Girlfriends know how to throw a party. At Great Scott celebrating the release of their 7” single Government Seizure, the Boston trio tore through a series of fuzzed-out thrashers that kept the crowd jumping, dancing, and shouting straight through their 11-song set.
At the start, fans might not have realized what they were getting into. The relatively decorous garage pop of opener “Slugger” was characteristically gritty and lo-fi with the vocals of singer/guitarist Ben Potrykus seemingly transmitted through a faraway megaphone. But soon enough drummer Andrew Sadoway shifted from a steady thump to a pounding uproar, and in a cymbal-crashing, guitar-wailing ruckus, Girlfriends were off. Hurtling through three minute tunes replete with surfy chords and twangy riffs, the pace only slowed for soulful and cynical "I Was Here But I Disappear." By the time they reached the boisterous "Suckin Rare Meat Off the Bone China," fans were ping-ponging off one another as Jenny Dowty dropped a hooky bass line and Potrykus raised his wailing guitar to his face to let loose with a howl of his own.
The carnival atmosphere never let up. Cheerful heckling abounded, from persistent demands for Henry Rollins and Oasis (“Play Wonderwall!”), to the cheekily helpful “Dude, where’s your whammy bar?!” after Potrykus’ frenzied playing sent the aforementioned contraption AWOL. Dowty says many of the agitators were friends and friends of friends, but it’s clear that Girlfriends’ brand of louder-than-loud, upbeat musical scrimmage has earned them a dedicated and enthusiastic following. And that’s after being on the scene a mere 10 months.
Winding up with stomper Cave Kids, Girlfriends resisted entreaties for an encore, instead hopping in the van to kick off their first nationwide tour. Welcome Jenny, Benny, and Andy back to Boston (and to Great Scott) on August 18th.