(Re)Discovering Panchiko
Words & photos by Bell Beecher Pitkin ‘23
On Wednesday, October 26th, I took the red line from Central to Davis and found myself packed into the pit of Somerville’s Crystal Ballroom. Surrounding me was seemingly every fairy grunge, Tumblr-using, vinyl- and film-purist from every nook and cranny of the surrounding Boston area. And we were all there for one reason: to see Panchiko.
Formed in 1997 by Owain Davies, and Andy Wright, the British group is best known for their shoegaze, indie rock style and frequent incorporation of sampled materials. However, while the band had a promising sound, they remained unsigned and mostly unknown through the late ‘90s and early 2000s. It wasn’t until 2016 that the group’s first album was found in a charity shop and uploaded to 4chan. The album was quickly circulated and became an instant classic within the indie music community. Still unsigned to any label, lacking funding, and facing setbacks due to Covid, their 2022 tour is the group's first—not that anyone could tell.
Before Panchiko took the stage, the audience was serenaded by the incredible indie front-woman of Computerwife, Adeline Warncke. Just a year older than me, at age 23, and singing about “drinking, drawing, LSD, and moldy bongs,” it almost felt like Warncke and I should’ve been in one of the mildew-filled house show venues in Allston frequented by Berklee students. Yet, Warncke took full command of the stage with ease, her haunting melodies and impeccable bass lines mesmerizing all in the audience. For the final song in her set, her backup band (Dalton Salisbury on guitar and John Supnick on drums) left her. She put down her bass, and mixed on her sp404 with one hand while holding her mic as she sang with the other. If you like Slutever, Horsegirl, Bratmobile, and Soccer Mommy, check out Computerwife ASAP.
After a grueling 15-minute-intermission where I had to fight to protect my camera from the indie bros pushing up behind me, the house lights faded once again, and five middle-aged British men took the stage. Here is where I am going to be very honest—at the time, I only knew one Panchiko song, and the last time I had listened to it was during my sophomore year of college in 2020. So I went into this with absolutely no idea what to expect, and found myself completely enthralled by the performance.
Their set consisted of almost their entire discography as well as some unpublished demos. They played the one song I knew, “D>E>a>T>H>M>E>T>a>L,” as well as others like “Kicking Cars” and “Laputa” that I had to google when I got home. Lead singer, guitarist, and synth player Owain Davies’ vocals gave an emotional and poignant performance that oftentimes contrasted the intensity of their rock sound. Guitarist Andy Wright charmed the audience throughout the night with his witty demeanor, delightful accent, and impeccable musical talent. Together, the entire band cultivated a wonderful presence both onstage and within the venue.
So if you like Nirvana, Molchat Doma, Blur, or Radiohead, take a listen to Panchiko. And if you get the chance, take a dive into the WZLY CD collection, who knows, maybe you’ll find the record the world (or just you) has been waiting to listen to.
