BY LUCAS LANGE
Punk rock, pop rock, garage rock, emo, and some country all unfolded on Tuesday, Feb 26th at Programme Skate and Sound in Fullerton, CA. The lineup included the Oakland DIY punks in Pity Party, Fullerton rock band with a slight country twist Apperson, Fullerton emo-garage duo Poor Timing, and Kailynn West of the bouncy power pop LA group Tiny Stills, who performed solo.
The Programme was filled with about roughly 30-40 people, with Xs on their hands and faces filled with anticipation. Poor Timing kicked things off and pumped out some raw, loud, catchy emo jams. One thing of note is that the guitarist, Nat, uses a skateboard as a pedal board, which screams DIY. Nat is also no stranger when it comes to rocking out to the beat of the drum, doing some small dancing while performing AND watching the other acts with the rest of the crowd.
Apperson came up next to deliver some sad folky tunes with some melodic lead guitars, beefy drums, and vocals filled with angst and emotion. They provided some fun campfire-type aesthetics with a moody delivery, as the other performers escaped into the crowd, smiles on their face and swaying their heads side to side as the acoustic guitar rings in the shop alongside the other instruments.
The big boys (and girl), Pity Party, came crashing in with their punk attitudes, roaring guitars, and expressive vocals. Pity Party was no stranger to Programme as they walked in and walked out as if they owned the joint. Putting the setlist written on cardboard on the ground, they performed many new songs appearing on their upcoming 2019 record, it’s follow up to their 2016 record “Gnarbage.” Lead vocalist and guitarist Sarah, along with the rest of the band, are extreme mental health advocates, and it definitely shines in their music. Sarah even brought mental health pamphlets to the show, available at the merch table with no extra charge. She also printed her own “How to Survive This Shitty World” guide filled with phone numbers for domestic abuse, LGBTQ+ abuse, suicide, etc. Very gnarly, Sarah.
The show closed with a solo acoustic set from Tiny Still’s frontwoman Kailynn. She played on a Gibson Les Paul Goldtop that truly harmonized with her soft and sweet but sharp vocals and lyricism. Performing songs off both her 2018 album “Laughing Into the Void” and her 2014 effort “Falling is like Flying,” it was definitely a treat to see her perform soft and poppy tunes after a night of punk and emo chaos.
The Programme is located in Fullerton, CA. They host shows a few times a week, ranging from small local bands to pretty big groups. Remember to support your local record shop and art, as your scene depends on you more than you may think.
