Author: Hannah Mae Cox
Wednesday, November 22nd marked another Enumclaw show at SU’s neighbor Nuemos. If you’ve ever seen the Tacoma-based band live, you are intimately familiar with the atmosphere and energy they create and this night in Capitol Hill was no different.
Princess Pulpit played first. I was delighted to see that they’d be opening for Enumclaw after going to a few of their shows last year in my neighborhood, and they didn’t disappoint. This was my first time seeing the group of West Seattle teens since the recent release of their self-titled debut album, which was mastered by Tad Doyle of early grunge band Tad, and they played a nice seven-song set. “Camel Ash” and “Solace,” both on the album, were standouts to me, and their cover of David Bowie’s “Life on Mars?” swept up the crowd. I always enjoy their alternative sound that feels both rooted in the early 90’s and very much their own.
Yomori followed with sounds and stage presence reminiscent of midwest emo and shoegaze. The Bellingham band played tracks from their debut EP Maybe, Someday? released by Death Metal, Florida, which I’ve had on repeat since the show. Their guitar sound and raw vocals were prominent in the set, carrying the crowd through a persevering, atmospheric, and groovy collection of songs. Next time I visit Bellingham I’ll be on alert to catch another show, as should you!
The energy throughout the night was elevated and palpable. The opening acts had captivated
the audience, which collectively erupted when Enumclaw strolled onto stage. The band consists
of frontman and guitarist Aramis Johnson, guitarist Nathan Cornell, drummer Ladaniel Gipson,
and bassist Eli Edwards, who is also Aramis’s younger brother.
Their set was a gratifying blend of fan favorites and new music. Aramis launched into the band’s acclaimed 2022 album title track “Save The Baby” with trademark sensitivity and sincerity. The sonic transition midway through the song from upbeat and tight to deconstructed, slowed, and reverberated is lovely to witness live.
The pace was hoisted back up soon after with songs new to streaming; “Bell Hooks” and “F*ck Love, I Just Bought a New Truck,” both from their latest release These Are Some B-Sides (produced and engineered by Toro y Moi), stirred the crowd. Historically, Enumclaw shows are teeming with a desire to move around and mosh. Eli affirmed this impulse and called the crowd to action throughout the night, and he and Ladaniel hopped off stage to open up the pit about halfway into their set (as is tradition!). “Jimmy Neutron,” “10th and J 2,” and “Cowboy Bebop,” all on Save The Baby, had the crowd singing along and dancing in colliding unison. And an aside: Nathan on Tambourine was an excellent addition.
Enumclaw’s signature casual, confident earnestness was in abundance the whole night, primarily expressed through Aramis. He sings and speaks from the heart, and his undiluted commitment to the band’s success is clear. The community surrounding the band is always integral to their performance; Aramis professed Enumclaw’s shared gratitude for their friends and family, for their opening acts, for the venue, and for everyone in the room who had bought the ten-dollar ticket to see them. He led the crowd in a birthday shout-out for the mother of a close friend enjoying the show from the balcony and grinned as Yomori lead Neto jumped on stage and sang the lyrics during their set in his Enumclaw merch. There was a tangible appreciation for the scene and for the community throughout the night.
For me, this show was so warm and it embodied what I love about both Enumclaw and the wider Seattle live music experience. Since seeing Enumclaw last year at the Neptune Theatre and becoming enthralled, I’ve become acquainted with their brand of indie rock and witnessing them headline Neumos again at the end of my first quarter at SU was something special. An easy love for those in your circle was in the venue’s air; I felt it through my friends who had accompanied me to the show, through each band on stage, and through the crowd’s energy and joy. Enumclaw’s unreleased “Change” sent hands up and bodies towards each other. This lineup and this show embodied why I so strongly value my local music scene — for the connection found in one another. Maybe that’s a sappy sentiment, but I think Enumclaw exhibits the worth of being occasionally (or frequently) sappy and sensitive and sincere.
Hannah Mae Cox | KXSU Arts Reporter