Readers’ pick: Couch

Shortly after meeting on the Class of 2022 Facebook page in 2019, the members of alternative punk band Static TV began to shred some serious chords.

The band, originally named The Avenues, is composed of four seniors – singer Owen Levy, guitarist Wyatt Kirschner, bassist Oliver Kogod and drummer Dillon Cha. The group’s evocative and commanding sound position this student band as a must-see standout.

The four students come from humble beginnings, organizing their first small show by themselves in West Hall’s 1,600-square-foot Blackbox Theatre in March 2019.

More recently, the band played a show on Feb. 11 at DC9, a nightclub and bar in the Shaw neighborhood known for supporting up-and-coming musicians. They’ve also established themselves on streaming services with a few releases in the last two years, coming into 2022 with some fresh clout.

The group’s most recent release, the single “Pretend Again,” evokes the sound of gritty ’70s and ’80s New Wave bands like The Cure and Joy Division. As a huge fan of that era of music, I found myself swaying along to the distorted electric guitar and bobbing my head to the rapidly paced drums that I love so dearly.

Two of their other songs, “Semi-Conscious” and the provocatively named “Zuckerberg Execution,” lean more into the punk territory, with Levy’s raspy and powerful voice leading both songs’ intense guitar riffs to create hard rock music that’ll get everybody’s attention. Get ready for major flashbacks to famous punk bands like The Clash and The Ramones while listening to these two tracks.

If you’re a punk or new wave fan looking for some new music, or if you’re just a student looking to get into the D.C. music scene, take a listen to Static TV. The band usually posts updates on concerts on their Instagram, so check it out the next time you’re looking for a live show.