Last Saturday, Soft Focus, Boo Hag, and Danger Boy performed at one of the more well-known DIY venues in Columbia, “The Videodome.” Once called “The Hyperbolic Grime Chamber” and “Brolympus,” this rickety house in the Olympia-Granby neighborhood has been a home for local and touring artists for a few years.
Columbia’s own Soft Focus started the night off with a heavy and somewhat experimental cover of the popular indie hit “Young Folks” by Peter Bjorn and John. Heads were banging to the song that was once in every TV commercial and teen drama in 2010 – a promising start to their noisy, shoegaze filled set.
Next up was Boo Hag, the gothic rock two-piece based in Columbia. With a new release just days prior to the show, their set featured many songs from “Testify” – the 7 track EP all recorded in one home session. Boo Hag’s songs range from southern gothic to electric blues to swamp punk, meaning that there was never a predictable moment throughout the set. The guitarist was very interactive with the crowd, however that’s to be expected with the intimate nature of the space.
Finally, Danger Boy takes the stage as the last band of the night. Before starting the set, the band, per the homeowner’s request, made an announcement: “Dance all you want, but no jumping, please." Fearful of meeting the same fate as “The Capitol,” another house in Columbia where the floor caved in mid-show, and of the subsequent 6-foot drop, this request was taken rather seriously (for the most part). Nonetheless, Danger Boy pumped out high energy doomy post punk as per usual. The surreal sound of this band, combined with the enigmatic performance of Danger Boy's front man, created the illusion of an 80’s gothic rave.
With rumors circulating, it’s hard to say what the future holds for The Videodome. One of the tenants of the house, and a member of Soft Focus, said that their house is very well built, but with the shows getting bigger and bigger, he thinks the Videodome is “on its last leg.” We can only hope that rockstar shows like this one appears in Columbia more frequently, and hopefully, one of them will take place in our beloved Videodome (while it’s still standing).
DJ Corduroy // Maquel Parks