The doom and gloom was back in Seattle on Friday, September 7th. What pairs best with familiar Seattle weather? Some good old Seattle rock ‘n’ roll at The Funhouse. Through trying to get my foot in the door in the local scene I came to hear about Always Naked. I connected with frontwoman/vocalist Skylar Steffy on Facebook and quickly gained interest in the band after listening to their impressive DIY recordings which not only showcase their creativity, but their presence, skill, and passion. You can tell they aren’t just doing this for fun. This is what they need to do. Or, as bassist Pword Kelly would put it, they “were born this way.” And, I think Lady Gaga would have to agree.

The opener was Bailey Ukulele, from Tacoma. Just from the name alone you already love him, right? He sort of looks like Blake from Workaholics, and he plays an electric ukulele going through a loop station and a Boss distortion pedal. His heartfelt songs were probably the first time I didn’t mind listening to someone play the ukulele. With his set at a 50/50 split of originals and covers it was enough to keep me entertained until it was time for the act I was really there to see.

When Always Naked was situated, they started out with a dreamy, soft jam while Steffy introduced the band by saying: “we’re Always Naked. We’re an unknown band from Seattle, and we have a lot to say.” After that, they wasted no time erupting like an inmate on a conjugal. I got a lot of Chili Peppers vibes right away and throughout the set, but after chatting with the band I found out that the Peps aren’t one of their influencers. Turns out anyone that plays a Fender jazz bass will most likely remind you of Flea.

Being less than a year young, the band has found chemistry surprisingly quickly. Guitarist Shane Squire is classically trained and doesn’t use a pick, so he grows his finger nails out only to shred them while he plays. He’s got some real skill and some tasty flavor. It was kind of hard to hear Steffy for the first couple songs, but the band’s presence, passion, and time invested had no problem shining through the questionable mix. Banging jams and ferocious vocals kept me hooked like a junkie the entire time. When Steffy announced they had only one song left, like the music junkie I am, I begged for more.

This is a band that’s really putting in the work. In a city flooded with metal, it was really refreshing to see a band not bring a stack of amps to play a dive bar. You can tell they are all equally in it, and they’re all giving it their best. Drummer Rahul Mathew was bleeding in multiple places and was also the most naked out of anybody in the band. With incredible and consistent energy he easily caught my attention. Kelly lost his hat a couple times, yet always hit hard and precisely. With influences like Heart, Blink-182, No FX, Les Claypool (Primus), John Mayer, Weezer, and Guns n’ Roses, it’s no wonder this band sounds like something special. It was like taking a time machine back to the prime era of 90s rock. Always Naked has already attained a loyal following, with fans that have made it to every show thus far. They’ve already recorded a new single, “Monster,” which is currently being mixed and mastered, and the group plans on recording even more in early December.

Not only did I find a one-of-a-kind band, but I also met some one-of-a-kind people. I look forward to following Always Naked through their attempt at making it in this industry. Maybe one day I’ll be able to say, “I knew them before they got big.” Keep it up Skylar, Shane, Pword, and Rahul. Always Naked has potential to really be something… if you let it.