Down In The Underground
Sometimes you just got to power through the pain for things you love. That applies to this night’s show in two ways. First, I was two days removed from spraining my knee in the pit at Agent Orange. However, I’d been looking forward to seeing friends in the Bombpops and these three bands together for about two months. I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to be there even if I had to wear a compression brace to be able stand for it. Second, it was the Nile Underground. If you know the venue, you know that unless it is late December, it is the warmest venue in Phoenix. So Masked Intruder, The Bombpops, and Potty Mouth powered through the thick warmth of the room to put on a wonderful show.
Potty Mouth opening up was once again a pleasure for me. Marking my third time catching these up and coming punk rockers, it was awesome to see more sharing in my enjoyment. Their pop punk and indie rock sounds is the perfect companion with the sounds of the Bombpops and Masked Intruder. Their set was a blend of old and newer songs, along with the new singles released since their album “SNAFU.”
Every time I see them live, they are a four piece, with this no exception. It was the one difference in who was the second guitarist, Nikki Martinez, but they held a matching energy and personality to blend right in. It was wonderful to watch as Potty Mouth made new fans from this audience and their performance.
Next up were personal friends, but a band I think are super awesome, the Bombpops. They’re high energy, super animated, and a blast any time they play. One sentimental moment during this set was when they played a song for a friend who touched many from L.A. to Phoenix, Kacie Sosebee. She had passed since their last visit and it made for a wonderful moment in memory.
The rest of set consisted of favorites including their last single “Dear Beer.” They teased new music for their next album, as Jen had also mentioned if you caught her on the Fat Wreck tour. If the heat made an impact, it didn’t show on the Bombpops other than the sweat across their faces.
Last up were the criminal intruders always singing about love, Masked Intruder. I’ve seen these guys play Warped Tour in those ski masks and this was likely warmer. Blue made jokes about turning up the heat, at least, twice during the set. We found Intruder Yellow is in jail for a second tour. They joked that without flashing the hashtag with both hands before saying “Free Yellow,” it didn’t make for a real hashtag.
In his stead, Intruder Purple has been doing a fantastic job. Since I first saw her play with them during the Interrupters tour, she has further got into matching the animated looks and personality of this band. Despite the thick, hot, humid air of the Nile Underground, this trio of bands left me with a night to mostly forget the pain in my knee.
