THV
THV hails from Grand Rapids, MI, and is self-described as “an eclectic multi-instrumental rock duo for fans of Ween, Primus, Devo, Frank Zappa.” It checks out.
As a person who grew up on Zappa, Captain Beefheart, and other obscure sounds, the duo was immediately up my alley. And the eccentric, curated delivery for their live show was delightful in person when I had the opportunity to watch and photograph them at Makaria’s Gate this summer. Evan and Ed are absolutely in sync with each other–tight rhythms, complex and riffy melodies, and goofy little ear-worm lyrics like, “when u want 2 do the thing u want 2 do the thing u want 2 do the thing u want 2 do the thing you want 2 do the thing you do” from The Thing You Do on their self-titled album released in November 2022.
THV || THV|| November 2022
Like the Mario and Luigi of radically mathematical absurdity, my favorite thing about Evan and Ed is that they don’t take themselves very seriously. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t! Their self-titled album is literally packed with bitchin riffs from shred to jazz and furiously complex drums–and both of them sing! For musicians like me who delight in the avante-garde, it’s very tasty indeed.
Evan Follmar is a musician I’ve known for a very long time. His percussive talent is impressive. Example: he plays complicated drumbeats while playing keyboards and singing. But he’s not just a technical player–he’s a very thoughtful one, making sure to play exactly what is needed. I know this because I’ve not only had the opportunity to create music with him, but also to teach beside him, as we both worked as music instructors for years. Ed Stanley is a wonderful complement to Evan’s jazz-fueled compositions, bringing not only some heaviness (yus!) and technical weight on guitar to the project, but also some high-posi frontman energy. Both individuals are excellently supportive of our local music community and spend a lot of time not only creating their own music, but also showing up for others as a familiar face on, say, a weekday show where you might not expect to see them. Extra punk points.
Listening to their discography on bandcamp will take you to a lot of faraway places, but it will keep leading you back to a sort of playful happiness that I think is often missing from complex music, and that makes it something I truly enjoy. I think you will, too.
<3 Channy (HOYS Fest Producer)
Experience THV live at Heart on Your Sleeve Fest on February 10th, 2024! Tickets will be available at a discounted rate on Black Friday 2023. Stay tuned for more updates!
Make sure to listen to THV on Bandcamp! Also find them on Facebook and Instagram!
#HOYSfest #HeartOnYourSleeveFest #BringBackTheHallShow