Anatomy of a Buzz: Fight Bite

fight bite n. 1 an infected, human bite-inflicted wound (ex: Johnny bit Suzy's hand and now that shit looks nasty; 2 a new-ish Denton-based band that everyone apparently thinks is amazing (ex: This band Zac Crain really likes is playing Space on Saturday!)

Let's take a retrospective look at how we got to the second definition shall we? (Note: This is hardly a knock on Fight Bite, which seems a fine, fine band; rather, it's a knock on all forms of local music media).

Friday, Dec. 7, 2007: A blind squirrel trips over an acorn and Dallas Observer web editor Chelsea Ide notes that a band called "Fight Bites" is playing a supporting set for Shiny Around the Edges at Strawberry Fields. This appears to be the first time the band's name (however fumbled) appears in print or online media, although no description of the band's sound is provided.

Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008: Chris Cantalini of Gorilla Vs. Bear name-checks Fight Bite, calling the act "promising," and writing "I was immediately enamored with their painfully beautiful, reverb-heavy vocals and simple yet sort of instantly unforgettable keyboard melodies." He also posts an mp3 of the track "swiss ex-lover" for download.

Monday, Feb. 25, 2008: Cantalini plays Fight Bite on his Sirius Satellite Radio show; accidentally refers to Fight Bite as "Bite Fight" in his written-out playlist from the show.

Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008: Stereogum takes the bait from GvB, posting two videos of Fight Bite performing at Strawberry Fields (including the one in this post) and calling the band "fairly mesmerizing."

Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008: Local music blog WeShotJR hops on board, calling the music "lovely," and saying it traps listeners into a "lush, dreamy haze." Like GvB, WSJR compares the band to Beach House.

Friday, April 11, 2008: Quick's Big Thing nomination committee puts Fight Bite up for the awards' Next Big Thing category, despite never mentioning the band previously in its publication.

Friday, May 9, 2008: I mention Fight Bite in a Good Friday write-up, surprised that, finally, the band was going to play outside of the DIY and house party circuit--the band had been getting props for almost three months by this point, but still only had a few non-DIY gigs to its name.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008: Zac Crain reports on Frontburner that one of his "favorite bands in the D-d-FW area" has a show coming up this weekend. What Crain fails to mention is that this will only be the band's second-ever Dallas gig (its first came at Good Records' eight birthday bash).

Wednesday, June 11, 2008: I cry foul. I mean, really. Ri-effin-diculous.

That said, I'll see you at Space on Saturday night at around 10...'cause that's when Fight Bite's supposed to go on. --Pete Freedman