The Motive Of Reno: Get Up And Dance
Photo by Sam Ray-Johnson.
Reno is called the Biggest Little City In The World for many reasons, but after being here my entire life, I never understood those words more than with the local music scene. Reno is a large city with a small town feel — everyone knows everyone, but there's always something new to find. If you can think of it, Reno probably has it. From hot air balloons to motorcycles, festivals to goth nights, there's something for all walks of life to enjoy.
I was looking for something fresh when I stumbled upon Motive. I was hungry for small, homegrown music to get my creative juices flowing again. As I sifted through Facebook events, I got a funny feeling checking out their page and lo and behold, their Spotify profile blessed my feed with a whole five songs. Formed in 2019, the tracks I went through were modern but not without a distinct nostalgic flair. Self-described as a rock slash funk slash blues slash reggae band, Motive intrigued me from first listen to last and I knew as soon as I checked them out, I would want to see them play live.
Cramping us all into the tiny venue, Pignic last weekend proved to be a bit of a challenge. Coming out of quarantine and shut downs, the pub & patio quickly became my go-to hangout spot due to the charming atmosphere. Complete with fire pits for chilly nights, the outdoor seating is the main allure of Pignic.
While the inside is equally as inviting, especially now that they opened the upstairs portion of the old building, my biggest criticism of the place is that it’s… tiny. On a slow night the gaudy couches, vintage paintings and retro decor are always an elegant experience. The bartenders are friendly, the service is great and they make a darn good Moscow mule. But during a concert, Pignic gets packed fast. There’s not much room to dance, much less to sit, so if you don’t enjoy a crowded show, be sure to grab a seat a little further away from the set. Because it’s an older house as well, you could tell it really wasn’t designed for music — the show was incredibly loud.
If you like your songs loud though, it didn’t take away from the talent of Motive. Each piece was beautifully crafted and told lyric stories that serenaded us all night long. One of those that stood out was ‘Luck,’ written during the pandemic, it retells experiences that actually happened to lead singer, Hank Bingham. As a fan of both funk and punk, their music was the perfect marriage of being kicked in the face by rock, while enticing your body to get up and dance to the groove. Originals aside, their covers of classic tracks were satisfying to say the least, especially their versions from Green Day. It was so refreshing to hear covers from own childhood instead of replayed oldies and for Bingham, he says that inspiration comes from the band itself.
“We’ve known each other since high school, [we have] really deep roots,” Bingham said. “I try to relay that out and to see everybody jumping up and down to all that is very fulfilling.”
Describing his art as ‘throaty’ and ‘punchy,’ Bingham says the music of Motive is physical. It evokes adrenaline, releasing chemicals in your body that influence movement while taking the listener on a journey of life. It’s plain to see the group formed to tell the story of a generation and to create good memories — especially rising out of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I think it made us all more grateful… at least for me, grateful for the time I have with these guys playing music,” Bingham said. “I think it made us respect the moment[s] we have, because we don’t get many moments like this in a year and that became evident during the pandemic you know, relish every song.”
If you’re looking for a band that’s fun, electric and charismatic, Motive are the men for you. In the spirit of Reno, these guys are the hometown heroes we’ve been waiting for but were some of the most down-to-earth, genuine artists I’ve spoken with in a while. You can bet on catching me at their next performance.
“We just want to play music, we want to share that with people and that’s why live shows are so meaningful for us,” Bingham said. “We’re all childhood friends that love playing music and if we can bring people along, we’ll bring people along.”
To listen to Motive, visit their Spotify profile here.
To follow them on Facebook, like their page here.
