Pig Milk & Jack Powers and the Petaltones bring colorful, enthusiastic performance to NYC
When you walk into Baby’s All Right to the tune of Jack Powers singing Star Spangled Banner with a voice modulator, you know you’re in for a great show.
Last Saturday, June 7th, I had the chance to catch Pig Milk’s “The Pride is High” show at Baby’s All Right with openers Jack Flowers and the Petaltones and Violet Stanza. “Lots of sapphic yearning tonight,” said Pig Milk’s front woman Mic. A fitting summary for a night of dynamic indie rock delivered by a powerful lineup of queer women.
While a harrowing public transit journey prevented me from catching Violet Stanza’s set, I can say that I have followed her music for quite some time. Stanza’s beautiful and complex lyricism can be heard on tracks like “Goodwill,” which chronicles her journey from trying a dress on for the first time to becoming truly happy and comfortable in her own skin. “Close to heaven” features soothing harmonies sung over melodic and bright guitars. When later bands shouted out Stanza between songs, they were met with a roar of approval that speaks to just how well she performed. I hope to catch her next set and will keep an eye on her social media accounts @violetstanza for when she announces more dates. You can find her music under Violet Stanza wherever you listen to music.
I’ve had the privilege of seeing Jack Flowers and the Petaltones perform across NJ and NYC over the years and with every performance, they come more into their own as a band. Tonight, they were truly in their element. Under front-woman and songwriter Jack Powers, simple topics like her pet lizard, Mavis, or the fit of her jeans take a twist and turn into memorable stories that pack a passionate punch. “Mavis the Lizard,” a new song by Powers, starts out as a cheerful acoustic ode to a bearded dragon that cannot feel emotion and quickly flips into a scornful criticism of apathetic politicians. Powers’ songwriting prowess is reinforced by the rest of the Petaltones, who pour emotion into their instrumentation. On Fit Right, Tim Nuzzetti’s frenetic drums pair with high-strung guitars to induce the kind of anxiety you can only get trying on ill-fitting clothes in an outlet mall dressing room.
But, more than anything, the Petaltones’ music is colorful and enthusiastic. Kyle Steven Sanders and Matheus Bueno’s jangly guitars blend with the comforting rhythms of Bella Miller’s bass playing to embody the kind of carefree bliss described in the Powers’ lyrics for “She’s in My Head.” The Petaltones’ greatest strength is their ability to connect with the crowd and keep spirits up. During an unreleased song, Slow Dance, audience members grabbed friends, partners and even strangers for a real, high-school-prom-style slow dance as Powers waltzed with a wooden chair. Powers’ wispy but powerful vocals shine through on crowd favorites like “Downtempo Girl” and unreleased song “Party.” When the chorus of a song kicks in, Sanders leaps off of the drum kit and the crowd cheers him on, keeping the dance party going the whole time. The band, who met while studying music at university, have a deep technical understanding of their instruments that enables them to experiment and get weird with it in the best way, as seen on “The Internet.”
Together, the Petaltones deliver a vibrant rock sound that you can rage or sob to, a talent best demonstrated in “Postcard”. The band creates an air of longing and heartbreak through buzzing guitars and pounding drums that amplify Powers’ simple but effective lyrics. Powers also hinted at a potential album release in the near future. I cannot wait to hear what is sure to be a promising debut album. The Petaltones can be found at @thepetaltones on Instagram and other socials. To hear more, you can look up Jack Powers on all streaming services.
The crowd, still upbeat after the Petaltones’ set, suddenly erupts with chants of “OINK! OINK! OINK!” as Pig Milk walks on stage. Before they’ve even started, the four-piece set has full command of the room — and the talent to use it. Clad in black, the band kicks off their set of pure rock ’n roll.
Drummer Lexie and guitarist Allegra lean heavily in a hard rock sound that’s elevated by lead singer Mic’s sultry vocals. Pig Milk, who recently won Dave’s Lesbian Bar’s Battle of the Bands, currently does not have any music released on streaming services. Despite this, the audience already has a strong familiarity with their songs and the band members themselves. Cries of “I love you Mic!” and chants for each member’s name could be heard throughout the set. The chemistry between band members is just as electric as their connection with the audience. They are a close knit group that can have fun on stage in a way that brings the songs to life and keeps the audience excited.
The band brings high energy to their cover of “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” by Jet. The band also did a dance-worthy cover of “Garden of Eden” by Lady Gaga and a stirring rendition of “Talia” by King Princess, bringing their own style to each song.
Their original work made it clear that they are much more than a cover band. The driving rhythms of Pig Milk’s songs pull you into a world of messy nights out, heartbreak and sapphic joy. On standout song “Carousel,” Mic describes getting broken up with in an NYC park with effective imagery and memorable lyrics. Shredding guitars and heavy bass that give a cool, almost menacing feeling to the music that is amped up by punchy drums. Another original song was written by bassist Lexie for her partner and drummer, Jill. It is a heartfelt moment in the set as audience members wave lighters and phone flashlights in tandem.
When it was time for them to walk off, the crowd was begging for them to come back. People truly wanted more from Pig Milk. The band walked back on stage and ended on a high note with an energetic cover of Chappell Roan’s “The Giver.” They certainly get the job done. You can find the band @pigmilknyc on Instagram and TikTok, where I will be checking for news of upcoming shows and music releases constantly.
