Bright Lights, Wednesday Night
Three West Coast bands you should check out
Prior to Feb. 12, this reporter had neither attended a concert at the Underground Coffeehouse nor did I know it existed. The concert in question was Love Notes Live, a pop-up show presented by AMP and our very own Rage magazine in anticipation of Valentine’s Day.
The first thing I remember seeing upon entering the venue – a coffee shop and community space on the third floor of Viking Union – was apparatus being conducted around the room. I took stock of the couches in the center of the room, as well as the merchandise tables and piano by one of the exits. It all appeared very calm and serene, which, in retrospect, made me laugh, given the energy I would later bear witness to.
Three remarkable bands were on the lineup: Frog Rocket of Bellingham, Meldrop of Tacoma and Universe from Santa Cruz, California.
How did Frog Rocket come to be? The Internet played a huge part in its conception.
Noah Randazzo made a Reddit post announcing his desire to start a band and asked for local drummers to reply — that’s when Brady Nehls stepped in. It took some time, but the Internet helped the current lineup crystallize with the arrival of Jack Sovelove on lead guitar (found through Discord), Eli Yost on the bass (found through Craigslist) and Rubin Hochauser on synths (partially found through Craigslist, and partially because Nehls played in a band with his roommate).
Frog Rocket’s influences run the gamut from jazz to punk rock. Electronic music, Cage the Elephant and Arctic Monkeys also feature within that pantheon. Randazzo highlights that mixture as an important component of their sound. In his words, “It keeps us from sounding the same every time.”
The band’s creative process is collaborative in nature. It all starts with what Randazzo describes as the “bones of a song.” During practice, every member gets a chance to, as they put it, ink their contributions into the compositions.
I took the opportunity to ask them what they were looking forward to the most that night. Hochauser mentioned how students “really gravitate” towards the kind of show and music we at the Coffeehouse were going to see that night and, in turn, “the energy is pretty solid in these things.”
Frog Rocket has an album in the works that will come out as soon as possible. As for their future? Well, a good time is being enjoyed by all. They will keep on trucking until, as B.B. King sang, the thrill is gone.
Frog rocket during their show at the Underground Coffeehouse in Bellingham, Wash. on Fen. 12, 2025. Photos by Jenna Millikan
I have driven by Tacoma many times but never really stopped to take in what the city has to offer. I have found the city to often be in the news for the wrong reasons. A 1988 article from the New York Times cites how Bruce Springsteen once left town early because of its (in)famous aroma. Less heralded are landmarks such as the Museum of Glass and Fort Nisqually, as well as the rich musical legacy established by luminaries such as The Sonics and The Ventures.
Meldrop, a five-piece rock group and the second band on the bill, are in a prime position to add to that legacy. Their Spotify biography states it all started when the five of them — drummer Elijah Tuncap, guitarists River Esqueda and Kirran Medchill, bassist Aidan Maggi and keyboardist Aidan Goodman — worked as bussers for the Lobster Shop, a seafood restaurant in Tacoma, and subsequently started jamming together.
Their list of influences is sizable and diverse, featuring names ranging from guitar legend Masayoshi Takanaka to the queen of Neo Soul herself, Erykah Badu. In terms of future plans, the band said an EP is likely to come out this summer.
Meldrop band members kicking off the second set at the Underground Coffeehouse in Bellingham, Wash. on Feb. 12, 2025. Photos by Jenna Millikan
It’s a long drive from Santa Cruz to Bellingham, which makes that night’s crowd (myself included) even luckier that Universe came up to play for us. It was part of the power trio’s first tour, which took them through their native California as well as Arizona, Oregon and Washington.
I was curious as to what influence the influx of youth into Santa Cruz — a college town just like ours — has on the local culture, their music scene and Universe’s music in particular. Singer Arushi Chandra emphasized their city’s sense of community. Guitarist Miles Mancinelli highlighted how kids in town will follow a band regardless of whether they’re at UC Santa Cruz or “in the middle of a forest.” The city serves as an “incubator for small bands,” Mancinelli added.
Universe has played at The Catalyst, a historic Santa Cruz venue, which has held shows by Nirvana and Tyler, the Creator. I asked them how they felt about playing in such a storied outlet. It’s an emotional story for the band, Chandra said. As Universe tried to find any venue that would let the group play, Chandra and Mancinelli held on to the hope of playing The Catalyst, a dream they had since they first met.
Fast forward a few years, and Universe are now regulars at The Catalyst. In fact, they played at the venue a few days before as part of the Sunnyside Festival. As Mancinelli put it, playing The Catalyst is “kind of the pinnacle” for local bands.
Bands can often have different experiences with crowds depending on where they go. Chandra spoke glowingly of how Pacific Northwest audiences, just like California’s, are “incredibly supportive.”
Universe had played in Seattle a few days before. Chandra spoke of how much it meant to have all the Seattle bands they had played with — and become a fan of — tell the Universe folk that they were now part of the family. Mancinelli said he appreciated the variety of artists they played with and reserved particular praise for Teza Talks and Black Ends, two bands Universe had shared the stage with at the Vera Project.
A fully crafted debut album and another tour are among Universe’s plans. The band’s enthusiasm was noticeable. Bellingham was only the fifth stop on the tour, which did not stop the band from, in Chandra’s words, wondering when they would get to do it again.
Chandra voiced their wish for the band to “keep playing music forever” and “reach as many people as we can with our message of love and positivity” — something they repeated when asked what they looked forward to the most that night. Mancinelli said he hoped the band could do it all full-time and “stay true to the music [they] want to make.”
In the end, Universe’s new drummer, Alex Mendoza, pitched in. They had only been in Universe for two months at that point but highlighted how the band has “a lot of potential.” Mendoza had never been in a band with such dedicated fans, they said. The future looks bright for Universe.
Universe shredding during their show at the Underground Coffeehouse in Bellingham, Wash. on Feb. 12, 2025. Photos by Jenna Millikan
As the crowds filled the room, I wandered around and talked to a few concertgoers.
Monique and Lav highlighted the diversity of genres in our city; “you can really just find whatever subgenre you’re a part of.”
Angela and Nathan, friends of Frog Rocket, spoke glowingly of the sense of community found within the scene. Nathan praised the mix between a “sense of familiarity” and the fact there is “also something new happening.”
Jess Nicole — a friend of Frog Rocket and member of the local music scene herself through Live TV, a cover band — echoed that praise of our local scene’s bonhomie. She expressed her appreciation for the kindness of its people. “You can go to a show and basically go talk to anybody,” Nicole said.
And then the music started.
The joy in that room was contagious. Two tech crew members came onto the floor a few songs into Frog Rocket’s set and had a ball, dancing and smiling. The crowd really came alive for Meldrop, quickly attending to the band’s request to come close to the stage. Universe’s set ended the night; despite being the final band, they kept the energy high. They got the crowd laughing when Mancinelli responded to loud mic feedback by saying, “Thank you, that was our first song!”
In all, it was an unforgettable night, and this reporter was most fortunate for getting to see it. Frog Rocket is currently working on new music and finishing their album; Meldrop will be performing with Bellingham’s own Cuttlefish at Seattle’s Madame Lou’s on May 24th, a concert which will also mark the release of the Tacoma outfit’s new EP, Melodaze; and Universe wrapped their Glow tour earlier this month. Keep an eye out for them and whatever they do in the future!