Glacier Veins

Local bands deserve just as much attention as those that are nationally known. Therefore, this week's post highlights Rose City's local dream-punk rockers, Glacier Veins.

Source: Elmer Martinez

The Members

Glacier Veins is a cozy four-piece band who call Portland, Oregon their home. Malia Endres takes on the role of a strong female vocal lead, commanding attention at the mic and with lead guitar. Joshed Bonifacio backs her up on guitar, while Levi Lance bangs out the bass line and Jonah Lance controls the beats. This punk quartet made a lot of noise when they were invited to play a set on the 2016 Warped Tour in their hometown. (This is also where I saw them for the first time!)

The Music

They call themselves "Portland Dream Punk" on their Bandcamp site, and for good reason. Their few releases since their formation have put them on the map locally, and with their most recent tour in September, a good portion of the Pacific Northwest. The band's longest and most recent release, the beautifully strong "Clear Your Head" EP, was preceded by a singles entitled "Japanese Cherry Blossom" and an acoustic rendition of "It's Best If We Run," a song later released on an EP called "Relationship Goals," which they split with another act called Quieter. 

Admittedly, Glacier Veins has introduced me to the genre of dream punk and has gotten me hooked on it. The talented female lead and post-punk style give the band a Paramore vibe, while the lyrics and slower tempo add an emo-indie spin. "Clear Your Head" is a great starting point as an EP, taking the genre by storm with driven yet heartfelt songs that appeal to different crowds. It is a unique and undeniable skill that Glacier Veins has mastered, using their music to influence listeners from other genres (pop punk, shoegaze, elements of punk rock) and draw them in.

After reaching out to the band, frontwoman Malia Endres was awesome enough to provide me with an inside perspective of what it's been like for Glacier Veins this past year:

"It is super crazy to think back to May when we recorded 'Clear Your Head.' That was the point where we set some big goals for ourselves and really started working toward them. We definitely had an exciting start to our summer, playing our EP release show with Superheaven and going on a mini tour in Oregon and northern California in June. The highlight of summer was playing the Portland date of the Vans Warped Tour. It was seriously such an incredible experience being a part of it and getting to share our music with a lot of people who hadn't heard us before. We also did a 2 week west coast tour in September, another amazing experience. It was so cool traveling to new places and playing in new places. Doing all these things has definitely been a dream, and we are very grateful for everyone who supported us in any way."

The Final Word

If you ever find yourself in Portland, try your best to catch a show by these young dreamers. Their passion in the studio and energy on stage make them a young act to look out for. Even more hardcore listeners of punk-rock will enjoy a bit of a break from the mainstream; the way this band can create dreamy, beautiful music while still staying true to the Portland punk scene is undeniable. 

Local bands work hard to get noticed, and your support means everything to them. As a general rule, support local bands in your community - it will mean the world to them. And as for Glacier Veins, a listen on their Bandcamp, http://glacierveinspdx.bandcamp.com, or hitting them up on their Facebook page, is a way to show your support, even if you can't attend one of their energetic live sets. Don't worry, though - they could very well see a larger tour in their already very bright future.

Again, a huge thanks to Ms. Endres for working with me on this post, and all my best to Glacier Veins heading into the new year!

-Aidan