SKATING POLLY + LORD FRIDAY THE 13TH w/ Combat Wednesday, May 22nd, 2024 Doors at 7:00 PM / Show at 8:00 PM All Ages ***SKATING POLLY*** Over the past decade, few artistshave embodied the unbridledfreedom of punk like Skating Polly.Formed whenstepsisters Kelli Mayo and Peyton Bighorse were just 9and 13, the Oklahoma-bred band have channeled theirchameleonicmusicalityinto a sound they call“ugly-pop,”unrulyand subversiveand wildlymelodic. With Kelli’s brother Kurtis Mayo joining on drumsin 2017, they’vealso builta close-knitcommunity of fanswhile earningthe admiration of theirmusical forebears, a featthat’s found themcollaboratingwithicons like X’s Exene Cervenkaand Beat Happening’s Calvin Johnson, touring withBabes In Toyland,andstarring asthe subject of afeature-length documentary. On their double album Chaos County Line,Skating Pollyreach a wholenew level of self-possession,ultimately sharing theirmost expansiveandemotionallypowerfulwork to date.The follow-up to2018’sThe Make It All Show, Chaos County Line finds Skating Polly working again with Brad Wood, theacclaimedproducer behind indie-rockclassics like Liz Phair’s Exile in Guyville. As their songs journeyfrom art-punk to noise-rockto piano-driven power-pop, the band matches that musical complexitywith a sharply honed narrative voice that manifests in countlessforms (ultravividpoetry, diary-like confession, fearlesslydetailed storytelling, etc.).Not only the outcome of their constant growth as songwriters, Chaos County Line’s scope and depthhas much to do with Skating Polly’s newly heightenedclarityofvision.“All thesesongs are the most special to me of anything I’ve ever written, and I think Kelli feels the same,” says Peyton. “In the past I didn’t always write with a clear purpose, but this time I knew exactly what I wanted to say. We both ended up writingabout the most difficult emotional experiences we’ve ever been through, and instead of being terrified of saying exactly what I was feeling it just all came out so naturally.”Whether they’re opening upabout matters internal (identity, disassociation, unhealthy coping mechanisms) or external(obsession, deception, gaslighting), Skating Polly imbuethatoutpouringwith an unfetteredemotional truth. On songslikeChaos County Line’s frenetic lead single“Hickey King,” Kelli and Peytontrade off vocals as theyshare their distinct perspectives on closely related experiences—in this case, the minefieldof power dynamics in sex and relationships.“In Peyton’s verse she’s talking about never knowing how far to go or how much of yourself to give to someone, and when my part comes crashing in it’s about guys being possessive and always trying to leave their mark on you,” Kelli says. “To me it’s the most Skating Polly song on the record, because it’s all these different energies happening at once.” Meanwhile, on “I’m Sorry For Always Apologizing,”Skating Polly delivera bouncy piece of bubblegum-punkin which Kelli calls herself out on certain messy behaviorin her past. And on “Double Decker,” Peyton examines her ownpossibly self-sabotagingpatterns, magnifying the song’s mood of confusionwith a dizzyingguitar solo and breakneckvocal performance.Elsewhere on Chaos County Line, Skating Pollyofferup moments of unabashed fun—“Rabbit Food,”for instance, serves upa pure rushof punk deliriumspotlighting Kelli’s gift for infusing so much psychodramainto her vocalwork.Over the course of its 18kaleidoscopictracks, Chaos County Lineembracesthe kind of combustibleemotionality that comes from fully uncompromisedself-expression.“I think on this recordKelli and Peyton were reallyconfident in being more honest and more experimentalat the same time, whereas in the past they might’ve made the lyrics more poeticin orderto cloak thathonestya bit,” says Kurtis. And as their songs shift from devastating to exhilarating to gloriouslycathartic, Skating Polly hope to provide the same sense of solace they found in creating the album. “I’ve hadpeople tell me we’vehelped them get through a breakup or an abusive relationship or the death of someone they loved, and all these other heavy obstacleseveryone goes through,” says Kelli. “I feel like I’m not necessarily the best person to draw a map on how to live the happiest life, but I like the idea that our songs can makeotherpeople’s lives better in some way. I want our music to be like armor.” ***LORD FRIDAY THE 13TH*** Lord Friday the 13th is a dollar store trash-glampunk band based in Austin, TX. Fronted by siblings Felix (vocals) and Sloane (guitar) Lenz, their sound has been described as the Velvet Underground meets the New York Dolls, with hints of early Iggy and the Stooges. While honoring the origins of punk and the energy it birthed with it, Lord Friday continues the legacy of change and pushing boundaries on societal norms that true punk is known for. Challenging gender roles and conformity, Lord Friday is here to empower and inspire a new kind of punk for a new world. Presented by Metro Gallery LLC. ALL AGES