Brooklyn based alt grunge pop players The Pom Pom Squad brought sweet and sardonic head banging blues to Nashville’s East Room. Bringing out fans from across the state to their headlining set, The Pom Pom Squad played alongside TN natives Black Hippie and Amamva. Pom Pom Squad is a Group of independent artists consisting of permanent members: Front-woman Mia Berrin, Shelby Keller (drums) and Alex Mercuri (guitar). The ambient chimes of the opening track “Soundcheck” locked in the crowd. Kicking off the night with “Head Cheerleader” off their debut album “Death of a Cheerleader” got the party started. The crowd was an echo chamber singing and dancing along with front woman Mia as the show dug deeper and deeper into the lore behind this concept album. Bringing back fan favorites from the group’s first EP “Ow” that catapulted them into the alt mainstream, the group gave a heartfelt performance of “Cherry Blossom” — a gripping song coping with loss and revaluation. Mia’s vocals are evocative of Girl in Red and her performance vibrant full of on the ground guitar solos and audience interaction. The group paid its respect to Pride Month and their solidarity with the Trans community.
Tonight celebrated the start of a new era in music for The Pom Pom Squad. Teasing several unreleased tracks off their soon to be released new album the band promised this new era to be coming from a healed perspective. Berrin reflected on the past songs released by the Pom Pom Squad and cited a pattern of anger that was truly directed towards herself rather than others. Growing from this perspective and entering a new realm the newest music from The Pom Pom Squad touches on highs and lows of growing pains. The singer/songwriter ended the set with her favorite new track “Montague.” Taking their final bows and exiting the stage the crowd couldn’t take “no” for an answer. It’s unclear where the chant began but quickly everyone joined in calling to the band for “One More Song! One More Song!” Thrilled by the audiences fever, the band soon returned to the endless chants and performed not one, but two extra songs for their Nashville fans. The encore concluded with “Crying” a track full of grit and girl grunge. The audience ecstatically sang the chorus back to the band getting louder and louder with each refrain.
- Isabella Ellis
Photos Courtesy of Emily Duncko (For Bell Music Magazine)
