Charly Bliss
Recently, I had the good fortune of seeing Charly Bliss live. It was supposed to be Charly Bliss and Skating Polly, with the latter opening for the former, but due to a medical emergency within the band Skating Polly did not take the stage. This could have cast a pall over the evening. You pay to see two bands, but you only get to see one. However, I was not disappointed in the slightest. It was a great show, because Charly Bliss killed it.
Charly Bliss photo by Veronica Moyer
If you aren't familiar with Charly Bliss, consider this a brief introduction. The band is a quartet that I would classify as pop punk, though the clumsy portmanteau "bubblegrunge" has been used in the past. I refuse to use that descriptor, though, so I will stick with pop punk, though with an indie rock edge.
In 2017 they released their first album, Guppy, which was a delight. It was my fifth-favorite album of the year. The guitarist was the voice of Dash in The Incredibles, which is not relevant but is interesting. However, the true power of the band comes from frontwoman Eva Hendricks.
The band is a quartet that I would classify as pop punk, though the clumsy portmanteau "bubblegrunge" has been used in the past.
Two things stick out about Hendricks. One, she has a high-pitched voice. This is especially true when she sings. Her voice is certainly distinct. I don't have anything to compare it to. It wouldn't work with some styles of music, but it does work for a pop punk band. Some people will be turned off by Hendricks' vocals, but I like them.
Two, and this is readily apparent when you see Charly Bliss live, she has amazing energy. Her performance is riveting. When I saw the band, she was jumping all over the stage and she plays guitar with gusto. She also has a tendency to make crazy faces and go all wide eyed. Her energy becomes your energy. Her intensity becomes your intensity. She's just so much fun to watch. The rest of the band is fine too, of course.
If you get a chance, check out Charly Bliss. Go see them live. You won't regret it. Also, one dollar of every ticket was donated to Planned Parenthood. That's just another reason to go see their show.
