Panchiko, Horse Jumper of Love, LSD & the Search for God @ LPR

by Chantal | Jun 1, 2023 | Shows

If you find yourself asking how much of the buzz around Panchiko is the legend of their re-discovery and comeback and how much is genuine musical appreciation, then seeing them live provides a great answer to the question. The crowd at Le Poisson Rouge on Tuesday was excited and eager, and skewing younger than one might expect, all clamoring to see a group of guys who recorded their infamous lost-then-found EP D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L before many of these fans were even born. Such is the power of music, and the power of the Internet.

The first openers LSD and The Search For God hail from San Francisco, and make dreamy, psychy shoegaze music. The five piece group were a good choice to start the night off, keeping the crowd’s attention with a lot of wobbly, phasey guitar and a very solid rhythm section. The vocals didn’t seem to draw much attention away from the instrumental interludes, rather weaving into the entire soundscape. I found myself a big fan of their guitar tones and their sound overall.

Horse Jumper of Love provided the second act, and mellowed things out a bit, turning their own shoegaze and indie sounds into slowcore territory. The Boston-based three piece played with dynamic changes, but didn’t lose the crowd’s interest in the quieter parts. The songs that utilized these quiet-loud and start-stop techniques were greatly enhanced by some excellent drumming.

Panchiko are obviously enjoying their newfound fame. They emerged on the stage to a triumphantly cheeky walk-on song and were greeted with rapturous cheers before launching into “Stuck,” a track from their Ferric Oxide demos compilation. Everyone was on point—original members Owain Davies on guitar and vocals, Andy Wright on guitar and keys, and Shaun Ferreday on bass, with new guitarist Robert Harris and drummer John Schofield—and the venue sound was perfectly mixed. Having another guitarist really thickens the sound of the band, and their indie-shoegaze-math rock mix was almost too big for the mid-sized venue.

Panchiko at LPR (photo by Kate Hoos)

Throughout the 15 song set they mixed in material from the D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L and Kicking Cars EPs, Ferric Oxide and their new album Failed At Math(s) (which we covered here.) Highlights of the set for me were “Stabilisers For Big Boys,” “Laputa,” “Gwen Everest,” and the killer single “Until I Know.” Davies’ voice is already compelling on recorded material but absolutely shines on stage, stretching out into melismatic moments that soared. All the guitar riffs sounded amazing as well, with Wright once jokingly pointing out his own great guitar solo.

Spirits were high both on stage and in the room, and the crowd seemed to be familiar with all of the material, turning songs like “D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L” into singalongs. It went a long way toward proving that the appeal of Panchiko is not just the novelty of their internet fame, or the quirkiness of the disc rot that had taken over the first CD that was uncovered—these are damn good songs. Still, I can’t help but wonder if it’s a surreal feeling for Panchiko to have music they wrote as teenagers suddenly become so popular that over twenty years later other teenagers are singing every word, or if that feeling will ever wear off.

Everyone I spoke to had heard of the band through posts on the Internet. One twenty-something fan told me he lived “in the woods” and only came to the city a couple times per year; he had judged Panchiko to be worth this effort. Before the band even started playing, fans up front were handing over albums to be signed as the stage was set, to which the band members happily obliged. After the show there was a crowd of people waiting for more autographs, and eager fans yelling for stage crew to throw them setlists and such, with a fervent enthusiasm usually seen at performances of larger pop artists. It was honestly charming. (Anyone who finds themselves complaining about “kids these days” should take a look back at themselves as a teen.)

Panchiko at LPR (photo by Kate Hoos)

Most local shows I go to these days are at bars, and when I attend larger venues it tends to be for older bands with many older fans. This was the first all ages show I’ve been to in a while that was really all ages. Instead of making me feel old (your humble reviewer is 40) I found it uplifting. Sometimes it’s nice to see that good music and the appreciation of it is timeless. Much like Panchiko’s rediscovered music, the scene survives.

(Shoutout to the fan who brought the Rei Ayanami plush and was waving her around like a lightstick! The intersection of Panchiko—who used a panel from Mint na Bokura as an album cover and reference Laputa—and anime nerds is real.)

(Also I’d like to remind fans of all ages that yes, you still tip the bartender on sodas.)

Scroll down for setlist, pics of the show (photos by Kate Hoos)

Setlist: Stuck, Stabilisers For Big Boys, Number 8, Sodium Chloride, Think That’s Too Wise, Cut, Untitled, Until I Know, Failed At Maths, NeilSSong, Laputa, Gwen Everest, All They Wanted, D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L, Kicking Cars