Cosmic Space Bunnies' 11-year-old guitarist lands spot at Tree Fort's Kids Fort.
She's taking her dad. Plus, a listening party for Depeche Mode's new album and the return of the Red Coats.
By its bio, Cosmic Space Bunnies are either: baby rabbits from space, whose guitars “will melt your face.”
Or: “just an 11-year-old yelling at you about school and life.”
That 11-year old is Ellen, and Ellen started playing guitar three years ago, because that’s what ones does during a pandemic that has you in lockdown.
She played 20 minutes a day, until she learned to read tabs. And then things really took off.
“I just started playing more every day,” Ellen says, via email, in advance of a trip to Boise, Idaho for the TreeFort Music Festival, where Cosmic Space Bunnies will be performing as part of the KidsFort music showcase.
Ellen applied for the spot mostly for the chance at free wristbands and a trip to see her favorite band, the Illuminati Hotties.
“My parents wouldn’t drive me to TreeFort just to see the Illuminati Hotties, but if I got accepted to play at Kidfort, they couldn’t exactly say no.”
That’s fair, especially since her dad, Jimi, is the other half of the Cosmic Space Bunnies.
After Ellen started playing guitar, Jimi bought an old drum set from a pawn shop so the pair could play together. The band started in proper after the family moved to Fresno from Houston in the summer of 2021.
“That’s when I realized that I really wanted to have this band be the real deal,” Ellen says. “I missed my friends and my old house, and something that made me feel better was to play music with my dad.”
True to its bio, Cosmic Space Bunnies write songs that seem age appropriate.
“Kids in Texas,” is a White Stripes-y blues stomp that chronicle young life in the Lone Star state … Hint: The kids there like to have fun.
“Y.YO.G.O.I.” is a straight up rocker, sung with early punk sneer. It’s full of some really wholesome pre-teen yearning and self-discovery; also a couple of digs at adults.
“So, sorry about your taxes,” Ellen sings, before ending the song with with the title’s promised acronym. “Yes. You’re old. Get over it.”
“I try to write songs that inspire people to just be themselves and to enjoy doing things that they love to do,” Ellen says.
“Our goal is to inspire young people, especially other girls, to follow their dreams and to be brave and passionate.”
Both songs are available across streaming platforms. The band can be seen seen around town. They’ve played a few sets at Full Circle Brewing. You can follow Cosmic Space Bunnies on Instagram.
Depeche Mode, “Memento Mori” album listening party
Matt Davis, who hosts the indie, post-punk, darkwave radio show Left of The Dial (9 p.m. Sundays on KFCF), put together a pretty rad event for fans of Depeche Mode.
He’ll be previewing the band’s latest album “Memento Mori,” with a listening party 7 p.m. Friday at Chris Sorensen Studios and Gallery (a legendary Fresno art spot if you haven’t been there).
It’s free and all ages and guests will be treated to a full run through of the album, along with some Depeche Mode trivia and the like. The event is a kind of trial run, Davis says. If it goes well we can expect more of these kind of listening parties in the future.
“Memento Mori” is out on Friday. It’s Depeche Mode’s first album in six years and its last with keyboardist Andy Fletcher who died last May.
Help The Red Coats with “the Algorithm”
On Tuesday (PI day, FYI) The Red Coats released its new single, “The Algorithm.”
It’s marks a return for the band, which seemed to have been laying low, though singer Gabriel Francisco was out experimenting musically (and also out not making friends with Kai the Hitchhiker, but that’s another story).
“The Algorithm” is a poppy bit of modern rock that feels like a growth for the band. It’s both retro and timely, if not slightly on the nose lyrically. Mostly, it allows Francisco to do what he does best, playing through his vocal range; from near screams to falsetto and back.
“The Algorithm” is available across platforms now.
That’s it for this week. Remember you can now hear me on the Homegrown Show Sundays at 8 p.m. on New Rock 104.1 FM. If you have anything you think I need to be looking at or listening to, feel free to let me know: jtehee@gmail.com