaps another release can help the group flesh out their sound and create a more identifiable image for them in future shows, because the energy and technical ability the band has proves them already very capable of carrying themselves for a show.
Overall, the night was a great success that drew the attention of people unfamiliar with the venue and the hardcore scene and kept the attention of many of those listeners. The inclusion of Evie Richard onto the roster made for an unexpectedly pleasant surprise for those unfamiliar with her talents and who may engage more regularly with the hardcore bands of the area. As expected, Pillow Kisser’s energy and sentiments added a feminine voice that promotes inclusivity and support for victims and friends. Moon Medallion’s performance made for one of the bigger surprises of the night for me as well with their ear for layered, destructive post-hardcore riffs, and Coffinwolf Ultra’s familiar hardcore/crustpunk sensibilities provided a solid closing to the show as a whole.
For me, shows at smaller venues can work wonders when a few oddballs and curves are thrown into who is set to perform at a given night. These are shows that I often find myself engaged in due to the rarity and novelty of their nature, and this show most definitely proved itself to be a unique night of new talents and blooming artists.
