Die Spitz is the Greatest Gift of the 2020s

OK, let’s try a few of these.ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤDie Spitz? More like Die Happy Now That I’ve Seen Them.

Die Spitz? How about Die-ing To Hear What They Do Next.

Die Spitz? Try Die Spit-ting Out All The Lyrics In The Shower.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤThat is out of my system now. Fantastic. On with the review.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤIt’s easy for hype to work in reverse. Each time you see a band’s name pop up on social media, it may add to a growing disinterest. The band is cool now, and you’ve missed your chance to gain indie cred. Without the opportunity to assert yourself over less cultured and more mainstream consumers, what’s even the point of listening to music??

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤWell, sometimes it pays to have faith in the masses. Die Spitz was that band whose name was absolutely everywhere on my social media feed. They were practically a mental household name before I heard a note. I’ve now heard quite a lot of notes, and I’m enamored with every single one of them.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤDie Spitz has amassed a number of fans in their short career. They’re signed to Jack White’s indie royalty label, Third Man Records. They’ve secured opening slots for Olivia Rodrigo (A very strange combination, but stranger things have happened) and Foo Fighters. They’ve secured spots at nearly every major festival with even a hint of rock-oriented music. Paste Magazine called them “The Best of What’s Next.” Revolver Magazine marked them as “One Of Heavy Music’s Most Explosive New Bands.” I, JJ, the author of this article, would call them the most exciting and infectious band to make their debut in the 2020s. This band is a big deal. They’re not a big deal because of manipulative label tactics, or corporate espionage, or connections to rich executives. They’re a big deal because they’re phenomenal, they’re fun, and they work harder than anyone else. It’s a rare success in effective meritocracy.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤThe band consists of four members: Eleanor Livingston, Ava Shrobilgen, Chloe De St. Aubin, and Kate Halter. All four members contribute to the songwriting process, and three of them are regular lead singers. These individual efforts — whether marked by shoegaze, punk, metal, or alternative rock — become identifiable the more you listen to their work. Rather than being a brainchild of one compelling bandleader and hired guns, Die Spitz is the result of a collaborative process that channels the best of each contributor, all of whom are as charismatic as they are talented.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤA few months of incessant repetition of their 2024 debut LP, Something To Consume (I sure did), led me to the University District’s own Neptune Theater on Wednesday, April 22nd. There is, in fact, a concert to talk about here.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤThe opening band, Rocket, was an unignorable part of the concert experience. Within three seconds, the band performed the loudest sound I have ever been subjected to in a concert venue. Having gone in with no preconceived notions, I allowed the wall of sound to swallow me into 90s-influenced sonic heaven. There wasn’t much of a physical reaction to Rocket from me, but I was entirely entranced. I was more than happy to purchase a vinyl copy of their debut album, R Is For Rocket (2025), after their set.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤWith my ears ringing (I should probably suggest you wear earbuds), the hype grew for Die Spitz’s set. However, attempt one was not to be. Because of a medical emergency, April 22nd remained just a Rocket show. That’s not brought up to complain, it’s to highlight the type of crowd Die Spitz has cultivated. Absolutely no one was anything less than completely understanding and positive about the experience.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤThe story does not end there, as the band quickly rescheduled their show and left the ticket holders excited for the show they sold out. Both the band members and their touring crew deserve a world of praise for committing to coming back to play for their Seattle fans. Alas, on May 17th, the Texan four-piece was back, their crowd still sold out, feeding a line down 45th. I was toward the front of that line, because I live life on a deranged barricade-or-bust sort of wavelength.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤI’ll spare any anticipation about the show’s quality. I have seen over 100 artists live, and Die Spitz may be the single best.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤI had the good fortune of being situated right in front of Halter, the group’s bassist. If Shrobilgen is the guitar wizard, Livingston is the center stage presence, and De St. Aubin is the pace keeper, Halter is the powerhouse of the live Die Spitz cell. She filled every second of the set with fun-loving antics, doing handstands, cartwheeling, exploring the entire stage space, and even crowd surfing whilst playing bass flawlessly (Without a pick, I may add. Not easy). She was not nearly the only source of energy, as every member took a turn interacting directly with the crowd. It wasn’t dissimilar to the videos you may find of your favorite hardcore bands in their earliest stages.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤDie Spitz ran their set with confidence and control. When they told the audience to jump, mosh, chant, or sing, the response was immediate and unquestioning. From the frantic, punching pulse of the Schrobilgen-screamed “Red 40,” to the triumphant, towering chugging of Livingston’s declarative “Throw Yourself To The Sword,” attendees were all-in. The centerpiece of the show featured De St. Aubin and Schrobilgen switching instruments, the former emerging from the drumset, picking up a guitar, and stepping up to the mic to sing “Punishers,” a more mid-tempo shoegaze-influenced cut. There’s nothing merely novel about the drummer getting up from behind the kit and singing a song. For Die Spitz, it’s evidence that all members are able to craft a direct artistic statement in the forefront.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤAt the end of the day, Die Spitz enjoys starting mosh pits, being loud, dancing, and headbanging. As great as their music and performance are, they’re not completely reinventing the wheel. Yet there is something different about them. Die Spitz proudly cultivates a space for female and queer audiences. They support progressive causes, write music critical of systems of power, and build their image around their love for each other. Again, not necessarily distinct factors in and of themselves. But the combination of all that they do is hard to come by. In many ways, they come from the school of classic rock'n'rollers. Their platform is comparable to that of an indie pop or punk group. Strangest of all, though, there’s little cynicism to be found. Sure, Nirvana spoke on feminism and issues of gay rights. But they did so with a constant influx of irony and, oftentimes, bleak negativity. You don’t get that vibe from Die Spitz. They empower, but they do it because their strength is drawing people in through their fun-loving approach, as opposed to how a more nihilistic group may be. There’s something to be said about the power of a band who influence middle aged men to wear camo t-shirts sporting “I HATE WHEN GIRLS DIE.”

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤHere’s the real kicker: The band members are all in their early 20s. A couple of members are newly graduated from college. All relevant counterculture comes from youth, and counterculture is what rock music is at its best. For myself, and likely for many Rainy Dawg Radio participants, that youth is a shared point. If you want to know where music is headed, this is the band to buy in on.

- JJ