Say Anything and crew punk up the Showbox

Say Anything at the Showbox Market (Photo by Hanna Stevens)

Say Anything put on a rowdy night of round-robin indie pop-punk with You Blew It!, The So So Glos, and The Front Bottoms at Seattle’s Showbox Market last Saturday.

You Blew It!, an emo-indie band from Orlando, opened the show and got the crowd dancing right away. The Showbox had already filled up, and no one seemed to think You Blew It! blew it. They played like they were the headliners.

Brooklyn punk brother band The So So Glos were on next and shook up the stage with a rougher sound and DIY presence. They seemed to have a healthy affinity for the ’90s and drew influence from outside their band’s musical style.

The Front Bottoms were main support. They are a duo from New Jersey, but are touring as a full band behind their recently released ROSE EP, the first in a series of EPS named after their grandmothers. They were more relaxed with a hint of folk in their sound, and gave a strong, consistent performance. Lead singer and guitarist Brian Sella sounds like the melodic younger brother of Dan Smith (Listener). 

Sella expressed gratitude to the crowd via his wardrobe, stating that he thought his nice shirt was fancy enough for the occasion, but next time he would wear a dress. While Mathew Uychich drummed, Matt Nissley (the drummer of You Blew It!) hung out next to the kit miming lyrics, dancing, flexing, and occasionally choking the crash cymbal. Or using it as a temporary table for his beer.

The three bands formed a supergroup at the end of The Front Bottoms’ set, and members were mixed amongst bands throughout the entire night.

Then Say Anything took the stage without relinquishing much of their punk-pop glory, even though the band has been around since around 2000. They are touring behind Hebrews, released on independent label Equal Vision Records last month. Lead singer Max Bemis managed to create a house show vibe,  even within the packed venue as he delivered lyrics with energetic sincerity, bolstered by the whole band. Guitarist and keyboardist Parker Case was frequently airborne and bassist Garron Dupree‘s legendary hair also defied gravity.

The age range represented at the Showbox among show-goers and band members alike allowed different sides and varieties of punk; with the energy that tied it together to keep the crowd moshing and rocking.

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