Fast and Furriest

On Saturday, I was at The Baby G for the EP release of the 80s-esque band Rapport. As I waited for the show to start, I realized that this small venue was so named because it was owned by the same proprietor of The Garrison down the street. Sometimes I miss the most obvious thing.

The first band was Pax. They had a garage-rock, DIY aesthetic fronted by a dead-pan, mumbling singer. The songs were short and punchy. I didn't love their set until the lead guitarist introduced some psychedelic riffs into the later numbers.

Bueller had the best set of the evening: all killer, no filler. Their pop-punk was fast and catchy but showed a variety of sounds. From the snarky Bubblegum to a hint of doo-wop in Only You, they kept things lively. They sang about body positivity (the tongue-in-cheek Beach Bod) and an ode to a departed pet dog "chilling in heaven". With 4-part harmonies and fun sing-along choruses ("I can't wait to be on my own"), I'm surprised they haven't gotten bigger. I wonder if Bueller was just a fun side-project. And I regretted that it's been 2 years since I last saw them.

Headliner Rapport gave us a set of 80s sounds and rhythms, updated for the new century. Maddy Wilde (Spiral Beach, Moon King) was the titular lead, although Kurt Marble (Twist) took over for a few songs. That retro-feel wasn't a total surprise as the 3rd member Mike Perreira is also part of Most People, another full-on 80s dance band. Although there were more hits than miss, the duds reminded me that some of the music from the Yuppie decade was paint-by-numbers dull. But at their best like In The Dark, it was sweet satisfying pop. Also, the mediocre sound system at this venue muddied up the layered quality (the hallmark of 80s composition) of their music. Since Wilde had put out the word that there will be a prize for best accessory or hat, a number of people came with boas, princess cone hats, and other amusing head-gear.