I'm gonna make this quick for reasons both mundane and dull.

Josey Records does basement shows. Any day is a good day for free all-ages music, but First Fridays are special. Upstairs, patrons flip through well-curated racks of vinyl in a cozy and chic showroom. Downstairs is a sea of crates for those willing to dig out their own gems amid rough-hewn limestone walls, dust, and dim lights. There's also a corner illuminated by a pink-hued LED lightbar where bands play on the cracked concrete floor. It's DIY in the Crossroads.

Briefly, opening act Ospree is a new trio consisting of Mario Bustos (vocals/guitar), Sarah O'Neal (bass), and Aden Smith (drums). Just bright-eyed and eager kids. Musically the band is homeless. Some grunge elements, some garage rock ones, plenty of punk pluck, some post-hardcore brilliance. The bass line in the opener was amazing. Mid-set highlight "Kill Creek" took the old Kansas City chestnut of loud guitars and tricky arrangements and ran with it. Does the title refer to the band or the rural Kansas township? "Yes," explained O'Neal. I think I heard both in the tune, but then again, I heard lots in the band's sound. Maybe Ospree will refine itself and be one powerful thing, or maybe it'll just enjoy making a racket for those of us who enjoy listening to rackets in basements and that'll be it.

Mopsy followed. More kids, but this quartet has a few years' worth of shows in its bank. Maybe the band is fronted by Judge Chalk (vocals/guitar) and bolstered by Clark Russell (lead guitar), Scout Matthews (bass), and Huck Langford (drums). Or maybe I've messed that up. I'll never know as the band ignored my questions. Chalk was gravel-voiced, roaring two hardcore punk numbers right out of the gate. Unexpected. Afterward, the quartet relaxed, embracing a rollicking rock sound peppered with bombastic drums and rock & roll guitar solos. Chalk worked the room, getting a few kids dancing, and most of the twenty-five at the front of the basement clapping along. It's a certain charisma that can joke with the audience one minute, and command it the next. Chalk has it, and Mopsy's half-hour set was better for it.

As Still Ill began setting up, frontman Ricky Reyes asked for the PA to be turned up. It's dangerous to salt your food before tasting it, but Reyes knows what he likes. He was joined in the pink corner by guitarist/vocalist Jen Kean, bassist Dom Zappia, and new drummer Eric Jones (who folks may recognize from The Electric Lungs). The quartet's half-hour set focused on its most recent album, dipped back to its first EP at times, and offered at least one debutant. There was nuance in the band's compositions, but for brevity's sake, the performance offered a balance of shoegaze texture and post-hardcore intensity built from sparking leads, grinding guitars, croaked vocals, smart tom work, and melodic bass lines. Still Ill isn't a band for dancing. Instead, Reyes suggested the audience close its eyes and fully succumb to the band. And so it did – right until eight o'clock when the act's short set ended, returning the DIY venue to a basement for crate diggers.