Formed in 2018 C.E. (Cheap Era), the Cheap City Cultural Ambassadors seek to present a musical interpretation of the city at large. September’s Clocktower Broke documented the rise and fall of the Cheap City Clock Company and was followed by a northeast tour of the United States. In April 2019 Cheap City released Rats and Rascals which documented in part the rise of the Fructose Four, a gang known for holding up local candy stores. Cheap City’s brand of disco meets punk meets history has been described as “Fugazi writing a disco record.” The band rehearses in Holyoke, MA but insists that they are from Cheap City.
Explain the title of your album.
Clocktower Broke tells the story of the Cheap City Clock Corporation (sometimes just called CCCC) and how a disgruntled clock factory worker destroyed their main clocktower, thus ending Cheap City’s largest industry. Other bands might call this a concept album, but since Cheap City is a real place and it’s where we’re from, we think of it more like a documentary. But with fun dance music. A danceumentary?
What’s the best way a fan can support you?
Past buying records and coming to shows, social media engagement really really helps independent artists and labels. Like, comment, and share content. Make playlists featuring independent artists. Tell your friends about independent artists! It helps us out a lot and it’s free for you!
How are you using your platform to support marginalized people?
Cheap City has played various benefit concerts and helped with benefit albums to support mutual aid networks – most recently we helped with a benefit concert to support pro bono civil rights lawyers. My label, Dollhouse Lightning, has recommitted in the past year to signing and supporting more artists of color. Admittedly, both groups can do more, and we’ll continue to work more towards supporting marginalized people as much as we can.
How do you feel your queer identity ties into your performance style or music?
I am gender fluid and use they / them pronouns. I present traditionally masculine but feel hyper feminine. What I love about music and performance and the broad world of punk rock is that it gives me the space to strip away the trappings of my body. Music is a free space to me.
What’s the first concert you ever attended? What do you remember about it?
I have two answers to this that feel very different to me. The first was Weird Al at the Hampton Casino in New Hampshire in 1998 or 1999 so I would have been 6 or 7 years old. During the concert Al started walking around the crowd while he was singing and when he walked by me I jumped up and outstretched my arms and he gave me a big hug. I still think about that a lot. My first ‘show’ was The Aquabats with The Aggrolites and Whole Wheat Bread at The Avalon (RIP) in Boston in 2006. The Aquabats are an amazing live band but what I still think about more than anything when that memory comes up is the palpable sense of community and safety that the show presented. Not long after that I was at a Bouncing Souls show and remember thinking about how disappointing it was to see a band that I loved, but spent the whole time trying not to get hit.