Blix, Plum Vision, and Rachaels Children Give The Treasure Valley All the Punk Rock They Can Handle… And Then Some

“You know what this is,” announced Abraham Pegg from the small stage at the back of the Neorolux, “it’s a punk show!” With a three-band line-up that ignited the tiny venue in downtown Boise, Idaho, with the dirty and raw spirit of 1978, a bona fide punk show is precisely what the Treasure Valley got last Wednesday evening. 

Kiyah Henson and Chloe Baul performing with Plum Vision at The Neurolux in Boise, Idaho.

Photo by April Massey

Megan Miller performing with Plum Vision at The Neurolux in Boise, Idaho. Photo by April Massey

The show opened with local Riot Grrrl legacy holders Plum Vision. The foursome, comprised of Chloe Baul, Kiyah Henson, Ella Thurston, and Megan Miller,  has generated a lot of well-deserved buzz around the Treasure Valley this summer with their single “Your Mom.” With aggressive yet playful energy that harkens back to groups like The Runaways and The Slits, Plum Vision’s sound is the best of ‘90s Seattle girl rock with a heavy dose of late ‘70s sensibility. Seamlessly balancing between sweet-voiced melodies and hard-hitting power cords, Plum Vision does not shy away from deep feelings and lyrics that cut to the bone. Amid encore demands from the audience, the band dipped into new material, closing out their set with the absolute sucker punch of a song, “Yellow,” leaving the crowd well primed for what was about to come. 

Ariel Burke performing with Rachaels Children at The Neurolux in Boise, Idaho. Photo by April Massey

Otto Barry performing with Rachaels Children at The Neurolux in Boise, Idaho. Photo by April Massey

Hitting the stage like a wild animal, Rachaels Children lead singer Ariel Burke opened the band’s set by demanding, “if you’re outside, get the f— inside; if you’re inside, get f— closer.” Crashing into their first song, the group hit the ground running with little concern for who was left in their wake. This is not a band that waits for you to catch up; this is a band you burn holes in your lungs to keep pace with. The Seattle foursome sits comfortably in the space where punk bleeds into psychedelic. Strutting, dancing, growling, and contorting like the second coming of Iggy Pop,  Ariel Burke delivered the lyrics to each song as if she was dictating a manifesto for world domination. The other three members of Rachaels Children, Meer Williamson, Fox Whitney, and Otto Barry,  anchored the stage with impeccable groove looped guitars and driving beats. The band’s energy washed over the audience like a hurricane, leaving the crowd wet with sweat, fully ready to make that manifesto a reality.

Abraham Pegg performing with Blix at The Neurolux in Boise, Idaho. Photo by April Massey

Kizer Burchard performing with Blix at The Neurolux in Boise, Idaho. Photo by April Massey

Closing out this three-course banger was local, enigmatic punk rockers Blix. After seeing this band three times throughout the summer, you can read our recent interview with them here; I can unequivocally say they do not disappoint. The Caldwell threesome, made up of Abraham Pegg, Kizer Buchard, and Sierra Duarte, tore through the stage with a no-frills speed and intensity reminiscent of the Los Angeles ‘80s hardcore scene. Blix upped the ante with every song, coaxing the crowd into a joyous heap of slam dancing and pogoing. Not to be outdone by their cohorts, Blix received their own well-deserved chants of “one more song,” to which the ever cheeky Kizer Buchard responded, “that’s what I had your mom saying last night.”