The Pink Door
Written by Ava Chand
Photo by Paige Rodriguez
Who Are The Pink Door?
The Pink Door is an up and coming band making its way into the Eugene house show scene. Eugene houses college bands such as Left on Read, Bowl Peace, Down Rad, and Mommy, who even opened for Aminé at Matthew Knight Arena in the Spring. The Pink Door is new to the scene, only playing two shows since their creation. However, they are not to be underestimated, for they are prepared to be heard far and wide through the Eugene house show scene. I had the opportunity to interview the band, and get an idea of where they emerged and their experience as newcomers to the scene.
The story goes that lead singer and guitarist, Emily Bullinger, and classmate/ future bassist Claire Jenkins discovered they had a mutual love for music and had jokingly discussed starting a band. Claire knew future lead guitarist Ella Nixon from the dorms and Emily knew future drummer Brian Hung through classes as well. What began as a fantasy soon turned to reality when Emily and Claire decided to take action and put a band together.
When interviewed, Bullinger and Jenkins put clear emphasis on the fact that they spoke about forming a band as a joke. In fact, Claire only began her bass playing journey in December of 2022. Jenkins jumped right in and put her bass playing skills to the test in forming this band. Jenkins and Nixon continued their friendship from freshman year into sophomore and began to “jam” together as Jenkins was picking up bass. One fateful evening, Jenkins invited Emily over to jam with them and they discovered that they fit together like puzzle pieces. With the three of them having established chemistry playing together, Bullinger decided to bring in Brian, an experienced drummer with an easily accessible rehearsal space in the Delta Tau Delta fraternity house. They went in with the mentality of “whatever happens happens,” and to everyone's surprise, the chemistry in that room was elevated in a way that was indescribable. They had simply played together for a mere four-and-a-half hours, but in that time they all knew they were meant to play together. Claire states, “We were all shocked with how collected we sounded. We fit together as a band.”
Every single person could feel that they were destined to play together. Bullinger even made the group take a photo together after their very first jam session for she felt in her gut that they were supposed to be in each other's lives. For most bands, a frontman quickly emerges after their formation. According to Nixon, “There is no overpowering of each other in the band. We all have a strong bond to each other and that bond shows when we play together. [It] makes it easier for us to play together.” Balance is a key part of the group's dynamic and their chemistry was put on display at their first gig.
The First Show
The debut show is perhaps the most important performance in the lifetime of a new band. The debut is what sets artists up for their future and determines whether or not a band will be able to make being artists together work. For The Pink Door, the debut show truly put themselves to the test. Their first show together was May 18th for a Delta Tau Delta philanthropy event. This tell-tale event expressed the cohesiveness of this band and showed the world their chemistry outside of the DTD basement .Brian, being a brother to the members of DTD band Down Rad, asked if they could have their first gig at this philanthropy and no surprise, they said yes. According to Hung, “Down Rad was a huge support in preparation for this show”. Nixon continued to add, “I feel like this was the perfect event for a first show. The DTD boys have already heard us play regularly so it was a comfortable space for us.” . The preparation for this event, however, was no easy task. From curating a representative and boisterous setlist to practicing into all hours of the night, this group was challenged in a way they had never experienced before.
While there was an element of comfortability, there naturally was a strong sense of nerves. Bullinger stated, “We were all definitely feeling the pressure the week of the show. Like, no offense but especially Brian. He kept telling us ‘I'm not stressed I’m not stressed’ as he chugged his fourth cup of water and was sweating bullets.'' However, with his nervously shaky hands, Hung got the courage to step out onto the stage with his eternally supportive bandmates by his side and proceeded to play a flawless set in the presence of all of his brothers and friends. Brian states “After the first few bars, I got really comfortable up there. I felt like I didn’t carry the groove as much as I let the groove carry me. It all just felt so natural.”
Bullinger adds, “Honestly it was the perfect first show. Performing for all of our friends was just the greatest feeling.” They fed off of the exuberant energy from each other as well as from the crowd. For the band, the show seemed to create the ultimate sense of euphoria and pride. They accomplished something that displays their talent and passion. Not only did The Pink Door feel an overwhelming sense of joy, but also a release of relief. They now knew with complete certainty that they could grow together as a band and create an environment full of love and joy for everyone.
What’s Next?
As the year draws to a close, the band prepares to go their separate ways for the summer. Even with summer break on the horizon, they don’t intend on taking a break from the music. They hope to keep the momentum from their show carrying through to the next school year when they can all play together again. They may be new, but The Pink Door should not be underestimated. Keep an eye out for them on Instagram @thepinkdoorband and be sure to check out their next show. The Pink Door will be regular performers at house shows in the coming months and you won’t want to miss them!
