Scott Winkenweder (far left), Bucky Bucknell (center), and Quin Patty (right, wearing a beanie). Photo by Remi Steeves.
Von Mono died in the parking lot late Saturday night on October 10th, and shared their last words with us at Align. The Portland– circa McMinnville– rock band played their last show in a basement on 15th & Hilyard. Hiltop Jungle is what the venue is called. Get it? Hil(yard)top Jungle? The jungle part lived up to expectations given how humid and insane it was in this beautiful and rickety basement.
Since establishing themselves as a band in 2019, they’ve undergone name changes, including Interstate 5, and seen members come and go. The band is made up of Matteo “Bucky” Bazzy-Bucknell on vocals and rhythm guitar, Scott Winkenweder backing up the vocals as well as guitar, Graham Sommers on drums, and the most recent member, Quin Patty on bass. The former Von Mono bass player, Mason Akers, of the Monmouth bluegrass group Tuesday Stringband, showed up to the show to play a couple more songs with the band one last time.
Through all the changes, though, their bond and passion for the music have remained the same. “Each one of these guys are so unique, intelligent, and can connect with this music so effortlessly.” Said Quin Patty, who joined Von Mono as their new bassist last year.
Von Mono performing during the middle of their set. Photo by Remi Steeves.
Having played Eugene many times over the years, Von Mono wanted to finish out their last show with a bang. When asked about why they enjoy playing in Eugene, Bucky said, “the energy. So many people here who are a similar age to us and want to see live music. And people are willing to provide.”
“Eugene is walkable, and when people show up to shows they actually dance.” Scott Winkenweder, backup vocals and guitar, said.
“What I think is interesting is that it’s not a venue. It’s someone’s home. Someone is providing their space that they live in to do these fun things to provide an outlet and have all these bands out.” Said Quin.
“It’s unique. There’s a lot of cool shit you get to see because of that. There’s a lot of very small porches and there’s a lot of working together to figure out how we’re gonna fit on this tiny 8x8 platform.” Said Graham Sommers, drummer.
Scott, who said his role in the band was to “play guitar and yell,” kicked off the show with explosive energy. Throughout Von Mono’s set he was dancing, holding dramatic poses, and drumming on his surroundings and his body.
Crowd having a good ol time. Photo by Remi Steeves.
The show was everything a Eugene house show could live up to. The basement was packed with people and tucked away from the biting chill outside. It was hot, sweaty, humid, stinky, dirty, and probably induced hearing damage for several. There was nowhere in the room you could stand without touching someone else.
With 7 foot ceilings and random pieces of wood hanging down, the kids still found a way to mosh. Von Mono put together 47 minutes of emotional, bone shaking, amazingly angry music. And they finished off their tour with an encore, covering Joyce Manor’s "Catalina Fight Song.” To feel so immersed into a set was an incredible experience, and one not many bands can accomplish.
When asked how it felt to play their last show ever, Scott immediately responded with, “sad.”
Bucky followed up with, “It’s mixed emotions, largely just because everybody’s going in their own direction at this point. It’s a big crossroads in life and what not, but this is a band that we have been in – at least, Scott and Graham and I have been in – for at least seven years, and Quin has been a part of it for the past year and a half, or two years.” There’s no bad blood, no beef, or loss of passion that caused the death of Von Mono, but rather the acceptance that the band could be even more by going separate ways and allowing each member to reach their full potential.
Graham Sommers killin’ it on drums. Photo by Remi Steeves.
“For some of us, this band was about expressing something within ourselves and trying to say something to ourselves and the world and spread that message, and some of us are going ‘there’s better ways that I can spread that message that I can do.’ Like this motherfucker is going to law school to do some really cool stuff and probably stand up for some really cool people. That’s his way of spreading that message.” Graham said, referencing Scott.
“These are my brothers. It doesn’t matter where I go, they’ll be my brothers,” Scott said.
Bucky Bucknell (far left), Scott Winkenweder (standing), Quin Patty (throwing up the deuce), and Graham Sommers (far right). Photo by Henry Martin, taken on an iPhone.
Find Von Mono on BANDCAMP!!! Buy whatever you can from them. Also find them on streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, Pandora, blah, blah, blah, as well as on Instagram @von_mono.