"At one show, instead of stamping hands, we had everyone who came in draw on a fake mustache. We thought it might help break down those pretensions of people playing dress-up to come to a punk-rock show."
I'm talking to Blair Taylor, a three-year resident of the U-District lodging known as Punkin House. When Blair tells me of Punkin House's mustache experiment, I nearly choke. It's funny because it's true--too often the crowd at a show is ruled by dirty looks and bad attitudes, and mandatory mustaches seem as good a way as any to clear the air.
"Most people went along with it," says Blair, "but we had a few people say, 'I'm not gonna do that!' We told 'em, 'Sorry, you're not coming to the show then.' They had to choose what was more important, their image or coming to hear the music. It was great. That was a really fun show."
The Punkin House--a huge, bright orange residence not far from I-5--has been putting on shows for three years. And though about 20 different tenants have moved through over the years (Blair is the only original housemate still living there), the tradition and sense of community has remained.
"We all pitch in a great deal [to put on the shows]," says 21-year-old Cliff Demedeiros. "Some people help clean before the show, some people go out fliering, everybody does something."
"It's not just a house, it's our friends," adds Alisa Greenman, also 21. "It's a community. We make dinner together, everyone talks and hangs out--it's amazing."
Despite the residents' enthusiasm, I wasn't quite sure what to expect of my first visit to the Punkin House. House shows are notoriously hit or miss--the people could be snobs, the music could be bad--but as I approached, I was greeted by smiles and friendly hellos.
And the music! When I visited on Friday night, June 7, three bands were playing: Memento Mori, Buried in the Desert, and the World We Made.
Although I (regrettably) missed Memento Mori, both Buried in the Desert and the World We Made supplied an intoxicating frenzy of rock, punk, and hardcore noise. Face to face with the bands, tucked in tight with the neighbors, it was almost irresistible not to grab the mic and start screaming and singing along (but I didn't, 'cause I didn't know the words).
"We've built a pretty solid sense of community around the house," says Blair. "A lot of the same folks come, and new folks come and enjoy the rock. It's always a really fun, intimate setting."
I love the Punkin House.
