Mars, pausing between songs to slug from a can of PBR. Guitarist and singer Jason Sanford played a handmade, deconstructed guitar with only a headstock, neck, and skeleton of welded steel. The body of the instrument is just air—you could stick your hand straight through it. Zedek’s guitar is unique as well, adorned with a prominent “FCK NZS” sticker. She surprised us halfway through the show by whipping out a slide, with which she wailed on the strings percussively, like a DJ would scrub a vinyl record. While E does not identify as punk, the influence is there. Some
songs began softly before breaking into a loud, driving chorus. Some started off screaming and then backed off into quiet verses. The result was pure ecstatic noise. Though no member of E is under 50, they succeeded in rocking harder than most bands half their age. The audience seemed to know how unique of a spectacle it was—their eyes squeezed shut in rapture, heads banging to the music. When asked for their opinion on today’s popular music, Zedek and Gonson again had different perspectives. Currently raising teenage kids, Gonson had a softer outlook on 83
top 40 artists, judging them on an individual basis. While she said she’s a fan of big acts like Katy Perry and Rihanna, she lamented the modern music industry’s move away from high caliber recording. “We’ve dumbed down our expectations of quality,” she said. Zedek, a champion of the underground scene, was more critical. “The way the music is today,” she said, “is almost like what my generation was rebelling against.” words Margeaux Sippell photos Corey Popowsk // Dakotah Malisoff