STRFKR, an indie-electro pop band from Portland, Oregon came through Denver this last weekend and pumped up the crowd as always. Reminiscent of their performance at Project Pabst last year, the band was high energy, in fun costumes, and obviously ready to put on a show. The same was true for Saturday’s show.
My favorite thing about this band is their overall message, and it is everything anti. Their lyrics are kind of morbid, with this whole end of the world feel, paired with upbeat, pop music that simply makes you want to dance. The whole name started as a joke with past member Sam Norris, being shoretened over the years to represent the band best. Front man Josh Hodges, said he heard someone say they were a “starfucker” and it made him question the people he was around and all the things he really didn’t want to be involved in. The name carried through to represent the bands “removal from the rat race” that is prevalent in the music industry. Including many snippets from philosopher Alan Watts, STRFKR uses many of his lectures as content for their songs, considering the ideology is very similar, which is super tight in my opinion. Kudos to any artist who makes that kind of effort to find supporting content on their beliefs, to be included in their music.
Lead singer, and multi-instrumentalist Josh Hodges, kept things interesting and against the standard grain with women’s clothing, a pink wig, rainbow suspenders, and sunnies I was envious of. Backup dancers and entertainers dressed in spacesuits, kept the audience entertained in moments of “dullness”, although I would say that these were few and far between. And would it be a STRFKR show without blow up pool toys travelling through the crowd with the occasional white girl on it? The visuals were electric and vibrant and showcased the vibe of STRFKR perfectly, and make us curious what their journey of artistry looks like from here. Hopefully weirder and more anti-establishment, eh?
Words: Lina Skrzypczak Photos: Michael Hecker
