Roachez Have Infested the Forge Garden!
Source: Amy Suh
Despite not being the Forge Garden’s first live music venture, last weekend’s show particularly marked the beginning of a new era for the Santa Clara band scene. This concert saw the debut of new student acts, experimentation across genres and the return of some Santa Clara classics. Without legacy names like 3PM Oats and Vudu Caravan, fresh faces took the stage while the audience crowded onto old church-like benches underneath a wood trellis draped with grape vines.
First on the lineup was Farmer Nick and the Crater Haterz, a group of five multi-instrumentalists sharing the spotlight among their diverse talents. Kicking it off with energy, the band ran through a rendition of the Ramones’ Blitzkrieg Bop, managing to get the then-seated crowd to eagerly shout a few “Hey, Ho, Let’s Go’s” before moving on with a number of other notable covers, each one showcasing a different member on lead vocals. In between songs, the band passed around a cowboy hat to be worn by each singer, a tradition bassist Dave “D-Hawk” Hock explained as allowing each member to “become Farmer Nick.” Perhaps the most memorable moment of the performance was when this title was bestowed on the newcomer to the band, J.P. Best, who performed the only original in the set, a mellow and melodic country tune that sparked a fitting energy for the setting.
Next to the stage was pop-rocker M.J. Salanga, accompanied by friends on bass and box drum. Salanga’s confident stage presence made it clear that this wasn’t her first rodeo. Not only was her performance impressive, but Salanga was more than capable of keeping the crowd engaged, calling upon them to sing along to her “trashy 2000’s pop covers” and even telling the tales behind her original lyrics in between songs.
“The community that we fostered specifically around music is really, really positive and supportive,” Salanga explained after the performance. “I just wish there were more performance opportunities for bands and people like those at the Forge Garden, because in terms of finding gigs around here, it can be a little bit limited.”
What happened next was a shock to everyone in attendance. Three bros took the stage, each sporting an exposed faux shoulder tattoo of a roach, and pushed play on a beat, which boomed through the speakers. “We’re the Roachez!” they declared before unleashing a vicious cycle of rap verses before a confused crowd. Although the audience couldn’t really get behind the vibe switch, the Roachez couldn’t care less. They continued screaming out bars, employing the occasional “blah blah blah” to cover a forgotten lyric. Where one might see chanting “Roast Beef Pussy!” as a rather offensive notion in the world of calm garden concerts, The Roachez knew they were tapping into the unprecedented.
As sunny day turned to cool night, the audience began to shiver. Luckily, they soon found warmth in the energy of the closing act. Campus concert veterans Pluie casually walked out to make their fourth appearance of the school year. The band flawlessly ran through a setlist of originals, all of which are familiar to Santa Clara audiences by now.
Despite familiar faces, there are clearly gaps to be filled in the Santa Clara scene, and an eager audience of campus concertgoers are awaiting fresh sounds–who's up next?