Linda Linda's @ Walter Studio in Phoenix, AZ
It still stuns the Punk Pack at how good the band, Linda Linda’s, are. The Pack had heard of them when they officially started playing under the name. From there, a couple ear-worms solidified their place in our heads. Yet, we never thought we would happen to catch them live. Playing at the Walter Studios in Phoenix, it is a night of new experiences and cozy vibes with the addition of Be Your Own Pet opening. This is our first time at Walter Studios so we are reserving judgement of the venue until we’ve attended more shows here but initial experiences have been positive thus far.
The Pack had not heard of Be Your Own Pet before this show and yet we assert they are an amazing vibe playing live. Opening with songs like “Worship the Whip” and “Black Hole,” Be Your Own Pet is an immediate energy turned up to nine if recharging to bring it back to eleven. Jemina Pearl (Vocals) joked during their set that she felt like a caged animal on stage between its size and how close the crowd was. With the constricting space in mind, it wasn’t to the band’s detriment. Each song felt like a burst of energy trying to push past the resistance. The Pack can only imaging what they can do with a larger space.We hope to see Be Your Own Pet around again soon as openers or, even better, headlining themselves.
The Linda Linda's unfortunately had their bus break down a few hours out of town and the Pack is very grateful the bus was fixed and that they arrived with time to continue the show. If you haven’t heard of the four young women that make up the Linda Linda’s; this Asian/Latinx group is comprised of sisters, a cousin, and a best friend from Los Angeles, California. The show was wonderfully interrupted by a countdown to shout as a group asking, “What’s your favorite dinosaur?” which has been a common question asked by their bassist, Eloise Wong. A personal favorite from the set was “Nino” which is named for their guitarist, Bela Salazar’s cat.
Leaving the venue took a while as the Pack waded through the back of the crowd and others lingering for merch. Yet, the glow had yet to fade even after the Pack retrieved their vehicle. Between visiting a new venue and catching these bands, Be Your Own Pet and the Linda Linda’s, it’s a delight to include them in our regular rotation of music. It was an honor to cover the Linda Linda’s for our very first live show seeing the punk quadruplet.
