After going to enough concerts little habits, rituals, or superstitions naturally develop over time. Going to the same post-show Denny’s or In-n-Out. Wearing a favorite pair of shoes or band t-shirt. An example of my own is that I never listen to the band I’m going to see on the drive to the show. This goes all the way back to a show in high school. I’m not even sure who it actually was anymore, but it might have been Fear Before the March of Flames. I can’t remember because whoever it was ended up not playing the show after we drove several hours to see them and the event changed the way I approach concerts forever.
Another less firm rule of mine is that if I’m unfamiliar with a band that shares a bill with the band I’m going to see, I generally don’t listen to them beforehand. Instead of checking them out in advance to get a feel for their sound or aesthetic, I like to go in blind without any preconceived notions and just experience them live first. This has served me really well over the years. I’ve ended up with several favorite bands in this way because now whenever I listen to them I always remember hearing them for the first time at the show.
So it was that when I took the BART out to San Francisco last year to see The Holy Ghost Tabernacle Choir for their very first West Coast performance I had never actually heard of Drought. My only impression of them was based on their name alone. At the time I thought Drought was kind of a morbid or maybe cheeky moniker for a California band.
The show was at the Kilowatt Bar in the SF Mission District. The Kilowatt which goes back to the mid 90’s has oscillated between bar and music venue over the years. After recently changing hands it has once again refocused back to its roots in live music. Dive bars like the Kilowatt are some of my hands down favorite venues because of their compact and intimate nature. Drought barely made it halfway through their first song before lead singer Viggy Ram came down from the stage and into the crowd. Moshing, singing, and working up the room where he would remain for the rest of the set. The experience left a lasting impact on me.
Drought performing at California Kicks Fest. Photo by ishootpeop1e
After that energetic live performance I immediately checked out Drought. I found that they carry that same spirit vibrantly displayed at the show into their musicianship and passion for community. So I was extremely excited when Viggy alongside guitarists Eric Nakano and RJ Rabe were available to speak with me. We discussed their debut EP from last year, the California Kicks Fest which Viggy was key in helping to organize, and more.
Drought has a unique emotional intensity with hard hitting instrumentation. Immediately reminiscent of several bands including Pianos Become the Teeth, Foxing, and Touché Amoré. But none more so than mewithoutYou. No Echo described Drought incredibly succinctly when they premiered the song “Oh, Javelin!” last year. ‘With a sonic palette pulling from both classic screamo and post-hardcore, Drought are clearly aiming to capture a certain musical spirit with their songwriting.’ But let’s hear a bit more about their sound and formation from the band themselves.
Eric Nakano: ‘The band was formed when Ray (drums), and Viggy (vocals) responded to a Craigslist ad I posted during the covid pandemic. At the time it was somewhat difficult to find people to play with, especially being that several of our members had taken a decade or more away from music prior to joining this band.’
Viggy Ram: ‘We all like bands that can crossover from hardcore and emo to shoegaze and post rock. And I think that’s really influenced our approach more than anything else. RJ is so into traditional hardcore, but also Carly Rae Jepsen. Dev will mention Japanese jazz and has played in some grind and powerviolence bands. And Ray digs everything from Title Fight to J Dilla. We want our music to connect with kids when they’re feeling sad, angry, confused, or even happy. Vocally, Aaron Weiss from mewithoutYou is definitely an influence for me, but I think there are a lot of bands that try for that range, from This Day Forward to Caravels. They’ll talk, sing, yell, and scream. I just think it’s cool, but it’s too bad most of those bands aren’t around anymore.’
RJ Rabe: ‘Man, I love hearing what others hear in our music. We all bring so much of ourselves to how we perceive and interpret art. I especially love the examples you listed because prior to Drought I hadn’t heard these bands. I take it as a huge compliment though, they’re all such excellent song writers. I do think that while we all draw from a fairly vast gamut of influences we revel in intensity. Whether it’s in Viggy’s lyrics, the way we construct instrumentation, or in our live performance.’
“Consequential Love” starts off Drought’s EP with a drum count and a contemplative guitar melody. There’s a brief bassline groove then the tone and pacing of the track shifts dramatically as the vocals enter the fray. Just like that a fairly representative showcase of Drought’s consequential sound is cemented. Drought initially self-released EP last year, but they recently had the opportunity to partner with Iodine Recordings to release a 7” pressing of EP. This generated a refreshing new wave of buzz around the band drawing in new fans with the increase in exposure.
RJ: ‘In general, the outpouring of interest and positivity has far exceeded what I could have imagined.’
Viggy: ‘One of the variants sold out within a few weeks. We couldn’t have imagined!’
Eric: ‘We’ve been overwhelmed by the positive response our EP has received. Even after having recorded the tracks, it was unclear whether the songs would ever make their way onto vinyl. We’re incredibly lucky Iodine took notice and put their faith and resources behind us to make this pressing possible.’
I wondered how the physical release process compared to their initial work of writing and recording?
Eric: ‘The decision to release the 7” came about a year after we had finished recording. So it offered us the opportunity to re-engage with the collection of songs. We had to consider how we’ve evolved sonically, and how to create visual components in the artwork of the EP that will carry over into where we’re currently headed in our songwriting and aesthetic direction. Knowing most of what we record from here on out will end up as a physical object imparts a level of commitment we didn’t experience during the writing of those early songs.’
RJ: ‘To touch on what Eric said, we kind of recorded the EP for ourselves. We were experiencing some line-up changes and wanted to document a moment in time, a snapshot of where we were at as a band. It kind of allowed a degree of impermanence without much thought regarding how it would live in the real world or with others.’
Drought even played a special release show for EP in San Francisco with local legends Loma Prieta. Performing in a city of such foundational importance to both bands must have been quite the experience.
Eric: ‘Loma Prieta is probably a big reason why a lot of bands in this scene sound the way they do. I remember hearing them for the first time in 2009. At the time I hadn’t heard anything like it. Their sound broadened my understanding of what was possible for a punk/hardcore/screamo band. So playing with them for our release show was a very meaningful experience. They are also some of the kindest humans around.’
Viggy: ‘When we started, Eric and I bonded over a shared love of Loma and the scene they’re part of. So it feels so validating to now not just play with them, but call them friends.’
RJ: ‘I heard the guys talk about Loma numerous times, but somehow eluded ever really hearing them until last year. After meeting a few of the band members at a show I finally got around to digesting their latest album and was immediately taken back by how crazy good they are.’
You know you’re really a Bay Area band when you have a song referencing the BART or Bay Area Rapid Transit. Like NYC’s subway system, BART is vital to travel in and around the Bay. Easily becoming ingrained in the lives of locals and commuters alike. MacArthur Station in Oakland is in fact the largest station within the BART system and the only one with four platform tracks. So it’s actually not that weird a subject matter for a Post-Hardcore band to be singing about. ‘You found me waiting / and you could tell / Intoxicated as I might have been / You questioned, so taciturn / You said come along for that ride.’ Just like the place, the song “MacArthur Station” is fast paced, vibrant, and alive. Perfectly capturing that feeling of returning home and fond recollections of memorable events. ‘Sing along to the sounds of the common crowd.’
It’s fitting for a band with such a nostalgic sound to be so thematically focused on time and reflections on growing older. In one way or another every song on EP references time: “Consequential Love”: ‘One touch in thirty years / and that’s all you’ll ever have.’ “Oh, Javelin!”: ‘This reminder of every year that passes / In the corner staring like a ghost.’ ‘Every day continues dimming / The years keep passing by / unspooling on a further line.’ “MacArthur Station”: ‘One destination no matter when / MacArthur Station at 1:00 AM.’ The album cover itself prominently displays a birthday cake being lit. (Birthdate/age, passing of time, growing older…) So just what exactly is Drought‘s relationship like with time and temporal concerns?
Viggy: ‘I honestly hadn’t thought about it, but it makes sense! We wrote the EP at a time of transition for all of us, grappling with our choices, mortality, and loss. It’s a way to mourn paths not taken and accept the ones we have. Some of my favorite movies, like Past Lives and In The Mood For Love, are about longing and acceptance. I think, as some of us approach our forties and I ease my way into being a new dad, these lyrics help me make sense of the world. So many people turn to escapism, whether alcohol or partying or becoming a nihilist, to deal with regret and generational trauma. But that wheel keeps on turning and will just crush the next person you meet.’
RJ: ‘The cake image came to me in a dream. We were loosely talking about cover art at the time. I remember dreams like, three times a year, so when this odd image came to me it made a lasting impression. I’m still a little blown away that the idea was well received by the others — it’s a really bizarre idea. Viggy’s lyrics and our conversations for “Oh, Javelin!” was definitely an inspiration for me. This is especially amusing now that I read his response to your question. At the same time I was recently diagnosed with cancer and received a surgery to remove a tumor the day after my birthday. As you can imagine, that contributed to a lot of reflection regarding the celebration of life, the passing of time, and the gift of a future.’
“Oh, Javelin!” the longest song on EP at almost six minutes carries not only the temporal weight of EP but much of the emotional weight as well. “Oh, Javelin!” was written while guitarist RJ Rabe was battling cancer and drummer Ray Avila’s father was ill. So the band was understandably dealing with existential questions of mortality and how we spend our limited time. This type of reflection highlights Drought’s extremely heartfelt and poetic lyrics. What drives their passion and how do they approach lyricism?
Viggy: ‘There’s so much inspiring music these days from people who’ve struggled with their identities. But as a kid, I rarely saw brown musicians in rock music so I want to honor that and hopefully make it a bit universal. I feel most comfortable singing about looking inward to make the change I’d like to see out there. Can I be a better friend? Lover? Ally? The artists you mentioned really touch on that. We played a show earlier this year where a kid approached Eric and was vulnerable about their struggles in high school, striving to hold themselves accountable for bullying. They mentioned that these songs helped them. You know, we all deserve self love and compassion. There are a lot of angry men in hardcore — do we really need another one?’
The instrumentation that backs up Drought’s lyrical pondering and angst filled cries is just as emotive and allows plenty of space for melodic passages. So how do they approach songwriting as a band?
Eric: ‘The songwriting generally starts with guitar. We’ll usually have a rough concept for a rhythmic component, but much of the feeling is determined when we’re all together in the practice space. Everyone offers up their ideas for instrumentation and we work over parts until we’ve reached a place where everyone feels good about the end result.’
RJ: ‘Generally, Eric and I volley voice memo riffs back and forth to one another. If an idea resonates we ideate from there. We have really different approaches to how we play guitar and write, our approaches complement each other really well. I can say with confidence the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. One thing that’s always on my mind as we’re writing is how we strip things down to their essence without sacrificing the end goal. I think it contributes to a certain rawness.’
The California Kicks Fest was a screamo/hardcore festival in Oakland featuring a carefully curated lineup of twenty bands over two days. Including Bay Area favorites from the brand new Love Spiral to the old school Jeromes Dream. The fest also drew bands from as far away as Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. Gillian Carter, Ostraca, Sonagi, and The Holy Ghost Tabernacle Choir respectively. Cali Kicks was actually Gillian Carter’s first time playing on the West Coast and the Floridians were warmly received while far from home.
Viggy: ‘Cali Kicks came together with some friends who have booked shows in the Bay for years. Violet and Corey have set up many of the best local screamo and DIY shows, including one of our early ones with Widowdusk and Versera. They asked if I’d help them set up a West Coast festival and I immediately thought of my friend Chris Gough. He and I’ve known each other for twenty years, playing together in our old bands Matsuri and Untrust Us. We’d talked endlessly about one day starting a fest, so this felt like the opportunity. We’ve had so many iconic bands from Mohinder and Funeral Diner through Comadre and Beau Navire. We wanted to honor that history and our immensely talented community alongside some of the best artists across the country. It’s nice to be in a band that’s playing the fest, but it’ll be even better to hang out with folks we only see once or twice a year on tour.’
The effort that was put into selection of this all-star lineup simply cannot be overstated. Thanks to Viggy and the other organizers a diverse gathering of talent joined together amidst the July heat. These artists were carefully chosen to represent local and distant bands, older and newer bands, playing in a whole range of intense musical stylings. Senza delivered raw screamo, Capsule brought sludgy metal based hardcore, the youthful grindcore energy of Gxllium was explosive. Fight Fair even came out of retirement not only to lend a name to the festival taken from their song “California Kicks” but also played their first show in thirteen years. Nearly every conceivable style and era of screamo and hardcore were well represented.
I was able to briefly speak to Viggy at the festival about a third of the way into Day One, Drought would perform the next day. I thanked him for his hard work helping to put all of this together and asked him how things were running so far. His eyes scanned the crowd as he detailed some of the issues that had been going on with the generators supplying power. ‘We’ll see how the rest of the day goes. Hopefully things come together today to set us up for success. Tomorrow there will be a stage.’
Drought performing at California Kicks Fest. Photo by ishootpeop1e
Just like when I saw them in SF last year Drought’s performance early into Day Two of the fest was energetic and crowd focused. Viggy pushed out into us as we mobbed forward screaming along to “Oh, Javelin!” ‘It comes in waves of blue and white / So last one here turn out the light!’
It is a testament to the screamo and hardcore community that several hundred people gathered for a heavy music festival in some warehouse in Oakland with concrete floors and there just weren’t any real issues. No drama, no fighting, and no injuries other than a few minor bumps and scrapes from the mosh pit. As we gathered together we looked out for one another. The organizers provided free ice cold water bottles and when someone fell we picked them back up. With no need for a cattle guard we embraced one another at the front, fans and band members mixing together smiling and screaming along.
Bands, organizers, and volunteers gather at the close of Day Two.
In the end the stage may not have manifested, but the dreams of screamo summer certainly did. Ostraca said it best – ‘In a brick warehouse with no running water or power, there can be so much love.’
Coming off a successful album relaunch on vinyl and a festival appearance which they also helped to organize, you have to wonder what’s next for Drought?
Eric: ‘We’re currently writing a full length and planning to release it next year. But we’ll also have at least one release announcement prior to that release. So stay tuned! Aside from that, we’ll be looking forward to the next time we can get out of town to tour.’
RJ: ‘Definitely a full length. I can’t wait to share what we are making and the way the band has grown since the EP. I think the LP will feature some things that will feel familiar to the EP and be at home in the same universe. But I think it’ll also offer a wider breadth of sounds and emotion, and greater insight of who we are and what inspires us. One of the lyrics off the EP that’s often referenced and appears on a few pieces of ours is ‘Unafraid and just beginning’. I think that holds true.’
Be sure to check Drought out on Bandcamp, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. A few copies of EP are still available on ‘bone’ vinyl from Iodine Recordings.
Drought is…
Viggy Ram – Vocals
Eric Nakano – Guitar
RJ Rabe – Guitar
Dev Bleyle – Bass
Ray Avila – Drums
