With their first full tour in nearly a decade starting this week, Seattle’s Mercy Ties sat down for a candid and unsentimental conversation about each city on the “Reflections and Criticisms” West Coast tour.
Joined by Boise’s Throes on all dates, the band—vocalist Andre Sanabria, drummer Chris Pereira, and bassist Mike Hanson—dive into their personal connections, scene dynamics, and the long threads that tie this run together.
The full city-by-city breakdown, including all links, quotes, and personal histories from Mercy Ties, is available below.
April 18 – BOISE
Andre: We kick off this new chapter of the band with our good friends Throes who’ll be joining us on every date of this tour.
Onsetter are on this bill at Realms (an all ages arcade and venue) and have released some heavy challenging stuff – I love what I’ve heard recorded and can’t wait to hear it live. They are also label mates who’ve got an album coming out soon on TGIC. Possessive open the show and are brutal as hell. They’ll set the vibe for the evening. Boise is always a blast to play, in part because of our strong connection to the local community.
View this post on Instagram
Chris: I think it’s obvious that we talk about Throes. Buds for years and previously as Bone Dance. There is some history with Mercy Ties and even some connection with my old band from SF, Tigon, as I was transitioning to the PNW from the Bay. Huge sound and the ability to do some kinetic and grating music with odd timings and also lean into some slow and dark spaces. Very good sense of humor also which is critical with maintaining interband relationships. Boise is probably the place to play in Idaho before moving on the SLC or further afield.
April 19 – SAN FRANCISCO
Andre: All ages spaces are always hard to come by, especially in a city constantly pricing the local culture out. Providentially, Neck of The Woods, is a venue in the Outer Sunset that has been hosting great all ages punk and hardcore shows recently.
We’re playing with our friends Superworld (featuring members of Spy, Stickup Kid, Leer) who just put out a great EP on Lauren Records, who keep putting out bangers, band after band.
Thom from Hawak’s new band Lorrrel are also on the bill and are destined to be a new favorite band. Two of the best local promoters, Heavy Lemon and Ineffable SF, are running a co-pro on this show, so we’re in good hands with best friends. It’s going to be a night of great friends and wonderful vibes.
Chris: San Francisco is an important place for me personally, having lived there and played lots of shows around the area. I moved from the East Coast around when the DC/VA scene started kind of dying off, with bands like Majority Rule, Pg. 99, and City of Caterpillar splitting up.
My band Tigon recorded with Scott Evans and I think it was one of his earlier recordings. Those songs were all released on a few splits and later all together via TGIC. Back then some of the bands we were playing with locally were Silian Rail, Early Graves, Oh Lucky Man, Spires, Dead Man, and all types of others that are locked away in the recesses of my memory. We played a legendary show with Loma Prieta, Furnace, and Capsule at the now defunct Bike Kitchen in SOMA.
I was really in to the Fucking Champs and used to go watch them anytime I could. There are some cool things happening now with old friends in the bay. Kowloon Walled City is a juggernaut and my old guitar player joined and left his mark. Glowing Brain is doing psycho Motorhead stoner stuff. Facet is playing a pretty awesome mix of my favorite genres and touring with Whores. Max played with Doc in a rad band called Versions. We will be reconnecting our bud Chris Gough from bands like Matsuri.
Things are still shaking there and it will be cool to go back. Stoked to play a show in the Inner Sunset.
Mike: Kowloon Walled City. We are forever in debt to this band of dudes. They’ve been a mainstay on my playlist for 10 years. Scott recorded our last two records and serves as our most trusted band-dad.
Glowing Brain. Lovely dudes who roll a blunt, eat a hot dog, and then write excellent psych-punk (it’s a thing). New record, Memory Distortion, comes out in May 2025
April 20 – FRESNO:
Andre: We will be playing with a couple new bands, SakTap and No Ambition, at Destructive Warehouse, put on by our friends at Pink Teeth DIY. The Central Valley has been rolling out some great bands over the last few years and I know this show will be bonkers.
Chris: We have been always given a place to play and have some enthusiastic followers in Fresno. It is probably not the easiest place in the world to keep a scene going but we are welcome and they keep it going after all these years.
April 21 – LOS ANGELES
Andre: We play Genghis Cohen with Quiet Fear, whom I am inspired by every time I see them live.
If you’re a resident of So Cal and have never seen Quiet Fear, do yourself a favor and listen asap, then check out a show. I’ve been wanting to play Genghis Cohen for years and am stoked that the stars aligned to make it happen this time.
Chris: Graf Orlock, Black Sheep Wall, our buddy Rami, Calculator etc. Jeff at the Beach. District of Evolution. I think it is always some kind of experience here. Never the same.
Looking forward to eating some Jewish deli stuff at Canter’s and maybe even have another meal on Fairfax. We tend to play in a different place every time in LA. The show we played on Pico with Knocked Loose and Gideon was kind of ridiculous. We definitely perplexed some people that day.
Mike: Knucklebunder. These guys just put out a new record (Lovingkindness, 2025) and I’m really into it. For me, they’re a modern Shellac. Really hoping they get this record pressed to vinyl.
April 22 – MERCED
Andre: Next up we play at The Partisan with dontcryformeimalreadydead – another sick Central Valley band making waves.
This is our only 21+ show, but it’s a Tuesday night, at a venue that holds necessary space for the LGBTQ community – which in these precarious times is ever so important – hosting drag shows, comedy, and movie nights by the Silver Screen Social Club on Sundays.
Chris: First time playing. The 99 is its own beast. We have had some great experiences in Chico.
April 23 – SACRAMENTO
Andre: If you’re a touring artist and play the West Coast, chances are you’ve played or you at least know of Cafe Colonial.
I feel so lucky to play with Anxious Arms and Ingrata. Both bands whip ass.
Chris at Colonial has been keeping the all ages scene in Sac going for a long time and again this will be a blast with friends.
Chris: This is another venue we have some history with. I am not sure we have played anywhere else in Sac. I think I played there with my old band too. Chris Lemos was our main man down there from bands like Caulfield and CHRCH and another stoner/doom band of which I don’t recall the name at the moment.
April 24 – EUGENE
Andre: We’ll be playing the Wandering Goat; an all ages coffee shop and vital community space. We’re playing with Senza, a band of friends who kicked off around the time we first called it quits. In that time they’ve become a powerhouse playing ZBR and New Friends Fest, spreading their art all over. Confluence may be new to me but the local scene knows and loves them, so I anticipate this will be a night to remember.
Chris: Being on the coast you have to have good options for routing and Eugene is a good one not too far from Portland. College town and kind of a hippie feeling. We have been to WG on several occasions and it will be cool to get back play for some fresh faces. I am stoked to see Senza and see who else is doing things out there these days.
April 25 – PORTLAND
Andre: Commonwealth Skate are keeping the all ages scene alive and mallbrawlreds are the promoter tying everything into a lovely bow.
We’ll be playing with Rhododendron, the sickest band in the entire PNW.
We had a band drop off recently and Shell Shock stepped in. They blew my mind when I heard them on bandcamp and just know this night will be magical. I grew up going to and eventually throwing all ages shows in PDX. Seeing the vanguard keeping the flame going and making it burn brighter and hotter is amazing.
Chris: Portland has always been an oasis of amazing bands and musicians. Also a good place to eat and grab bike or music gear. Right now MOLT, which features our old bass player, just dropped a record also on TGIC. Rainmaking, which features our current bass player, are ripping up some good screamo. Andre spent some time here and played with Abominable Iron Sloth with whom I actually played my last Tigon show in SF while he was in the hospital for a double lung transplant. It was a trainwreck of a show for us but Sloth was fucking cool.
Mike: Spares. Reminds me of Pavement. Their new eponymous record came out in February 2025. It’s great.
April 26 – SEATTLE
Andre: For our final date, we play The Black Lodge, the incubator that birthed Mercy Ties. Quite literally coming home, it’ll be the first time since 2018 that we’ve played in that room together. In that time, The Vera Project, a crucial defender of the all ages community stepped in and saved the space from becoming another asset in some private equity portfolio. Labelmates Yellfire and practice space roommates Nurser round out this bill. After that… who knows what the band has in store.
Chris: We have a lot of great friends and bands still trying to hang on here in Seattle. Great Falls is finally getting some well deserved recognition for being one of the darkest and most unique bands around and played a whole bunch of shows with the final Botch tour. They are a personal favorite and the new album recorded by Scott Evans is out of control. Heiress has new music out and they crush live. Yellfire, also labelmates, just put out a new record.
Mid tempo, mathy and heavy as fuck. We have history playing together from the Grenades days. Dead Bars do anthemic and dirty, but super hooky, punk. Their new record shows the old Victory Lounge/Lobo space on the cover which is one door over from our record cover (The Black Lodge).
Remember a fast disappearing Seattle that we are still trying to hold on to. Trev and Mike, I’m sure have tons of bands to talk about, growing up here.
Mike: Regional Justice Center, best hardcore-punk band in the PNW. Crushing live shows.
MERCY TIES on tour:
April 18 – Boise, ID @ Realms
April 19 – San Francisco, CA @ Neck of the Woods
April 20 – Fresno, CA @ Destructive Warehouse
April 21 – Los Angeles, CA @ Genghis Cohen
April 22 – Merced, CA @ The Partisan
April 23 – Sacramento, CA @ Cafe Colonial
April 24 – Eugene, OR @ Wandering Goat
April 25 – Portland, OR @ Commonwealth
April 26 – Seattle, WA @ The Black Lodge
Keep in the loop!
🗞️ Subscribe on Substack
🔔 Join our Messenger and WhatsApp
📜 Get daily news via Instagram Stories
Your support keeps us alive!
IDIOTEQ is a one-man DIY operation, tirelessly spotlighting the local cultural scenes and independent bands that often go unreported elsewhere. Born in the early 00s, this platform has been committed to giving hard-working artists the high-quality coverage they truly deserve.
No ads, no distractions—just pure inspiration and a genuine focus on independent artists and their stories.
Please consider helping keep IDIOTEQ ad-free and in tune with the indie scene by donating today.
DONATE via PayPal 𝗈𝗋 SUPPORT via Patreon
100% of the funds collected go toward maintaining and improving this magazine. Every contribution, however big or small, is super valuable.
Your support ensures that we continue to be a place where you can discover, learn, and get inspired, without any advertising noise. Thank you for being a part of this musical journey.
