Freshly-minted, New Orleans punk duo Mary Jam may be a new band on the scene, but don’t get it twisted, this isn’t their first rodeo. Long-time friends and veterans of the Southeast Louisiana punk scene, Alli KB and Katy Fenasci formed Mary Jam out of a fervent need for creativity during quarantine. As a duo, Mary Jam have solidly re-established themselves in the local scene, regularly playing venues including Banks Street Bar, Gasa Gasa, and more, as well as making frequent trips to Baton Rouge and Lafayette. It did not take long for word to spread that the two former Cosma Dog members were back in action. Mary Jam released their debut single, “The Devil Likes To Dance,” April 1 and celebrated that same night with a packed single release show at The Neutral Ground Coffeehouse.
Mary Jam combines eclectic punk, surf-rock, and blues influences into a uniquely infectious sound impossible to tear yourself away from. As former members of pre-covid New Orleans punk outfit Cosma Dog, Fenasci and KB cut their teeth in the DIY scene alongside the likes of The Aquadolls, Daikaiju, and All People, as well as local punk staples The Painted Hands, Gools, Leafdrinker, and more. As individuals, Alli KB grew up on classic rock staples and blues guitar riffs, and Katy Fenasci’s drumming was forged playing with pop-punk groups as a kid, up through high school. The two bandmates met in 2017 at Loyola University New Orleans, where they played in several groups, most notably the bluegrass-influenced, surf-punk trio Cosma Dog.
Mary Jam’s experience shows in the recorded work they have released thus far. On their debut single, “The Devil Likes To Dance,” Alli KB’s vocals and guitar and Katy Fenasci’s drums blast through the track with the energy of two musicians used to hyping up a live audience. “Put on your party shoes, give the devil a chance.” The lyrics may sound light-hearted, but like all good songwriters, Mary Jam coats their message in sugar to help the bitter truth go down. In reality, the song tells a story of homophobia and discrimination experience by many queer artists. “A co-worker told me that all gay people are going to hell, and that he’s praying for them,” KB says of the particular experience that inspired the band’s debut single. “But if all gay people do go to hell, it’s going to be a party down there, and everyone will be dancing.”
The single’s music video presents this same quirky, devil-may-care attitude. Produced by the band and New Orleans-based filmmaker Kyah Cook, it portrays the conversion of an innocent, played by Fenasci, by punk devil KB. Viewed through a critical lense, the narrative video is a tongue-and-cheek commentary on fears of the “gay agenda,” in which queer people seek to corrupt the morals of society. Or maybe it is simply two punks drinking Miller High Life in cheap devil horns, who’s to say.
Clearly not shy of difficult subject matter, Mary Jam’s upcoming single, “Into The Drink,” tackles sobriety. In their Instagram announcement the band writes, “‘Into The Drink’ is a punk/grunge inspired tune that discusses addiction and its effects.” The song is available Friday, June 17 on all platforms. Mary Jam is to play a single release show that night at Gasa Gasa, with support from Whisper Party and Hooligan Dutch.
Mary Jam’s music can be streamed on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and everywhere else songs are found online. Mary Jam is on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @maryjammusic, and online at maryjammusic.tumblr.com.
