LOS ANGELES, CA- My first exposure to Portland’s The Macks came through their double video release for “Dually of Man” and “The Modern Grape,” and I have to admit … I’m hooked. There’s something raw and intriguing about this band, a lo-fi, dirt-under-the-fingernails sound that feels both chaotic and deliberate, like they’re daring you to wade into the mess with them.
“Dually of Man” charges forward with a heavy, almost psychedelic churn while vocalist Sam Fulwiler rattles off the dreary rituals of middle-class monotony. It’s a song that skewers the suburban quiet, mocking the idea of keeping the volume down and playing nice while boredom breeds rebellion. The repeated line about “old drunks and fake punks” taking back the West Coast lands with the sneer of someone who’s lived it.
If “Dually of Man” digs into the banality of suburban life, “The Modern Grape” feels like a warped pep talk for anyone clawing toward significance. It cycles through impatience and resignation, with the band wondering if they’re destined to be juicy grapes or shriveled raisins in the pursuit of artistic validation. There’s humor buried in the desperation, a twisted self-awareness that makes that makes this band terribly fun to listen to.
The sound across both tracks is gloriously messy: jagged guitar riffs, feverish rhythms, and production that doesn’t smooth over a thing. Instead, it revels in the imperfections, which gives the music a sweaty, frenetic energy. It’s rock that feels alive in its flaws, more basement show than polished studio cut. That scuffed-up quality pairs perfectly with the band’s dark wit and restless spirit.
There’s a sense that The Macks aren’t just making music, they’re building a little world where they can laugh at the absurdity of chasing greatness while still sprinting after it anyway. For a first encounter with this band, I couldn’t have asked for better. “Dually of Man” and “The Modern Grape” are an invitation into The Macks’ warped, raucous universe, and I’m definitely curious to see where the full album Bonanza takes them.
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UPCOMING 2025 TOUR DATES
October 2 – San Diego, CA – Casbah*
October 3 – Palmdale, CA – Transplant Brewing*
October 4 – Los Angeles, CA – Zebulon*
October 5 – Santa Cruz, CA – Moe’s Alley*
October 6 – San Francisco, CA – The Chapel*
October 7 – Sacramento, CA – Cafe Colonial*
October 8 – Eugene, OR – John Henry’s*
October 9 – Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios*
October 10 – Seattle, WA – Clock Out Lounge*
October 11 – Boise, ID – Realms Arcade*
October 12 – Salt Lake City, UT – Aces High Saloon*
October 13 – Denver, CO – HiDive*
October 14 – Omaha, NE – Reverb Lounge*
October 15 – St. Paul, MN – Turf Club*
October 16 – Des Moines, IA – xBk Live*
October 17 – Chicago, IL – Reggies*
October 18 – Cudahy, WI – X-Ray Arcade*
October 19 – Grand Rapids, MI – Pyramid Scheme*
October 22 – Philadelphia, PA – MilkBoy*
October 23 – Hamden, CT – Space Ballroom*
October 24 – Brooklyn, NY – TV Eye*
October 25 – Baltimore, MD – Metro*
October 26 – Raleigh, NC – The Pour House*
October 27 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade*
October 28 – Savannah, GA – The Wormhole Bar*
October 29 – Orlando, FL – Will’s Pub*
October 30 – Mobile, AL – The Merry Widow*
October 31 – New Orleans, LA – Gasa Gasa*
November 1 – Houston, TX – Eighteen Ten Ojeman*
November 2 – Austin, TX – 29th Street Ballroom*
November 4 – Dallas, TX – RBC Deep Ellum*
November 5 – Tulsa, OK – Mercury Lounge*
November 6 – Albuquerque, NM – Sister Bar*
November 7 – Tempe, AZ – Yucca Tap Room*
November 8 – Las Vegas, NV – Swan Dive*
November 9 – Long Beach, CA – Alex’s Bar*
*supporting Acid Mothers Temple
All tour dates here
