Story and Design by Marcel Edginton
The first sharp whine of the electric guitar strum reverberates in the room, slicing through the chatter and blaring everyone into silence. For regulars, this is the queue to shove bright orange earplugs into their ears and huddle even closer to the band. The air buzzes. At Mikey’s, the back of the room serves as the stage for the groups, at the same level as the crowd. The audience is on equal footing with the bands, physically and emotionally. The room swells with adrenaline. Anticipation. Angst.
Giant Palouse Earthworm (GPE), named after one of the many squirmy creatures that inhabit the Washington-Northern Idaho area, is a local promotional group for the plethora of punk, metal and hardcore bands of the Palouse.
On Saturday, Feb. 8, Mikey’s Gyros hosted the first show of 2025 presented by GPE: A REAL ROCKER GIG.
After the deafening warm up rattle and noisy amp tests, Aiden Cook, lead vocalist of Public Apology, introduced themselves as the first group of the night. Cook thanked the crowd for attending the show, then after a sincere apology, unleashed a ferocious, gravelly howl into the mic. His low growls were backed by Matt Logan’s rumbling drums, the searing guitar of Tristan “Nailgun” and the racing bass of “Rotten Rob.” According to Cook, one of Public Apology’s biggest influences is Nuclear Death, which shares the rapid tempo and guttural shrieks that characterize their sound.
Following Public Apology, came the chaotic, rhythmic aggression of It’s A Setup, featuring Hayes Noble as lead vocalist next to his bandmates Parker and Mason.
Throughout the set, Noble dedicated songs to various social, political and economic issues that have visible impacts in the US. Among these, Noble addressed the number one cause of death among kids and teens: gun violence. Appropriately, Noble’s screeches vibrated with a visceral, writhing anger that encapsulated a pain and fear that is shared by many in the U.S.
Another issue Noble spoke on was exclusion within the punk community, where he stated that “21+ shows are an oxymoron.” Having grown up in small-town Illinois, Noble had limited access to local punk shows in his area. One thing that made it even harder to join the scene, he said, was when punk and metal gigs were often 21+ only, which further narrowed his chance for community as a minor.
“When kids aren’t excelling in school or sports, what else do they have? This is their creative outlet,” said Noble. In conversation after the show, Noble described the concept of 21+ clubs as being hypocritical and lazy. In his opinion, by creating spaces that limit attendees on the basis of age, bands are preaching inclusion while promoting exclusion. To Noble, it’s unfair for these bands to choose convenience over accessibility because it hurts the young people that rely on these shows for support and community.
Exclusion might be a larger concern within the punk community as a whole, but A REAL ROCKER GIG felt everything but exclusive. The night was full of energy from the bands and the sea of new and familiar faces. It’s no doubt that the rest of the Giant Palouse Earthworm shows will be a hit for 2025.
GETTING INTO THE SCENE
Being new to the punk/metal scene can be intimidating, but the best way to get started is by jumping into the deep end of the pit, fist-first!
- KEEP UP with promotional groups like Giant Palouse Earthworm. Follow their social media platforms (@giant.palouse.earthowrm on Insta) and keep an eye on show postings!
- GO WITH A GROUP. Invite friends to go with you to try something new together. If the night’s a dud, the GrubTruck is always there to save the day.
- PREPARE for the show by bringing earplugs (sometimes vendors will hand them out, but it’s a good idea to bring your own). You can’t enjoy the tunes with tinnitus.
- MOSHING isn’t for everybody, so don’t feel pressured to jump in if you’re not ready. Have fun bobbing your head or pushing derailed moshers back in.
- DON’T bring jewelry or headphones that can get lost, broken or poke someone’s eye out. Youch!
PIT PET PEEVES AND PRO TIPS
The mosh pit is one of the few places where people can physically express their anger and frustration by consensually bashing into each other. So, here are some tips to make the experience as fun and painless as possible:
- PICK UP THE FALLEN. It’s easy to get swept away in the current of the mosh pit. So, pick people up when they fall and try not to fall yourself! Beware of the undertow, or you might end up with a mouth full of Doc Martens.
- DON’T STAND STILL and keep moving. Go with the flow!
- AVOIDING HOPPING. Jumping in the pit is a great way to lose the fight with gravity and fall. Instead, try to distribute your weight evenly and keep your feet on the ground for ideal roughhousing.
SUPPORTING THE BANDS
The best way to support local bands is just by showing up to their gigs. But here are a few other ways to show support for those that want to go the extra mile:
- BUY MERCH from the bands you see and make non-attendees jealous.
- HAND OUT FLYERS to everyone. Invite friends, family, roommates, lab partners, weird coworkers, shady old ladies, anyone!
- MAKE ZINES. Zines are mini magazines that have been a staple of the punk community as early as the 1970s. Tutorials are everywhere, so make some zines to share with friends and spread the word about GPE.
- DIY is the backbone of punk and metal, and battle vests are a great way to show support for your favorite bands. They’re also perfect for making friends without a single word. So, find (or make!) epic patches to rep your favorite bands.
- TAKE PICS to show people what they’re missing!