On Thursday, March 15, 2018 Memphis’s own Aquarian Blood played an intimate show at Goner Records in the Cooper-Young neighborhood. A mix of lo-fi sounds with a heavy garage-punk influence, Aquarian Blood’s implementation of frenzied vocals with laid-back performance style made for an interesting contrast. Founded by JB Horrell and former Nots drummer Laurel Ferdon, Aquarian Blood’s sound harkens back to the Memphis punk scene of the early 2000’s which Goner is known for cultivating. Horrell and Ferdon often collaborate together on vocals creating a crooning sound which allows for the sometimes chaotic nature of their music to be softened. Aquarian Blood signed with Goner Records in 2015, and their EP Savage Mind was their first release on the label. Their performance at Goner was casual in nature: three out of four members of the group were seated while a standing audience crowded around them as they played a relaxed and low-key set. Aquarian Blood performed some new songs for the crowd which were a departure in sound from their previously released music while also performing classics like “Savage Mind.” The audience was compiled of individuals in varying age ranges; however, it was evident that everyone in attendance felt a connection to this homegrown band and their relationship with the historic Memphis music scene.
Text by Savannah Seagall