It must be weird for Anarbor every time they play around here because I'm sure more than a few people think they are a local band or have roots in the area. Doesn't their name make that obvious? Well, from all the research I've done the answer is "no". Anarbor is a band from Phoenix, AZ that formed in high school around the year 2003. They play a kind of frantic pop punk that at times skates around the "screamo" tag but with hippie sensibilities that seep out of their sound - or maybe that's just their laid back tendencies from the West. Either way you go about it, Anarbor is a great band to see live because their energy is cranked up way past ten and the crowd gets more than a little crazy when they are on stage. You can check out Anarbor on their recent free mixtape release.
Sharing the bill with Anarbor is the very talented Valencia. Valencia is one of those bands that I'm left scratching my head wondering why they aren't more popular - and I mean more popular in terms of selling millions of records and getting mainstream radio play. Valenica is really that good and they've been working so hard on polishing their pop punk sound to a shiny brilliance that places them far above the standard pop punk fare. The video below is an interview I did with Valencia a few months ago the last time they played in town. They're a really nice bunch of guys that give it their all when they play on stage.
I wish I could tell you more about Conditions as they are on the bill as well, but I haven't heard much form or about them. So all and all a good show this Friday that starts early - 6pm, at my favorite place to see bands - the intimate and wonderful Pike Room.
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