Until a couple of years ago, the musical resume of Freaky Franz, aka Franz Lyons, had more to do with punishing drum sets at a 4/4 time signature than manufacturing on the mic in front of a crowd. But today, the first thing that comes to mind when hearing the collection of fast-hitting beats and massive bass bombs, the backdrop for the swag storybook that is a Freaky Franz track, is not the punishing speed guitar and blistering screamo vocals associated with the hard-core punk scene. 

There haven’t been many bands whose names have graced the stages and marquees of Columbus’ clubs, spanning from Stache’s and Little Brothers to the LC, but, since the early nineties, Earwig has been plying their trademark brand of stripped-down rock in every club up and down High Street. It’s been nearly two decades and nobody’s asking them to stop; they’re an institution in Columbus. Their name is up there with bands like Watershed and Scrawl, from the same time period, but Earwig remains the only one that is still pumping out great records and playing regular shows.