Austin – The line toward the entrance stretched longer with each passing groan. The fun fun fun pulsed through the gates, but Mother Nature held her grip. The weather delay cancelled many of the opening acts for day two of Fun Fun Fun Fest, but the Welsh band Joanna Gruesome luckily made the cut. After a hurried sound check and a brief warm-up, this five-piece plugged in and kicked off the action.
The band only had thirty minutes to revive the festival from its rough start. The muddy ground squished underneath rubber boots, but revelers congregated toward the Orange stage all the same. The wailing guitars seemed to tug on sweaters and bring listeners closer. Once the crowd arrived, however, a glaring issue reached their ears. Kate Stonestreet’s veins pulsed from her neck and raw passion radiated from her pores, but the listeners couldn’t hear a single word.
“More vocals!” a front-row fan screamed at the sound engineer, and soon a cacophony of demands followed. Roxy Brennan leaned into the mic for some quick-witted banter. “Oh, you want more accordion?” she teased. Subtle laughter trickled through the crowd at the thought. Pinging polka accordion accents maybe wouldn’t compliment their specific style of garage rock.
Sound issues as there were, Joanna Gruesome brought what’s important. Pounding rhythms rattled eardrums and unapologetic energy revved up the crowd. First-time listeners still soaked up their intriguing sound. Much like their band name, Joanna Gruesome combines sweet lyrical moments (a la harpist Joanna Newsom) with edgy, gritty vibrations.
During the quieter moments of “Hey! I Wanna Be Yr Best Friend,” Brennan’s ethereal vocals whisped in the rainy breeze. But just when my eardrums got used to the coffee-shop folk timbre, the bass whipped in and gave the song more drive. Like many of their tracks, this one quickly splashes in and out. Ending with a loud button at the end of a major scale, “Hey! I Wanna Be…” startled the crowd into applause and had them itching for the next song.
“I Don’t Wanna Relax” is a feedback frenzy of pure adrenaline. Embodying everything cathartic and rebellious, this two-minute brisker instantly wooed the crowd. In its short span, the rockers standing among the slippery ground multiplied.
After capping off their final song with a button, the group swooshed off the stage and handed their instruments to the next band, Speedy Ortiz. These punk rockers ran drumsticks along strings and placed amplifiers dangerously close to fretboards.The noise jungle sent Joanna Gruesome off in a fuzzy haze of sound that the entire festival could hear.
Though the band is used to playing tighter venues, they filled the expansive Orange Stage beautifully. Even through various technological issues, Joanna Gruesome showcased their signature sound and garnered an even larger fan base in Austin, Texas.
For more on Joanna Gruesome visit their Facebook and Bandcamp pages.
Elisa Regulski
Latest posts by Elisa Regulski (see all)
- 3 Great New Bands At SXSW: X Ambassadors – Waxahatchee – Calliope Musicals - March 20, 2016
- Robert DeLong Throws Florescent Birthday Bash - February 22, 2016
- Joanna Gruesome Packed A Punch At Fun Fun Fun Fest - November 10, 2015
