One of the disadvantages of leaving the country for months at a time is that you miss out on what’s going on here at home. Since we left in November, one of the major things that went on here in Charm City was Roomrunner’s instant ascent to the upper echelon of Baltimore bands. Roomrunner was just about to hit in the last months of 2011, and now that 2012 is here they’ve hit in a big way.

It makes a lot of sense- this is the right band at the right time. Music in general right now is going through a period of being a mind-numbing, soul-fucking nostalgic wankfest. If you were in a band in the 90’s that anybody ever heard of, you can pretty much write your own ticket in 2012 to tour the country and cash in. Even the Refused are headlining festivals and getting rich, and The Refused are a terrible band!

Unfortunately, the few bands who dare to be current and actually do something new in this day and age are usually described with adjectives like dream, ambient, hazy, ethereal, etc. When people say those words, all we hear is: boring, dull, vapid, self-indulgent. Enough with the dreamy dreams, kids… this is rock and roll.

One of Roomrunner’s great strengths is that they are a young band. They’re vital. They’re happening right now. They’re too young to really get bogged down in the muck of the bands of Christmas past. At the same time, they’re not too young. Old enough to have graduated from successful bands like Double Dagger and Yukon, Their debut cassette out on Fan Death Records sounds more like a band that’s hit mid-career stride than one that’s been around for a couple of months.

Roomrunner alone is worth showing up to Floristree tonight, so you should consider the chance to see Chain and the Gang a bonus. We’ve got nothing but good things to say about Ian Svenonius. As somebody who actually was in a classic punk band from the 90’s, Spiv could be out there headlining mid-level festivals and re-working the same old shtick for base monetary gain. Instead he’s come up with some completely new shtick, and he’s done it just for the fun of it. Chain and the Gang sounds great, and of course, completely unique.

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Floristree is at 405 W. Franklin Street downtown. The Creepers, Sterling Sisters, and Work Clothes also play.