House of Harm (HoH) is hands-down my favorite band of the past two years. My friends can attest to this with me always steering the night’s Spotify controls to their post punk latitudes. I was glad to catch them play a sold out crowd last July to commemorate the reopening of The Sinclair. I fanboied hard and got a tee after that gig, to which I wore to the April show at the Columbus Theatre.
HoH’s music always hits hard in the “feels” as I was at the Sinclair show with an ex who I’d experienced the pendulum of extreme highs and lows with. She got the matching tee in white and red and what can I say, I still put on “Coming of Age” on and think of dancing behind her under the red light and 80’s keyboard synths that took me to a fleeting moment of bliss. I nearly followed her out to California. But that’s neither here nor there.
Props to HoH for keeping the gig at the Columbus- as whatever promoter thought it would have been a good idea to book 4 post punk bands at a sit down venue? Soft Kill certainly wasn’t happy with the set up. We don’t need to go into detail but their lead singer nearly walked offstage. I ran into Soft Kill’s Tobias Grave unloading gear outside their gig at Sonia- which was, according to him, “one of the best gigs of the tour.” I was glad to hear the Boston scene didn’t disappoint. He actually handed me a can of THC drink around midnight, a funny story ‘cuz he’s straight edge and someone accidentally gifted it to him (and the junkie in him) didn’t want it to go to waste. It’s still in my fridge as a weird memento, but hey 4/20 is coming up.
My sis and I arrived early to the HoH gig, “am I the only one not in black?” she asked. We got a seat two rows back and got there in time for their opening set which they kicked off with their new single, “Feel my Heart Beat,” which has a fresh music video. “Coming of Age ” was a treat early in the set- albeit this time without the light show and holding hands with a lost lover. The track ceases to disappoint, and with me rewatching Stranger Things with a new flame there’s something majestic in its soundscape that allows you to escape the bleak ‘20s nihilism The band kept the energy high despite the seated crowd which reminded me of the music video of Nothing’s “Bent Nail“, where a parody of an apathetic crowd stands around unengaged and ultimately throws tomatoes and eggs in the band as they rock out in full shoegaze blissed out wall of sound. Folks were vibing hard and head banging in their seats, but ‘c’mon that venue is for septuagenarians to rock out to Leo Kotttke and drink kombucha. I woulda been up moshing to “Viscous Pastimes,” a track I’ve had on repeat screaming to myself working from from my home. I settled for belting out the chorus from my seat. Such is life. Maybe my was energy was recognized?
Topographies, on tour from SF killed as the second act with a very Cure sounding vibe. And shit we shoulda been dancing to the NOFX meets Smashing Pumpkins set of Alien Boy, a self-descibed “loud gay band from Portland, OR” who certainly deserved a circle pit, least of which to skank.
I caught up with HoH lead singer Michael Rocheford after the gig around the merch area where we chatted about the music scene and talked up Dusk PVD, certainly a better venue for the night. Sounds like their March show at Brighton Music Hall was off the hook. I’m glad that it’s still a holdout with so many other venues closing in the wake of the ‘rona. HoH currently don’t have any upcoming shows listed but they should be making a splash at a handful of post punk events and mini festivals up and down the coast this spring and summer.
Remember only YOU can keep the scene alive!