Month: April 2018

Levitation Austin artist spotlight: MIEN

Psychedelic supergroup MIEN will be making their live debut at Levitation Austin this year (April 27th at Stubb’s BBQ starting 7:30pm).  The band consists of members of the Black Angels, Elephant Stone, the Horrors, and the Earlies.  Their set will surely be one of the highlights of the festival, so don’t miss it.

Keep your mind open.

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: Follakzoid

Another Chilean psych-rock band that will play Levitation Austin this year is the cosmic trio of Follakzoid.  I first heard of these cats a few years ago and put them on a list of bands I wanted to research.  Now I’ll get to see them live, which is the best research one can do on a new band.  They’re closing Barracuda on April 27th with their 12:30am set.  It’s sure to be a great cap on the evening.

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: The Men

make music that is hard to describe.  It lands somewhere between punk, garage rock, and noise rock.  It’s full of fury and powerful riffs and their Levitation Austin set (April 27th at Barracuda, starting at 11:30pm) will surely be one of the loudest at the whole festival.  I’m glad I have new earplugs.

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My Bloody Valentine announce first U.S. tour dates in five years.

MY BLOODY VALENTINE ANNOUNCE FIRST U.S. TOUR SINCE 2013

My Bloody Valentine return to the stage this summer for the first time since late 2013. The band will tour the United States and play overseas festivals including Robert Smith’s Meltdown in London, Roskilde in Denmark, and Sonicmania in Japan. This is the first stateside run since My Bloody Valentine toured in support of m b v. Tickets will be on sale at www.mybloodyvalentine.org this Friday, April 27th at 10am local time, except for New York, which will be on sale at 11am Eastern. A presale code will be available via Brooklyn Vegan on Thursday, April 26 at 10am Eastern.

Listen to Kevin Shields and Bob Boilen discuss the newly released all-analog versions of Loveless and Isn’t Anything and more on NPR Music’s “All Songs Considered,” and read recent interviews with Shields on Pitchfork and Rolling Stone.

My Bloody Valentine Tour Dates:
Sat. June 23 – London, UK @ Royal Festival Hall – Robert Smith’s Meltdown
Sat. June 30 – Sat. July 7 – Roskilde, DE @ Roskilde Festival
Tue. July 17 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount
Thu. July 19 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
Sun. July 22 – Los Angeles, CA @ FYF Fest
Wed. July 25 – St. Paul, MN @ Palace Theatre
Fri. July 27 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
Mon. July 30 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore
Wed. Aug. 1 – New York, NY  @Hammerstein Ballroom
Fri. Aug. 17 – Makuhari Messe, JP @ Sonicmania

Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: Vuelveteloca

One of the many things I love about Levitation Austin is how it brings in bands from all over the world that I probably wouldn’t have discovered otherwise.  One such band is Vuelveteloca from Chile.  They’re part of the apparently large psychedelic rock scene there, and I’m keen on hearing these guys live.  Psych rock is always a mind trip, and hearing it from unexpected places tends to make it trippier.  They’re playing April 27th at 10:30 at Barracuda.

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: Golden Dawn Arkestra

Austin, Texas’ psych-funk playing, sun worshipping Golden Dawn Arkestra will be closing out a night of exciting world music jams at Levitation Austin on April 27th at Cheer Ups.  GDA put on a wild set when I saw them in 2016 that had the whole crowd bouncing.  I’m sure it will be another funky ritual this year.

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: Imarhan

Tuareg music has been part of Levitation Austin for the last few years, and this will be Imarhan‘s second time playing the festival.  They’re playing at Cheer Ups on April 27th at 7:30pm.  They put on a great set the last time I saw them (in 2016), and they’ll be part of a fun night of world music.  They’ll also be promoting their new record, Temet, which I’m eager to hear live.

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Levitation Austin artist spotlight: Superfonicos

Afro-Colombian funk outfit Superfonicos will be opening a great night of funk and world music at Levitation Austin on April 27th at 6:30pm at Austin club Cheer Ups (otherwise known as Cheer Up Charlie’s).  They play a great blend of funky psychedelia that mixes styles from around the globe.  It’s sure to be a fun night.

Keep your mind open.

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Flasher announce U.S. tour dates to support their debut album – “Constant Image”

FLASHER ANNOUNCE DEBUT ALBUM, SHARE NEW VIDEO,
ANNOUNCE US TOUR DATES

CONSTANT IMAGE OUT 6/8 ON DOMINO;
WATCH VIDEO FOR “PRESSURE”

(photo by Jen Dessinger)

Today, Washington, DC trio Flasher announce their debut album, Constant Image, which will be released June 8th via Domino Recording Co.  They’ve also shared a new single and video, “Pressure.” Recorded in 2017 at Rare Book Room in Brooklyn, NY, Constant Image was produced by Nicolas Vernhes (Animal Collective, Deerhunter, War On Drugs) and crackles with invention. This isn’t the sound of a band finding their feet, it’s the rare sound of three people – Taylor Mulitz on guitar, bassist Daniel Saperstein and drummer Emma Baker – who know exactly what they want to achieve from the start.

From their hometown of Washington, DC, with its rich history of idiosyncratic underground music, Flasher has emerged at the forefront of a vibrant musical present. The Sister Polygon label (which Mulitz helps run with former bandmates Priests) is a vital element in this moment of local cultivation and political confrontation. With their new LP, Flasher is helping to define a new generation of music in the city set apart from Dischord or any other storied DC past.

First single “Pressure” gives you a perfect example of what to expect. It’s a song that zeroes in on feelings of mania and alienation but is buoyed by a darting B-52s swagger. There’s weight and lightness here. It’s not often a debut album arrives in so complete a form but when it does you know you’ve got something special on your hands.

Says the band on “Pressure” and its’ video:

“Pressure” is a song that treads the line between queer delight and delirium, and crushing isolation and survival. The video for “Pressure”, made in collaboration with Weird Life films and featuring designer and Chicago based artist An Authentic Skidmark, is a compliment to the paradox of the song itself and an invitation to that world in between.”

CONSTANT IMAGE TRACKLISTING
1. Go
2. Pressure
3. Sun Come And Golden
4. Material
5. XYZ
6. Who’s Got Time?
7. Skim Milk
8. Harsh Light
9. Punching Up
10. Business Unusual
Head here to pre-order the deluxe edition LP available exclusively through the Domino Mart. The deluxe features the album on 150g starburst pink and yellow vinyl. Constant Image is also available as a standard LP, CD, and digitally.
FLASHER TOUR DATES
Thu. Apr. 19 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater w/ The Breeders
Fri. Apr. 20 – Norman, OK @ The Opolis
Wed. Apr. 25 – Birmingham, AL @ Iron City w/ The Breeders
Mon. Apr. 30 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel w/ The Breeders
Wed. June 6 – Philadelphia, PA @ Everybody Hits w/ Dehd
Fri. June 8 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere w/ Dehd, Public Practice
Sat. June 9 – Providence, RI @ Columbus Theatre w/ Dehd
Sun. June 10 – Allston, MA @ Great Scott w/ Dehd
Mon. June 11 – Winooski, VT @ The Monkey House w/ Dehd
Tue. June 12 – Montreal, QC @ Brasserie Beaubien w/ Dehd
Wed. June 13 – Toronto, ON @ The Baby G w/ Dehd
Thu. June 14 – Detroit, MI @ El Club w/ Dehd
Fri. June 15 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas w/ Dehd
Sat. June 16 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St. Entry w/ Dehd
Mon. June 18 – Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon w/ Dehd
Tue. June 19 – Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop w/ Dehd
Thu. June 21 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl w/ Dehd
Fri. June 22 – Durham, NC @ The Pinhook w/ Dehd
Sat. June 23 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat w/ Dehd
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

Levitation France announces first artists for 2018.

Levitation France is coming this September, tickets are already on sale (for great prices, I might add), and the first artists for this year’s lineup have been announced – the Brian Jonestown Massacre, Spiritualized, Mdou Moctar, MIEN, Holy Wave, and La Luz.

Many more will be announced over the summer.  I’m hoping for Zombie Zombie and Ladytron to be added to the list.

Keep your mind open.

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