Returning after a pair of supporting shows at Mercy Lounge and The Stone Fox in 2015, Brooklyn grunge pop group Charly Bliss are back in town this Saturday, April 29, on the heels of their incredible debut full-length Guppy, to headline The High Watt, along with local duo and kindred spirits Sad Baxter! A buzzy, band-you-should-know, Charly Bliss combine a nostalgic, poppy, energetic pop rock sound with more serious and personal lyrical themes, and with several years of cultivating a following and refining their style and live show in the DIY scene, they feel primed to break out to broader national recognition. Tickets to The High Watt performance, easily one of our most-anticipated of the spring, are still available here, and you can also see the band at Grimey’s for a free in-store beforehand at 5 p.m.! Read on for details.
CHARLY BLISS
Formed half a decade ago in Brooklyn, New York, buzzworthy bubble-grunge/power pop outfit Charly Bliss spent their early years gigging around the city, before releasing their stunning debut EP, Soft Serve, in the summer of 2014. Fueled by the deeply personal lyricism and super sweet delivery of frontwoman Eva Hendricks, juxtaposed with often angsty or self-reflective themes, the band have built a grassroots fanbase over the last few years, touring with Veruca Salt, and scoring spots opening for the likes of Sleater-Kinney and Glass Animals. After a few false starts, Charly Bliss, rounded out by Hendricks’ brother Sam on drums, Spencer Fox on guitar, and Dan Shure on bass, finally came to grips with their pop-leaning sensibilities, and found a balance between that and their Weezer-esque knack for crafting huge rock hooks, to forge debut full-length, Guppy. Just released on Friday, April 21, the album is the sound of a band coming into their own, both in its ability to create a sort of perpetual, pleasant, high school nostalgia in its upbeat, grungy power pop, and also in Hendricks’ reflections on heartbreak, insecurity, misogyny, and angst. Hovering between the punk and pop world, Charly Bliss are a band fueled by raw emotional undertones and hyperactive hooks, and while Guppy cements a spot on our year-end lists with each listen, we eagerly await the group’s return to Music City!
SAD BAXTER
As far as local openers go, Sad Baxter couldn’t be more perfectly suited for this show. The duo, who we’ve been obsessing over for years now, harbor a clear affinity for many of the groups who also inspired Charly Bliss, like Veruca Salt, and, while they landed on a slightly calmer, heavier sound, they employ similarly grungy riffs, pop accessibility, and personal and melancholy themes. The band’s typically sad, sarcastic songs are delightfully juxtaposed with singalong worthy hooks, and their live show is honed from years of countless performances. We hope you’ve taken the time to catch them by now, but if not, they’re going to be an amazing complement to this lineup- show up early!
Charly Bliss and Sad Baxter will perform Saturday, April 29 at The High Watt. The show is 18+, begins at 9 p.m. (doors at 8 p.m.), and tickets are available to purchase for $8-10. Charly Bliss will also perform a free, all ages, in-store 5 p.m. at Grimey’s.
![[TICKET GIVEAWAY] Four Year Strong w/ Free Throw, One Step Closer, Death Lens | Nov. 22 @ Eastside Bowl](https://nocountry.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/2024/11/Four-Year-Strong-2024-1800-350x250.jpeg)
