Interview: The Von Tramps at Galactic Get-Down

The past is a Misfits cover band, the Future is Female. Minneapolis based pop-punk band, The Von Tramps, broke a few barriers at Galactic Get Down music festival held August 2-4 at Outback Ranch in Houston, Minnesota. If you weren’t at the Moon Stage at 3 p.m. Sunday of Galactic Get-Down, you’re probably going to have major FOMO after reading this, (for those of you who don’t know what that is, click here.)

The Von Tramps rocked the Moon Stage Sunday at GGD

The Von Tramps didn’t just play a set, they put on a SHOW. As Jenna Enemy, Chelsea Oxborough, Krissandra Anfinson and Kieran O’Donoghue took the stage, the energy immediately did a 180. It was the last day of the Festival, everyone was soaking up the sun, relaxing on the hill. After the first song, Enemy walked off the stage and into the crowd. She ran outside and yelled, “Are we at a music festival? Cause I don’t see anyone dancing!!!”

Enemy and bassist Anfinson got on the ground during a rendition of The Isley Brothers’ “Shout”

It all began three years ago when Oxborough posted an ad on Craigslist.

“I’d been looking to start an all girl group for a really long time,” Oxborough said. “Nothing had really worked so I thought, ‘One last time I’ll try to put an ad up and see what happens.’ And like, a week later Jenna messaged me and we agreed to jam.”

The two clicked through similar musical interests and less than three weeks after meeting played a Halloween show Enemy already had booked.

“I needed to fill the slot, so I just asked them if they wanted to learn a bunch of Misfits covers with me,” Enemy said. “And we did! And we played to a full house. We had never played on stage (together) before.”

Oxborough continued, “Then afterwards we were like, ‘well we just wanna keep this going so we came up with a real band name and original songs.”

And that’s when The Von Tramps were born. Less than a year later, the group released its first EP, “Fast and Loose,” in May of 2016 and in March of this year released its first full length album, “The Future is Female.” The 14 Song album highlights the hardships Enemy and Oxborough faced in the past, and opens up a conversation for anyone who’s been to hell and back, but see the light in a positive future.

“I went through some major life change,” Enemy said. “It shook me up a little bit. I started writing these song for myself as therapy, and then I started realizing that they would be more important to other people.”

The album was produced by Dustin Phillips, drummer of the punk-rock band, The Ataris. The tracks range from upbeat ballads to hardcore punk. “14B” and “Peaked in High School” give off a new age twist on 90s pop-punk.

“We just want to inspire people,” Enemy said. “We went through some hard stuff, and when I looked at the rubble of my life I realized the things that were still around were my friendship with my girls, and how important that was. We just wanted to start a conversation and being women, it was just our story.”

Throughout the whole hour-long set, Enemy would jump on and off stage, singing in the crowd, rather than at the crowd. The group did a rendition of The Isley Brothers’ “Shout,” and in the middle of the song, Enemy knelt down and reached out to a little girl dancing, and grabbed her hand. She said to her “Stay in school, don’t ever give your heart to anybody who isn’t worthy of you. You’re beautiful.”

And then, the singer jumped back up and began singing again as she ran around the building. Not only was Enemy out in the audience getting everyone to dance, but Oxborough, Anfinson and O’Donoghue kept the party going on stage with such high energy. One of Oxborough’s favorite parts of performing is connecting with the audience.

“Everywhere we go, we meet new people and new friends,” she said. “How people connect with our music.”

“I would say their reaction,” O’Donoghue continued.

O’Donoghue was all energy on the drums

“Ever since I’ve been honest about my story, I feel like so many women have come up to me after the show and told me their stories. If that gives them any kind of solace, I’m all for it,” Enemy said. “Just knowing that other people can relate and feel the same thing — it’s like we’re not so alone in the world.”

The Von Tramps ended the show with a cover of “Jolene” and a few new fans. Find them on Facebook and Instagram – @thevontramps, and catch them on tour with Space Monkey Mafia this fall on the West Coast. Find tour dates here.