The Coathangers to release first live album this summer.

The Coathangers Announce 1st Live Album

Preorder The Coathangers LIVE on limited-edition tri-color vinyl. 

Watch “Gettin’ Mad and Pumpin’ Iron” (Official Live Video) premiere via
i-D. 

In their thirteen years of existence, Atlanta’s tireless garage punks The Coathangers have cranked out five full-lengths and well over a dozen singles, splits, and EPs. Considering the band’s initial aspirations to merely hang out and play a few house parties, their relentless touring schedule is perhaps the greatest testament to the lasting power of their scrappy hook-laden records and the infectious energy radiating from their live shows. And while every Coathangers record has captured their buoyant turbulence and jagged euphoria, there is always some degree of magic that inevitably gets lost when bands go into the studio. Perhaps it’s the energy transference from the audience that’s missing or maybe it’s the push-and-pull of the musicians playing together in a volatile environment. Whatever the source of that inexplicable magic, The Coathangers have always wrangled a rowdy replication of that sweaty and sticky live feeling, but the time had come to properly document it.

Their quest for enchantment prompted The Coathangers: 2 Nights of Magic, a free two-night stand at Alex’s Bar in Long Beach, California replete with magicians, tarot card readings, burlesque dancers, palm readers, and a giant paper mache rabbit for photo-ops. And out of those shows came LIVE, the first Coathangers release to document the band in their natural habitat. “It’s kinda trippy, this record,” says guitarist/vocalist Julia Kugel. “It’s like our anthology… our entire career in 38 minutes.” Sure enough, LIVE spans everything from the slow-burn pop of “Captain’s Dead” off last year’s Parasite EP to the rabblerousing rocker “Tonya Harding” off their self-titled debut. The boisterous magic was captured by Dylan Ely and front-of-house engineer Eric Huff, with Kugel’s husband Scott Montoya handling the mixing in their new home studio. “I love the way it sounds,” Kugel says of the record. “It’s pumped me up for the next record! It sounds how we’ve never been able to sound on our studio albums… LIVE! Our live shows are who we really are so this is kind of our first record.”

Sure enough, LIVE captures the playful fervor of The Coathangers at their finest. “Gettin’ Mad and Pumpin’ Iron” sounds even more gloriously unhinged here than when it first appeared on Scramble back in 2009. Fan favorites like “Adderall” sound increasingly ragged and desperate as drummer Stephanie Luke belts out the verses and choruses on an adrenaline rush. Recent songs like bassist Meredith Franco’s Nosebleed Weekend highlight “Burn Me” feel injected with a manic urgency that pushes the tightly wound post-punk number into an unruly anthem. The Coathangers successfully captured the magic of their concerts, and now Suicide Squeeze is proud to offer LIVE to the world on June 1st 2018 via digital formats, cassette, and a limited first-edition pressing of 1500 copies on tri-color vinyl.

PREORDER LP/CAS/DIGITAL
Gettin’ Mad and Pumpin’ Iron LIVE at Alex’s Bar

The Coathangers On Tour

FRI APR 20 – Orlando FL, The Beacham Theatre* (TICKETS)
SAT APR 21 – Atlanta GA, Center Stage* (TICKETS)
SUN APR 22 – Charlotte NC, Neighborhood Theatre* (TICKETS)
TUE APR 24 – Boston MA, Royale NightClub* (TICKETS)
WED APR 25 – Asbury Park NJ, The Stone Pony*  (TICKETS)
THU APR 26 – Brooklyn NY, Warsaw* (TICKETS)
FRI APR 27 – New York NY, Irving Plaza* (TICKETS)
SAT APR 28 – Philadelphia PA, Electric Factory * (TICKETS)
SUN APR 29 – Washington DC, Black Cat* (TICKETS)
TUE MAY 1 – Buffalo NY, Town Ballroom* (TICKETS)
WED MAY 2 – Cincinnati OH, Bogart’s* (TICKETS)
THU MAY 3 – Pontiac MI, The Crofoot* (TICKETS)
FRI MAY 4 – Chicago IL, House of Blues* (TICKETS)
SAT MAY 5 – St. Louis MO, Ready Room* (TICKETS)
TUE MAY 29 – New Brunswick GA, Tipsy McSway’s (TICKETS)
WED MAY 30 – Jacksonville FL, Jack Rabbits (TICKETS)FRI JUN 1 – Tampa FL, Crowbar (TICKETS)
SAT JUN 2 – Gainesville FL, High Dive (TICKETS)
SUN JUN 3 – Pensacola FL, Vinyl Music Hall (TICKETS)
TUE JUN 5 – New Orleans LA, Santos (TICKETS)
WED JUN 6 – Houston TX, White Oak Music Hall (TICKETS)
THU JUN 7 – Austin TX, Barracuda (TICKETS)
FRI JUN 8 – San Antonio TX, Jack Rabbit
SAT JUN 9 – Dallas TX, Club Dada (TICKETS)
SUN JUN 10 – Oklahoma City OK, 89th Street (TICKETS)
TUE JUN 12 – Kansas City MO, Record Bar (TICKETS)
WED JUN 13 – Davenport IA, Raccoon Motel (TICKETS)
THU JUN 14 – DeKalb IL, The House Cafe (TICKETS)
FRI JUN 15 – Indianapolis IN, The Hi-Fi (TICKETS)
SAT JUN 16 – Nashville TN, The Basement (TICKETS)
* with Minus the Bear

Keep your mind open.

[Hang out here by subscribing.]

Live: Shopping, Tyvek, and Ganser – Chicago, IL – March 28, 2018

It’s a bit difficult for me to believe that it took me nearly three months to see some live music this year, but it’s true.  January and February were filled with crazy work schedules that weren’t conducive to making a trip even an hour’s drive away to see any bands or performers.

That all changed with getting to see Shopping, Tyvek,and Ganser at Chicago’s Beat Kitchen two nights ago.  I’d been keen on catching Shopping since hearing their newest album, The Official Body.  I knew nothing about Tyvek and Ganser going in, apart from a few video clips and digital tracks here and there.  Tyvek was loud and brash garage punk.  Ganser was darker and local post-punk.  This was also my first time at the Beat Kitchen.  It’s a nice, small venue, and the food there looked pretty good.

One thing I’ve discovered about Chicago shows is that, for the most part, the set start times are rigid.  Ganser kept up this tradition by starting at promptly 8:00pm.  They played an impressive set to a hometown crowd that included multiple tracks from their upcoming album Odd Talk.  Their stuff was sassy, jagged, and assertive.  Odd Talk should be a fine record based on what I heard at the Beat Kitchen.

Chicago post-punks Ganser.

Up next were Detroit’s / Philadelphia’s Tyvek.  They were as loud and hammering as I’d expected, and throwing saxophone riffs into the mix only made it better.  Lead singer / guitarist Kevin Boyer‘s axe looked like it had been bounced off a few floors and used as a cutting board, and the blaring chords he drew out of it only seemed to confirm my suspicions.

Detroit’s Tyvek.

Shopping had a large crowd by the time they took the stage.  I was glad to see so many people for the U.K. band that had spent most of the last couple months zig-zagging across the U.S.  They had the crowd jumping almost from the first note, and encouraged dancing throughout their entire set.  They sounded great.  Rachel Aggs‘ gets notes of her guitar that jump like water across a hot griddle.  Every song had a bouncing energy to it that was inescapable.  Highlights from the set included “The Hype,” “Wild Child,” and “My Dad’s a Dancer.”

The best way I can sum up their set is by what a woman yelled out from the crowd between songs: “You guys are so fun!”  Bassist Billy Easter said, “Thanks.  It’s fun being up here, too.”

Shopping having a blast.

Shopping set the bar high for live bands to follow this year.  Catch them if you can.  You need to get in on the fun they’re delivering.

Keep your mind open.

Thanks to Andrew Milk, Rachel Abbs, and Billy Easter for singing this gig flyer for me.

[Thanks to Sam McAllister from Pitch Perfect PR for hooking me up with a press pass for the show.]

Flasher are on tour. Check out their new single.

FLASHER SIGN TO DOMINO, SHARE NEW SONG AND VIDEO
SKIM MILK

DEBUT FULL-LENGTH FORTHCOMING SOON

(photo by Jen Dessinger)

Since they appeared with their self-titled, self-released EP back in 2016, Washington, DC trio Flasher has exuded both clarity of intent and radiant self-confidence. Critically applauded from the start, that initial release offered a clear blueprint. By turns razor sharp and woozy, skipping from shoegaze to punk and back again, it offered confirmation of a band whose wiry energy and melodic ease made them instantly arresting.

Today, Flasher announce their signing to Domino Recording Co., which will release their debut full-length later this year. They’ve also shared a new video and song today, the exhilarating “Skim Milk.” The band describes the song and video below:

The themes in “Skim Milk” and its video might be described as being haunted by your own desire for belonging. We’re not bemoaning “no future, no fate”, we’re advocating for it. From getting a mortgage, to going to college, to crafting public policy, folks are always telling you to think of your future, to make choices in the name of some future. But most folks don’t have the privilege to live outside the present. This kind of future tense, aspirational bullshit means being held hostage by a future that’s already abandoned you. We’d rather escape to something new and unknown than hold out for a good life that hates us and expects us to make lemonade out of miserableness. Instead of holding out and hanging on, we’re here to tell you (and ourselves) – “go.” 

WATCH “SKIM MILK”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYAKqc5inXg

“The thrill is in the call-and-response, heard on past songs, but here weaponized like an ecstatic hall of mirrors in the final minute” – NPR Music

FLASHER TOUR DATES
Thu. Mar. 29 – Winnipeg, MB @ The Good Will Social Club w/ Ought
Fri. Mar. 30 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St. Entry w/ Ought
Sat. Mar. 31 – Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon w/ Ought
Mon. Apr. 2 – Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups w/ Ought
Tue. Apr. 3 – Milvale, PA @ The Funhouse at Mr. Smalls w/ Ought
Sun. Apr. 15 – Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory w/ The Breeders
Mon. Apr. 16 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Grand at The Complex w/ The Breeders
Wed. Apr. 18 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre w/ The Breeders
Thu. Apr. 19 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater w/ The Breeders
Wed. Apr. 25 – Birmingham, AL @ Iron City w/ The Breeders
Mon. Apr. 30 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel w/ The Breeders
Fri. July 20 – Seattle, WA @ Capitol Hill Block Party

Download hi-res images and bio here: http://pitchperfectpr.com/flasher/

Flasher Online:
https://flasherdc.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/flasherdc/
http://www.dominorecordco.us/artists/flasher/

Keep your mind open.

[Subscribing takes so little time that you’re done in a flash.]

Clutch announces second Earth Rocker festival lineup.

March 26th, 2018 – Clutch has now confirmed their second annual Earth Rocker Festival.  The festival will take place on August 4th at Shiley Acres located in Inwood West Virginia.  Joining Clutch on stage this year will be Black Label SocietyCorrosion Of ConformityEYEHATEGOD, and the Let There Be Rock School band.  Tickets for the festival are $35 in advance and $45 at the gate the day of the show and are on sale now at this location: http://shileyacres.ticketleap.com
All “Earth Rocker Festival 18” ticket and general information is available at: http://earthrockerfest.com
Like last year’s inaugural offering, Shiley Acres and Clutch have worked together to make Earth Rocker Festival18 a fan and band-friendly event.  Earth Rocker Festival is a day time event.  The gates open at noon and music runs all day, ending right before the sun sets.  The festival has a designated camping location and will offer free camping on site the day and night of the show.  Other fan-friendly elements include free parking starting at 9 am the day of the event, free admission for accompanied children under 12, and allows lawn chairs and pop up tents in designated areas.  As Greg Shiley, owner of Shiley Acres puts it “There will be plenty of good food, beer choices and all at reasonable prices, so come spend a summer afternoon enjoying the great bands and open air.  We’ll make that real easy for ya”.
For more information on the directions, camping, on-site food and beverages available, hotel accommodations and all “Things You Should Know,” visit http://www.shileyacres.net
For more  information, check out Earth Rocker Festival:
@earthrockerfest
Official: www.pro-rock.com
Keep your mind open.
[Keep rocking by subscribing.]

Lollapalooza Chicago announces its 2018 lineup.

The annual Chicago lineup for Lollapalooza has been announced.  It features some heavyweights and, as usual, a lot of upcoming bands.  Bruno Mars is definitely a big score for the festival, as are Jack Whitethe Arctic Monkeysthe NationalPortugal, the ManFranz Ferdinand, and Chvrches.

Tickets are on sale and will go much faster now that the lineup has been released.  A four-day general admission pass will cost you $335.00 plus taxes and fees, and VIP and Platinum packages will run you thousands of dollars.

Keep your mind open.

[Subscribe before you go to stay updated on music festivals across the U.S. and in other countries, too.]

Perry Ferrell announces immersive, Star Trek holo-deck-like project for Las Vegas that includes Porno for Pyros.

Jane’s Addiction front man and Lollapalooza founder Perry Ferrell has announced that he’s working with a virtual reality technology developer / film studio to create an immersive entertainment experience in Las Vegas called Kind Heaven.  Accord to a Spin article, Ferrell was inspired to create this by a vivid dream of him in some sort of futuristic Southeast Asian city.  The experience will include VR pickpockets, markets, and maybe even a holographic version of himself having sex in his apartment.

He’s already planning to have several bands play there, both in person and through virtual reality.  One of the biggest announcements in that department is that he’s reuniting Porno for Pyros – the band he founded after Jane’s Addiction broke up in the 1990’s.  Ferrell mentions Coldplay in the Spin article, but doesn’t necessarily say they’ll be playing at Kind Heaven in 2019.

Keep your mind open.

[7th Level Music is like porno for music fans, so subscribe.]

 

Thom Yorke announces solo European tour dates.

Radiohead front man Thom Yorke has announced solo tour dates for Europe and the United Kingdom.  These dates are in May and June and land before Radiohead kicks off on a tour of North America.  Tickets go on sale to the general public on March 23rd, so get them while you can.  They were surely sell out.

May 2018
28th Teatro Verdi, Florence, Italy
29th Fabrique Milano, Milan, Italy
30th Halle 622, Zurich, Switzerland

June 2018
1st Tempodrom, Berlin, Germany
3rd Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, Belgium
4th Royal Theatre Carré, Amsterdam, Netherlands
7th Usher Hall, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
8th Roundhouse, London, United Kingdom
10th Palace Theatre, Manchester, United Kingdom
12th L’Olympia, Paris, France
13th Le Transbordeur, Lyon, France
16th Fira de Barcelona – Sonar Festival, Barcelona, Spain

Keep your mind open.

[You can do a great solo act by subscribing.]

Levitation France 2018 dates announced.

Mark your calendars.  Levitation France is scheduled for September 21-22nd this year.  Lineup announcements and tickets will be available soon.  I’m already making plans to attend this year.  Don’t miss out on what is sure to be a great time.

Keep your mind open.

[Levitate over to the subscription box before you go.]

Mamby on the Beach reveals 2018 lineup.

Chicago’s Mamby on the Beach music festival returns with another impressive lineup of hip hop, EDM, and rock acts.  Getting CommonSpoon, and Cold War Kids all in the same weekend is impressive.  Grizzly Bear will probably put on a mind-bending set, Jamila Woods impressed a lot of folks at Pitchfork Music Festival last year, and Jai Wolf‘s DJ set will most likely be a must-see.

Tickets are on sale now.

Keep your mind open.

[Subscribe, won’t you?]

Pitchfork Music Festival unveils full lineup for 2018.

THE PITCHFORK MUSIC FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES FULL 2018 LINEUP:

HEADLINERS TAME IMPALA, FLEET FOXES AND MS. LAURYN HILL

PLUS COURTNEY BARNETT, THE WAR ON DRUGS, CHAKA KHAN,
MOUNT KIMBIE, BLOOD ORANGE, DRAM, BIG THIEF, RAPHAEL SAADIQ,
NONAME, 
EARL SWEATSHIRT, THIS IS NOT THIS HEAT, JAPANDROIDS, SYD, MOSES SUMNEY, (SANDY) ALEX G, JULIEN BAKER, KELELA, ALEX CAMERON,
AND MORE!

JULY 20-22, 2018 AT CHICAGO’S UNION PARK
—Tickets available here

The Pitchfork Music Festival announces today the full 2018 lineup, including headliners Tame Impala, Fleet Foxes, and Ms. Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 20th Anniversary Performance. The 13th Annual Pitchfork Music Festival takes place Friday, July 20 through Sunday, July 22 at Chicago’s Union Park.

The festival opens on Friday with performances by Tame Impala, Courtney Barnett, Mount Kimbie, Big Thief, Earl Sweatshirt, Syd, Julien Baker, Saba, Open Mike Eagle, Julie Byrne, Joshua Abrams & Natural Information Society, Lucy Dacus, Melkbelly, and The Curls.

On Saturday, the festival presents Fleet Foxes, The War on Drugs, Blood Orange, Raphael Saadiq, This Is Not This Heat, Moses Sumney, Kelela, Girlpool, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Circuit des Yeux, Nilüfer Yanya, Zola Jesus, berhana, and Paul Cherry.

Sunday, the final day of the festival, features Ms. Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 20th Anniversary Performance, Chaka Khan, DRAM, Noname, Japandroids, (Sandy) Alex G, Alex Cameron, Smino, Japanese Breakfast, Kelly Lee Owens, Ravyn Lenae, Kweku Collins, Irreversible Entanglements, and Nnamdi Ogbonnaya.

“It’s very inspiring to see the Pitchfork Music Festival come together for the thirteenth year,” said Adam Krefman, senior director, festivals and activations for Pitchfork. “It has become much more than a music festival—it’s a community of artists and musicians, and also a reflection of Pitchfork as a media voice and event producer. What we do in Union Park every July resonates in Chicago, but also nationally and internationally, and we could not be prouder to present this year’s artists to festivalgoers old and new.”

Committed to striking a balance between discovery and celebration through a diverse, unexpected lineup, the Pitchfork Music Festival continues to be one of the world’s most accessible and exciting weekends in music.

“Since the festival’s inception, we’ve tried to present the most unique and eclectic musical lineup,” says festival producer Mike Reed. “Unlike other festivals, music is always at the forefront, so it’s great to step back and see how diverse and inclusive the music makers and listeners have become. We hopefully do our best to reflect that by simply staying true to our initial ideals.”

The Festival offers attendees a wide array of activities beyond the music with 50 individual vendors, as well as specialty record and craft fairs. It also works to support local businesses while promoting the Chicago arts and food communities as a whole. Each year, a commitment is made to keeping Pitchfork Music Festival ticket prices affordable, while providing new and useful experiences, and working with the city’s best local vendors.

Pitchfork Music Festival tickets are on sale now for $75 a day or $175 for a three-day pass. The Pitchfork +PLUS upgrade is $375 for a three-day pass and includes a variety of exclusive amenities such as premium food vendors and private specialty bars. Details are available here.

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

FRIDAY, JULY 20
Tame Impala
Courtney Barnett
Mount Kimbie
Big Thief
Earl Sweatshirt
Syd
Julien Baker
Saba
Open Mike Eagle
Julie Byrne
Joshua Abrams & Natural Information Society
Lucy Dacus
Melkbelly
The Curls

SATURDAY, JULY 21
Fleet Foxes
The War on Drugs
Blood Orange
Raphael Saadiq
This Is Not This Heat
Moses Sumney
Kelela
Girlpool
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith
Circuit des Yeux
Nilüfer Yanya
Zola Jesus
berhana
Paul Cherry

SUNDAY, JULY 22
Ms. Lauryn Hill–The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 20th Anniversary Performance
Chaka Khan
DRAM
Noname
Japandroids
(Sandy) Alex G
Alex Cameron
Smino
Japanese Breakfast
Kelly Lee Owens
Ravyn Lenae
Kweku Collins
Irreversible Entanglements
Nnamdi Ogbonnaya

For more information, including line-ups, event news and the latest updates, visit Pitchforkmusicfestival.com, Facebook.com/PitchforkMusicFestival and follow @pitchforkfest.

About Pitchfork:
Pitchfork is the most trusted voice in music. Pitchfork.com is the preeminent resource for highly-engaged fans looking to discover and experience new music in a thought-provoking way. Its comprehensive reviews and analyses of the people, trends, and events shaping the industry have defined music journalism for more than 20 years. Not only does Pitchfork set the standard for music coverage, it has a global reputation for hosting unique and eclectic music events, including annual Music Festivals in Chicago and Paris. For more go to Pitchfork.com and follow @pitchfork.

Keep your mind open.

[Subscribe for all sorts of fun stuff.]