The Neon Bro Spectacle

Connor Martin really wants to party with you. In fact he’s driving up and down the entire West Coast building an army of eccentric, neon-clad youth. Con Bro Chill, Martin’s wacky, power-party pop troupe embraces the bombastic, donning neon garb from head to toe. And, yes, that includes neon loafers.

“It’s all about being bright, happy and fun. There’s nothing that says that like neon,” says Martin, Con Bro Chill party host, keytar player and professional lacrosse player. “We highly encourage people to come dressed as maniacs.” Need inspiration? Watch their music videos, where aggressively bright suits and jock straps are de rigueur.

“It’s such a party, it’s perfect for the college crowd and goofy kids that like to go wild and dance,” Martin says, emphasizing the term “party” with his surfer-esque cadence.

Three of Con Bro Chill’s members are Oregon natives (Martin, his brother SAMM and Ty Andre) hailing from Lake Oswego. “Oregon always has good crowds, we don’t like to take ourselves too seriously,” Martin says. But don’t let their carefree attitudes fool you, in terms of music, Con Bro Chill takes production seriously. Con’s lead vocalist, SAMM, writes much of the music and nails a falsetto reminiscent of the Bee Gees or Freddie Mercury on tracks like the party anthem “Power Happy.”

While it may seem like they’ve been huffing on Pixy Stix, it’s all just part of the act. With inspiration from bands like OK GO, Con Bro Chill disguises some impressive musical skill with lighthearted whim, like inserting themselves inside giant bouncy balls (see the “Dance Thief” video). “It’s a spectacle,” Martin says.

Con Bro Chill and Wallpaper play 9 pm Saturday, Feb. 23, at WOW Hall; $10 adv., $12 door.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

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None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!