As a local music fan, I probably haven’t spent enough time at Beerland. As a music writer, I definitely haven’t spent enough time at Beerland. Luckily, 12XU exists as a shining beacon to guide the way, or at least an incredibly dim, solitary red can light to illuminate the punk rock acts that frequently appear on Beerland’s low stage. The local label’s annual holiday bash happened in mid-December, but we took a much needed break just after the party. Hey, even superheroes need to sleep. The good news is we’re back!
It’s staggering to recognize that most of the ill-formed, dismissive attitudes that surrounded early punk rock still appear in today’s musical landscape. I could be wrong, but I think Austin may have some misconceptions about the “punk” bands who frequently play Beerland. In some scenes, maybe punk is exactly what you think. But here in Austin, 12XU and the bands affiliated with the label live up to the punk rock values I’ve always treasured and demarcate an alternative space in which ideas are able to exist outside prevailing norms. From the diverse lineup to the suggested door charge (a canned good for donation to a local food bank), the 12XU show at Beerland on December 21st displays the open-minded and socially conscious bent of true punk rockers.
The night opened with a set from roots-music leaning guitar and banjo player John Schooley. Although Schooley has made a career functioning as a one-man-band, playing a few instruments onstage simultaneously, he recently released a collaborative album with an unlikely punk rock hero, Walter Daniels. Both artists have worked in underground Texas music to bridge the gap between what Texas is known for, folk and country, and what we aren’t, punk rock. Eschewing the trend of gritty garage and abrasive rock, this opening set served to underscore the spirit of inclusiveness and experimentation central to punk’s ideology.
Jonly Bonly, who might be described a garage pop rendition of Buddy Holly, played next. With upbeat guitar licks, his songs embrace pop sensibilities while incorporating distorted textures and a sonic palette wet with reverb. This is the way pop punk was always meant to sound. Jonly Bonly is the sort of act who does have mobility in Austin’s venues, and you’ll find him playing the city’s more indie-pop friend clubs, but I think he’s most at home right here at Beerland.
I’ve been wanting to see Xetas since the group claimed The Wipers as an influence in an interview with Vice. (Talking with the bassist at the show, I discovered her favorite band is Beat Happening, which gives me yet another reason to trust them.) The three piece’s chaotic guitars and frenetic drums are offset by breakdowns in which the band’s male and female singers bark out vocals in tandem. At one moment, a song comes to a complete halt and the drummer rises to glare out at the crowd intensely as the guitarist delivers one line before all three members plunge back into playing. The hallmarks of punk are present in the band’s power, but Xetas does something fresh and captivating.
Quin Galavis, who plays in Nazi Gold and under his own name, performed next with his band The Dead Space. Yet another entirely different sound and aesthetic approach, the group’s ghostly dark songs are achieved with distant, cold guitars and echoing, slow-paced vocals. The Dead Space’s sound recalls Joy Division or perhaps a less playful Echo and the Bunnymen. Although the most retro band of the evening, The Dead Space scratch an itch that may never go away.
Flesh Lights closed the night, but I must confess I didn’t stay. I’ve seen them and they’re solid–addicting riffs and nonchalant, cooler than cool stage presence. I left as an overworked showgoer needing to answer the call of sleep. They say there’s no rest for the wicked and by taking cues from bands as wonderfully wayward as those on 12XU’s roster, I just might get there someday. I’m ready to learn. All night I asked myself why I don’t see more shows at Beerland. You should ask yourself the same. I think we’ll both reach the same conclusion: there’s really no good answer. Why not start tonight? The club has a killer bill for free week with Pollen, Party Plants, Night Court, and Soaked. See you there.
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