.jpg)
The Workshop at WP
An online publication made for creatives, by creatives.
In 2020 the world faced a pandemic like no other, with billions of lives brought to a standstill by a deadly virus. Most found solitude in their homes and reconnected with old hobbies and passions. Others used their restlessness as an opportunity to reinvent themselves and focus within. The music industry is now once again booming with talented and fresh artists looking to change the world with their sound. Seattle-based pop punk band IVES is one of those projects that came alive during this time.
IVES was founded by Rachael Gold in 2020, when she moved back into her childhood home in Seattle after getting a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts in New York. Gold disclosed that living in her old home was a big motivator for the band, saying it helped her unearth “traumas of the past.”
​
Alongside lead singer and songwriter Rachael Gold, members of IVES include Larenzo Floyd on drums and production, Gabriel Gadbow on bass, Roberto Chacon on guitar, and Brandon Grover also as a guitarist and songwriter. Gold gave insights behind the band’s name, saying she was inspired by the mother of evil herself, Vanessa Ives of the popular TV show Penny Dreadful.
IVES focuses on female empowerment, which is easy to do with frontwoman Rachael Gold leading the way. With inspirations like Hayley Williams of Paramore, Donna Missal, and Heart, Gold has honed in on the raw realness that is female rage.
IVES’ first single, “Angel Arc,” dropped in early 2024 on all streaming platforms. Its heavy electric guitar chords and fast-paced drum beats give off a nostalgic early 2000s sound, similar to the likes of Paramore. Gold’s layering of vocals and intonation of lyrics parallel William’s seamlessly, while still honing a unique sound and style of her own.
Though the band only has one single out so far, they have been busy working with other Seattle artists, like LA Floyd, GNIFFKE, Drea Maryland, Standish, and Henry Mansfield. They are also in the midst of working on their first record, Haus of IVES, which drops summer 2024. IVES have played at several venues around Seattle, including Barboza, Conor Byrne Pub, Funhouse, and the Rendezvous, and dream of playing The Crocodile mainstage and Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Catch IVES live on March 27th, 2024, participating in WSU Pullmans’ Battle of the Bands and on Instagram as @ivesivesivesives.
In our interview with IVES, frontwoman Gold dug into some of her deeper inspiration for creating music. She told us she can’t live without her friends, the homies, and of course, her family. A goal with this project, for Gold, is to “document the part of me that’s real and raw…(and) to tell all my demons to come out and play.” The authenticity is not lost in their sound, and IVES is definitely not afraid to speak up for what they believe in. “If you can’t turn off the music in your head then follow it…” Gold concluded.
