Niis—pronounced “Nice”—synthesizes the sounds of punk, hardcore, lo-fi garage, and early grunge to craft a raw, undefinable noise all their own. Hailing from Los Angeles, this four-piece channels the spirit of rebellion through blistering riffs and Mimi’s visceral screams, delivering biting commentary on capitalism, misogyny, and the constructs that seek to confine us. With influences like Rudimentary Peni, Crass, and Hole, Niis fuses rage and reflection into songs that confront and provoke, like “Fuck You Boy,” an unflinching anthem about navigating a male-dominated music scene, or the searing “Tyrant,” which demands liberation from oppressive systems.
On March 28, Niis will release their highly anticipated new album, Niis World, via Get Better Records. The album embodies their ethos of defiance and empowerment, with tracks like “Low Life” exploring themes of betrayal and resilience, and “Spite” rejecting societal archetypes with lines like, “No longer will I exist in spite of you.” The band’s relentless energy and sharp lyricism shine through, cementing their place as one of punk’s most vital voices.
Since their 2020 debut EP Not Niis and their 2022 follow-up Must Be…, Niis has shared stages with acts like Devo, Scowl, Gel, Bleached, Sheer Mag, and Ceremony, and performed at festivals like SXSW and Punk in the Park alongside legends such as Pennywise and Circle Jerks. Yet no matter how far they push their sound, Niis remains deeply rooted in punk’s core ethos of community and connection.
With Niis World, the band is set to remind us that true punk is about breaking chains, speaking truth, and, above all, being “nice like Niis.”
Pollyanna, a four piece New Jersey band consisting of power-pop, loud rock, bubble grunge and punk influences consists of lead singer and guitarist Jill Beckett, drummer Daniel McCool, bassist Brandon Bolton, and guitarist Jack Rose. Their name directly derives from the dictionary definition, “to be unreasonably or illogically optimistic” – perfectly describing front-person Jill Becket’s ‘stuck in 2017’ incredibly optimistic attitude. After meeting in the first grade, Dan and Jill started the band at just 13 years old, eager to create and play music that would reach audiences beyond the confines of Jill’s open garage doors. Brandon made them a trio in early 2019, bringing 90’s femme punk influence to the group. At the start of 2021, Jack completed the bands’ lineup, adding his elemental stabby guitars and love for shoegaze and metal into the mix. After completing almost 5 tours around the east coast and the midwest, Pollyanna has won over a following in the New Jersey music scene along with cities in the tri-state and beyond. They plan on growing as far as possible and leaving a unique mark in the music industry.
