Karmic Tie Records Showcase, New Public Pretender EP “Bad Faith”
Photos by Justin Bieggar
Karmic Tie Records hosted their latest showcase at dba256, their first in Pomona. Newcomer post-punk trio Public Pretender opened the night to a crowd of late Sunday regulars. Groups mostly stayed together but all turned their heads when the band kicked off. Steady, determined melodies punctuated with fuzzy bass and a touch of stoicism.
The crowd is audibly impressed. If you know this place, dba256 can be a hard one to woo, but even heads at the bar were turning. “Whoa!”, I heard from the couches. “Yeah!” from around the sound booth. We’re all locked in and each song gets that resounding enthusiasm. I’m standing by the bathroom, staring at my Canon’s screen. One bar of battery left. I changed cameras at the last minute for the full frame. The bar is dark and the lighting is annoying, so it called for the big gun I forgot to load. When I got my shots, I called it, leaving the moment the final song ended. I then had to run home and grab the Fuji, which I had fully charged, and the sweet f/1.7 to not have to crank the ISO.
I’m back just in time to get a few group shots of the band before they head out, and by the time we were done, Sorry Baby jacked up the volume inside. Vocalist Jordan pushes into the steady crowd looking for a soul to steal. A few are dancing with jagged motion to keep up with the chaos. And in practical fashion, one guitarist took his guitar to take a piss while the other solo’d. Maybe a certain something about that aroma is like a kiss from the Muse. He came back refreshed and ready for another few rounds of hissing to a beat. This is the second time I’ve seen them and they’ve gotten even tighter. Keep an eye on them.
Jet Sonic are some favorites. Their energy has grown stronger in the past year. From the scattered crowds of The Offbeat to a drunk, appreciative crowd at The Mint of Bakersfield, the band earn their audience. They opened it up with their recent single, “Xanax School for the Gifted” – louder and even more focused since their last rehearsal. I have some video of that session coming, by the way. Don’t sway too far.
Finally is Party War. These guys are spread almost equidistantly across the LA-ish area and don’t shed a tear about it being a work night. Of course it’s talked about, but the people who came out want a show, and Party War is putting on a show. Bassist Andrew is the most animated of the three, moving like neurons flowing through the net. Vocalist Brian may have suggested buying a hamster is a good cure for the blues before announcing they have 30 more songs. Everyone is happy. The night winds down. We make new friends and look forward to the next one.
Leave a Reply