As the sun went down over Rose Park on Aug. 30, anticipation began to build among the crowd. For some, this may have been the first show they’d ever been to, and for others, the feeling was all too recognizable. Regardless of experience, one thing is for certain–original live music is back in Columbia, Mo., and the excitement is palpable.

Find Fiona

It’s not just the crowd who was excited to be back in the city. For Midwest indie band Find Fiona, the show meant a lot more than just the start of another year. This will be the band’s third time performing for a large audience. Suddenly, movement emerges from the stage and as the lights come up, vocalist Reid Boyd, cries out the first words to “Headspace,” the band’s largest single.

It’s a perfect choice for the opener. Breakneck speed from guitarists Luke Sabath and Boyd, as well as incendiary drumming from Jalen Julian, were quick to get people bouncing. The song, which blends elements of old blink-182 and indie rock, leaves listeners feeling like they’ve been trapped inside a pinball machine bumping back and forth against walls of sound.

“I think one of the big things is that we wanted to create music that didn’t exist in Columbia,” Sabath said. “The way that I’ve always liked to approach music is, I’m hearing this music for the first time, same as you, you know? Like we’re playing it live. Like we know the songs, we’re playing the songs roughly the same way every time. But this sound is being created new, and the dynamics of it are completely new depending on how you’re feeling.”

While the band has been practicing together since late 2023, their first performance wouldn’t come until July of this year.

“We didn’t want to be one of those bands that like, you make an Instagram and then you know, you have 50 followers or whatever, and then you don’t post,” Sabbath confided.

The strategy appeared to have worked, as the band is booked solid for the next few months with shows across the state. Undoubtedly, the biggest one will be their performance for PrideFest at Rose Park on Oct. 4, which is estimated to draw upwards of 10,000 people across the two-day event.

“I mean, obviously all those people won’t be standing in front of the stage at Rose Park, but like, it’s just cool to be a part of that,” Sabbath said. “It’s just a cool vibe, everybody’s just in such a good mood you know? It’s a day of celebration.”

As the band’s set drew to a close, however, one more song began to ring out from the stage. A bright and shimmery riff emerged from Boyd’s guitar, launching the group into their newest single, “4 Found Dead in Denny’s.” The song’s mood quickly grew sorrowful, however, once Boyd delivered his signature roaring vocals evoking feelings of heartbreak and loss. Nevertheless, the crowd loved it all the same, following its end with a thunderous uproar of applause.

Pink Houses

As soon as Pink Houses took the stage, it became immediately apparent that this was not their first rodeo. Having played nearly 20 shows across the last year, the band has their sets down to a science, and following a brief five minute setup, they began the inaugural set of the 2025-26 school year.

The crowd instantly began to jump in time as drummer Max Healy hit the snare tempo for “My Cyanide Tooth,” the lead single off the group’s first EP, “Roadrunner.” Without missing a beat, vocalist Charlie Bickel stepped up to deliver the song’s powerfully melodic lyrics, accented perfectly by guitarists Josh Stotler and Charlie Warner.

The song’s fast pace tempo was an instant hit, captivating the audience with a sound that would feel more at home in a level of “F-Zero” than a rock show. It’s Bickel who truly sells the performance with his gorgeous vocals, inspired by the Midwest emo he grew up on.

“He takes inspiration from a lot of shoegaze and he loves the band Deftones and these washed out but melodically beautiful, screamy kind of things,” Warner said. “I guess we’re getting into our second official year with the five of us. I get to see how much we’ve grown together and that’s just cool.”

With Pink Houses no longer being the new kids on the block, certain responsibilities have begun creeping into their world.

“There’s different challenges across the decades of being a young band, and we just have our own unique version of that with feeding the algorithm and making content versus just playing shows,” Warner shared.

Luckily for the band, throughout their entire career they’ve surrounded themselves with other musicians who help make playing shows a breeze. “What was nice for us is that we had, we called ourselves sister bands us, Nightstand and The Park. So Nightstand has been there with us every step of the way,” Warner said. Nightstand is another shoegaze band local to Columbia.)

The group’s vision stretches farther than just Columbia. Across the next few months they are seeking to expand across the state. “[We] certainly haven’t gotten around to announcing it yet, but we’re gonna be playing our first out of Columbia gig in Kansas City. My hometown,” Warner said. The decision came following a recent conversation between members about how they can keep growing even after their college graduation.

“We’ve got a great fan base, but after last year, we had a conversation,” Warner said. “We’re in our 20s, this is our dream. If it’s going to work, we’ve got to put the work in now and make sure we have enough solid footing to go to that next level.”

Regardless of what the future holds for either band, they have undoubtedly made an impact on the Columbia community through their songs. At the end of the day though, Pink Houses and Find Fiona do something more than just create music. They give the residents of Columbia, Mo. an opportunity to go out and feel something being created for the first time.

Edited by Mikalah Owens | [email protected]
Copy edited by Anna Catlett and Ava Mohror | [email protected]
Edited by Alex Gribb | [email protected]