Buttercup
Interview on Live and Local
Thursday, March 5th, 2026
Hosted by KRTU intern: Keira Cahill
Buttercup presents Send More Yellow, a double album packed with dynamic new songs that reveal the full spectrum of the band’s creative fire. KRTU student intern Keira Cahill had the opportunity to interview founding member, Erik Sanden, to discuss the creative process behind making the album and the longevity of the band.
Listen to a playback of the interview HERE.
Buttercup Concert Review
By Keira Cahill
March 6, 2026 @ The Empire Theatre
Walking into the Buttercup concert at the Empire Theater, I was hit by a sea of indie middle-aged patrons, strolling and chatting as they waited for the act. On the path to locate my seat, I was approached by a faceless sheet ghost costume, the kind you put on when your mom forgets it’s Halloween. The figure skipped between the rows, handing out small paper slips that read, “You are beautiful.”
The air in the theater was positive and laid back; I was immediately distracted from the fight I had with my boyfriend earlier that day and the mountain of homework waiting for me back home. Climbing the steep stairs to the balcony, my excitement for the coming performance grew.
The curtains opened on a theatrical camping setup: a small red tent, assorted plastic pine trees (likely pulled from Christmas attic storage), and a strobe-light campfire. Notably missing from the stage were the Buttercup band members, but this confusion was soon answered as they exited the tent dressed to the nines in lumberjack costumes.
The room was high with energy and brimming with indie rock twang. The setlist was diverse; it pulled from old hits and the newest album, Send More Yellow. As the music built, lumberjack flannels and cowboy hats were ripped off to reveal skin-tight sequin shirts and black skinny jeans. The audience roared in approval. The climax of the concert came during Henry B. Gonzalez, off their 2017 album Battle of Flowers, a rocking song with heavy electric guitar and crashing cymbals. The energy from the stage shot through the audience; a group of women, unified by long grey hair and flowy linen dresses, moved towards the stage, swaying and dancing together. It was impossible not to enjoy.
The Buttercup concert got the crowd up and on their feet. The quirky set design, costuming, and heavy guitar combined to make a show that was both comfortable and exciting. Rather than feeling like a concert venue, the energy in the Empire Theater brought me back to dancing at high school garage shows: casual, sweaty, and fun. The patrons came to the Empire for a good time, and Buttercup fulfilled that promise.
