In the heart of downtown Los Angeles, surrounded by graffiti-littered walls on a makeshift stage, Sluttony performed at the music venue, The Smell, on Sept. 30. The band’s passionate lyricism, powerful guitar, melodic bass and rhythmic drums created an electrifying environment where all audience members rocked out.
Sluttony, composed of lead singer Hannah Goodwin, bassist Caroline Margolis, guitarist Nina Maravic and drummer Savine Hovnanian all strive to make a show worthwhile for audience members through planned choreography and carefully-curated set lists.
A typical set for the all-femme rock band includes an introductory round of music followed by increased enthusiasm from the stage. In a wave-like pattern, the band members then bring the energy down a little just to bring it back up again for the finale of the show.
“I take control of the crowd for the most part,” Goodwin said, when describing her onstage presence.
“I just tell them [audience members] what to do, and normally they listen.”
Often, the lead singer will direct the crowd in sound-offs with lyrics, clapping along to beats and even opening up the pit for moshing.
For audience members, this energy invokes a sense of “rambunctiousness” that converts every small music venue into a place where an assortment of audience members can respectfully have a good time together.
“It’s never out of control,” Hovnanian said. “It’s a good rowdy.”
Shows at The Smell are quite emblematic of not only the band’s roots, but also their alt, counterculture style.
“Nina, Sabine and I met in our college dorms,” Goodwin said.
“We realized that we three could play instruments and then we went from there. We met Caroline about a year and a half ago through friends.”
The four quickly became popular for their live, intimate performances and great chemistry on stage. Amassing a sizable fanbase, Sluttony sold out shows at The Catalyst, a Santa Cruz concert venue, and won a local Battle of the Bands music competition.
“Sluttony became huge in the area for being a live band,” Hovnanian said.
After meeting at University of California, Santa Cruz, the friends quickly started to explore their artistic vision as musical artists.
“We’re just girl,” the members humorously said when asked to describe their music to new listeners.
Creating an “amalgamation” for many different genres like garage rock, alternative rock, grunge and riot grrrl, Sluttony ceases to subscribe to one specific genre. This demonstrates the evolving nature of the band and the exploration of the band’s desired sound.
Although Sluttony has played at The Smell before, last week’s concert was the first at which the band played as a local Los Angeles group.
“We’re just really excited to come back here and start playing in L.A.,” Maravic said. “We just moved here trying to build the audience.”
With their move to Los Angeles, Sluttony hinted at the release of new music that they’ve worked on since their initial start. They feel that the new EP will represent what the band truly sounds like. Each member emphasized that fans should follow their account @sluttonyband on Instagram for announcements on new music and shows.