Ryan “Chives” Perkins is on the porch next to the Back Door night club surrounded by concertgoers, roamers and cigarette smokers. Some of them have just seen his band, Chives, perform for a half hour in the 10 p.m. slot.
Most people are here for Mutant Fest, the sixteen-band, eight-hour music festival at the Back Door that began at 4 p.m. Saturday. After midnight the scene will change, and a contingent will arrive for the Back Door’s late dance event with DJ Pixie, but for now the wristband-wearing attendees comprise most of a crowd that includes no less than three people wearing jackets with patches of the band The Mutants.
Chives were one of the last acts to play the festival, and Perkins is standing next to a cardboard box full of the groups’ rubber-banded t-shirts and tapes. Among those who come over to speak with Perkins are fans and Mutant Fest co-performers such as Ryan Vile of the Columbus, Ohio, band the Girls, who extends an open invitation to Perkins should he wish to bring his troupe to Columbus.
The 18-year-old Perkins has been addressed by the nickname Chives since he was a child, so it became the name for his Indianapolis-based group, which now includes a second guitarist, bassist and drummer in addition to Perkins’ guitar. Chives’ music involves a lot of chord changes and could be described as frenetic if not for the hypnotic consistency of their rhythm section and Perkins’ reliable vocals on most tracks.
Chives is possible because of “lots of moving, lots of working and no sleep,” Perkins said.
When not playing shows or practicing with the other members, Perkins works for a telefund where the key to success is his “1000-mile stare.”
“They can hear it,” Perkins said.
During their last song, Perkins unstrapped his guitar and walked into the audience. After holding the instrument out to one person who declined, he offered it to musician Timmy Vulgar, who played with one foot on the stage, and Chives had a new lead guitarist, albeit for less than a song.
Perkins writes all of the parts for the group’s music, but every show is unwritten and unplanned beyond knowing the band will be there and give their all to venues Perkins would be too young to attend were he not let in to perform.
