Over the past decade, few artists have embodied the unbridled freedom of punk like Skating Polly. Formed when stepsisters Kelli Mayo and Peyton Bighorse were just nine and 13, the Oklahoma-bred band have channeled their chameleonic musicality into a sound they call “ugly-pop,” unruly and subversive and wildly melodic. With Kelli’s brother Kurtis Mayo joining on drums in 2017, they’ve also built a close-knit community of fans while earning the admiration of their musical forebears, a feat that’s found them collaborating with icons like X’s Exene Cervenka and Beat Happening’s Calvin Johnson, touring with Babes In Toyland, and starring as the subject of a feature-length documentary. On their double album Chaos County Line, Skating Polly reach a whole new level of self-possession, ultimately sharing their most expansive and emotionally powerful work to date.
CHRIT is a local band that primarily plays experimental rock, punk, and shoegaze. They write original music in close cooperation, composing and arranging all of the music together. The band takes pride in having well-written and, at times, funny lyrics, which are delivered by a strong female lead vocalist behind massive vocal effects. At the concerts, you can expect to hear a tight, cohesive band that will immerse you in a wall of sound effects from guitar and synthesizer, all delivered through a theatrical live performance. If you are a fan of bands like IDLES, Sonic Youth, and the early Arctic Monkeys, you really don’t want to miss a concert with CHRIT.