The Boise Hive hosted teen dreams Heatray and Grimage on Feb. 25th for their Live at the Hive show/livestream. I felt my age while watching 8th graders rip it up in the pit, but the punk rock energy at this show gave me relief that teenage mischief is alive and well. While the Hive itself is a sober no-fun-zone, the cars parked on the street were opaque with thick blue smoke. A squadron of juggalos passed around a cigarette that I’m sure they “found.” Godspeed, you underage renegades. I hope you drop out of high school and do something interesting.
Last time we caught up with Heatray was their debut at a Twin Falls skatepark. Even then, I was impressed by these teenagers’ ability to rock. They’ve only only gotten better in the last six months. Punk Night at the Hive was their second time in Boise, their first time playing on a real stage, and their first as a five-piece since adding a supreme beat machine named RJ to the drum kit.
These kids have successfully reverse-engineered Fugazi-era hardcore and made it their bitch. Heatray brings us long-form punk songs with gripping riffs and an expert rhythm section. Small-fry front-guy Mack led the stage wearing the sacred patchwork vestments of hardcore past. As a group they exude the classic punk spirit so well that they can throw Agent Orange’s Bloodstains into the mix as naturally as if they wrote it themselves. They added a smooth jazz interlude and a tremendous drum solo just to show off. Frogs and Toads was the closer; originally an off-the-cuff encore, now a full-fledged psychedelic thrash jam. These hard working punks practice three nights a week and it’s paying off. I could see them being one of Idaho’s most popular bands in the very near future.
Grimage (Gr-eye-muj) has been near the top of my too-see list for too long. I rushed back into the venue when I heard the bass intro to YYZ, but it was just part of the sound check. That sound check turned out to be a treat in itself. Emmy’s arpeggio shredding worked the crowd into a frenzy before the show even began.
A clear indicator of Grimage’s talent is how boldly they tell pigeonholes to fuck off. Each song is a far cry from the last, and they defy any musical categorization. They sound like Pantera crossed with Village People (In the Navy…. pass the cemetery gates!). There are times when each member of the quartet is playing a different genre but their collective sense of groove is so airtight that, by the grace of Satan, it works. They do all this while having a great time on stage and building a loving, fraternal bond with the audience. I’ve never seen the phrase “Stay weird, Boise!” personified so well.
If you missed this show and you regret it, you should. Luckily you can see the whole thing on the Hive’s YouTube channel. ■
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