Donner Party

Donner Party was a San Francisco–based indie rock band active from 1986 to 1989, consisting of Melanie Clarin (drums, accordion), Sam Coomes (guitar, violin, banjo), and Reinhold Johnson (bass). Known for their quirky, darkly comic lyrics that often touched on themes of death and oddball humor, their sound blended elements of punk, folk, and bluegrass with a whimsical indie rock style. They released two self-titled albums—one in 1987 on Cryptovision Records and another in 1988 on Camper Van Beethoven’s Pitch-A-Tent label—and their work was later collected in a 2000 release called *Complete Recordings 1987–1989*, which also featured an unreleased third album and live recordings.

The band’s name references the notorious 19th-century pioneer group, but Donner Party the band often approached heavy themes with a sense of mischief and surrealism, as seen in tracks like “When You Die Your Eyes Pop Out” and “Would You Like to Have Something to Eat?” Their style has been compared to early Camper Van Beethoven and Let's Active, with cryptic, playful songwriting that can swing from folk to punk energy. Donner Party also reunited briefly for a show in 2000 in San Francisco.

Genres