Photo by Helen Moga
Over the course of the past 12 years Emily, Bree, Lelah, and Eric have been touring their tails off as Tacocat, cultivating a loyal and growing fanbase through their special brand of glitter coated hypercolor indie punk that’s just as fun and engaging as their name suggests, but don’t mistake them for a meme.
Never ones to shy away from tackling the big issues, Tacocat liberally coat their sound in waves of surf inspired sonic confection that calls to mind The B-52s smashed headlong into The Cramps to counterbalance the heavy themes the band tackles lyrically. Life is tough and the state of the world can seem bleak at times but a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.
The band’s latest album, This Mess Is A Place, was crafted in the wake of the disastrous 2016 election and the seemingly endless race to the bottom of politics, policy, and general decency that followed. But despite wallowing in the mire of reality Tacocat kept their chins held high and focused on the glimmer of hope shining through the smog. Sure it sucks now, but what a time to barely be alive.
This unflappable positivity under the weight of the human pyramid is undoubtedly the secret to Tacocat’s success and the magnetism of their relatable resilience is readily apparent both onstage and off. I had to good fortune to catch up with the band before their performance last week at Music Hall of Williamsburg and talk about What’s In The Van, or in this case “step-van,” and was won over by their charm and natural humor. They’re a close-knit crew that certainly puts the “pal” in palindrome.
Tacocat is on tour all summer so be sure to stop out to one of their shows and pick up a copy of “This Mess Is A Place” on vinyl or some rad merch. Stream their new album on Spotify and follow the band on Instagram to keep up with their pan-American hijinks and more.
