Crimany, originally formed in 2009, are a Seattle-based hard rock/punk trio known for their energetic live performances around the Pacific Northwest. After reforming in 2023, the current line-up of Darryl, Brandon and Aaron have returned to the live circuit with renewed purpose.
The band are also part of The Soap Girls‘ Rebel DNA World Tour (2026) and will be appearing at Funhouse Seattle on July 25th, so if you’re in the area it’s well worth checking them out.
For Crimany there’s no official website yet and they aren’t currently on Spotify, which is unusual for a band that has been around as long as they have. Fortunately, they have uploaded their Live at the Axe Kickers performance to YouTube, giving plenty of opportunity to see exactly what they bring to a stage.
This review finds me away from home in a hotel where there appears to be an unusually high concentration of tiny people enthusiastically singing “Ten in the Bed and the Little One Said…” at full volume. Your reviewer therefore beat a strategic retreat to the hotel bar (tea only, before anyone asks), headphones firmly in place, ready to see what Crimany had to offer.
I’m only covering a handful of tracks here, but the full set is available on YouTube for anyone wanting to hear more.
“Responsibility” delivers energy and attitude from the opening bars and, if I am right, kicks off the performance. I hadn’t encountered Crimany before this review, but the sound immediately reminded me of the LA punk edge of bands such as The Last Gang. Within moments it’s obvious this is a group who have spent plenty of time playing together. The musicianship feels tight, the drums are locked in, and the guitar riffs carry plenty of melodic punch without sacrificing the rawness that good punk rock thrives on.
The edge is one of the pleasures of watching a live recording rather than listening to a polished studio release. You get a much better sense of how songs breathe on stage.
“Demons” was my favourite performance from the set. It’s darker in tone and, in my imagination, became the soundtrack to a solitary walk through a dense forest after sunset. The song begins patiently before steadily building the ante, allowing the atmosphere to develop naturally. There’s genuine mood here, with the music evoking reflection and melancholy rather than simply relying on volume and aggression. Sometimes slowing things down creates even more impact, and that certainly works here.
“Lady” was perhaps the biggest surprise of the evening. We don’t usually spend much time discussing cover versions because our reviews focus primarily on the band’s own music. However, I certainly wasn’t expecting Crimany to tackle the Kenny Rogers classic written by Lionel Richie.
Originally a beautifully understated ballad, Crimany transform it into something altogether rockier while still preserving the emotional core that made the original so memorable. Rather than overpowering the song, they allow its sentiment to remain intact. The result is more melancholic than dramatic, and it works fine.
Another unexpected choice arrives with “Careless Whisper.” A good song is, after all, a good song, regardless of genre. I’ll admit that Wham! were one of my secret musical indulgences as a teenager, so hearing George Michael’s classic receive a punk-rock makeover was never going to leave me indifferent.
The guitar work slips comfortably into those familiar melodies while the heavier arrangement gives the song an entirely different personality. It doesn’t replace the original—it couldn’t—but it offers an alternative perspective that makes the song feel fresh enough to justify its inclusion.
Finally, “Burn You” closes my selection with a powerful drum groove that provides the heartbeat for the track. The chorus lands with conviction and the performance captures exactly what a live recording should. It isn’t studio-perfect, nor does it try to be. Instead, it feels immediate, honest and energetic, preserving all the little imperfections that remind you this is three musicians feeding off one another in real time.
Overall, Crimany were an enjoyable discovery. They may not yet have the online profile of many of their contemporaries, but what they do possess is experience, solid musicianship and an obvious enjoyment of performing together. Their set isn’t about polished production or flashy theatrics; it’s about three musicians getting on stage, playing hard and letting the songs speak for themselves.
If you’re already heading along to see The Soap Girls on the Rebel DNA World Tour, make sure you get there early enough to catch Crimany. On the evidence of this live recording, you’ll be rewarded with an honest, high-energy slice of hard rock and punk that reminds us why live music remains such a different experience from simply pressing play at home.
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By Lorraine Foley
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