by Granny Anarchy by Granny Anarchy
(To Understand Everything, one collaborating with an Undergroun shows, is because Granny knew someone who loved music and threw himself headfirst into the OKC DIY scene. He's not here anymore - All Of This is to keep himaliveandhonorhim.)
This is what I knew about Skating Polly: My kids went to school with one of the band members, and one of my sons went to every OKC metro show he could get to.
I walked into Factory Obscura one April evening a complete neophyte. I was also late - I completely missed Labrys, and Busgy had already started their set.
I was probably one of, if not the oldest audience membersatFactoryObscura,althoughtherewerea fewyoungfamilies,severalpeoplewholookedtobe millennials, and some extraordinarily happy young adultsnearthestage.
ImeanderedovertothemerchtablesandSkatingPolly'sbeadedbracelets immediatelycaughtmyeye.Theywerealldifferent,thoughmostsportedskulls andbutterflies,andonesaidCHAOS,whichisawfullycloseto(Granny)Anarchy. Ihadtohaveit!
WhileIwasstandingasidewaitingformycardtoprocessbecauseIamanA DOLTanddidn'tbringcashtopaywith,acool-lookingyoungerwomancame uptothemerchtableandchattedwiththewomanthere.
"That'smydaughter!"thewomantoldmeproudly,andsaidsomethingabout themhand-makingthebracelets.
Inoddedbacknoncommittally,thinkingitwascoolthatSkatingPollyhadsuch nice,probablylocal,merchpeople.
WhenSkatingPolly'ssetstarted,theyoungwomangotuponstageandI realizedI'dbeenshouldertoshoulderwithwhoInowknowisKELLIMAYO.
I'd enjoyed Bugsy's music - again, apologies, Labrys, for totally missing you - which was, to these Gen-X ears, a mellow blend of indie pop and rock. I heard a bit of shoegaze influence in many of the live songs, though not as much in the recorded follow-ups I checked out, which tilted more twee with a sprinkle of leftover Seattle grunge. (I'll continue to check out more Bugsy; for those interested, I suggest starting with "Slip N' Slide.")
IthoughtthebandpairednicelywithSkatingPolly.Again,theirlivesoundisnot thesameastheirrecordings,butitshouldn'tbe.Whiletherearen'tmultitracks andvariousinstrumentsandeffectsoncertainsongs,thetrioissmooth, professional,practicedandcompetent.KelliMayoinparticularputsonafabulous showwithlotsofenergy,harkeningbacktoTheDaysBeforeEveryoneJustStood OnStageInRegularClothesAndThereWasNoAtmosphere.(Lateron,Iwas particularlyintriguedbyherFlipperhoodieaswellasKurtis'shirt,asI'vebeenon aNirvanakickandKurtCobainwasreallyintoFlipper...TheKidsTheseDays.My GenerationworebandmerchtosignifyMeaningfulMusicAffiliation,butnownot somuch-IAMLOOKINGATYOUNIRVANA-andIGetConfused.)
I was intrigued by the sound, which I might most succinctly sum up as Babes in Toyland meets Belly (or, in some cases maybe Neko Case. Maybe it's Metric meets heyday Chainsaw Kittens. Sorry, it is not a static sound!) I can also hear influences or parallels such as: Bikini Kill, Breeders, the Cure, Jane's Addiction, L7, Nirvana, and Regina Spektor. (Sometimes they also remind me of 1986 Fuzzbox. Google "Love is the Slug." YOU'RE WELCOME.)
I am missing some bands, especially Elephant Six and jangle pop, because Skating Polly has a diverse body of work. This trio is talented. Both Kelli and Peyton Bighorse sing, and they also change instruments with brother Kurtis Mayo. It was a pleasure to watch and listen to this family who obviously loves music - and watch the audience respond to them.
The setlist blended songs from the newest album items from their two older albums and 2017 EP. In between a few songs, Kelli talked about the band's long history, her awesome mom, the fact that they'd always be Oklahomans, and gave a little bit of backstory on "Girls Night."
Standouts for me that evening included "Louder in Outer Space," which I found extraordinarily catchy; poppy, pretty, but a touch rough and uneasy, which made a great harmonic blend - and the moody, seductive "Girls Night." The audience favorite definitely seemed to be the crunchy and energetic "Camelot," although all of the material seemed to be happily received.
When I got home and my elderly eyes could actually read, I discovered my bracelet actually said CHAOS COUNTY LINE. Ohhh! That's the name of their latest album, which they were promoting. “Chaos County Line" departs from the more bass-heavy Seattle/Sub Pop sound of many of the tracks on "New Trick" and "The Make It All Show," harkening back to the noisier fuzz of "The Big Fit," but definitely not repeating anything.
Yes,Youngsters.Grannyhasbeenlisteningto"LouderinOuterSpace"onREPEAT. Shealsohasdiscoveredshereallylikes"LittleGirlBlue"withitsnotes(HA!)ofJane's Addictionbass,theblastofBabesinToylandandL7screamssuddenlyshiftedinto dreamiervocals,analmostshoegazesoundinthechoruswithanodetonoise-rock andmelody.She'salsocometolove"HickeyKing,""PretectiveBoy,"FreeWillat Ease,""HailMary..."(Ithinkyougettheidea.)Sheevenveeredoffthesetlistand foundsongssuchas"DeadFriends,""CosmeticSkull,""ClasslessAct,""Flatwound Strings,"and"Flyer."
IfIcould,IwouldhaveboughtAllTheMerch.Givemeoneofthoseteesto proclaimmyBandLoyalty(orweirdfashionstatement!)IwouldlikeTheCurrentand ThePastCDs,please!
WhatI'msayingis,IwalkedintoashowknowingliterallynexttonothingandIcame outafan.Fiveoutoffivestarshirts.Wouldgoagain.
Singalong(ChaosCountyLine 2023)
HickeyKing(CCL)*
PretectiveBoy(TheBigFit 2016)*
ManOutThere(CCL)
LouderInOuterSpace(New TrickEP2017)*
I'mSorryforAlwaysApologizing (CCL)
LittleGirlBlueandtheBattle
Envy(TheMakeItAllShow 2018)*
FreeWillatEase(TMIAS)
AlltheChoices(CCL)
StopDigging(TBF)
OddieMoore(TBF)
SendaPriest(CCL)
HailMary(NT)*
GirlsNight(CCL)*
Camelot(TMIAS)** They'reCheap(I'mFree)(TMIAS) Charlie'sBrother(CCL)
*-personalfavorite **-crowdfavorite
89thStreet 8911NWesternAve(OKC) https://89thstreetokc.com
BeerCityMusicHall1141NW2nd(OKC) https://beercitymusichall.com
BlueDoor2805NMcKinleyAve(OKC) https://www.bluedoorokc.com
BlueNote2408NRobinsonAve(OKC) https://okcbluenote.com
Criterion500EastSheridanAve(OKC) https://criterionokc.com
DiamondBallroom8001SEasternAve(OKC) https://diamondballroom.com
FactoryObscura25NW9thSt(OKC) https://factoryobscura.com/
GrandRoyale1749NW16thSt(OKC) https://www.instagram.com/grandroyaleokc
JonesAssembly901WSheridan(OKC) https://www.thejonesassembly.com
Opolis113NCrawfordAve(Norman) https://www.opolis.org
PointA2124NW39thSt(OKC) pointa.space
PONYBOY423NW23rdSt(OKC) https://www.ponyboyokc.com/
ResonantHead400SW25thStSTEA(OKC) https://www.resonanthead.com
Resonator325EMainSt(Norman) resonator.space/
TheSanctuary1012NIndianaAve(OKC) https://www.facebook.com/thesanctuaryok
51stStreetSpeakeasy1114NW51stStreet(OKC) http://www.51stspeakeasy.com/
TowerTheatre425NW23rdSt(OKC) https://towertheatreokc.com
E N U E S
We’ve compiled a list of ALL LOCAL Spring-themed songs
Bloom - Graveyard Party
Our Garden - Moriah Bailey
Flowerpot - Stalling
Watermelon, Growin on the Vine - Poor Sap
Everything Breathes -
Spacecowboy
Gardenias - Lincka
A Late Spring - Moriah Bailey
Bloomsday - Samantha Crain
Raspberries - Ramona and the Phantoms
Cicadas - Ken Pomeroy
Redbird - Gordon McKinney
Wild Bird - Carter Sampson
Flowers in your HairTravis Linville
Weeping Willow - Camille Harp
Be my Wildwood FlowerCarter Sampson dahlia - splendora21 flowers and weeds - The Flycatchers, Tyler Sexton
The Farmer - Erik Oftedahl
Star crossed lovers A gentle breeze whirls through the air,
One I'd like to rip and tear
Floating there like a ball, Floating there not for all, Just for you and me you see?
Oh how simple it all could be, forgetting this and that, walking on a fresh track.
Staring at the stars with awe as they do What none had done break this tension here for all! because its not Just you and me, Its us all cant you see? you me and them up there floating in the air for eternity
Why not make it special…. with me?
MoshefromWaveyRecordswrotetoUMamiexcitedabout2specificshowsat ResonantHeadthismonth.
He'sespeciallyexcitedabouttheGeeseshowonMay3rd,withZiviandEasier. Geese,fromNYC,showcaseaninterestingperformancewiththeirfusionofart-rock, postpunk,alternativerhythmsandtheadditionofsoullikevocals.They'requitethe uniquebandworkingontheircomeup,thissummerthey'llbeopeningforKingGizzard andtheLizardWizardontheirfirstlegoftourstartinginAugust.Zivicomingbacktohis rootsfromthesouthwestwheretheyreside,willopenaddingasweettasteofnostalgia withhisindiemusicthattakesyoubacktothe2010's.Althoughhisfull-lengthalbumsis melancholic,theliveexperiencetendstobealittlemorepsychedelic.Ourveryown EasierfromNormanwilladdfuntothisshowaswellwiththeiralsoart-rock,indie,8-bit likesongs.Waveysaysthey're"oneofthemostkooky,experimentalbandswehave".Be suretocomeouttothisshow,itwillbeonespokenofforawhile.
ThesecondshowonMay21stfeaturesLevitationRoomhailingfromEastLA, renownedfortheirethereal,cosmictunes.Theirself-producedmusiccreatesadreamy, lo-fiatmosphere,idealforescapism.Itisalsoreminiscingtothepsychedelic,garage rockthatwasthesoundtrackofthe60's.Youmaybefamiliarwiththisbandifyoulisten tobandslikeGum,BabeRainbow,Allah-Las,DumboGetsMad,orHolyWave.Waveyis excitedformostofResonantHead'sshowsastheyhavebeenthevenuetobookthe mostexcitingbandsinthisworldoftouringacts,butsaysthesetwoshouldbeno brainersforattending.
i love the literal rebirth that spring brings. coming out of the sleepy winter and everything coming back to life. the sun being so cozy. watching the grass grow long and the flowers bloom. the animals returning and being born. laying and listening to the breeze and staring at the stars. going out to festivals and all the fun events getting started again. being outside for anything during that one good week of weather we have? incredible.
- primal opossum
Spring always makes me think of festival season, outdoor shows, chilling on the grass listening to new artists, surrounded by barking dogs and playing kids. Music-wise, I do love the calmness of Spring, but I always end up getting hyped for the festival season, especially with acts like Lincka and Husbands bringing back those Spring and early Summer music fest vibes (remember Rooftop Hop?) Oh, and if you're into Husbands, you gotta check out Major Good they're a fresh band from OKC, killer live shows with Pixies covers and all. And for more outdoor concert energy, check out strawberry blonde, stepmom, Blue Morrison, Kat Lock, Alison Sloan, and Bee and the Hive. -ZT
For me, spring is the calm before Birthday Season -- I have four siblings and their birthdays are all in June and July, so spring is both when everything comes back to life (including my creative brain) and when I start strategizing presents. Oh, plus my recurring obsession with roly-polies and those twirly seedpods from some friendly tree.
-Jackalope
