I went to the “Wronside” of Lubbock last Friday and it was on the right side of fun

Though KTXT has been at the forefront of promoting local bands and local musicians while also trying to find ways to highlight the music that surrounds the city, covering a house show was completely unheard of. Concert coverage is a relatively new piece of the KTXT lore that I am proud to have front-run alongside Andrew, but that has always focused on shows in the big venues of Lubbock. The small venues of Lubbock and the collective of musicians it contains might just be more important to the culture of Lubbock than any major venue the city has.

Wronside is one of the most well know house show venues in the Lubbock area and is constantly doing shows of local artists from across the musical spectrum. Found in the South Overton area, the Wronside house is in a dense location filled with a lot of heart. Entering through the front door, you witness some of the most creative and brilliant minds in the city. The decor included copies of Locus magazine displayed on the shelves, a copy of Hayden Pedigo’s Letting Go on vinyl, and other keepsakes of the Lubbock community. To the left laid LBK Vintage selling exciting retro clothing to the concertgoers where classic shirts find a new home again.

Right next to the house’s kitchen, where the dining room would be, was an open room filled with previous show posters splattered across the walls showcasing the house’s long history. Past set lists and quotes draped off the other walls as pieces of the Wronside past. The chandelier was decorated with RGB lights and the floor was loaded up with LED strobe lights creating a vibrant and moody atmosphere for the shows and the crowd.

After a brief set-up and soundcheck, Velvet Grove took the stage first meshing covers of songs like Amy Winehouse’s Valerie, Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy, Michael Jackson’s Billy Jean, Jimi Hendrix’s Purple Sky, and The Eagle’s Hotel California combined with some of their original material. While Arle was the leading voice of the group, the band traded off lead vocals duties with Quinn and Matthew picking up the microphone at certain points as well. The musicianship of the group was there with psychedelic and hypnotic guitar solos reverberating through the house.

Analog Junky took the stage next with a prop CRT television set up next to the band. The group has a synth-heavy sound creating a unique Indietronica-Garage Rock fusion that balances well with Jordan’s synth and Gavin’s guitar bouncing off of each other. The band’s grooviness is another underrated piece of the puzzle that makes them so enjoyable to listen to. Analog Junky’s set was comprised of all original works that the band wrote, and with Matthew currently in the position of the drummer, the band remained as fun as ever. Genuinely, they were just great to hear again outside of the KTXT studios. The group’s artistry impresses me every time I hear them, and this was no different. They’re just an excellent blend of synths and guitars. (Analog Junky performances live at KTXT are available on the KTXT YouTube channel.)

To close off the night, Clement Hall took the stage last. The band is a high-energy Slacker Rock-style group comprised of all Texas Tech students making music on the side. I saw an exhilarating cover of Harry Styles’ As It Was on their Instagram page a few weeks ago, and I was hoping they would play that cover. Good news: they did. It was noisy and it was a ton of fun. Bouncing between a soundcheck cover of the jazz classic Autumn Leaves to Boys Dot Cry by the Cure to When I Come Around by Green Day, the band’s catalog of covers ranged from genres and generations of artists seamlessly. Even after the set flew past 11 pm, the energy was high from the guests and the band. The group ended up doing another show the following Saturday. The ability for such a young band to grind out shows constantly is genuinely impressive, and these guys have the raw talent to back it up.

Every single person attending these shows truly cares about the art form. They truly care about the musicians and the venue it is being housed in. They care about having a space where artists can express themselves musically and share their love of the art form. They care about the tight-knit community that is being built in Lubbock. Lastly, they care about just simply having a good time. Music is so very special and the 806 is a special place to be.