For centuries, the rock pigeon (columba livia) has been revered as a symbol of transformation and wonder. Today the Northern Californian alt rock band, Columba Livia, embodies this symbology within their dark shoegaze/grunge mystique.

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Columba Livia (co-lum-ba liv-ia) has recently reinvented themselves within the current alternative rock circle in San Francisco. In 2016 the band coalesced into the trio of guitarist and vocalist Christine McCann, drummer Joshua Studebaker, and bassist Peter Carroll. The evolution of this Northern California group was an alchemy of a once jazz-funked, ska bound bossa nova band likened to Hiatus Kaiyote into a psychedelic mystic, stoner-gazed powerhouse with influences from bands like Crumb and True Widow. 

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In 2017 the group began to deteriorate. The early formation of the band suffered occasional break-up spells, members moving or quitting, and general ill timing. In 2017 they recorded and released their ceremonious debut, That Place Inside Your Head, but as Christine comments, “we had no momentum.” It wasn’t until 3 years later that Columba Livia reassembled, began casting shows and commenced their journey to become an integral part of the music scene of the San Francisco Bay Area.

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In 2021, the band showcased their transformation of their sound and image with their powerfully entrancing and emotionally drenched sophomore album, Midnight Reveals. After the departure of Carroll, Erinn Wilkerson was summoned as their new stellar bass player. In the following season, the band signed with Don’t Flunk Me Records, a new label based out of Santa Rosa Junior College in Sonoma County, California.

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Their next single “As We Go” doesn’t just compel you to listen more, it makes you want to join in and feel the effervescent energy of a group discarding boundaries and critically wondering if this chaotic world and its rules are the only way we humans must live. “As We Go”, released in late Spring of 2022, accompanied a creative giveaway of wildflower seed packets to align with the band’s interest in themes of nature and metamorphosis. Their single is available on all major streaming platforms on April 29th, 2022.