NFV Song Spotlight: Blue Wisteria's Members Only

I ran across Blue Wisteria back in April 2022. They were playing at the Silverlake Lounge (not the current owners, but the prior owners). I did an interview with the band at the time. Here are some snippets from that interview: 

Blue Wisteria at Club Tee Gee

Question. What is currently influencing the band - in terms of music? Answer. Dissonance, ostinato / repetitiveness, simplicity, and as far as bands right now a 1/2 cup of Devo, splash of the Mo-dettes, a spoonful of ESG, and more.

Own final thoughts: I guess I just want to remind people that you can do whatever you want, there are really no rules. For me, it’s important not to let myself get tied into this idea that there is only one right way to do anything, so I’ll end this with a quote I love from John Cage, “We're breaking all of the rules, even our own rules, and how do we do that? By leaving plenty of room for X quantities.”

Blue Wisteria at Club Tee Gee

I happened to notice that the band was playing at Club Tee Gee in December 2024. I decided to catch the band again. I live about 1.5 miles away from Club Tee Gee so I took a walk over. Why not? Get some night exercise in. 

The band is a four piece fronted by Gloria Marie. Between that time I caught them in 2022 and my 2024 encounter, the band released an album called Surcrose. It has to be said that most of the crowd was there to see Blue Wisteria. It was a bit obvious as they were the first band up and parts of the crowd slowly drifted out the door before the next band hit the stage. 

Blue Wisteria at Club Tee Gee

The set was fun with Gloria Marie high stepping throughout the set. 

I would say that the song best representing the "dissonance, ostinato, simplicity" of the band is "Members Only." The music does hit on repeat drum and bass beats, interrupted by dissonance synth notes that sound disassociated from the rest of the music. Yet it all works together. The ostinato continues with the lyrics where "One day I'll grow up to be a member of society" is sung on repeat. 

Blue Wisteria at Club Tee Gee

Now what is the song about? I'm not certain. In some ways, I feel like it is a song about being unwillingly drawn (or maybe seduced by certain benefits) into the culture of Corporate America. 

Society I've danced in their marble

Towers I've joked and drank their wine

And does Gloria Marie perhaps realize that others who have resisted or not yet been seduced by that work lifestyle might pity the Corporate America employee? 

When you weep for a creature like me

it's okay it's all right a human ally

I don't know. That's just my interpretation of the song. In the music video, there is a scene where the individual wearing an ape mask walks down a hallway and stops at a door. There is an exit sign above, but the individual walks right through the door without a glance at the exit sign.  

Blue Wisteria at Club Tee Gee

Setlist: Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, Pacemaker, Members Only, Red Hour, Lee Hayes, Clitellum.