A Place to Bury Strangers are gearing up to crush Europe in April 2024 with shows ranging from the Netherlands to France. Don’t miss them if you’re in any of these cities. Heck, make a trip to see them while you’re are it. You won’t regret it.
They’re also doing a New Year’s Eve DJ set in Brooklyn!
Keep your mind open.
[Don’t forget to subscribe before you go.]
[Thanks to Steven Matrick.]
A Place To Bury Strangers share “I’m Hurt,” the newest single from their anticipated sixth studio album, See Through You, out February 4th (digital) and March 11th (vinyl) on Dedstrange. Following previous singles “Let’s See Each Other” and “Hold On Tight,” the post-punk legends dive headfirst into suffering on today’s dark and explosive “I’m Hurt.” The accompanying video, directed by Chad Crawford Kinkle (Dementer, Jug Face), is the first in a series of See Through You videos from horror movie directors hand-selected by A Place To Bury Strangers. Under Kinkle’s frantic and hallucinatory direction, Oliver Ackermann’s expression of relentless liminal terror is transubstantiated into a brutal backwater blood feast. While the flickering, kinetic visuals will be familiar to anyone who has seen the band live, the psychological horror at the heart of “I’m Hurt” is raw. Together, Kinkle and APTBS scramble our collective unconsciousness with scenes of grotesque public freakouts from the outskirts of the subliminal that are tied to a scorned woman’s black magic ritual which conjures up teenage demons on the hunt for revenge.
“‘I’m Hurt’ is the sound of friendship dying. At the time of writing this song, I was going out of my mind dwelling on conflict in my head and beating myself down while trying to rebuild my faith in humanity which is reflected in the actual structure of the song. The drums build with this frustration and a desire to scream with no voice. Listen closely to the vocal phrasing of ‘I’m Hurt’ in the chorus and you can hear the self-doubt and failure I was experiencing at the time,” says Ackermann.
A Place To Bury Strangers always bring surprises. Outpacing even their own firmly blazed path of audio annihilation, See Through You repeatedly delivers the massive walls of chaos and noise that every A Place To Bury Strangers fan craves. See Through You is an explosive journey which explores the listener’s limits of mind-bending madness while simultaneously offering the catchiest batch of songs in the band’s discography. It’s a nod of the cap to the art school ethos of the band’s origins, while forging a new and clear direction forward. Simply put, See Through You promises to be an epic, instant classic.
A Place To Bury Strangers’ previously announced North American tour in January and February will be rescheduled for May and June due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. New dates are forthcoming. Please stay tuned.
Pre-order See Through You
A Place To Bury Strangers 2022 Tour Dates
Wed. March 9 – Hamburg, DE @ Hafenklang &
Thu. March 10 – Dresden, DE @ Beatpol &Fri. March 11 – Warsaw, PL @ Klub Poglos &
Sat. March 12 – Prague, CZ @ Futurum &
Sun. March 13 – Bratislava, SK @ Randal Club &
Mon. March 14 – Budapest, HU @ Durer Kert &
Wed. March 16 – Bucharest, RO @ Control Club ^
Thu. March 17 – Sofia, BG @ Mixtape5 ^
Fri. March 18 – Thessaloniki, GR @ Eightball ^
Sat. March 19 – Athens, GR @ Temple ^
Mon. March 21 – Skopje, MK @ 25th of May Hall ^
Tue. March 22 – Belgrade, RS @ Club Drugstore ^
Thu. March 24 – Zagreb, HR @ Mochvara ^
Fri. March 25 – Bologna, IT @ Freakout Club ^
Sat. March 26 – Rome, IT @ Largo ^
Sun. March 27 – Milan, IT @ Legend Club ^
Tue. March 29 – Zurich, CH @ Bogen F ^Wed. March 30 – Munich, DE @ Backstage ^
Thu. March 31 – Martigny, CH @ Caves Du Memoir
Fri. April 1 – Paris, FR @ La Trabendo *
Sat. April 2 – London, UK @ Lafayette *
Mon. April 4 – Antwerp, BE @ Kavka *
Tue. April 5 – Munster, DE @ Gleis 22 *
Wed. April 6 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg *
Thu. April 7 – Groningen, NL @ Vera *
Sat. April 9 – Stockholm, SE @ Hus 7 *
Sun. April 10 – Oslo, NO @ John Dee *
Mon. April 11 – Copenhagen, DK @ Pumpehuset *
Tue. April 12 – Berlin, DE @ Hole 44 *
Wed. April 13 – Cologne, DE @ MTC * & with Jealous
^ with Plattenbau
* with Lunacy
Keep your mind open.
[I’ll be hurt if you don’t subscribe.]
[Thanks to Patrick at Pitch Perfect PR.]
Last month, post-punk legends A Place To Bury Strangers announced their sixth studio album, See Through You, out February 4, 2022 on Dedstrange, and shared its lead single “Let’s See Each Other.” Today, they return with “Hold On Tight,” a noise-pop ripper bursting with chaotic delirium. The accompanying video, directed by Meriel O’Connell, sees bandleader Oliver Ackermann moonlighting as the concierge of New York’s most eccentric hotel. When a candlelit dinner suddenly turns into a lovers’ quarrel, Ackermann joins a mysterious lone patron (drummer Sandra Fedowitz) and maître d’ (bassist John Fedowitz) to bring the noise. “When the getting’s good, I hold on tight. Sometimes I forget to enjoy where I am and the people around me. It is critical to be thankful and enjoy existence and have fun. Having a bad night? Reflect and kick yourself into gear,” says Ackermann.
A Place To Bury Strangers have been delighting and astonishing audiences for close to two decades, combining post-punk, noise-rock, shoegaze, psychedelia, and avant-garde music in startling and unexpected ways. See Through You is an explosive journey which explores the listener’s limits of mind-bending madness while simultaneously offering the catchiest batch of songs in the band’s discography. Outpacing even their own firmly blazed path of audio annihilation, See Through You repeatedly delivers the massive walls of chaos and noise that every A Place To Bury Strangers fan craves in spades. It’s a nod of the cap to the art school ethos of the band’s origins, while forging a new and clear direction forward.
Watch/Stream “Hold On Tight”
Watch “Let’s See Each Other” Video
Pre-order See Through You
A Place To Bury Strangers 2022 Tour Dates
Mon. January 31 – Washington, DC @ Songbyrd #
Tue. February 1 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s #
Wed. February 2 – Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz #
Fri. February 4 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace #
Sat. February 5 – Detroit, MI @ El Club #
Sun. February 6 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
Mon. February 7 – Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club #
Tue. February 8 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Ave. 7th Street Entry #
Fri. February 11 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos %
Sat. February 12 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios %
Sun. February 13 – Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre %
Tue. February 15 – San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel %
Wed. February 16 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom %
Fri. February 18 – San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar %
Sat. February 19 – Tucson, AZ @ Hotel Congress %
Tue. February 22 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge %
Wed. February 23 – Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck %
Fri. February 25 – Nashville, TN @ The High Watt %
Sat. February 26 – Atlanta, GA @ 529 %
Sun. February 27 – Chapel Hill, ND @ Cat’s Cradle
Fri. March 4 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg !
Wed. March 9 – Hamburg, DE @ Hafenklang &
Thu. March 10 – Dresden, DE @ Beatpol &
Fri. March 11 – Warsaw, PL @ Klub Poglos &
Sat. March 12 – Prague, CZ @ Futurum &
Sun. March 13 – Bratislava, SK @ Randal Club &
Mon. March 14 – Budapest, HU @ Durer Kert &
Wed. March 16 – Bucharest, RO @ Control Club ^
Thu. March 17 – Sofia, BG @ Mixtape5 ^
Fri. March 18 – Thessaloniki, GR @ Eightball ^
Sat. March 19 – Athens, GR @ Temple ^
Mon. March 21 – Skopje, MK @ 25th of May Hall ^
Tue. March 22 – Belgrade, RS @ Club Drugstore ^
Thu. March 24 – Zagreb, HR @ Mochvara ^
Fri. March 25 – Bologna, IT @ Freakout Club ^
Sat. March 26 – Rome, IT @ Largo ^
Sun. March 27 – Milan, IT @ Legend Club ^
Tue. March 29 – Zurich, CH @ Bogen F ^
Wed. March 30 – Munich, DE @ Backstage ^
Thu. March 31 – Martigny, CH @ Caves Du Memoir
Fri. April 1 – Paris, FR @ La Trabendo *
Sat. April 2 – London, UK @ Lafayette *
Mon. April 4 – Antwerp, BE @ Kavka *
Tue. April 5 – Munster, DE @ Gleis 22 *
Wed. April 6 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg *
Thu. April 7 – Groningen, NL @ Vera *
Sat. April 9 – Stockholm, SE @ Hus 7 *
Sun. April 10 – Oslo, NO @ John Dee *
Mon. April 11 – Copenhagen, DK @ Pumpehuset *
Tue. April 12 – Berlin, DE @ Hole 44 *
Wed. April 13 – Cologne, DE @ MTC *
# with Glove
% with TV Priest
& with Jealous
^ with Plattenbau
* with Lunacy
! with Native Sun, GIFT
Keep your mind open.
[Don’t forget to subscribe.]
[Thanks to Patrick at Pitch Perfect PR.]
A Place To Bury Strangers announce a 2022 North American headline tour, and share the new video for single “In My Hive,” from their new EP, Hologram, out now on Dedstrange. The new dates follow a headline show at Bowery Ballroom in New York City on September 15th, a run with Future Islands, and a stop at Levitation Festival in Austin, TX. Tickets for 2022 are on-sale here.
The “In My Hive” video, directed by and starring Manon Aulon Elphick, Niicolé and Dedstrange labelmates Data Animal, is a ghoulish grindhouse tale of revenge served raw. Filmed in gritty wide-angle closeups, this claustrophobic tale of murder, magic, and mayhem is a gothic five-finger-filet deathmatch for the senses. Preparing for a fight, pondering the potential in the sharpness of a knife, glazed over eyes, molten metal poured into the mouths of to-be zombie bandmates, overwhelming flashing lights, all seen through a close-up psychedelic lense.
“‘In My Hive’ is about how I’ve let myself get taken advantage of by other people because I just didn’t care at the time, but it definitely has come back to haunt me,” says A Place To Bury Strangers’ Oliver Ackermann. “It can be tiring to deal with these emotions but it’s best to think about what is going on and work through it.”
Watch:
“In My Hive” video
“I Might Have” video
“End Of The Night” video
Stream/Purchase Hologram EP
Tour Dates:
Wed. September 15 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom $
Mon. October 11 – New Orleans, LA @ Civic Theatre *
Tue. October 12 – Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theatre *
Wed. October 13 – Raleigh, NC @ Ritz *
Thur. October 14 – Washington, DC @ Anthem *
Fri. October 29 – Austin, TX @ Levitation Festival
Tue. February 1 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s #
Wed. February 2 – Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz #Fri. February 4 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace #
Sat. February 5 – Detroit, MI @ El Club #
Sun. February 6 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
Mon. February 7 – Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club #
Tue. February 8 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Ave. 7th Street Entry #
Fri. February 11 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos %
Sat. February 12 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios %Sun. February 13 – Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre %
Tue. February 15 – San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel %
Wed. February 16 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom %
Fri. February 18 – San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar %
Sat. February 19 – Tucson, AZ @ Hotel Congress %
Tue. February 22 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge %
Wed. February 23 – Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck %
Fri. February 25 – Nashville, TN @ The High Watt %
Wed. March 9 – Hamburg, DE @ HafenklangThu. March 10 – Dresden, DE @ Beatpol
Fri. March 11 – Warsaw, PL @ Klub Poglos
Sat. March 12 – Prague, CZ @ Futurum
Sun. March 13 – Bratislava, SK @ Randal Club
Mon. March 14 – Budapest, HU @ Durer Kert
Wed. March 16 – Bucharest, RO @ Control Club
Thu. March 17 – Sofia, BG @ Mixtape5
Fri. March 18 – Thessaloniki, GR @ Eightball
Sat. March 19 – Athens, GR @ Temple
Mon. March 21 – Skopje, MK @ 25th of May Hall
Tue. March 22 – Belgrade, RS @ Club Drugstore
Thu. March 24 – Zagreb, HR @ Mochvara
Fri. March 25 – Bologna, IT @ Freakout Club
Sat. March 26 – Rome, IT @ Largo
Sun. March 27 – Milan, IT @ Legend Club
Tue. March 29 – Zurich, CH @ Bogen F
Wed. March 30 – Munich, DE @ Backstage
Thu. March 31 – Martigny, CH @ Caves Du MemoirFri. April 1 – Paris, FR @ La Trabendo
Sat. April 2 – London, UK @ Lafayette
Mon. April 4 – Antwerp, BE @ Kavka
Tue. April 5 – Munster, DE @ Gleis 22
Wed. April 6 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg
Thu. April 7 – Groningen, NL @ Vera
Sat. April 9 – Stockholm, SE @ Hus 7Sun. April 10 – Oslo, NO @ John Dee
Mon. April 11 – Copenhagen, DK @ Pumpehuset
Tue. April 12 – Berlin, DE @ Hole 44
Wed. April 13 – Cologne, DE @ MTC
* with Future Islands
$ with Maxband & Wah Together
# with Glove
% with TV Priest
Keep your mind open.
[Don’t forget to subscribe before you go.]
[Thanks to Patrick at Pitch Perfect PR.]
A Place To Bury Strangers share new single/video “I Might Have” from their forthcoming Hologram EP out July 16th on founding member Oliver Ackermann’s label Dedstrange. Following lead single “End Of The Night,” “I Might Have” is a fuzz-soaked sonic disaster in the best possible way. Past reflections collide with the brutality of a disintegrating world, stories of personal trauma, acceptance, and human failings emerge from the rubble of noise and destitute motorik rhythms. This is A Place To Bury Strangers at its most honest and unfiltered. Hologram serves as an abstract mirror to the moment we live in and “I Might Have” smashes that mirror into a thousand pieces.
“‘I Might Have’ is about the insecurities of life and growing up and when you just have to turn around and say ‘F*ck it,’” says Ackermann. “Life sucks so we may as well have a good time.” The accompanying video visualizes this mentality as it shows the band raucously hanging out together in New York City.
Watch “I Might Have” Video
In 2003, A Place To Bury Strangers emerged on the scene out of Ackermann’s psychotropic vision. The band is known for their vicious live performances overloaded with all-consuming visuals, experimental sonic warfare, and treacherous stage antics. 2021 welcomes a lineup change; Ackermann is joined by new members John Fedowitz (bass) and Sandra Fedowitz (drums) of Ceremony East Coast, cementing the most sensational version of the band to date. John and Oliver were childhood friends who had played in the legendary underground shoegaze band Skywave, crafting futuristic punk music together. This next phase is a sonic return to the band’s most raw and unhinged endeavors, pushed even further into a new chaotically apocalyptic incarnation.
Watch “End Of The Night” VideoPre-order Hologram EP
A Place To Bury Strangers 2022 Tour Dates:
Wed. March 9 – Hamburg, DE @ Hafenklang
Thu. March 10 – Dresden, DE @ Beatpol
Fri. March 11 – Warsaw, PL @ Klub Poglos
Sat. March 12 – Prague, CZ @ Futurum
Sun. March 13 – Bratislava, SK @ Randal Club
Mon. March 14 – Budapest, HU @ Durer Kert
Wed. March 16 – Bucharest, RO @ Control Club
Thu. March 17 – Sofia, BG @ Mixtape5
Fri. March 18 – Thessaloniki, GR @ Eightball
Sat. March 19 – Athens, GR @ Temple
Mon. March 21 – Skopje, MK @ 25th of May Hall
Tue. March 22 – Belgrade, RS @ Club Drugstore
Thu. March 24 – Zagreb, HR @ MochvaraFri. March 25 – Bologna, IT @ Freakout Club
Sat. March 26 – Rome, IT @ Largo
Sun. March 27 – Milan, IT @ Legend Club
Tue. March 29 – Zurich, CH @ Bogen F
Wed. March 30 – Munich, DE @ BackstageThu. March 31 – Martigny, CH @ Caves Du Memoir
Fri. April 1 – Paris, FR @ La Trabendo
Sat. April 2 – London, UK @ Lafayette
Mon. April 4 – Antwerp, BE @ Kavka
Tue. April 5 – Munster, DE @ Gleis 22
Wed. April 6 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg
Thu. April 7 – Groningen, NL @ Vera
Sat. April 9 – Stockholm, SE @ Hus 7
Sun. April 10 – Oslo, NO @ John Dee
Mon. April 11 – Copenhagen, DK @ Pumpehuset
Tue. April 12 – Berlin, DE @ Hole 44
Wed. April 13 – Cologne, DE @ MTC
Keep your mind open.
[I might have to remind you to subscribe, but I hope not.]
[Thanks to Patrick at Pitch Perfect PR.]
Brooklyn’s A Place To Bury Strangers announces their new EP, Hologram, out July 16th on founding member Oliver Ackermann’s label Dedstrange, and presents a new single/video, “End Of The Night.” Hologram is the anticipated follow-up to 2018‘s Pinned and will be capped by a world tour in early 2022. In 2003, A Place To Bury Strangers emerged on the scene out of Ackermann’s psychotropic vision. Often cited as “the loudest band in New York,” A Place To Bury Strangers is known for their vicious live performances overloaded with all-consuming visuals, experimental sonic warfare, and treacherous stage antics. 2021 welcomes a lineup change. Ackermann is joined by new members John Fedowitz (bass) and Sandra Fedowitz (drums) of Ceremony East Coast, cementing the most sensational version of the band to date. John and Oliver were childhood friends who had played in the legendary underground shoegaze band Skywave, crafting futuristic punk music together. This next phase is a sonic return to the band’s most raw and unhinged endeavors, pushed even further into a new chaotically apocalyptic incarnation.
Lead single “End Of The Night” buzzes with percussion and murky noise and synth, as reflected in the disorienting self-directed video. Oliver Ackermann elborates: “‘End Of The Night’ is the first written in collaboration with either of the new band members. John sent me the drum track and challenged me to write a song over it. It sort of came about as a strange stream of consciousness and unknowingly became about the end of the former band and the beginning of the new one. Each layer of the song stripping away the dead skin from the old and regrowing layer and layer of distortion of the new band. It’s great to be working again with John Fedowitz. I feel like our songwriting styles shot off in different directions from our earlier band Skywave only to come back to the table with different experiences to create something special again.”
A Place To Bury Strangers will host a screening of the Dedstrange SXSW Showcase this Friday, April 23rd at 7PM Eastern Time via the label’s Facebook and YouTube. It’s the first performance featuring the band’s new lineup, and other artists performing include Holy F–k, Randy Randall (No Age), Paul Jacobs (Pottery), Data Animal and Jealous.
Watch “End Of The Night” Video
Pre-order Hologram EP
Hologram EP Tracklist
1. End Of The Night
2. I Might Have
3. Playing The Part
4. In My Hive
5. I Need You A Place To Bury Strangers 2022 Tour Dates:
Wed. March 9 – Hamburg, DE @ Hafenklang
Thu. March 10 – Dresden, DE @ Beatpol
Fri. March 11 – Warsaw, PL @ Klub Poglos
Sat. March 12 – Prague, CZ @ Futurum
Sun. March 13 – Bratislava, SK @ Randal Club
Mon. March 14 – Budapest, HU @ Durer Kert
Wed. March 16 – Bucharest, RO @ Control Club
Thu. March 17 – Sofia, BG @ Mixtape5Fri. March 18 – Thessaloniki, GR @ Eightball
Sat. March 19 – Athens, GR @ Temple
Mon. March 21 – Skopje, MK @ 25th of May Hall
Tue. March 22 – Belgrade, RS @ Club Drugstore
Thu. March 24 – Zagreb, HR @ Mochvara
Fri. March 25 – Bologna, IT @ Freakout Club
Sat. March 26 – Rome, IT @ Largo
Sun. March 27 – Milan, IT @ Legend Club
Tue. March 29 – Zurich, CH @ Bogen F
Wed. March 30 – Munich, DE @ Backstage
Thu. March 31 – Martigny, CH @ Caves Du Memoir
Fri. April 1 – Paris, FR @ La TrabendoSat. April 2 – London, UK @ Lafayette
Mon. April 4 – Antwerp, BE @ Kayka
Tue. April 5 – Munster, DE @ Gleis 22
Wed. April 6 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg
Thu. April 7 – Groningen, NL @ Vera
Sat. April 9 – Stockholm, SE @ Hus 7
Sun. April 10 – Oslo, NO @ John Dee
Mon. April 11 – Copenhagen, DK @ Pumpehuset
Tue. April 12 – Berlin, DE @ Hole 44
Wed. April 13 – Cologne, DE @ MTC
Keep your mind open.
[Don’t forget to subscribe while you’re here.]
[Thanks to Patrick at Pitch Perfect PR.]
North American Headline Tour Begins This Week
Pinned Out Now On Dead Oceans
Pinned, the band’s fifth full-length, finds A Place To Bury Strangers converting difficult moments into some of their most urgent work to date. It’s their first since the 2016 election, and their first since the 2014 closing of Death By Audio, the beloved Brooklyn DIY space where Ackerman lived, worked, and created with complete freedom. It’s a clear and honest statement of intent, not just for everything that follows, but for this band as a whole.
A Place To Bury Strangers will tour in support of Pinned beginning this week. A full list of dates is below.
10/12/18-10/14/18 – Joshua Tree, CA @ Desert Daze (tickets)
A Place To Bury Strangers online:
Watch The Video For Lead Single “Never Coming Back”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
World Tour Announced
Pinned opens with “Never Coming Back,” a frightening crescendo of group vocals, vertiginous guitar work, and bassist Dion Lunadon’s unrelenting bass. “That song is a big concept,” Ackermann says. “You make these decisions in your life…you’re contemplating whether or not this will be the end. You think of your mortality, those moments you could die and what that means. You’re thinking about that edge of the end, deciding whether or not it’s over. When you’re close to that edge, you could teeter over.”
A couple of years ago, A Place To Bury Strangers made one of those big decisions Ackermann speaks of on “Never Coming Back.” They were in search of a new drummer and Lunadon met Lia Simone Braswell who was playing shows around Brooklyn where she had recently relocated from Los Angeles. After seeing her play, Lunadon was moved to ask Braswell if she’d want to come to a band practice sometime.
While not only cementing herself as the band’s new drummer, Braswell also contributes vocals on “Never Coming Back” and elsewhere on Pinned, opening up a whole new dimension in the band’s music. “As things go on, you don’t want them to be stagnant,” Ackermann remarks. “Being a band for ten years, it’s hard to keep things moving forward. I see so many bands that have been around and they’re a weaker version of what they used to be. This band is anti-that. We try to push ourselves constantly, with the live shows and the recordings. We always want to get better. You’ve got to dig deep and take chances, and sometimes, I questioned that. It took really breaking through to make it work. I think we did that.”
It’s a clear and honest statement of intent, not just for everything that follows, but for this band as a whole.
A Place To Bury Strangers online:
http://www.
https://www.facebook.com/
https://twitter.com/aptbs
https://aplacetoburystrangers.
I will see The Black Angels or A Place to Bury Strangers at any opportunity, so having them both on the same bill is a win-win and a must-see for me. Seeing them in Chicago’s Thalia Hall was an added bonus because the acoustics there are outstanding and there isn’t a bad place to stand or sit in the joint.
A Place to Bury Strangers were prompt, starting the show at 9:00pm sharp (which seems to be a trend in Chicago venues as of late). They came out as they always do – loud and heavy. They opened with “We’ve Come So Far” from Transfixiation and it was off to the races. The addition of Lia Braswell on drums is a great one, as she practically beat her kit into the floor. Her backing vocals bring a new dimension to many APTBS tracks, and I hope this trend continues on some new material. Guitarist and lead singer Oliver Ackermann was on fire for their whole set.
They ended their set with a wild sequencer / synth / bass / light show that I’d seen them do before in Detroit. They moved into the crowd and were soon casting laser lights and weird, warping synths beats and Dion Lunadon’s growling bass licks throughout the whole hall.
As if that weren’t trippy enough, the Black Angels started their set with this image.
“Take your acid now,” said a friend of mine upon seeing this. The Black Angels opened up with “Currency,” the first single off their new album – Death Song (review coming soon). “Bad Vibrations” (always a favorite) followed, and it again wowed the crowd.
This was the sixth time I’ve seen the Black Angels (and the third I’ve seen APTBS), and this might’ve been the heaviest set I’ve seen by them. My wife (who’s seen them five of the six times with me) noticed this, too. The version of “You On the Run” they played was certainly the heaviest I’d heard. It bordered on stoner metal. Christian Bland’s guitar seemed cranked to 11 in terms of volume and distortion for the entire show. Stephanie Bailey further cemented her prowess as one of the best rock drummers of our time. I say this every time I see the Black Angels live: Stephanie Bailey is their secret weapon. I later realized this was the first show I’d seen in a while in which both bands had powerful drummers.
They played many tracks from the new record. “Half Believing,” “Comanche Moon,” “I Dreamt,” “Medicine,” “Grab As Much As You Can,” and “Death March” all sounded great. They closed with “Young Men Dead,” which made one man behind me so happy that he rushed ahead of me to head-bang and share his one-hitter with the strangers to his left and right.
This made six good shows in a row from the Black Angels and three straight for APTBS in my experience. This tour is selling out across the country, so you’d better get your tickets soon if you want to catch it. I also must give a salute to the two men who make up the Mustachio Light Show. They provided all the wild and stunning visuals during the Black Angels’ set. It’s a great addition to this tour.
Thanks to Oliver Ackermann, Steven Matrick, and Burgers Rana for getting me a press pass to this show. I’ll have an interview with Oliver Ackermann posted soon as well.
Keep your mind open.
[Don’t forget to subscribe to us before you go.]