By Sage Matkin

When you walk into Sonic Boom Records with your best friend (Hi KT) and see a plywood stage set on top of vinyl stands, you gawk. A drum kit, one large speaker on wheels, two small speakers, one guitar case, and one bass case seems the max weight that stage would hold. But, boy oh boy, when you see Rachel Ratner walking amongst the crowd, you think: that stage better fucking hold. And so, when Mrs. Wimps, her husband (Mr. Wimps), and the drummer (Mr.-but not in the way that insinuates marriage to Mrs. Wimps, but good friend I’m sure-Wimps) are standing and readying themselves to perform, you lean against the vinyl shelves and prepare yourself. Rachel says hello (you scream), and opens with a promotion of the sale of earplugs found behind us at the counter (you don’t buy them obviously; the deafness for the next day or two is a reminder you’re alive). 

They open with “Rut”, a hit from their latest album, City Lights, and I sing and head bob and scream and headbang. Rachel’s beautiful guitar rhythm aids her beautiful vocals; Matt’s shiny wood-paneled bass feeds the tempo; Dave’s drumming connects straight to the tapping of my toes. They’re all so entwined, drinking from the same water bottle, making the plywood stage bounce, running City Lights hit after hit. For only a 30 minute set, they added 20 years to my life (maybe took away 5 years of my hearing but yolo). 

250 Words or Less: A Concert Review series with Sag