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12/10/2024

Pynnacles Reunite at Mississippi Studios

Pynnacles Reunite at Mississippi Studios

By BOB HOWARD // The last time the Pynnacles performed together was 5 years ago at the World Famous Kenton Club 

The Portland sextet, played to a packed house at Mississippi Studios on Thanksgiving eve.  The band played 60’s inspired surf, garage rock grunge delivered non-stop in a heavy, sweaty, two-hour set.

Helmed by the legendary Oregon Music Hall of famer Sean Croghan, the band included Tamar Berk on vocals and keyboards, members of fabled surf-punk act Satan's Pilgrims: John Cox on bass, Scott Fox on guitar, and Justin Thorpe on lead guitar, and Thom Sullivan on drums.  

Up front, the interplay between Croghan, Fox and Berk was driven by heavy rhythm and keyboards, and impassioned, gritty, vocals. The band transitioned effortlessly between moments of punk psychedelia and swirling, powerful walls of sound.

Sean Croghan is a musician and visual artist who burst onto Portland’s punk scene in the 1980’s with Mustache, Hellcows, and Crackerbash. Crackerbash,  released their debut, full-length, self- titled album in 1992 followed by Tin Toy 10 in 1993. The band broke up soon afterwards, but Sean continued to rock with a new group, Jr. High who released Killer of Friendships in 1998. His own solo CD came out in 2001, titled From Burnt Orange to Midnight Blue. 

Scott Fox and Sean Croghan have collaborated since 1990 where they formed the core of Crackerbash. Scott went on to become a founding member of Satan’s Pilgrims. Satan's Pilgrims formed Portland in 1992 and they became one of the most influential surf instrumental bands in the country with an international reputation. The Pilgrims created their own sub-genre of surf instrumentals with three distinct guitarists, a relentless rhythm section, and their trademark Haunted Sound. 

As a tribute to the Pilgrim's and their unique brand of surf music and their influence on Portland's music scene, Thomas Lauderdale of Pink Martini collaborated on an album that was 30 years in the making. Thomas Lauderdale Meets the Pilgrims merged Broadway musicals with surf music. 

Satin’s Pilgrims were inducted into the Oregon Hall of Fame in 2022.  One of the original three guitarists, Dave Busacker passed away unexpectedly in March of 2021.  Justin Thorpe replaced Dave for the reunion. The band remembered Dave throughout the night.  Sean gave tribute from the stage, “we have a hole in our soul, he's with us in spirit."

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