Nestled in a corner of town, far from the frat parties, lies an even louder, unapologetic group of rebels known for captivating crowds with their electrifying performances and distinctive style. Their music, characterized by raw vocals and bold attitude, draws attention from audiences seeking an unconventional experience. 

These are punk bands in Chico — a vibrant community that thrives on self-expression and non-conformity. 

Embracing authenticity and diversity, this unique cultural scene provides a welcoming environment for individuals to explore their identities freely. 

Punk rock, as a response to the growing hippie movement, emerged in the 1960s. Its most significant impact can be seen in England, where it served as a means to express opinions and frustrations about high unemployment. 

The first-ever punk band debuted in Detroit in 1967, originally called the Psychedelic Stooges. Although at the time their sound wasn’t exactly what punk is known for, their attitude and chaotic presence made it impossible for people to take their eyes off of them.  

As with other music genres, punk began to evolve and split into sub-genres such as horror punk, first introduced by The Misfits, and hardcore punk, first introduced by the Circle Jerks and the Descendents. These sub-genres inspired the next generation of punk with bands Green Day, Blink 18, and Sum 41 introducing the pop-punk genre. 

Over the past year, the punk scene has become increasingly prominent in the small town of Chico. The bands are amazed by the growing number of people attending their shows. Most of these bands began with little knowledge of booking shows or playing instruments.

 One of the most well-known, local punk bands is The Witless, who has played for about two years. 

“When we first started, we had no knowledge of anything we were doing. We taught ourselves everything,” Ruairi Magee, the frontman and songwriter for The Witless, said. 

Like most punk bands, The Witless’ sound is fast, loud and angry. Magee finds inspiration for his songwriting process by finding something that’s made him “a little angry.” This anger and frustration can also stem from balancing other responsibilities, such as school. 

Regarding criticism, Magee said, “There’s a lot of drama in the Bay Area. If you’re getting a lot of attention then you’re gonna have a lot of people trying to tear you down.”

However, The Witless remains strong and no disagreement or criticism has been serious enough to break them up. Magee added, “I know who I am, and I know what my band conveys and if anyone has anything to say about it, it really doesn’t matter.” 

He added that the punk scene in Chico welcomes everyone, regardless of background.  

“The Chico punk scene is very important cause there’s not much out here except for the Greek life, and people like me don’t have any interest in that,” Magee said. “It gives us something to do … A sense of community for people who haven’t found it anywhere else.” 

The punk scene in Chico influenced him to attend school here and helped him grow his band. Coming from a large city like San Francisco to a small town like Chico, The Witless has defied expectations with the large crowds that attend their shows consistently. It’s reasonable to anticipate further growth in the future. 

Many punk bands have similar messages and sounds, but the band D-VA has taken it a step further by using its music to talk about issues such as the stereotypes of being a girl in the punk culture. 

“You don’t get the same respect, so I wanna shove that in people’s faces,” Ellie Stehr, the guitarist and singer for D-VA, said. 

As for the songwriting process, Stehr and Thistle Gardner, the band’s drummer, have both contributed. 

“Basically someone comes up with one part or an idea they have and then we make other parts to fill in around it. It’ll change a lot through the week too,” James Pauly, the bassist for D-VA, explained. 

When discussing the growth and significance of the punk scene in Chico, Stehr said the new group of freshmen has been “amplifying it.” This has opened the gate for kids to attend shows and for more bands to form. 

Regarding the significance of the punk scene, Pauly said, “It’s a space where everyone can come together and just have a good time, be safe and know that you’re surrounded by people that are also there to have a good time with you.” 

The band members said D-VA always shows their love and appreciation for their fans and feels privileged for the amount of support they have received in a short amount of time. 

The band’s main goal is to unite people and make their message heard. They appreciate the community and the Chico music scene. 

For a smaller town, many bands, such as D-VA, have joined the scene and contributed to the growth of the punk genre. 

Lead singer of the punk band FaceJug, Owen Bechtold, has a unique approach to writing lyrics. Instead of writing them right away, he prefers to create songs without any lyrics and then add them later. 

“It kind of helps because I get to just say whatever the hell I want,” he said. “Anything that moves me emotionally is what I write about. I’ll yell about it on stage.” 

The band’s songwriting process is spontaneous, with all the members contributing to the music. 

“One of us will start playing something and everyone else kind of hops in. If it sounds cool we just keep playing it,” Beck Whittinghill, the bassist for FaceJug, said. 

Despite facing challenges, the biggest hurdle being their difference in work schedules, the band has demonstrated their ability to deliver strong performances on stage, making a memorable impact on the audience. 

“There’s always an hour-long practice or a 30-minute-long practice, kind of like whatever we can,” Anthony Palomba, the drummer for FaceJug, said.

Despite their growing popularity, FaceJug remains humble and is grateful for the support they have received. They recognize the importance of the local community in supporting their music and providing an outlet for people to express themselves without the fear of judgment. 

“There’s a huge community that people don’t really realize is there. We try to support each other as best as we can,” guitarist Rafael Wenslaff, said. 

The group explained that these shows allow all kinds of people to let out their anger and be themselves without being judged.

 “Everyone kind of just shows up and doesn’t hide who they are,” Whittinghill said.

 The band also shows respect to other bands they have played with and are open to playing with them again. While still being “pretty aspiring,” they are determined to get their voices heard and make friends along the way.

As the chaotic yet liberating world of local punk bands is explored, much more than just music is discovered. These bands are storytellers, rebels, and visionaries, who challenge norms, inspire change, and shape the cultural landscape one electrifying riff at a time. 

So, the next time you crave an authentic musical experience, dive into your local punk scene and let the raw energy ignite your soul. You can catch them perform at a backyard show or the Naked Lounge, a popular venue for touring punk bands. 

Come see them perform live, bring your friends and family and hang out with the bands.

Adriana Carrera can be reached at [email protected].