Saturday October 10, 2009
Viaduct Theater
3111 N. Western Avenue
Chicago, IL 60618
773.296.6024
http://www.viaducttheatre.com/
BloodLust! Presents
Cult of Youth
http://www.myspace.com/cultofyouthband
Death Domain
http://www.myspace.com/deathdomainmotif
Zola Jesus
http://www.myspace.com/zolajesus
More details to follow...
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Nightmares Live Recordings
We made recordings of all seven live shows, each of which came out nicely. I have already transferred them to my computer and uploaded them, so that David and Jonathan can hear them right away. We also have a line-out recording from Oberlin, courtesy of Ryan/Thursday Club, which is near-flawless and crystal clear, seemingly only lacking in the insane room ambiance of the chapel. And William Berry, who drove from Columbus to Cincinnati to see us (a running theme on this tour), already provided us with an alternate digital recording from Art Damage Lodge. We are currently reviewing each show and we are discussing what we might like to do with these recordings...
Rare Intrinsic Action on eBay
There is a copy of the rare "Exploration One" compilation - featuring exclusive Intrinsic Action recordings - currently listed on eBay
Friday, September 04, 2009
Nightmares - Chicago - Video
Nightmares
August 31, 2009
Viaduct Theater
Chicago, IL
Courtesy of Blake Edwards
August 31, 2009
Viaduct Theater
Chicago, IL
Courtesy of Blake Edwards
Locrian on Icoulddietomorrow
From: Icoulddietomorrow
Artist: Locrian
Album: Plague Journal 7"
Release: 2008
Label: Bloodlust!
Tracklist:
1. Plague Journal
2. Apocryphal City, Portents Fallen
Locrian is the Chicago-based duo of Terence Hannum and Andre Foisy, visual artists and academics who meld processed synthesizers, guitars, vocals, and loops into fluid, shifting noise pieces. Their approach is influenced primarily by the more artistic/esoteric wing of black metal and the ambient/drone tone float experiments conducted by Fripp, Eno, and a host of electronic musicians in the 1970's; at times, elements of heavy, guitar-based post-rock and industrial seep in as well. They've been steadily amassing a catalog of highly limited releases across all the collector scum formats, gradually refining their approach, which culminated in this year's monolithic Drenched Lands full-length. Their fine-arts background shows in the artwork of their releases, focusing on abandoned cast-concrete buildings and esoteric sigils. Their live shows have made them popular on the festival circuit, and have led to some oddball show pairings (opening for Anal Cunt in New York City, for one).
The Plague Journal 7" was released last year as part of Bloodlust! Records' Private Series, with packaging that's a sharp break from the rest of their finely developed aesthetic. Like the other releases in the Private Series, it has a plain white cover, is on white vinyl with minimal information on the labels, and has an insert with only the most basic information about the release available. If the idea is to get the listener to pay attention to the music contained within, it's a successful one, as Plague Journal is an essential piece of Locrian's catalog. Side A begins with a particularly hypnotic delayed guitar riff played by Foisy, which decays into layers of synth static. Slightly over four minutes in, a shimmering, bell-like texture emerges, the piece shifting into a more melodic, floating tone for the final minute or so. Side B begins with a swirling, wind-like synth pad, as a repetitive guitar figure, reminiscent of Glenn Branca or Mogwai, remains in the eye of the storm. It gradually gets more intense and violent, before the side ends in a locked groove.
Both of Locrian's full-lengths are phenomenal as well, but may be too foreboding for a more casual listener. A shorter release, like this 7" or one of their many tapes, is a good way to get a taste of their sound before delving into the pollution-blackened depths of the rest of their catalog.
Artist: Locrian
Album: Plague Journal 7"
Release: 2008
Label: Bloodlust!
Tracklist:
1. Plague Journal
2. Apocryphal City, Portents Fallen
Locrian is the Chicago-based duo of Terence Hannum and Andre Foisy, visual artists and academics who meld processed synthesizers, guitars, vocals, and loops into fluid, shifting noise pieces. Their approach is influenced primarily by the more artistic/esoteric wing of black metal and the ambient/drone tone float experiments conducted by Fripp, Eno, and a host of electronic musicians in the 1970's; at times, elements of heavy, guitar-based post-rock and industrial seep in as well. They've been steadily amassing a catalog of highly limited releases across all the collector scum formats, gradually refining their approach, which culminated in this year's monolithic Drenched Lands full-length. Their fine-arts background shows in the artwork of their releases, focusing on abandoned cast-concrete buildings and esoteric sigils. Their live shows have made them popular on the festival circuit, and have led to some oddball show pairings (opening for Anal Cunt in New York City, for one).
The Plague Journal 7" was released last year as part of Bloodlust! Records' Private Series, with packaging that's a sharp break from the rest of their finely developed aesthetic. Like the other releases in the Private Series, it has a plain white cover, is on white vinyl with minimal information on the labels, and has an insert with only the most basic information about the release available. If the idea is to get the listener to pay attention to the music contained within, it's a successful one, as Plague Journal is an essential piece of Locrian's catalog. Side A begins with a particularly hypnotic delayed guitar riff played by Foisy, which decays into layers of synth static. Slightly over four minutes in, a shimmering, bell-like texture emerges, the piece shifting into a more melodic, floating tone for the final minute or so. Side B begins with a swirling, wind-like synth pad, as a repetitive guitar figure, reminiscent of Glenn Branca or Mogwai, remains in the eye of the storm. It gradually gets more intense and violent, before the side ends in a locked groove.
Both of Locrian's full-lengths are phenomenal as well, but may be too foreboding for a more casual listener. A shorter release, like this 7" or one of their many tapes, is a good way to get a taste of their sound before delving into the pollution-blackened depths of the rest of their catalog.
Drenched Lands on Broken Face (or Vice Versa)
From Broken Face
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Locrian Drenched Lands
Admittedly I didn’t know much about Chicago’s Locrian when Drenched Lands arrived at my doorstep a few months back, but the darkly seducing sounds swept me away within seconds, or at least minutes. It starts slowly with desolate, grainy guitarscapes that moves into a drone that sounds like tumbleweed on its way to burst into fire at any given second. There’s so much energy packed within every segment that it makes me afraid that the involved won’t be able to stay away from the noise crescendo for much longer. But they stick to the tortured power drone for as long as it’s needed. We get shards of feedback from the wastelands and endless loops that seem to be conjured from dark wells, twisting around its own axis in the infinite darkness before briefly rediscovering the white light.
It’s been long since I heard anyone describing alienation in society with the same unrelenting force, but at the same time displaying so much emotion. Most tracks definitely nods in the noise/drone direction while others maintain the magically resonating damaged soundscapery but at the same time pirouettes into something a whole lot more organic. Sure, this is experimental and primitive in its nature but the feedback squalls are presented in such an atmospheric, melodic and even melancholic way that it despite its heavy origins strikes me as very emotional. Drenched Lands is a true masterpiece that manages to sound surprisingly original and it will for sure be on my top ten list when it’s time to wrap up the year.
Admittedly I didn’t know much about Chicago’s Locrian when Drenched Lands arrived at my doorstep a few months back, but the darkly seducing sounds swept me away within seconds, or at least minutes. It starts slowly with desolate, grainy guitarscapes that moves into a drone that sounds like tumbleweed on its way to burst into fire at any given second. There’s so much energy packed within every segment that it makes me afraid that the involved won’t be able to stay away from the noise crescendo for much longer. But they stick to the tortured power drone for as long as it’s needed. We get shards of feedback from the wastelands and endless loops that seem to be conjured from dark wells, twisting around its own axis in the infinite darkness before briefly rediscovering the white light.
It’s been long since I heard anyone describing alienation in society with the same unrelenting force, but at the same time displaying so much emotion. Most tracks definitely nods in the noise/drone direction while others maintain the magically resonating damaged soundscapery but at the same time pirouettes into something a whole lot more organic. Sure, this is experimental and primitive in its nature but the feedback squalls are presented in such an atmospheric, melodic and even melancholic way that it despite its heavy origins strikes me as very emotional. Drenched Lands is a true masterpiece that manages to sound surprisingly original and it will for sure be on my top ten list when it’s time to wrap up the year.
Slow Southern Steel
Something to look forward to... Mike from Eyehategod pops up about 18-seconds in...
Slow Southern Steel Movie Trailer #1
Slow Southern Steel Movie Trailer #1
Thursday, September 03, 2009
The Golden Sores on Auxiliary Out
From: Auxiliary Out
http://auxiliaryout.blogspot.com/
Thursday, September 3, 2009
The Golden Sores - A Peaceable Kingdom [Bloodlust!]
I opened this up when I returned from Europe, I was pretty psyched to see the cover as I had literally scene that painting two days before. Anyway, this isn't an entirely useless anecdote because the vibe from the painting matches the sounds perfectly. As the title suggests, there's peacefulness to this music but not necessarily in the contented, happy sense. There’s a touch of anguished resignation in the peace, like that lamb which is quietly peaceable, but only as a result of being bound and, as far as I can tell, killed. Opener, "Double Gyres" is relaxing or maybe even comforting in a way with smooth tones gliding throughout but there's also restlessness present too. A few slightly noisy tones rub against the grain of the track. They don't actually derail the track in any way, but that’s just because the sounds flow around them, the way a river reacts when something is trying to move upstream. It's a simple but effective maneuver, lulling the listener while keeping him on edge. "The Awful Rowing Toward God" doesn’t pull any punches however. Loads of distorted waves splash and swell, creating a fair maelstrom but somehow The Golden Sores keep a sense of calm in the center of it all. A peace in the eye of storm kind of ordeal. After a slow dissolving of feedback, “Klonopin” cautiously takes flight. The piece nearly has a choral quality, despite only a few layers of sound. It’s a little hypnotizing, seeping into you without you really realizing it. The six minutes move by surprisingly fast considering what a leisurely pace the piece moves at. “We’ll Wield Fire” is a sort of midpoint between “Klonopin” and "The Awful Rowing Toward God." A distorted synth wanders alone for some time until a stuttering melody rises nearly consuming the initial synth. The piece is in perpetual forward motion, chugging along building to an unknown climax. Surprisingly, the climax is a pretty, shuffling little melody at the end. Remnants of which carry into the next piece “Ondine,” the most straightforwardly melodic and pretty track here. I think it’s a duet between guitar and keyboard but I can’t be certain; The Golden Sores have a way of melting whatever instruments they use down into pure tones. “A Vision” finishes things off transcendent fashion, with The Golden Sores once more exhibiting their prowess for weaving crystalline drones into captivating compositions. This CD is worth looking into for the drone-minded legions, The Golden Sores are one of the more mature sounding drone groups I’ve heard if you can make any sense of that statement. Still available.
http://auxiliaryout.blogspot.com/
Thursday, September 3, 2009
The Golden Sores - A Peaceable Kingdom [Bloodlust!]
I opened this up when I returned from Europe, I was pretty psyched to see the cover as I had literally scene that painting two days before. Anyway, this isn't an entirely useless anecdote because the vibe from the painting matches the sounds perfectly. As the title suggests, there's peacefulness to this music but not necessarily in the contented, happy sense. There’s a touch of anguished resignation in the peace, like that lamb which is quietly peaceable, but only as a result of being bound and, as far as I can tell, killed. Opener, "Double Gyres" is relaxing or maybe even comforting in a way with smooth tones gliding throughout but there's also restlessness present too. A few slightly noisy tones rub against the grain of the track. They don't actually derail the track in any way, but that’s just because the sounds flow around them, the way a river reacts when something is trying to move upstream. It's a simple but effective maneuver, lulling the listener while keeping him on edge. "The Awful Rowing Toward God" doesn’t pull any punches however. Loads of distorted waves splash and swell, creating a fair maelstrom but somehow The Golden Sores keep a sense of calm in the center of it all. A peace in the eye of storm kind of ordeal. After a slow dissolving of feedback, “Klonopin” cautiously takes flight. The piece nearly has a choral quality, despite only a few layers of sound. It’s a little hypnotizing, seeping into you without you really realizing it. The six minutes move by surprisingly fast considering what a leisurely pace the piece moves at. “We’ll Wield Fire” is a sort of midpoint between “Klonopin” and "The Awful Rowing Toward God." A distorted synth wanders alone for some time until a stuttering melody rises nearly consuming the initial synth. The piece is in perpetual forward motion, chugging along building to an unknown climax. Surprisingly, the climax is a pretty, shuffling little melody at the end. Remnants of which carry into the next piece “Ondine,” the most straightforwardly melodic and pretty track here. I think it’s a duet between guitar and keyboard but I can’t be certain; The Golden Sores have a way of melting whatever instruments they use down into pure tones. “A Vision” finishes things off transcendent fashion, with The Golden Sores once more exhibiting their prowess for weaving crystalline drones into captivating compositions. This CD is worth looking into for the drone-minded legions, The Golden Sores are one of the more mature sounding drone groups I’ve heard if you can make any sense of that statement. Still available.
Nightmares CD Sold Out Via BloodLust!
I am also now sold-out of the Nightmares self-titled tour CD. Those still looking for copies should also try to contact David (lupine447@hotmail.com) or Jonathan (malsonus@yahoo.com). Thanks again for the great response!!
BloodLust! September 2009 Update
The BloodLust! September 2009 Update has been sent out to the mailing list and it has been posted on the BloodLust! Catalog page. Please get in touch if you wish to be added to the mailing list...
Update: BLOODYMINDED "PHASES : THREE"
Joe from Rococo Records was kind enough to bring the so-close-but-yet-so-far-away BLOODYMINDED "PHASES : THREE" box set to Monday night's Nightmares show. He called me during the tour to let me know that the boxes had arrived... but... the manufacturer forgot to emboss the moons! Aaaaargh! Anyhow, the box tops are being reprinted and embossed, and they will be shipping them ASAP. It was really nice to see the nearly complete version, as I had not seen the individual silk-screened covers for each of the three 7-inch singles. Soon...
Status - 8/3
- Prior to joining Jonathan and Suzie for a classic Chicago breakfast at Lou Mitchell's, I mailed out all outstanding paid orders (including eBay and Discogs). I am getting additional Nightmares merch orders sorted out ASAP
- The Bereft "Your Messiah Will Fail" test CD arrived while I was away and it looks and sounds great! After a few more plays, to make sure it sounds perfect, I will order the discs, and they should arrive in advance of the original proposed release date of October 1st
- The Bereft "Your Messiah Will Fail" test CD arrived while I was away and it looks and sounds great! After a few more plays, to make sure it sounds perfect, I will order the discs, and they should arrive in advance of the original proposed release date of October 1st
Nightmares Cassette Sold Out Via BloodLust!
I am now sold-out of the Nightmares self-titled tour cassette and I only have two (2) copies of the CD left to sell. Those still looking for copies should also try to contact David (lupine447@hotmail.com) or Jonathan (malsonus@yahoo.com). Thank you for the enthusiastic response!
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Nightmares Tour Releases
I had numerous requests for advance sales of our two limited edition tour releases, which I attempted to respond to before we left. I hope that everyone understood our decision to not sell the cassettes and the compact discs in advance of tour, in the hopes that people would come out to the shows to support the band and the recordings. That said, we came back with a very small box of merchandise, which we split three ways, and we are contacting the people who had originally been in touch with us. Please let me know if you are still interested in obtaining any of these releases. We are selling them for the prices that they were sold at our shows, plus the cost of USPS Media Mail. No jacked-up post-tour rarity bullshit... Ha ha!
Nightmares "s/t" 7-inch
Edition of 300 on marbled color vinyl
http://www.discogs.com/Nightmares-Nightmares/release/1875124
$9.00 USA/$11.00 Canada+Mexico/$13.00 Rest of World @ postpaid
Nightmares "s/t" CD
Edition of 100
http://www.discogs.com/Nightmares-Nightmares/release/1878085
$12.00 USA/$14.00 Canada+Mexico/$16.00 Rest of World @ postpaid
Nightmares "s/t" Cassette (C-30)
Edition of 100
http://www.discogs.com/Nightmares-Nightmares/release/1878091
$8.00 USA/$10.00 Canada+Mexico/$12.00 Rest of World @ postpaid
Limited stock is available. Please note that the cassettes and the CDs are nearly gone. Reasonable amounts of the vinyl are still on hand.
Please e-mail (bludlust@mindspring.com) first to check availability. I will respond with confirmation and payment details.
Thanks,
Mark
P.S. If I am unable to fulfill any orders, you can alternately contact David (lupine447@hotmail.com) or Jonathan (malsonus@yahoo.com). Thanks.
Nightmares "s/t" 7-inch
Edition of 300 on marbled color vinyl
http://www.discogs.com/Nightmares-Nightmares/release/1875124
$9.00 USA/$11.00 Canada+Mexico/$13.00 Rest of World @ postpaid
Nightmares "s/t" CD
Edition of 100
http://www.discogs.com/Nightmares-Nightmares/release/1878085
$12.00 USA/$14.00 Canada+Mexico/$16.00 Rest of World @ postpaid
Nightmares "s/t" Cassette (C-30)
Edition of 100
http://www.discogs.com/Nightmares-Nightmares/release/1878091
$8.00 USA/$10.00 Canada+Mexico/$12.00 Rest of World @ postpaid
Limited stock is available. Please note that the cassettes and the CDs are nearly gone. Reasonable amounts of the vinyl are still on hand.
Please e-mail (bludlust@mindspring.com) first to check availability. I will respond with confirmation and payment details.
Thanks,
Mark
P.S. If I am unable to fulfill any orders, you can alternately contact David (lupine447@hotmail.com) or Jonathan (malsonus@yahoo.com). Thanks.
Nightmares Tour Report 13
Nightmares
Monday August 31
Viaduct Theater
Chicago, IL
Photographs courtesy of Blake Edwards
(Click photos to enlarge)
Monday August 31
Viaduct Theater
Chicago, IL
Photographs courtesy of Blake Edwards
(Click photos to enlarge)
TDS OGF via Heathen Harvest
From: Heathen Harvest
Twodeadsluts Onegoodfuck - Champagne And Biological Women
Tuesday, September 01 2009 @ 02:00 AM PDT
Contributed by: Vargr Wulf
Twodeadsluts Onegoodfuck - Champagne And Biological Women
Tuesday, September 01 2009 @ 02:00 AM PDT
Contributed by: Vargr Wulf
Artist: Twodeadsluts Onegoodfuck
Title: Champagne And Biological Women
Label: BloodLust!
Genre: Power Electronics/ Noise
01 Covered In Shit
02 Down In The Dirt
03 Still Erect (...And Definitely Not Leaving)
04 Mark Solotroff Built My Hotrod
A powerful and layered piece of audio depravity from the boys of TDSOGF and the evil mind behind Bloodlust! Track One, "Covered In Shit," comes in relentlessly and without warning. I have my record player EQ'd to the "jazz" setting on this and other noise releases, I find that captures a wider range of sound than "rock," and adequately highlights the morose and almost bluesy textures to the electronic assault contained on these tracks. An atmospheric gap between tracks one and track two ("Down In The Dirt") gives an enjoyable level of tension on the first side, which requires repeated listens in order to gain the full impact. TDSOGF has a "rocking" power electronics sound that fits in absolutely perfectly on the Bloodlust label, and this release is a stunning and brief picture of that partnership. The artwork is in the classic 90's noise collage style, showing spread-open legs, starving African children, the Virgin Mary and Lucifer in a Byzantine-style Icon painting, accident photos, antique pornography, and pictures of a baby and a symphony orchestra. Although the name of the group leaves nothing to the imagination, the music on here show a level of restraint and discipline that is very impressive. The themes of the music are in the classic Power Electronic style expressed by Consumer Electronics and Whitehouse, that of domination and submission acted out in extreme electronic music.
"Still Erect" begins with a low hum and high pitched cicada-like sounds, leading into a crunchy and scream-filled rape-rant. The final track, "Mark Solotroff Built My Hotrod," seems to be a tounge-in-cheek tip of the phallus to label owner Solotroff. It features a very strong synth buzzon the outset, with a concerned and direct vocal that sort of passes by and the whole thing is wrapped up by a sample at the end. It is a sample of a man ranting about money and success. The performance level of this EP has a "next-level" sort of feel that takes this release into a sort of lofty Hermann Nitsch-like level of visceral aesthetic punishment. These guys have what you would call "commitment to the bit." The songs on here have an influence from the groups's background in the hardcore scene, giving the tracks a brevity and wholeness that makes them unique little vignettes onto themselves.
This is a very blunt and memorable EP that reminds me somewhat of the EP's that Whitehouse did with Steve Albini, like the sound and aesthetic of "Thank Your Lucky Stars." The tracks are all regrettably brief, but there is a lot of quality on here that keeps the active listener flipping this over from side to side. It sounds a little bit different every time that I listen to it, and I'm on probably the 6th or 7th listen at this point. I would guess that none of these tracks are much longer than a minute and thirty seconds. I could definitely listen to tracks 2 and 4 in much longer versions. Powerful and dynamic mastering on this by James Plotkin, one hopes that these guys will do more work with Bloodlust in the future. Great music, very listenable and in the end mercifully brief (leaving you wanting more). Definitely a must-purchase for those of you with any interest in modern Power Electronics, these guys will show you what is up. I can't tell what the hell they are saying on here, however, and a lyric sheet would definitely be of assistance to the listener. A minor gripe regarding an essential release.
Pharmakon Sold Out
The limited edition Pharmakon self-titled CD on BloodLust! is now sold out. Those still looking for copies may want to try to reach Margaret directly via: noisepharmakon@gmail.com
Nightmares Tour Report 12
Well, we wrapped things up yesterday in Milwaukee, and it was a fitting blow-out end to the tour. We got up there pretty early and we met up with James and Alex for an delicious and fun lunch at Comet. Great burgers, excellent fries, and killer bacon Bloody Marys. The show at the Borg Ward was nicely attended by the whole Milwaukee crew, in total sausage party style. We brought the only girl with us. Ha! Reptile Worship surprised me by being much heavier than I expected, but I still have not heard a lot of stuff from them, so I am hardly an expert. They definitely have an old-school industrial feel, combining samples/tapes, electronics, guitars, etc. Maybe a really heavy death-industrial thing? (That is kind of a prominent Milwaukee style, in a way, no?) Through the double PA set-up, they were blowing the doors off of the space! Heaviness and power was certainly expected with Custodian and Jon did not disappoint, destroying with a harsh noise/power-electronics style, and keeping things short and sweet. I am looking forward to diving into the new "II" CD as his debut disc on Syzmic was 100% brutal. Anal Hearse... well, fuck. James switched things up from the Chicago show and came out swinging harder, using his sense of dynamics to soften things up a bit as the set went on... but it never lightened up too much. Again, this falls into some category between the creep of death-industrial and the ferocity of the best power-electronics. Total darkness, total threat... and some long, slow, pummeling beats. Climax Denial was in full sleaze mode, and easily delivered on of my favorite live sets that I have seen/heard from him. Dark, appropriately heavy, dirty, dirty, dirty. Four hardcore sets to follow... rough... Things went well for us, but we had to be careful as with the double PA in place, it would have been very easy for us to blow our wad in too heavy a manner. It still probably was our heaviest performance, overall, and it started off with more power than on the previous six dates, but I think that we managed to find the equilibrium that we have been attaining on a nightly basis. No harm in pushing things a bit further into oblivion on the last night... and hell, there are some of the most hardcore Deathpile/Angel of Decay and BLOODYMINDED fans ever in Milwaukee! We ended the night taking over the corner of a large, lonely taqueria, scarfing down some largely unnecessary food before getting on the road and heading back to Chicago. Major thanks to James, for the hard work in promoting the show. Thanks to James and everyone at the Borg Ward, for hosting us. And thanks to the Milwaukee crew for coming out to support the last night of our tour!
David is already on the road, heading back to Columbus and Jonathan - and Miss Suzie Q. are probably wandering through the Art Institute, right now, hopefully finding the Bellmer pieces that I directed them too.
More thoughts and odds 'n' ends to follow, I am sure...
David is already on the road, heading back to Columbus and Jonathan - and Miss Suzie Q. are probably wandering through the Art Institute, right now, hopefully finding the Bellmer pieces that I directed them too.
More thoughts and odds 'n' ends to follow, I am sure...
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Nightmares Tour Report 11
We had an excellent show at the Viaduct Theater in Chicago last night! It was great to have such a solid hometown turnout! I assumed that we would be in the small room where the Cadaver in Drag show happened but we were set up in one of the two larger rooms - an expanded version of the same room where BLOODYMINDED played with Hive Mind, Luasa Raelon, and Redrot in 2004, in fact. I was a bit worried, but by the time that Face Worker started, the theater seats on both sets of risers started to fill up quite nicely. Brett played a great set of progressive synth, with some solid Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream types of passages, but he never allowed things to get hung up for too long in the pretty zones. The sequencer elements added a new twist for me, and based upon past shows that I have seen and the numerous recordings that I have, it is clear that Brett is on a nice evolutionary path with this music project. Haptic + Brian Labycz were up next and the created an expansive,shifting, yet steady handed dronescape, filled with oscillator sounds and all sorts of electronic esoterica, all propelled by insistent-yet-restrained drumming. At times, the bass frequencies were ridiculously great, and come to think of it, Brett had taken advantage of the powerful sub-woofer, too. We were up last and we got off to a pleasant start, even if the big, clean PA was immediately stronger than what we been dealing with along the way. In a nice, dark theater with our red back lighting, it seemed like the audience was a million miles away, so I asked them to come down to the floor by us, which they did. I am sure that the sound changed for them, but I guess that I preferred to maintain the more intimate relationship with the crowd that we had been maintaining over the previous five nights. We played a total of four pieces again and I made sure to really vary the mix, the panning, and the levels, to take full advantage of the PA and the room dynamics. We were definitely pleased with how it all played out. Big thanks to Ben for his willingness to book the show. Thanks to my AoH band mate Kenny for the spectacular live sound engineering, and for letting us all crank up the bass! Thanks to the Viaduct for hosting the show and for having me back. And major thanks to all of our friends who came out to see/hear the show/tour on a Monday night. It is extremely gratifying to have such great support! We are 30 minutes from Milwaukee and our date with bacon at Comet. Looking forward to that...and the show/tour wrap-up... What a line-up tonight!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Nightmares Tour Update 10
Detroit the way I like it! Last night was a success on all levels. After an easy drive from Oberlin, we got to L.J.'S Lounge in perfect time, loaded in, and saw a large group of friends gathering together to meet for dinner a couple of doors down at an excellent Bar-B-Q place called Slow's. It was a beautiful, cool evening and we had a couple of large tables on the back patio, filled with 20 or so Detroit folks. That was a great way to kick off the night. L.J.'S is a trip... An old school drunk tavern but with a very accepting owner and bartender. No doubt, we made their night, but some places are so put off by the music that the bar sales do not sway them enough. Regression was up first and Nate crafted a very controlled and subtle set that incorporated tapes, electronics, and voice, and included an extremely interesting re-working of Wolf Eyes..."Dead Hills" material, if I am remembering correctly -- cleverly and conceptually supporting the Regreesion moniker. I feel like I have a better understanding of the divisions between Regression, Hatred, and his work a Nate Young. Body Collector was up next and Khristopher similarly showed restraint as he sat behind his gear. Also donning a modified guitar, he created a set of truely broken electronics, allowing sounds, loops, and pulses to slowly build up, only to squelch them and to begin the building process again. The guitar added a particulary caustic element, which he used sparingly and dramatically. The set was really nicely composed and it had a cool late-Sunday-night pacing about it. It seemed like he tapped into a similar mood to what we have been doing this week, even with an entirely different set-up. Come to think of it, Nate sort of had a parallel mood going on, too. Gate to Gate were up next and Greh and Connelly definitely went for a heavier and blacker approach. It was my first time seeing GTG so I was excited. Connelly's electronics and microphone feedback played off of Greh' electronics, guitar, and metals. Chain on sheet metal, chain on guitar pick-ups...definitely a dark and foreceful mood. Their power made me want to push our sound a bit, so with the opportunity to use both Khristopher's PA and Nate's amps, we attempted to do just that. This time out, we played four pieces, going for it a bit harder than on the previous four nights, but still trying to strike the best possible balance in our sound. I think that we achieved this, even if we went heavier on the volume, EQ, mix density, etc. I am particulary interested in hearing this recording, to get a sense of how it meshed with the others. After loading out, we headed beck to Casa Y+Z to relax and chat a bit, before crashing out. After a pleasant morning of coffee and conversation, we walked to a nearby restaurant in Mexicantown to grab some delicious breakfast. Thanks to Alivia and Nate for their kind hospitality. Thanks to Khristopher for working hard to make this show such a success. Thanks to Greh for helping get the ball rolling when we were booking. Thanks to Raina for such a generous and unexpected treat. And thanks to all of our Detroit, Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Lansing, etc. friends - and even Toledo folks! - for showing such great support. It was really nice to see everyone there, not to mention some folks who I have not seen in quite a while. We are on our way back to Chicago now, and we can unload some baggage, etc., before heading on to the Viaduct.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Nightmares Tour Update 09
Sorry... This process of remotely editing the weblog to fix errors is still proving tricky plus I have a bad signal here. I already saw the "R" missing in Relentless Corpse, below. It is early and the gadget aspect of these on-the-road posts is less than ideal. Plus, people are snoring, which is distracting (and why I cannot sleep. Ha!).
Nightmares Tour Update 08
Greetings from some random gigantic house in Oberlin, Ohio. Last night's show was pretty intense on multiple levels, but let us just start with the venue. Fairchild Chapel looks like a medieval chapel that was connected to a castle in England. One immediately gets the sense that this is no ordinary noise show - but Nightmares are not a noise band, so...After a delay due to a PA problem and a scramble to replace it, elentless Corpse were up first. Expanded to a five-piece, with David Russell back in the fold, the group built up a thick black cloud of sound using synth, electronics, and David's table of curiosities, sending violent demons up into the heavy timber roof supports. Heavy! Aaron Dilloway and Robert Turman were up next, and with Aaron at a table with his synth and Robert at the pulpit with his gear, the two worked in near darkness, illuminated by flashlight and not much else, casting gigantic shadows onthe walls of the alter. Over Aaron's analog base, Robert played majestic and distorted sounds that resembled altered classical or religious music, which could not have been better suited to the space. Amazing set! So cool to finally see/here this much-talked-about collaboration in action. After a quick switch-over, we played four pieces, again in complete darkness and illuminated by our trio of red lights. I have to think that we struck our best balance yet of atmosphere and power, organic and structured passages, and the ideal interplay of our three "voices." I wish we had a bigger crowd to see it but we had good representation from Cleveland, and the winner of the long distance drive award, thus far, as our friend Elliot came in all the way from Pittsburgh. Aside from simply playing with David and Jonathan each night, it has been extremely gratifying (and humbling) to learn that people are driving one, two, three, even four hours to come see us play. Thanks to Kurt from the Modern Music Guild for organizing the show and getting us situated last night. Thanks to Aaron for the support with everything along the way, as well as for the nice get-together with the family at their beautiful new house...and to Aaron and Robert for joining the show. Thanks to the Relentless dudes for being a part of things and for helping to insure that it was such a fun night. Thanks also to Thursday Club for documenting the night and to our Clevend and Oberlin friends for supporting. Off to breakfast in a bit and then to Detroit for a dinner meet-up with the full family up there... What!?! Table for 20?!? Can't wait...
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