[REMINDER] Don’t Miss STRFKR w/ Shy Boys | TONIGHT @ Cannery Ballroom

After passing through Exit/In in recent years (and, notably, packing it out), Portland indie/electro pop faves STRFKR are back for a Music City return that sees a bit of a bump in room size, bringing them to Cannery Ballroom tonight, March 6 with Kansas City indie pop up and comers Shy Boys. While it’s been a couple of years since STRFKR’s last full-length, a return to their more electronic roots dubbed Being No One, Going Nowhere, the band released a record of remixes last year, and continue to constantly evolve their engaging, multimedia live show that just begs to be witnessed in person. You can do just that by grabbing tickets right here, then read on for more about the show!

STRFKR

Formed in 2007 by Sexton Blake’s Joshua Hodges, Portland indie/electro pop outfit STARFKR, who originally went by Starfucker, a name designed to be both critical of a fame-geared culture and self-limiting in its commercial reach, arrived during the heyday of late ’00s indie pop, chill wave, and dance punk, swiftly gaining an underground reputation thanks to their eponymous 2008 full-length debut and the following year’s followup, Jupiter, each of which spawned singles that earned online buzz and commercial placements, breakout “Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second” and a cover of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” After flirting with a name change as their career continued to ascend, but ultimately deciding on an abbreviated version of the same thing, the band, currently rounded out by bassist Shawn Glassford and drummer Keil Corcoran (and including some other members over the years), continued to explore some new instrument-driven, full band sonic territories and polish their pop sheen juxtaposed with darker, more personal lyrics, with 2011’s Reptilians and 2013’s Miracle Mile, before most recently returning to the project’s more conventionally pop and electronic roots with 2016’s Being No One, Going Nowhere, largely crafted in isolation by Hodges in the desert of Joshua Tree. Known for their engaging live show (which includes sweeping DIY light shows, frequent performances in drag, and all manors of electric flourish), STRFKR are a band that must be witnessed in person to truly appreciate, and upon their Nashville return, it’s nice to see them in a bigger space than ever for even more enjoyment!

SHY BOYS

Fueled by the success of their eponymous, 2014 debut, Kansas City’s Shy Boys, who first came together in 2012, sprung from their city’s DIY scene with a more harmony-drenched, pop-addled, psych-tinged sound akin to the Beach Boys rather than the underground punk around them, quickly earning buzz throughout the blogosphere. After nabbing a deal with esteemed label Polyvinyl, the band returned last year with their stellar sophomore effort, Bell House (named for the residence where they all formally lived and cultivated the group), earning broader critical acclaim and landing them on the road with bigger and bigger show opportunities. Though they’re not particularly synthy like STRFKR, Shy Boys’ dense, pop primed sound should still find plenty of sonic overlap, and they’re definitely the kind of buzzworthy band we like to keep an eye on; show up early!

STRFKR and Shy Boys will perform tonight, March 6 at Cannery Ballroom. The show is 18+, begins at 8 p.m. (doors at 7 p.m.), and tickets are available to purchase for $25.