Frankie and the Witch Fingers Pack a Punch at Portland's Doug Fir Lounge
Frankie and the Witch Fingers have been making big waves in the psych rock scene, playing well known festivals like Desert Daze and Levitation. Luckily for fans in the Pacific Northwest, they played the hip and unique Doug Fir Lounge in Portland, OR and we were there to witness the magic. Please enjoy our full review and photo gallery below.
As you approach Doug Fir Lounge you’ll see the outer walls adorned with wood, resembling a log cabin. Inside you’ll find stairs that lead down to the cool and colorful basement. It’s dimly lit with pink, purple and blue hues, the floor by the bar gives a dreamy glow with tiles that are transparent and backlit. The walls are lined with wood grain patterned fabric creating the feeling that you’re in a psychedelic tree trunk. Doug Fir has exceptional acoustics, lighting design and layout. Well known for its intimacy, capacity of 299, and it’s not surprising that it is a favorite spot in Portland for artists and fans alike.
Frankie and the Witch Fingers formed in Bloomington, Indiana ten years ago by vocalists and guitarists Dylan Sizemore and Josh Menashe. Their current lineup includes members “Nikki Pickle” on bass and Nick Aguilar on drums. They are currently Los Angeles-based and release music on Greenway Records. Their psychedelic sound is a mashup of indie, garage and post punk.
Frankie and the Witch Fingers are popular for their lively, high energy shows. Dylan plays his guitar high up on his chest, reminiscent of John Dwyer of Osees. Dylan is wild eyed and jumps around on stage. Josh Menashe shreds on guitar and synth, waving his long hair as he plays, performing stage stunts like bending backwards while playing. Nikki Pickle is hypnotic with bright green hair and fluorescent orange eye shadow, her bass riffs are solid, it’s a blast to watch her fingers gracefully groove. Nick Aguilar, the drummer who joined in 2022 is fast paced and hard hitting with seemingly endless energy. They all work together naturally and have clear chemistry.
Frankie and the Witch Fingers took to the stage with a forceful opening of “Sidewalk”, off the album of the same name. Fans were moshing and singing along so enthusiastically, you wouldn’t have guessed it was a Tuesday night. The first half of the set was peppered with wild songs like “Cocaine Dream” and their new banger “Electricide” released in October of 2022. The band tuned down mid set, changed up the vibe with the popular and eerie song “Dracula Drug” off of their 2019 album ZAM. “Dracula Drug” builds slowly and takes you on a ride, ebbs and flows, dripping and contagious. They continued building on the bubbling energy of ZAM with “Work” and “Realization”.
Frankie and the Witch Fingers closed the set with a chunk of songs off of the album Monsters Eating People Eating Monsters… such as “Reaper” and “MEPEM”. After leaving the stage, they came back out, joined by the members of supporting act Monsterwatch ,to perform the iconic punk rock anthem “I Wanna Be Your Dog “ by The Stooges. They belted the song, dove off the stage, crowd surfed and played guitar as the audience went wild!
If there is one word to describe a Frankie show, it’s “wet”. The crowd was sweaty, dancing non-stop, the band drips with charisma and perspiration! They are continuing the west coast tour with Monsterwatch in San Francisco, Sacramento and San Luis Obispo. Don’t fret if you can’t make this particular tour, Frankie and the Witch Fingers are just getting started!
Listen to Frankie and the Witch Fingers
Review & Photos by: Echo Barrett
