Images: The Sheds, Four Minute Mile, Guts May 12, 2013 (house show)

May 12^th’s house show was special not just because of the awesome lineup, intimate living room setup, and ice cream truck outside but because it was Mother’s Day. And the woman of the house, (a mother herself) was kind enough to open her doors to an eager group of kids looking to hear some great live music.

Local pop punkers Calmosa got the evening off to a great start and ska band Tuesday After School, arriving in their custom van that looks like a school bus (it rules), played second to a good amount of kids in what was soon to be an incredibly hot living room.

It didn’t really swell up in there though, until Washington’s Four Minute Mile took to the living room floor. This band’s got nothing but upside. They are fast-paced, honest pop-punk and their super smash hits “Camellia” and “Grey” were definite highlights of my night. Look for these kids to make some serious noise sooner rather than later.

As the temperature rose, so did the anticipation for locals Guts. Shorthanded and playing a short set because of it, they put together a crisp twenty minutes and worked up a sweat doing it. Kenny, who usually plays guitar, filled in for Russell on the bass and didn’t miss a beat. Guts are hitting the road for two weeks in early June (with A Week Away), so if you’re on the west coast keep an eye on those dates and don’t miss them when they hit a town near you.

Nothing Til Blood, a hardcore band all the way from Alabama, played an inspired set to a room approaching 130 degrees, which was only intensified by the makeshift mosh pit where an ottoman would go on a regular night. The room was set up so that only one person at a time could hit the pit and do their thing. Safer for sure, but sort of odd. Nevertheless, it was an energetic collection of songs and hopefully they felt some Vegas love after driving that far to play for a little cash.

Friends of Punks in Vegas, The Sheds were the final act of the night. And what an act it was. If you’ve been following these guys, you know they’ve got brand new material on the way and we were treated to a good dose of it. I’ve always been really impressed with their energetic live show, and they were definitely on their game this night. The only drawback to that energy was that they managed to turn a house into a sauna. But all in all, it was the perfect nightcap to a fun, hot Mother’s Day show.

– Felipe Garcia

Photos by Emily Matview | https://www.flickr.com/photos/holdfastnow/