Lomes Oleander, the front-woman of the band Pigeon Pit, will be performing this week at the Walrus, a local Jacksonville bar, as part of the band’s cross-country tour.
Oleander spoke with Spinnaker ahead of the performance to talk about her musical inspirations, touring experiences, and Pigeon Pit’s surprise album drop, Leash Aggression.
The Band’s Start
Oleander began Pigeon Pit as a solo project, expanding into a full band in 2020 in Olympia, Washington. The band features members such as Bo Lark, Mads Bun, Josh Hoey, Olive Hannah, and Jim Rhian.
Oleander’s vocals are backed by her strong lyrics, Lark’s fiddle, Bun’s banjo, Hoey’s bass, Hannah’s drums and Rhian’s pedal steel.
Pigeon Pit lyrics detail an exploration of queerness, grief, community and political struggle through a loud folk-punk sound.
During Oleander’s cross-country experiences from Seattle and California to Washington, she capitalized particularly on her experiences in Santa Cruz, CA to pursue her musical passion.
“It’s [Santa Cruz] a wild scene, beautiful and political,” said Oleander. When asked what prompted the move to Olympia, WA, where Oleander expanded the band, she mentioned the gentrification taking over at Santa Cruz that eventually led to her move.
“Olympia was more free than other places,” said Oleander. “And I knew a lot more people there.”
As for inspiration, Oleander mentioned civil rights activist James Baldwin and emphasized that the political and queer issues referenced within her music come from a place of “inherent concern”, according to Oleander.
“I’m affected and a lot of the people I love are personally affected,” said Oleander.
Journey Thus Far
Since 2022, Pigeon Pit has been touring as a full band, playing in Australia and New Zealand, while also touring with musician Laura Jane Grace across North America.
Oleander takes advantage of the touring experience, finding great enjoyment in exploring other places and communities.
“Playing so far from home and being in the desert in the middle of winter rocks,” said Oleander.
Pigeon Pit, packing basements and underground shows, was also able to perform on NPR’s Tiny Desk in 2022, following the popularity of their 2015 song, “Nights Like These”.
The song gained traction late 2021 and into 2022 due to widespread sharing on social media apps like TikTok, appraised for its lyricism and unique sound.
Following the release of their first album, crazy arms, and now Leash Aggression, Pigeon Pit has been performing shows across the United States, including a local show on Dec. 12 at the Walrus in Jacksonville, FL.
Surprise Album Release
Leash Aggression marks Pigeon Pit’s second full-length release of 2025, following crazy arms, an album that compiled light and layered instrumentals into an emotional piece that allows listeners to make the lyrics their own.
When asked what prompted such a swift second release, Oleander cited a deep inspiration that followed her through touring with crazy arms.
“There was a fire under my ass and before I knew it, ten songs,” said Oleander, laughing.
Oleander credits “anthill mode”, track 6 of Leash Aggression, as the most representative of the album’s overarching message. The folk-punk song discusses life’s struggles with fierce honesty, using the metaphor of ants and the idea of constant and even frustrating effort to express feeling trapped but fighting to survive and find connection.
According to Oleander, “anthill mode” captures the essence of when it feels like you’re just one tiny part of a big, confusing system.
However, track 9, “return of the white knuckle angel”, earned the title of Oleander’s favorite.
“It’s the most emotionally charged and most angry, definitely my favorite,” said Oleander.
A song about getting through tough times with an almost gentle but punk defiance, capitalizes on finding power in vulnerability and community through raw vocals and dynamic instrumentals.
Pigeon Pit will be performing this Friday, Dec. 12, from 7pm to 11pm at the Walrus.
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