The Tonic has been a great hideout for underground bands since mid-2024, where you can get accompanied by food, drinks, and a healthy dose of up-and-coming musical acts ranging from pop to grunge, and literally everything in between. The Tonic, once named Bolos in 2019, has been populated once again, only a couple days after Christmas. I've only been to The Tonic a handful of times with friends for karaoke and for smaller concerts. This is the most populated I've seen the place ever. It's lovely to see the crowd of Brunswick, Maine to show their support for their young music scene. I mean, this state isn't known as being the American musical capital. Nevertheless, I get to witness three teenage-run bands take the stage.

From 6:00, Back Porch unleashes a slew of 90's hits, from Nirvana's "Marigold," "All Apologies," and "Aneurism," to the rambunctious Rage Against The Machine's "Killing In The Name." The, get this, MIDDLE SCHOOLERS played rock hit after rock hit for a little under an hour. No famous band went untapped by Back Porch: Weezer, Green Day, Radiohead, every thing. Great taste for middle schoolers, I'll tell you that. Every song was played with fascinatingly dirty guitar tones, simple but effective drums, and vocals fit perfect for a grunge-fest that was Back Porch's setlist. While no original material was played, it was a nice surprise with each new cover track.

In the time leading up to the next band, I grabbed a Pepsi, and settled down, listening to crowd ambience, the tuning of guitars, and background music in the likes of "Cult Of Personality" and "Tom Sawyer." Soon enough, the highschoolers of The Frequencies took to the Tonic tribune.

The Frequencies are an garage/alt-rock band that also play covers, but they have many originals sprinkled throughout their setlist. Speckled in were The Strokes, Radiohead's "Just," Pixies, Pavement, and more. Their originals consisted of the near-opener "Leaving Open," a two-song run of "Harbor" and "New Low," and "Open Sign" sandwiched between classic covers.  A message to the crew of Tonic, the upcoming band (and main attraction) Kaiju, and their final song closes out their appearance. A quality performance that, along with the first band, segues into the final group.

Kaiju, the main attraction, opened up with some classic Green Day, Their entire set, which was from ~8:00 to 11:30. were all covers, solidifying The Frequencies as the only act to play original music. "Undone" by Weezer, Kenny Loggins' hit "Danger Zone," "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks, and more, and more, and MORE! Multicolored strobes lit up the small(er) stage, and shone even brighter with Kaiju's collective punky personality. Seeing kids of the town jump around to their music really brightened my post-holiday spirit, proving The Tonic as Brunswick's no. 1 place for such alternative music. Supporting adults wore Kaiju merch, the applause was heavy, everything just seemed on point. Their cover set didn't just dwell on punk, but varied in rock-and-roll sensibilities. A little bit in, a female guest vocalist joined the fray, helping to sing an Alice In Chains' "Man In The Box."  Some crowd work was utilized, as the crowd helped chant "we ain't gonna take it." The female assistance arrived once again for The Cranberries' "Zombie." The covers kept on into the night, rounding off a pretty entertaining session.

After all was said and done, I felt my spirits lifted, my community's strength, and the spirit of music alive with Back Porch, The Frequencies, and Kaiju. I wish all small bands with the best of luck down the musical road, with great success in the near future.