As an avid listener of country and rap music, I did not know what to expect when I decided to venture out of my music comfort zone and go to a punk rock concert on a Saturday night. On one hand, I was excited, but I was also worried that I would not enjoy the music. Despite the nervousness, I walked into the Be Your Own Pet concert at The Blue Room with an open mind. As soon as I entered the venue, a foggy room with dark blue mood lighting and colorful LED decorations awaited me. To my left was a DJ busy at work with his dance-provoking remixes and throughout the venue were people socializing with one another while waiting for the opener, Being Dead. I began to feel more comfortable, bopping to the DJ’s tunes and talking with other people about our similar passion for music. Once Be Your Own Pet launched into their setlist, I can honestly say that I loved every moment. From their electric stage presence to the creative instrumental breakdowns, what I thought would be a dull Saturday night turned into one that I will never forget.
The fun night began with opener Being Dead, a punk rock trio band based in Austin, Texas. Their first song, “Apostles’ Prom,” set the tone for the night. The crowd was banging their heads and vibing to the fast-paced groove of the song. This was followed by more songs from their latest album, “When Horses Would Run.” The band built a powerful energy until their last cymbal crash. What I loved most about their set was how the band cracked jokes between each song that led to humorous crowd interactions.
Even while jamming away, the trio instilled the message of respect and, by doing so, earned the respect of the crowd.
“Respect is a very important tool,” Cody Dosier, the guitarist, said.
I could feel the buzz of excitement in the air as the crowd eagerly awaited Be Your Own Pet to come on stage. During the 30-minute intermission was a joke-filled slam poetry skit. The punk rock band was welcomed on stage by cheers and screams — they lived up to the hype they received.
“Hello, we’re Be Your Own Pet, and we’re from Nashville, Tennessee!” lead vocalist Jemina Pearl said.
The band kicked off their performance with a few songs from their recently released album “Mommy,” including “Goodtime!” and “Rubberist.” They also played songs from their debut self-titled album released in 2006. The crowd went wild throughout each song, headbanging and screaming the lyrics. During “Goodtime!” I loved how the audience echoed the “Good time! Good time! Good time! Good time!” chant in the chorus. Each repeat increased in volume and excitement at The Blue Room. The band delivered the same energy — Pearl danced back and forth on the stage during the instrumental breaks, Jonas Stein crushed his guitar solos, Nathan Vasquez headbanged while playing bass guitar and John Eatherly felt the power of his fast-paced drum groove.
My Saturday night at The Blue Room jamming to Be Your Own Pet was the highlight of my week. Looking back at my thoughts before the concert, I never really thought I would enjoy a punk rock concert. Little did I know that I would fall in love with Be Your Own Pet. Both their unique energy which I have not seen at other concerts combined with their catchy tunes made my Saturday night. If you want to have a lot of fun and rock out for an evening, then going to a Be Your Own Pet concert is the move.
