Pencilgrass Reunites For Weekend-Long Party

Pencilgrass, a hot dance band regarded by many as one of the best musical acts to come out of the state in recent years, is reuniting for three shows this weekend at the Space, the Acoustic in Bridgeport, and Cafe Nine. Erik Elligers, now of Goodnight Blue Moon, stopped by WNHH radio’s ​“Northern Remedy” program to discuss Pencilgrass’s origins, rise, dissolution, and reunion.

Pencilgrass stormed up from Miami to take residence in New Haven in the mid-2000s. After a relentless number of gigs in the Elm City and across the region — including a weekly summer residency at BAR, in which the place opened the garage doors to the street and the party spilled out onto the sidewalk — the members’ lives had them going their separate ways, moving on to other careers and musical projects.

A reunion, said Elligers, had apparently been in the works, and the call from Steve Rodgers of the Space made it a reality. Catch them this weekend while you can.

The full playlist for Episode 3 of ​“Northern REmedy”:

Andy Gray and the Rebels, ​“America”
Ibn Orator, ​“Ghetto Gospel”
Ports of Spain, ​“Oh, Surrender”
Parlay Droner, ​“Basilisk Basking in Radon Glow”
Tet Offensive, ​“Heaven’s Full Of Monsters”
Pencilgrass, ​“Bubble Gum”
Pencilgrass, ​“Boom”
Pencilgrass, ​“Girl on Curb”
Pencilgrass, ​“Soul Trance Champ”
Pencilgrass, ​“Handsomest Man”
Electric President, ​“The Ocean Floor”
Ceschi, ​“Choke Parade”
Valley of Kings, ​“V Is for Victory”
Proud Flesh, ​“Shrink Wrapped Heart”
Call It Arson, ​“To My Crew”
Mercy Choir, ​“Bird”
The Nortons, ​“Tiebreaker”
The Bats, ​“Why Does Suzy Have Bad Dreams?”
Jonny Rodgers, ​“The Little Foxes”
Lys Guillorn, ​“The Silent Summer Sea”
Mitchell Ruff Duo, ​“Autumn Leaves”

Northern Remedy’s library continues to grow, but there will never really be enough music in it. If you have an album from New Haven you’d like to hear on the show, send me an email through the link at the top of this article.