Young Irish rockers The Strypes have released their first live record, currently available on iTunes UK and Soundcloud, Live in Tokyo 2015. It has ten tracks of their great blues-laced, raucous pub rock that draws influences from early Rolling Stones all the way to Arctic Monkeys. These lads only get better with each record.
Texas psychedelic rockers Holy Wave have announced extensive European tour dates through the spring to promote their upcoming album Freaks of Nuture.
They’re kicking off the tour with a record release party at Barracuda in Austin, Texas February 26th and then it’s off to Europe. I’m hoping they’ll be back in the U.S. in time to play Levitation Austin at the end of April.
You can hear Holy Wave’s excellent new single, “California Took My Bobby Away,” right here on the Levitation Austin website.
Keep your mind open.
British punk legends Gang of Four have a new PledgeMusic campaign in which you can order their upcoming live album – Live in London.
The campaign offers the live album as a digital download for about $12.00, but you can upgrade to a signed copy of the CD (recorded at London’s Islington Assembly Hall) and a DVD of their show at New York’s Irving Plaza from last year for only $26.00. That’s a good deal for a nice collectible, and I’ll probably jump on that.
Other fun offers include tickets to a future live show with a meet and greet, a signed set list, and even a microwave they tried to destroy on stage multiple times during their 2015 tour.
The fine folks at the Levitation Music Festival have released their show schedule (as in who is playing which dates, set times will come later) and full line-up for their Chicago festival March 10-12 at Thalia Hall. Tickets are only $95.00 (plus tax) for this three-night festival, and that’s a steal when you check out who’s playing there.
I’ll highlight the bands I’m most interested in seeing as the festival gets closer, but my must-see list is as follows:
Thursday: Vadaat Charigim, Gary Wilson, Health, Oneohtrix Point Never.
I missed Vadaat Charigim (an Israeli psychedelic band) at Levitation Austin last year, so I don’t want to miss them again. Gary Wilson is a legendary recluse and experimental music creator who is one of Beck’s biggest influences. Health create crazy electro that borders on noise rock. Oneohtrix Point Never is considered to be an ultra-hipster darling by many, but his new album is supposed to be mostly dark electro. He’s also performing at Levitation Austin in April (which I’ll also be attending), so I won’t have to check out his set there if I don’t like his set in Chicago.
Friday: Nite Fields, Blanck Mass, Ryley Walker, Lightning Bolt.
Nite Fields make fine dreamy shoe gaze that sounds like it’s from the late 1980’s. Blanck Mass is another act I missed in Austin last year and a great electro performer. Ryley Walker is an excellent guitar player, and Lightning Bolt make some of the craziest noise rock on the planet.
Saturday: Natural Information Society & Bitchin’ Bajas, Night Beats, Earthless, Chelsea Wolfe, Faust.
A great night right there. Natural Information Society & Bitchin’ Bajas team up to make cool world music-influenced psychedelia. Night Beats are one of my favorite bands, and they make great blues-dipped psych rock. I’ve seen them twice at Levitation Austin and will see them at any opportunity. Earthless blew my mind with their cosmic stoner rock in Austin two years ago, so I’m sure another set from them will be just as good. Chelsea Wolfe is a new act to me, but she makes fine dark wave music. Faust is a legendary krautrock band who has inspired many.
See you there?
Keep your mind open.