Local club The Venue sparks new Boise scene

Three bands defined Boise’s new underground music scene last Saturday night in Boise. Thanks to an ambiguous all-ages club appropriately named The Venue, an enthusiastic scene is quickly defining it self in a city with undefined demographics. On any given show night, The Venue showcases national and local acts, from punk rock and hardcore to easy-listening and emo. Now with a strong point for local music, the club is in the foreground for Boise musicians.

A growing clientele of young adults have moved random house parties into a place that welcomes diverse ranges of music and culture. More over, The Venue is local-act friendly. A personal atmosphere where bands are heard and the crowds get involved. A typical show is more than a bunch of kids standing around to mediocre beats. The Venue, now in its second year of existence, packs in the locals who are more about music than drinking. With local talent of the highest quality, unity is exhibited at its utmost. It has become a place for undergrounders to enjoy the current sub-culture.

Said PirkQlators saxophonist Justin Andrews: “It’s great. For the longest time there was no scene. The Venue created a scene and we’re all like a family here.”

Last weekend, the locally obscure and well-known alike performed for a rarely-advertised show. From the murky likes of The Temptation of Saint Anthony and Nirvana-esq Bank, to the up-tempo ska band PirkQlators, the show stood impressively. Bringing in over a hundred heads, the night went down as a great example of an unfolding time and the bands that produce the soundtrack. With the average attendance exceeding twice that for an advertised show, sub masses will arrive for any reason for the likes of a pure time.

Opening act The Temptation of Saint Anthony raged the starting point. In the style of mid-school Bad Religion crossed with new school hardcore, the band was mathematical in harmony. Strategic in performance, the band demonstrated technical crashing and is a good reason that people come back to The Venue.

Passionate and melodic, Bank played with the intensity of their grunge idols. Front man Dan Keck emulated Kurt Cobain in appearance, and Bank raged and flowed through their set.

With the forming scene, veterans of the Boise music world PirkQlators graced the capping. As a regional favorite, the ska quintet blast and trash hard and The Venue show was no exception. The crowd joined in a counter clockwise ‘skank’ circle to the catchy tune of each song. Dancing in gratuitous fashion, few on hand disliked the horn-based group. The night ended with a few stragglers rushing the stage to sing along, underscoring the night’s vibe, which was unity.

With the new appreciation for the style and an ever-growing base in the murk of the underground, The Venue has become the place to stage antics.

An avid supporter of local music, Andrews remembers what Boise was like nearly a decade ago. “Back then the closest thing we had to a scene was the House of Rock. The Venue came at a time when there was no scene.”

Andrews admits the scene is still growing, and said, “[Boise] needs more all-ages clubs. It be nice to see even more of them.”

Though PirkQlators have no local shows for the next month, The Venue continues to support the local arts with an open show on Thursday featuring Recover and Armor For Sleep.

For more info or upcoming show dates, go to Boisevenue.com.

Editor’s Note: Culture writer Dan McNeese is an employee of The Venue.

Dan McNeese
Culture Writer

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