NFV Song Spotlight: Pom Poms' I Think You're Right

I've seen Pom Poms at least 6 times throughout the years. The band has played alongside some of my favorite local bands each of those 6 times. I first came across Pom Poms when they played with The Controversy at one of my previous favorite stomping grounds, The Satellite. It was a shared residency and I saw the pair team-up twice. In regards to The Controversy, it appears that the band is on hiatus though I do know that lead singer Laura Vall and husband / bandmate Thomas Hjorth are still involved in music. 

Pom Poms at Harvard & Stone

I next crossed paths with Pom Poms when they played with Cellars at the Bootleg Theater, another previous favorite stomping grounds. Cellars is currently living in New York City and I noticed that she recently played with Los Angeles to New York City transplant Silent Mass. I have a long and wonderful music history with the lead singer of Silent Mass, Ammo Bankoff. More recently, I've seen the band play alongside Surprise Baby (member of Slugs) and Oddnesse. 

Pom Poms at Harvard & Stone

And finally, I saw Pom Poms play this October during Jesika Von Rabbit's residency at Harvard & Stone. It being the Saturday before Halloween, lead singer Jessie Payo was dressed up as a sultry red devil, which included playing a red guitar. The bandmates were dressed up as The Phantom from The Phantom of the Opera, the sexy maid, and I'm guessing the masked Zorro. The music is retro-1950s rock with Payo leaving everything on the stage. 

Pom Poms at Harvard & Stone

Payo moved along that stage with confidence in her showmanship, often interacting with her guitarist Christian Wunderlich and bassist Marcus Buser. Drummery Riley Bray could be seen yelling and having fun throughout the set. On occasion, Payo would execute the perfect leg kick alongside an emphasized music beat. 

Pom Poms at Harvard & Stone

The band's most recent release is a video for "I Think You're Right" from the band's 2024 album release Main Meat. Payo introduced the song by joking, "The video makes no sense, there's a swamp monster, dancing hotdogs. If you don't like dancing hotdogs then don't watch it, trigger warning." Along with a swamp monster and dancing hotdogs, the music video blends Tron computer graphics, early DOS coding, 70s fashion, and toss in at the start an FBI VHS warning. The song has a psychedelic rock intro that has one imagining lava lamps - the video should have also included lava lamps. As for the live version, the band had the most fun dancing and smiling to the musical bridge while snarling through the lyrics.   

Pom Poms at Harvard & Stone

Setlist: I Put a Spell On You ("Screamin' Jay" Hawkins cover), Hotel Figueroa, Gimme You, Galaxy, Lady Velvet, I Think You're Right, Go Go, Turn You Out, Money On The Floor, Astro Zombies (Misfits cover)