“State House Is Back, Baby”

Friday marked the start of live shows at The State House after a year and a half of Covid closures and restrictions. The venue, which had been allowing a few closed-to-the-public events, such as livestreams and video shoots, reconvened with a three-band bill that reenergized the space as well as the music community, who gathered with masks on and space between them, but still as one with an intention to celebrate.

First to the stage was the New Haven-based Them Airs, five members strong and ready to party from the get-go, as were their fans, who were right up at the front of the stage even before the music began. Lead vocalist and guitarist Cade beckoned them even closer.

“Welcome to State House,” he said. ​“Come close to the stage. We’re a cool band for cool people.” Even more of the audience obliged.

The band maintained a near non-stop level of heat and high energy for an eight-song set that was light on talk and heavy on beats, keeping the audience engaged and raving. Chants of ​“reception” and then ​“correction” during the song ​“Reception Desk” from the band’s January 2020 release Union Suit XL felt like a meditative mantra that helped everyone let go of inhibitions and worries form the previous week. Every song rocked out with a good dose of post-punk and a hint of influence from ​‘80s faves Devo and They Might Be Giants mixed in, but wholly original, fun, and fresh. If I had been of a younger age and saw this band for the first time that night, it would have made me want to start my own band. Though definitively not of a younger age (and easily the oldest person in the room) I was still inspired to check out everything this band has done. Cade mentioned the last three songs of their set were from their latest album — the November 2020 release Doped Runner Verse — and directed the crowd to their merch table for that as well as shirts. Many followed them there (and probably would follow them anywhere) after the set was over.

Space Camp came to the stage next with screams and cheers for these local favorites before they even played a note.

“State House is back, baby,” Daisy Josefa on drums and vocals and June Violet Aino on keyboards, trombone, and vocals announced more than once, between songs that created an onslaught of sound so hard and raw and free that a snare drum had to be replaced (with the help of sound engineer Patrick Dalton, who also kept the loud at the perfect decibel all night long).

The titles of songs were not announced; instead, it was about what they represented. ​“This is a mosh song,” said Josefa before one song. ​“This is also the mosh song,” she said with a smile for the song right after. There was indeed moshing, but in smaller groups (maybe what one might refer to as pod moshing?). Either way, the crowd was receiving and feeling the power and presence of what the band offered.

“This is the depression banger,” Josefa announced before another tune. Between the feeling of the bass and the beat emanating through the floorboards and into your bones, and the pure joyful vibe of the audience moving along, it was hard to feel anything but elation. When the set was over someone in the crowd screamed ​“that was fucking awesome! Space Camp rules!” This reporter agreed.

Boston rockers Kal Marks came to the stage for the final set of the evening and expressed their gratitude to the crowd and the other bands for being there.

“This is kind of our first show back, so thank you,” said vocalist and guitarist Cal Shane, who led the four-piece band through a set that kept the talk to a minimum and the sound to a maximum, a dark, hard, yet melodic set that almost married the aesthetic of the first two bands. Collectively Kal Marks captured the feeling of returning to what you love in a different way, but with a renewed sense of life and living.

All three bands were flanked on both sides of the stage by a large bamboo plant, which is known as a symbol of strength and prosperity. Nothing seemed more fitting for a such a return.