I Just Read About That…

[ATTENDED: December 9, 2025] Chokecherry

I was scheduled to have total hip replacement surgery on the day after this show.  I didn’t think I’d be able to go and then two things changed my mind.  The first is that I saw that the show was fairly short–Chokecherry was playing for about an hour.  The second was that my surgery wasn’t scheduled until the afternoon.  I had assumed it would be early in the morning, but a later appointment meant I could sleep in.  As it turned out my wife had a minor emergency after I got home that kept us up until 3AM, so it was all moot, but whatever, I’m thrilled that I got to go to this show.

I had seen Chokecherry open for Destroy Boys about a year ago and I loved them.  The band seems to consist of guitarist Izzie A. Clark and bassist E. Scarlett Levinson.  Their second guitarist and drummer were different from last time.

Warehouse on Watts is really small, so while Scarlett was setting up her gear (in a long faux fur coat), I chatted with her for a moment.  I told her how much I liked them when they opened.  And she told me that she had food poisoning that night.  I never would have guessed, although in retrospect, when she said she talked a lot less than usual, it was true given how much she talked tonight.

They opened with a favorite song from their previous EP, Afterglow–slow and moody opening with crashing choruses.  Scarlett commented that the new album is pretty sad, although the first song they played from it Major Threat is a blistering rocker with a catchy chorus.

I love that Izzie and Scarlett switch off on lead vocals for nearly every song.

Things quieted down a bit for Secrets, but this allowed them to really feature their harmonies.  I was more or less in front of Scarlett, so I could really hear her delicate higher voice.  I was a little bummed that I couldn’t see Izzie that well because I remembered that she shredded impressively.  She still sounded great even if on the other side of the stage.  Particularly on the delicate guitar intro of Goldmine.

I loved how much the crowd new the songs by name when they were introduced and Scarlett’s super high vocals on Pretty Things (which the crowd knew) were stellar.  Second guitarists was excellent, either making the sound fuller while Izzie soloed or adding some extra flourishes.

They followed it with Porcelain Warrior and then a song from the debut EP Messy Star.  Then they played an unreleased set of songs–ones that they opened with last time and which blew me away.  Lisa 1 starts with Izzie and Scarlett quietly singing Lisa, I miss you, Lisa I’m sorry.  And then the song takes off.  But it’s in Lisa 2 that he real blistering punk comes out.  Two minutes of intensity.

Diego on drums Jackie 2 guitar

They opened with Lisa 1 and 2.  It starts with Izzie and Scarlett, quietly singing Lisa, I miss you, Lisa I’m sorry.  And then the song takes off.  But it’s in pat 2 that he real blistering punk comes out.  Two minutes of intensity.

After two more new songs they surprised the room with an intensely heavy cover of Keli’s Milkshake.  It was pure catharsis.

The last two songs kept the energy and intensity up.  Mirror Mirror has a great riff and the song gets faster and faster.  After a few verses Izzie and Scarlett jumped into the crowd and played on the floor.  They came back up for the final song, Glass Jaw.  I didn’t realize that this was the song that started their following, but the crowd was ready for it.  And the band invited anyone who wanted to dance with them to come up on stage.  About a dozen people climbed on the stage and “danced” but it was clear  that everyone had a great time and enjoyed being so close to the band.

There is something really special about this band.  Their songs are great and they are amazing performers.  Scarlett in particular knows how to pose and flirt with the audience–but she’s very friendly so it doesn’t seem fake.  Plus, her singing and playing chops are top notch.  I really hope they make it big, especially since I can say I saw them in this tiny venue.

And it was a perfect last show of the year.

⇓ Fruits Fruit Rots and Falls (2025)
∀ Messy Star (2024)
§ single (2023)