Snowing (band)

Snowing
OriginLehigh Valley and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genres
Years active2008 (2008)–2011 (2011), 2016 (reunion), 2019 (reunion), 2022 (reunion)
Labels
Past membersWillow Brazuk
Nate Dionne
John Galm
Justin "Bean" Renninger
Websitewww.facebook.com/snowingband

Snowing is an American Midwest emo band from Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia in Pennsylvania. Composed of bassist and vocalist John Galm, guitarists Nate Dionne and Willow Brazuk, and drummer Justin Renninger, the band formed in 2008 and dissolved in 2011. Despite their brief career, they played a key role in the Midwest emo–influenced emo revival movement that flourished during the early-to-late 2010s. Snowing has since reunited for a brief 2019 tour of Japan and three one-off shows: two in 2016 and one in 2022.

History

After the break up of Street Smart Cyclist, Galm, Dionne and Brazuk joined and formed Snowing in 2008[citation needed] in Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia, while Galm worked as a movie theater projectionist with Square of Opposition Records label manager Chris Regec.[1] The band released their first extended play, Fuck Your Emotional Bullshit, in 2009 via Square Of Opposition Records.[2] In 2010, the band released their first and only full-length album via Count Your Lucky Stars Records and Square of Opposition Records titled I Could Do Whatever I Wanted If I Wanted.[3][4]

In 2011, Snowing announced they were breaking up.[5] In a statement released by the band on their Facebook page, they stated "Snowing has come to an end at the ripe old age of 3 and a half (that's over 90 in emo years!).... We had a blast writing songs, driving across the country playing shows, imbibing copious amounts of alcohol, and earning future grey hairs by reading all about ourselves on message boards. Thanks for everything."[6] The band broke up following its first and only full US tour with its last ever show selling out in a matter of minutes. The band reunited in 2016 for two shows, one for the World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die's Broken World Fest in Pittsburgh, the second for Square of Opposition Records' 15th anniversary. The band said that these would be their final shows.[7] However, the band reunited in 2019 for a brief tour in Japan.[8] Also in 2019, guitarist Brazuk made a post on the band's Facebook page announcing that she had come out as a transgender woman and changed her name to Willow.[9] In 2022, Snowing announced a one time reunion show at the Ukrainian American Citizens' Association (Ukie Club) for 4333 Collective's DIY Superbowl fest along with Oolong, Short Fictions, Ugli, and Lisa on August 27, 2022. All proceeds from the show were donated to the Trevor Project and the Transgender Legal Defense Fund.

Musical style

Snowing's is known for their "hollered" vocals, with lyrics have been described as "musings on death and despair and drinking too much". Bassist, vocalist and lyricist John Galm has said the band's early lyrics are "almost like a diary".[10] The band's compositions have been described as "explosive anthems of suburban stagnation as short and ferocious as the band’s career".[11] Spin Magazine said Snowing "push beyond emo’s characteristic melancholy and opt for full-on apathy" and that "the band [experimented] with meticulous math rock structures that distract from atonal vocals and vaguely threatening lyricism [...] that peculiar brashness is intentional."[12]

Legacy

Snowing has been referred to as "the favourite band of your favourite emo revival bands". The band developed a cult following after their breakup during the explosion[13] and revival of emo into its fourth wave.[14]

Band members

  • John Galm – bass, vocals
  • Nate Dionne – guitar
  • Willow Brazuk – guitar
  • Justin "Bean" Renninger – drums

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

  • Fuck Your Emotional Bullshit (2009, Square Of Opposition Records)

Singles

  • Tour Tape (2009, Square Of Opposition Records)
  • Pump Fake / Scherbatsky (2012, Square Of Opposition Records)

Splits

  • 1994! / Snowing / Boys and Sex / Algernon Cadwallader – Summer Singles (2009, Slow Growth Records)

Compilations

  • 75:24 (2009, Ticklebutt Records & Soft City Records)
  • Count Your Lucky Stars Sampler #4 (2012, Count Your Lucky Stars)
  • Fuck Off All Nerds: A Benefit Compilation In Memory Of Mitch Dubey (2012, Topshelf Records)
  • That Time I Sat in a Pile Of Chocolate (2016, Square of Opposition Records)
  • Everything (2016, Waterslide Records)

References

  1. ^ "The Night It Stopped Snowing". Noisey. July 27, 2016. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  2. ^ "Snowing Fuck Your Emotional Bullshit [7 inch]". Punknews.org. September 4, 2009. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  3. ^ Anthony, David (October 29, 2014). "Snowing took morbid thoughts and made them hopeful". A.V. Club. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  4. ^ "snowing – I Could Do Whatever I Wanted If I Wanted : DOA". www.adequacy.net. Archived from the original on February 27, 2011.
  5. ^ "Snowing Break Up". Alter The Press!. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  6. ^ "Snowing". Facebook. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  7. ^ "Snowing's Final Show". Noisey. July 27, 2016. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  8. ^ "Instagram". Snowing on Instagram. Archived from the original on December 26, 2021. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  9. ^ "Snowing". www.facebook.com. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  10. ^ https://consequence.net/2016/05/from-angst-to-adulthood-what-happens-when-emo-bands-grow-up/
  11. ^ https://www.vice.com/en/article/snowings-final-show/
  12. ^ https://www.spin.com/2017/06/best-emo-revival-albums-ranked/
  13. ^ "Snowing reunite to play Broken World Fest". Upset. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  14. ^ "In its fourth wave, emo is revived and thriving". FanSided. August 15, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2018.