When the Noise Pop festival descends on San Francisco, the entire city transforms into a music lover's playground. For 30 years, Noise Pop has ignited San Francisco's independent music scene. Imagine: 10 vibrant days spread across 25 venues, showcasing 160 bands, all of which electrify San Francisco. It's a chance to discover hidden gems, explore iconic spots, and see a carefully curated selection of amazing artists, including a focus on some of the most prolific local indie bands in the Bay Area.

So it was no surprise to see Chokecherry, San Francisco’s rising shoegaze grunge stars, booked to perform on a Friday night at Bottom of the Hill as part of Noise Pop. Despite forming just over a year ago, they've rapidly become a sensation, packing venues across the city. Joined by the powerhouse lineup of Maggie Gently, Raue, and Ultra Q, Chokecherry unleashed a set that truly left the venue ringing.

As Chokecherry takes the stage to begin their blistering set, two young fans catch their attention in the front row. The fans had made custom friendship bracelets, with “chokecherry 4 ever”, “around around around” and “glass jaw” (the titles of Chokecherry’s first two singles) adorned in the beads. The band immediately puts the bracelets on before introducing themselves to the crowd and diving into their first song of the night.

From the moment the first psychedelic notes rang through the venue, the crowd was enchanted. Guitarist Izzie A. Clark begins with the hauntingly beautiful arpeggio intro to “Messy Star” while bassist E. Scarlett Levinson sings the opening verse. Drummer Abri Crocitto then comes in, bringing the energy up as Clark and Levinson trade vocal lines. The song then builds up to a grungy heav bridge into a harmonic and whammy filled guitar solo. At this point the crowd has already begun to thrash around, filled with the electric energy pouring out from the stage. 

Throughout their 7 song, 40 minute set, Chokecherry continue to paint a beautiful psychedelic tapestry with their music. As they play “Glass Jaw”, their shoegaze/grunge anthem, the crowd sings along to the massively catchy chorus. Levinson and Clark’s otherworldly vocal harmonies in “Lisa” give a chilling look into the sorrow, pain and anger when someone you love leaves. Crocitto’s drumming adds a level of energy that gives additional weight to the song as it intensifies with heavy riffs and sees the mosh pit open up and the crowd headbanging along.

Chokecherry end their set with the ferocious “Desert Scorp”, a scorching 6 minute thrasher filled with multiple guitar solos, punchy bass lines and thunderous drums that kicks the already lively crowd into another gear. Clark and Levinson end the song by banging the necks of their guitar and bass together in a climactic moment that puts an exclamation mark on their set. The crowd is clamoring for more as Chokecherry takes their bow. Before exiting the stage, they made sure to repay the gift of the friendship bracelets and give a setlist to those young fans up front.

Chokecherry is set to have a big year, with sets booked for SXSW in Austin, Texas, Treefort Music Festival in Boise, Idaho, Capitol Hill Block Party in Seattle, Washington, and opening for Destroy Boys on their upcoming US Tour. If Chokecherry’s set at Bottom of the Hill is any indication, they will be taking the world by storm. 

Photos and Review by Kyle Hotchkiss

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