Last Thursday, up and coming Indietronica band Cootie Catcher made a stop on their longest tour to date at WREK’s own event! They were joined by Hillview #73, Mood Room, and Strumbrush at the Masquerade’s Purgatory stage. 

Hillview #73 started off the night with noisy guitar blended with soft vocals. They had a clear unity in their stage presence that made them great to watch. Mood Room followed with a bit deeper and darker sound, showcasing lush, mesmerizing melodies. Next, Atlanta sensation Strumbrush took the stage with their gritty guitar and rich vocals. It was my first time seeing them and the wall of sound they created lived up to expectations! They were a crowd favorite with many people dancing along and getting close to the stage. 

The house was full by the time Cootie Catcher took the stage. In addition to their poppy and upbeat sound, they brought more energy and a bit of roughness to their live performance that kept the audience engaged from start to finish. Their most compelling performance was a tie between ‘Friend of a Friend’ from their 2025 album, Shy at First, and ‘Quarter Note Rock’ from their latest album, Something We All Got. ‘Friend of a Friend’ was already one of my favorites, and they brought such joy and fun to the live performance that this track has been in my head and on repeat in my car ever since. ‘Quarter Note Rock’ also had another dimension when performed live; it's poppy punches and bouncy beat were more pronounced and great to dance to.

Cootie Catcher’s new album, Something We All Got, is now in the WREK rotation! Tune in to 91.1 FM during Rock, Rhythm, and Roll (11am-3pm on weekdays) to hear it!