When Spring Into Summer Fest kicks into high gear this weekend, you’ll want to make sure you find yourself in front of the every-rowdy Nature Boys set.
 
The punky trio out of Kansas city packs a punch with their live shows; and, having just come off a good-sized tour, their musical muscles are well-oiled. Bassist Suzanne Hogan says the band enjoyed their time on the road, but they’re ready to be back in their community. “Every show is potentially completely different on tour. You don’t really know where it’s going to end up… in a basement, a bar, on the sidewalk,” says Hogan. “In Kansas City and Lawrence we have a core of good friends that keep it fun.”
 

While guitarist Danny Fischer and drummer Aaron Rommel hail from Wisconsin, Hogan (the late-addition to the band) was born and raised in Kansas City. She spent a lot of time in Lawrence’s punk scene in her younger years, which included indulging in a few shows at the infamous Pirate House. She says the times have changed, but Lawrence continues to have a tight-knit DIY punk community. “Lawrence and Kansas City have a shared scene of wanting this part of the country to be recognized as a good music scene,” says Hogan. “So we treat each other appropriately with the support that’s needed.” Hogan says the record label based out of the Replay, which recently released a compilation featuring Nature Boys, is a perfect example. “The Replay having a record label trying to put out bands, Love Garden having shows and trying to promote local bands… Lawrence has always been on top of it in a lot of ways, and I’m excited to see them continue with it.”
 
The ferocious bassist will find herself in the midst of that kind of support at this weekend’s Spring Into Summer Fest. The event will feature an outside day show on 10th street with the likes of The Hips, Hearts of Darkness, and Approach. Inside, after 10:00 p.m., brutal bands like Dry Bonnet, JabberJosh, and Up The Academy take center stage. “I’m looking forward to seeing a really big show after this tour we’ve been on, just to compare and contrast what’s going on in music right now,” says Hogan. “I think it’s a good showcase of what’s happening in our region right now.” Nature Boys will be part of the inside-nighttime lineup, and Hogan couldn’t be more pleased to be rocking out alongside her peers. “It’s such a release for us, and so much a part of who we are,” says Hogan. “It’s just fun and important to be making rock and roll.”
 
To see Nature Boys, and a slew of other merciless rockers, head to the Replay on Saturday for Spring Into Summer. Full details here.
 
Check out a couple of nice, screamy videos of them playing the Replay last year:
 

 

 
And here’s a personal favorite track of ours.
 

 
To learn more about the band, click here.

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