bio

Portland’s combobox makes precision‑cut, high‑energy alt‑punk they’ve nicknamed spankwave, with songs that snap, grin, and go. Imagine the nervy angles and deadpan wit of Talking Heads colliding with the hair‑trigger dynamics of System of a Down. Modern peers includie Gustaf and early Bloc Party. The writing is compact, with most tracks landing well under three minutes, and the live show mirrors that economy. Minimal time between songs; maximum momentum. Crowds skank, a little pit bubbles up, and the band’s black and white jumpsuit uniform turns the stage into a blinking logo.

Lyrically, combobox lives where big human feelings meet their own absurdity. “Oh No!” is an absurdist bark at another Trump run; “Coffee Shop” begs off secondhand drama; “Back in Style” refuses to look away from atrocity; “Worth It” relives a vacation-turned-break-up.

Their debut EP, Oh No! (July 11, 2025), bottles the band’s live snap with a punchy, room‑ready sound. It was recorded and mixed by Colin Weaver at Empty Lane Studio, mastered by Mawg Toye at The Toyebox, and released on Pegasus Theory on cassette and streaming.

Formed in 2022 after years of friendship between Zach Kay and Ty Schreiber, combobox found their stride in fall 2023 and has run hot since.

Recent highlights include a packed EP release at Misdemeanor Meadows (72 tickets) and coverage from Dying Scene and Personal Punk.