An interesting group of people lined up at the Black Cat on Oct. 5. From punks to indie fans to metalheads, Ex Hex attracted a diverse audience to its show, not only in terms of music fans, but also in age, with attendants ranging from teens to borderline seniors. Having been together for little over a year, it is impressive that these girls have already established such a wide fan base.
When the band took the stage, the audience erupted into an applause louder than anything that the opening bands had received, and Ex Hex hadn’t even played a note. Opening with “Don’t Wanna Lose” off its debut album “Rips,” the band got the crowd moving instantly, with bobbing heads and rhythmic swaying. The crowd maintained this level of energy throughout the show.
Notably, older fans among the audience seemed to be enjoying the music the most. Judging by their age, there were definitely a few veterans of the scene who had witnessed punk from its infancy. It was clear that these fans were more than satisfied with the direction Ex Hex had taken.
Mary Timony and Betsy Wright (guitar/vocals and bass/vocals, respectively) seemed to be having more fun than anyone at the venue, smiling frequently and often turning to play to each other. Their stage presence created a safe, fun-loving atmosphere that put a smile on everyone’s face.
Musically, these girls were solid. Their songs were fairly simplistic, consisting of a chord driven structure featuring decent solos, but punk rock doesn’t need innovation. The fact that the members of Ex Hex are still writing this classic sound is encouraging for the future of the genre. One fan went as far to refer to the band as “the last breath of the riot grrl movement.” Even if this is true, the girls of Ex Hex show no signs of slowing down and are living proof that the D.C. punk scene is still alive and kicking.
