Words and Photos by Alder Boutin
Grunge rock band Flowers For The Dead kicked off their summer tour in a refurbished garage planted in the middle of a rural Maryland farm. The sun had just passed behind the trees, leaving a deep blue sky as the backdrop to their audience.
Singer/guitarist Jessie Szegö and singer/bassist Ella Buskirk rocked a collection of punky pins, including a cartoon orange brandishing a “ZESTFEST” pendant and the band’s own merch reading “HOT SHOT.” Drummer Ricky “Ten Bears” Martinez kept time behind them as if in a trance of his own musical creation. The band’s handwritten setlist was adorned with a doodled butterfly and grinning stick figure, courtesy of Buskirk.
Flowers For The Dead’s performance primarily featured tracks from their November album Magnolia. “Teeth” takes the offensive with a soulful, chugging beat, while “In Shadow” changes time from ethereal harmonies to full-bodied instrumentals.
The band didn’t miss the opportunity to plug the release of their upcoming EP “First Place.” Its lead single, also called “First Place,” distorts reality into a trippy dream with a minor key and echoing guitars – like there’s been a victory on paper, but something’s still not quite right. For fans who wanted an early listen of the full EP, the band had limited CDs for sale.
“Have you ever met a man with a tiny beanie?” Szegö asked toward the end of the set. A chorus of “ew”s rose up from the crowd. “I swear,” Szegö continued, “it cuts off the circulation to their brain.” The band then played a sassy live debut of “Tiny Beanie,” which mocks misogynistic tropes in music scenes.
Catch Flowers For The Dead on the rest of their tour this month, leading up to their August 1st EP release show in Washington, D.C.
Loudspeaker Collective 