As the Haverford Federation United Concert Series begins their shows again for another year, starting on September 30, we revisit their first show of 2022. They brought out Philly DIY Scene stars Disaster Artist and friend for a joint show that left Lundt Basement packed and (quite literally) shaken.
Disaster Artist is a pair of perpetually grinning twins with long, partially dyed hair and nearly indistinguishable faces. friend is a trio of high school classmates, fitting in well with Haverford’s Quaker emphasis on friendship.
When each group takes the stage in Haverford’s Lundt Basement during the first Friday Underground Concert Series (FUCS), they transform. The smiling, jovial band members are replaced with rage-fueled, “goblin punk” performers, turning the quiet, suburban dorm basement into a full-scale mosh pit like the ones that populate Philly DIY venues.
Disaster Artist runs around on stage, pulling out cloaks and saxophones. They were fully experimental in their performance, similar to their early muse, Tommy Wiseau. The creator of the cult-film “The Room” is the inspiration for their name, a Disaster nd the root of a childhood obsession. They each laughed, sharing that their yearbook quotes from high school were, “You’re tearing me apart,” and “Lisa!” (which didn’t fully work, because they were put on separate pages). They explained that Wiseau showed them that “it doesn’t matter how bad you are if you have a dream.”
When friend takes the stage, they bring their intense energy. Josh and Autumn did a routine during one of their songs where Josh continued to play guitar and sing, while using his hand to performa mock-exorcism on Autumn. Autumn lay on the ground, slowly rising up from their prostrated position. Autumn said that they only had enough energy for the maneuver because Haverford junior and FUCS organizer Harrison Lennertz jumped on stage and sang their part during one of their songs. “We had no idea he was going to do that!” Josh shared.
friend and Disaster Artist go back to their own days in college, as they were roommates for three of their four years at the University of the Arts. Josh met the Mayo twins in the first week of their freshman year and have remained close since. Autumn and Aubrey moved up from Northern Virginia to pursue music as a group full time, and the two groups have become intertwined. Both groups emphasize the importance of community. Disaster Artist and friend each explained how the network and support of the DIY scene got them to where they are now. “We wouldn’t be anywhere without community.”
It’s the sense of support that encouraged both groups to form their collectives out of their individual projects. Chris and Joseph both spoke warmly of their artist father, who constantly tells them that “anybody can make art.” The twins take this seriously, designing visuals for their own music and their friends. Most recently, they’ve delved into the world of stop motion animation. They’ve become collaborative by nature through this.
friend has also become very collaborative. They described how they “slid in” to the DIY scene after COVID. Today, they say the scene is “strong, flourishing and thriving,” and they’re proud to be a part of it. FUCS was their first time playing on a college-sanctioned show. When they played at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt), it was for a late night show. They said that their music is not meant for crowds sitting, it’s about moshing and experiencing the music.
They most recently toured together, collectively taking their music to Asheville, New York, DC, Atlanta, Worcester, Harrisonburg, State College and Pitt. They say they primarily visit college towns, because their more experimental music lends itself better towards younger audiences. Although this was the first show at a campus through a college-sponsored event, they said it was good to be playing in a dorm basement. Joseph laughed, picking at the grass on Haverford’s quad as they marveled at the campus, “We belong in basements.” Chris, half of the duo, added, “We are basement music.” FUCS, both groups agreed, had a special energy of people looking out for each other, pulling people out of the pit when they were at risk and enjoying the music. friend said, “College students are hungry for the show.”
Regardless of the venue, the group says they remain consistent. When they played a show in Brooklyn, New York, they arrived to discover it was an unpaid gig at a cop bar. They only pieced this together, however, while on stage. They still did their normal set, which includes the track “No Room for Pigs in Heaven.” Josh shared that they always bring “120%” energy. After they played, he amended himself, saying that Autumn brings 240% energy.
After the show, both bands stood in the chilled autumn air, reverted to their regular states of being. Jackets and t-shirts had been returned to their frames. If not for mussed hair, you may not have assumed they’d just been screaming their lungs out to a packed room of students. Bassist and singer for friend, Josh commented on the ceilings, saying that it was nice to be able to perform and not hit their heads. Autumn said they wished they’d tried to crowd surf.
