Previewing Chastity Belt by Interviewing my Best Friend About Them

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My girl Sam on the left, Chasitity Belt on the right. Photo: Angel Ceballos

Author: Amelia Zeve

Here’s the brutal part about college: every single person you meet is constantly in transit, or graduating and moving to a new city, or studying abroad and LEAVING YOU (!!!) anywhere from a semester to a year. For me, one of those people is one of my best friends, Samantha Cremer. She has been abroad, in Ireland and now in Spain, since September, and it feels like everything in my life is just a constant reminder of how much I miss her- like the fact that Chastity Belt, one of her favorite bands, is coming to Neumos on February 28th.

Chastity Belt is a Seattle-based rock and alt-rock band, consisting of members Julia Shapiro, Lydia Lund, Annie Truscott and Gretchen Grimm. The campy band has been around since 2010, after meeting in Walla Walla, and have produced a number of amazing albums, including No Regerts (sic) in 2013 and I Used To Spend So Much Time Alone in 2017. Lots of their songs pertain to themes of youth, of growing up, and, most importantly- of Seattle. Getting to see them in their hometown will be more than a little bit iconic- or at least that’s what Sam has been saying, literally every time we listen to their music together, since the first day I met her. 

So, what better way is there to understand Chastity Belt than through one of their biggest fans? As someone who was only introduced to them through Sam and her brilliant aux skills, I thought it would be fitting to ask her her thoughts on this iconic Neumos homecoming show.

Sam, this one’s for you.

——–

Amelia Zeve: So one of your goals in life is to see Chastity Belt in Seattle. Why is that? 

Sam Cremer: Ever since I was a little high school sophomore in 2015 I have loved Chastity Belt and when the world aligned that I knew they were based in Seattle and I was going there for school I thought I would go to their gigs all the time but the stars never aligned. Even though Walla Walla is where they met, Seattle seemed like the most iconic way of seeing them live. 

AZ: Who is Chastity Belt?

SC: The trendy, authentic older girls that you always wanted to be.

AZ: What do you love about them?

SC: They are unapologetically themselves and their close friendship reminds me so much of my best friends.  

AZ: Describe their music to me in three words.

SC: Angsty, Slutty, PNW but honestly angsty and PNW are basically the same thing so groovy as well, final answer 🙂

AZ: If you had to pick one band that you think is the polar opposite of their style, who would you pick? 

SC: The Backstreet Boys, one hundred percent no explanation needed.

AZ: What’s your favorite song of theirs?

SC: “Joke.” It was the very first song I heard of theirs so it’ll always hold a special place for me. I was a wannabe angsty 15-year-old, jumping around to that song in my bedroom on repeat. 

AZ: How are you coping with the fact that you’re studying abroad and not able to see Chastity Belt in Seattle with me?

SC I am doing a lot of deep breathing, and reminding myself that one day I will see the iconic outfits and hair in person.

Amelia Zeve: So one of your goals in life is to see Chastity Belt in Seattle. Why is that?

 Sam Cremer: Ever since I was a little high school sophomore in 2015 I have loved Chastity Belt and when the world aligned that I knew they were based in Seattle and I was going there for school I thought I would go to their gigs all the time but the stars never aligned. Even though Walla Walla is where they met, Seattle seemed like the most iconic way of seeing them live. 

AZ: Who is Chastity Belt?

SC: The trendy, authentic older girls that you always wanted to be.

AZ: What do you love about them?

SC: They are unapologetically themselves and their close friendship reminds me so much of my best friends.  

AZ: Describe their music to me in three words.

SC: Angsty, Slutty, PNW but honestly angsty and PNW are basically the same thing so groovy as well, final answer 🙂

AZ: If you had to pick one band that you think is the polar opposite of their style, who would you pick? 

SC: The Backstreet Boys, one hundred percent no explanation needed.

AZ: What’s your favorite song of theirs?

SC: “Joke.” It was the very first song I heard of theirs so it’ll always hold a special place for me. I was a wannabe angsty 15-year-old, jumping around to that song in my bedroom on repeat. 

AZ: How are you coping with the fact that you’re studying abroad and not able to see Chastity Belt in Seattle with me?

SC I am doing a lot of deep breathing, and reminding myself that one day I will see the iconic outfits and hair in person.

Chastity Belt will be performing at Neumos on February 28th, with Loose Tooth. The event is sold out. The show begins at 8:00pm.

AMELIA ZEVE | I miss you Sam please come home </3 | KXSU Arts Reporter

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