In the midst of homecoming celebrations, the Artifex Guild was host to four experimental rock groups, ranging from the psychedelic Paper Claw to the more garage-esque, heavy noised Jail Solidarity. The Artifex Guild itself is a holy venue for listening to new music, with the intimacy of the smaller space putting listeners in the hands of the musicians.
Opening the show was Bloomington natives Buttzz. Buttzz packed a powerful punch, with a sick combination of distortion and technical skill, not to mention a fuck ton of noise. Following Buttzz was Lafayette natives Paper Claw, who after a summer of intense rehearsal have reinvented themselves. Existing in a fun space of psychedelia and eerieness, Paper Claw’s set drifted nicely into Lather Sommer Duo. The Bloomington natives filled the Guild with eerie, wavering tones, sounding a little heavier and darker than their neighboring acts. The Washington-DC group Jail Solidarity produced the grungiest sounds of the night, with pulsating rhythms and retro punk vibes. All in all, the Artifex Guild provided a great opportunity to experience a variety of promising and talented groups, all of which I would recommend keeping an eye on. With the expressive and spontaneous showings of improvisation combined with technical skill and trippy vibes, the four acts managed to hypnotize a house-show/experimental rock newbie like me, and local veterans of the genre as well.
Paper Claw’s Bandcamp: https://paperclaw.bandcamp.com/releases
Buttzz Bandcamp: https://buttzz.bandcamp.com/track/miami
Lather Sommer Duo’s Bandcamp: https://lather.bandcamp.com/track/a-solitary-sphere-of-motivating-light
Jail Solidarity Bandcamp: https://jailsolidarity.bandcamp.com/
Watch for more events at the Artifex Guild here:
