Players: Eli Edwards, guitars, vocals, electronic loops; Xayvien "Xay" Young, guitars, vocals, electronic loops; Conner R. Frankel, touring drums.
Bristling with boundary-blurring hip-hop, hardcore, and cathartic emo crescendos, casi — Eli Edwards and Xayvien "Xay" Young — stormed down the stairs from the loft area of Seattle’s Easy Street Records—a venue well known for hosting monumental live performances ranging from Mudhoney and Pearl Jam to Eagles of Death Metal and Brandi Carlile. Leaving behind the massive upper deck space filled with crates upon crates of vinyl, they jumped onto the intimate stage below to lock in with touring drummer Conner Frankel. With no traditional barriers separating the Spanaway, WA-based duo, and only a foot separating the band from the floor, an ecstatic crowd surged forward, reaching their arms out toward the stage. As Eli slung his guitar over his shoulder and Xay stepped up to the microphone to spit out the first bars, the store instantly transformed into a sweat-soaked, all-ages, crossover punk sanctuary.
Without any hesitation, the crowd broke into a frantic mosh pit as casi launched into a blistering run of tracks, including one of their standout singles, “TRIGGER” from their full-length self-titled release. Local fans in the know anticipated the band’s signature breakdown — crouching low in time with the tempo. A second later, the room exploded with a mass of bodies jumping in unison to the song’s brutal lyrics, beats, and down-tuned chords. While the music echoed through the venue and out beyond the open floor-to-ceiling windows, passersby outside stopped mid-step on the sidewalk. Mesmerized by what they heard, many stayed for the entire set, hypnotized by the duo’s genre-blending, hybrid kinetic presence.
The fierce momentum accelerated when the duo switched positions. Xay took over the dual axe-meets-stick setup while Eli let loose with only the microphone cord holding him back. The trade-off allowed both members to work the stage with a full-force physical presence, further amplifying their interlocking vocal assault.
Absorbing that unmistakable, high-intensity wave radiating from the stage, the crowd became one. Fueling the euphoria, fans hoisted each other into the air in that pure PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) kind of way — a shared respect born from a crossover of subcultures. This raw mix of punk, rap, rock, and hip-hop attitude was perfectly mirrored in the audience’s visual aesthetic, with young fans packing the tight space while wearing t-shirts representing alt-heavy hitters like Deftones, METZ, Blood Orange, and Yves Tumor. That collective bond peaked as bodies began crowd-surfing across the packed floor during anthemic tracks like “I’M HUNGOVER AND WENT TO CHURCH.”
Deep into their set, casi unleashed their alt-rock emo favorites “INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS” and "ELEVEN87.” The songs showcased the band's ability to connect with fans on an intimate level, with the crowd singing every lyric in sync. The moment bared the duo’s effortless ability to shift from extreme physical intensity to passionate emotional vulnerability. Refusing to let the momentum fade, casi swung it back in full force, inciting a final round of high-octane moshing to the hard-hitting rhythms of “BRIDGES.” As the final wave of guitar feedback faded, it left the packed house ringing, sweaty, and chanting for more. The lingering reverb matched the rich musical lineage of Easy Street’s storied stage, cementing the show as a defining milestone for a band ready to make their next move.
