Trans folk punk band Pigeon Pit from Olympia performed a live show at the all-ages Vera Project on Friday, Nov. 21, coinciding with the release of their newest album, Leash Aggression.
Pigeon Pit originally began as a solo venture by Lomes Oleander in 2014. Since then, they have released five albums, available on various music platforms, including Bandcamp and Spotify. Oleander explained that they love performing at the Vera Project, a reason being that youth volunteers run and organize the shows, allowing many of the participants to learn useful skills related to sound design, event planning, and music promotion. Oleander also lamented the dearth all-ages venues: “Having all-ages shows is increasingly hard to find in cities because of the profit incentive of bars and rising cost of living, and the rising cost of having a space with affordable shows.”
The opener for the show was Portland-based folk singer Lightnin’ Luke, most of whose performances were sing-alongs, after which he would hang out at the merch corner to say hello to fans. It is clear that Lightnin’ Luke is a musician who can engage with an audience and hype up a crowd, making him a perfect fit as the opening act.
Afterward, Pigeon Pit took the stage, and one of the first songs they performed was “Empties” from the album Feather River Canyon Blues. One fan brought a can of Campbell’s soup, referencing the song “Soup for My Family” from the same album; Jim Rhian, the pedal steel guitarist, used that same can to perform the song. The band also provided the audience with a taste of their newest sound by performing a couple of tracks from their latest album, beginning with “Last Night on Planet Earth,” as well as section dedicated to Oleander's solo performances, including songs such as “Nights Like These” and “Milk Crates.” Many concertgoers in the pit took to dancing and cheering as the band delivered a stellar performance.
One more act followed, however. New Orleans-based folk band Holy Locust took to the stage with a more traditional Cajun mix of cellos, fiddles, and accordion, having previously performed with Pigeon Pit in Olympia as part of Leash Aggressions' release.
Discussing the creative process behind Leash Aggression, the band's second full-length album of 2025,Oleander explained that the record was produced very quickly, with all the songs written six months after Crazy Arm’s release and recorded in August, before the band left for their UK and Europe tour. “It’s a lot more simple and pulled back and was kind of a speed writing experiment for me,” said Oleander.
Leash Aggression tells a story of the current human condition in acoustic punk fashion, with tracks such as “Landlord Special,” a melancholy solo by Oleander addressing the current affordability crisis in Washington from the perspective of many within the punk scene, who are outpriced from a more comfortable quality of life.
Modern punk rock has seen a greater representation of Trans musicians, as exemplified by acts such as Um, Jennifer? and Laura Jane Grace of Against Me!. Punk is a politically charged genre, and in an age when Trans rights are facing constant scrutiny and attack, Trans musicians are more relevant now than ever.
“I’ve always found that music, long before I started playing shows, was a way for me to tap into community and to feel connection with other people, and to be exposed to political ideas,” Oleander explained.
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