Spokane-based bands Fine Line and Snacks at Midnight, alongside Pullman-based band Daddy Issues, performed last month for local students at a concert hosted in the living room of a Washington State University student.

WSU senior Jack Christensen opened his house to the public for the concert on Sept. 9, after the success of a private concert in April 2022. The turnout for the public concert exceeded expectations. Some members of the crowd were headbanging into the kitchen. 

Bassist Nickolaus Harner, who performed for Fine Line and Snacks at Midnight, said the bands struggled to maneuver through the large audience and communicate with each other.

“It was funny watching Rory [Babin] go back and forth through the crowd trying to fix sound,” Harner said. “We were giving each other hand signals on what to fix.”

The crowd got so close to the stage that Snacks at Midnight guitarist Giovani Covarrubias tangled his headstock with a woman’s hair. 

Christensen is one of the founders of the Palouse Music Community, alongside WSU senior Ian Wells. The two founded the group after a hot tub conversation in July 2021. The idea soon grew into a large community of around 400 people. The community’s goal is to promote collaboration, live music and a sense of creative community according to the server.

“We figured that if we could bring people together, then people would make bands,” Christensen said. “We hoped that the Palouse Music Community could be something that sticks around long after we’re gone.”

Christensen played bass and sang for Daddy Issues to open the show. Christensen performed alongside guitarists Isak Pickel and Arturo Bieghler, with Ben Smith on drums. The band’s setlist included “Welcome to Paradise,” “Should I Stay or Should I Go” and “Johnny B. Goode.” The concert was the band’s first-ever performance.

“I hadn’t played a concert since high school and that was a complete bust,” Christensen said. “From our first note when people started cheering all of the nerves just went away. It was pure adrenaline.”

Fine Line performed original songs such as “Flying Machine,” “Nineteen Forever” and “Hold Tight.” The band also performed covers of songs such as “Misery Business,” “Animal” and “The Middle.” The band closed its set with “Mr. Brightside,” with drummer Matt Diaz finishing by throwing his sticks toward the ceiling and hitting his cymbals.

Guitarist and vocalist Patrick Henkels said the concert was the best show they have played.

“It was definitely so cool just to see that many people singing along with us,” Henkels said. “When you’re playing for a crowd and they’re giving that same energy back that you’re giving to them it really is a special thing.”

Guitarist and vocalist Lucas Guin said the crowd’s energy helped him sing multiple songs with a lost voice.

Snacks at Midnight capped off the night with a high-energy mix of alternative rock, funk and a little jazz. The band performed originals such as “Hey” and “Better Than Ever.”

The band performed covers of songs such as “Lonely Boy,” and “Everybody Talks.” Pianist William Babin and drummer Austin Davis laid down the percussive backbone of the performance. Guitarist and vocalist Rory Babin continuously bounced on top of a subwoofer for the entire set. 

“People got really into it, which is always nice,” Rory Babin said. “There was so many people pushing in on the stage that there wasn’t any more breathing room.”

Students crowd surfed throughout the night. Christensen crowd surfed during the Snacks at Midnight set, staying in the air for over a minute. Christensen said crowd surfing in his living room felt surreal.

“I grew up in the Seattle punk and metal scene so I crowd surfed before, but they were often with strangers,” Christensen said. “I recognized some of the people holding me up in the air, and for the first time in my crowd surfing experience I was able to just relax.”