Swirlies
Swirlies play Pappy & Harriet’s indoor stage in Pioneertown on January 6. No supporting performers or special program are listed, placing the focus on the band’s own set. The room is part of a restaurant and music venue built around a former 1940s Western-film-set cantina, among Pioneertown’s movie-set facades and the surrounding desert.
Swirlies began in Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts, in summer 1990, emerging from the remains of a Go-Go’s cover band called Raspberry Bang. Their original lineup was Damon Tutunjian on guitar and vocals, Seana Carmody on guitar and vocals, Andy Bernick on bass, and Ben Drucker on drums. They first performed live at The Alcove in Allston on January 25, 1991, then traveled the Northeastern Megalopolis alongside like-minded artists while issuing 7-inch records through Slumberland, Pop Narcotic, Cinderblock, and other labels. In 1992 they signed with Boston-based Taang! Records; the label released the What to Do About Them EP and the Blondertongue Audiobaton LP, made by the original members with additional “mysterious entities.”
Pappy & Harriet’s began as the cantina on a 1940s Western film set, and that history still frames a night here: the venue sits among Pioneertown’s old movie-set facades, with the desert just beyond. It is a restaurant and live-music venue, with shows in indoor and outdoor spaces; the setting and touring acts make the trip feel tied to this particular outpost, rather than just a concert stop. Shows are ticketed, general admission and standing-room only, with ADA seating available at either stage. The restaurant is separate, serves food, and runs a first-come, first-served waitlist, so put your name down early if you want dinner; eating does not secure a show ticket. Check the event details for doors and weather, especially for an outdoor performance.