Skating Polly, Lord Friday the 13th, Stepmom

Factory Obscura, Oklahoma City, OK

May 19, 2023

Review and Gallery by: Ally Arens

Last Friday, Oklahoma City was buzzing as local favorites Skating Polly made a return to their hometown on their latest tour, supported by Lord Friday the 13th. The venue of choice, Factory Obscura, doubles as an immersive art gallery, and their stage area was tiny, but this merely added to the charm. I felt like I was going to an underground punk show, and while being a short person trying to photograph a tiny stage in a packed room was extremely stressful, it was also a humbling challenge in my concert photography journey as I and the other 8 photographers tried to maneuver around each other and the crowd of onlookers while the entire stage was illuminated by projection screens. The entire room, which could hold less than 200 people, was packed as the crowd danced the night away.

First to take the stage were fellow OKC locals Stepmom, whose Instagram bio describes their sound as “orchestral dream punk”. Their blend of groovy melodies with a hint of edginess and punk-rock attitude, coupled with their penchant for activism (vocalist/guitarist Lindsey Cox had “Speak Up for Trans Rights” written on her guitar) adequately set the tone for the rest of the night. 

Next up were Austin-based punk-rockers Lord Friday the 13th, making their OKC debut with a set that I can only compare to what I would imagine a frenetic acid trip to be like – in the best way possible. Vocalist Felix Lenz came out in a full mask and cape ensemble (that was gradually shed layer by layer throughout the set, ending in a mere thong-like garment), and he moved around the tiny stage with an energy I haven’t seen since the last Palaye Royale show I caught last September – they moved so fast that my camera’s autofocus struggled to keep up, and somehow talked even faster between songs. Their sister, Sloane Lenz, was similarly a beast on the guitar.

The activism that is such an inherent part of the punk scene was thoroughly present, between their challenging of gender norms and performance of songs such as “Bigots Beware”. Especially as a queer, nonbinary person living in a state like Oklahoma where LGBTQ+ rights are constantly being challenged, I appreciate their unabashed, no-fucks-given attitude and willingness to dare to be different in a climate that is constantly threatening anyone who dares to fall outside of the gender binary. Other set highlights included “St. Judy”, an ode to none other than Judy Garland, and a thrashy cover of Patti Smith’s “Dancing Barefoot”, which I only managed to recognize due to hearing the original several times during my recent Daisy Jones & The Six binge-session. 

Finally, alternative rockers Skating Polly took the stage, and the crowd was instantly enamored by their energy. The band, consisting of step-siblings Kelli Mayo, Peyton Bighorse, and Kurtis Mayo, initially formed in OKC in 2009 before relocating to Washington a few years later; they’ve been mainstays in the Oklahoma music scene for most of this time. Throughout the set, Kelli and Peyton strummed on their bass and lead guitar while alternating vocal duties, with Kurtis holding down the drum kit.

Their energetic set consisted of tracks from throughout their discography, opening with “Queen For a Day” from 2018’s The Make It All Show before launching into a mixture of tracks from it, 2016’s Big Fit, and a couple of selections from their upcoming record Chaos County Line, due in June. During the set, Kelli apologized for the amount of time between records, but promised to make up for it with Chaos County Line being a double album with 18 tracks, leading to a wave of cheers from the audience. 

It was clear from their energy that the band was happy to be playing in their hometown once again, surrounded by family, friends, and other fans alike. I will always love live music from local and touring acts alike, but there’s nothing quite like watching a band perform in their hometown, especially after they’ve spent some time away – there’s extra love and passion in the room that is hard to replicate.

Skating Polly’s current tour has a couple more stops this week before wrapping up on May 25 in Reno, Nevada; their next run kicks off in late June in Minneapolis, MN. All upcoming dates and tickets can be found on the band’s website.
Chaos County Line will be released on June 23, with pre-orders available here.