FANCY DRESS – HALLOWEEN PARTY!
As with the London shows, we’d love it if you could come dressed as something inspired by one of the bands (Perhaps you could simulate some Pissed Jeans? Or arrive in a…Shjip?) or as something spooky to help us with creating the Halloween mood.
Shellac
Started in an informal setting between infamous engineer and guitarist Steve Albini (ex-Just Ducky, Big Black, Rapeman) and drummer Todd Trainer (ex-Rifle Sport, Brick Layer Cake) in 1992, Shellac came into full formation after Albini invited bassist Bob Weston (ex-Sorry, Volcano Suns) to move to Chicago, employing him as an engineer at his studio. A clutch of singles soon appeared in 1993 and 1994 on Touch and Go and Drag City, somewhat following in the footsteps of Albini’s Big Black and Rapeman, if only due to his trebly, cutting guitar work and deadpan vocals. As with Big Black, Shellac provided a forum for Albini to air his thoughts on the uglier side of humanity, though lowering the perversity and upping the humor a notch. (An early claim was that all Shellac songs concerned either baseball or Canada, sometimes both in the same song.) The odd rhythms of Trainer and rumbling bass of Weston, however, clearly removed Shellac from any of the members’ previous involvements.
OM
Formed in 2003 when former Sleep members Al Cisneros and Chris Hakius began to play again after a six year hiatus. The two began rehearsing without the addition of guitar or other instruments. OM’s first three albums feature Cisneros (bass/vocals) and Hakius (drums). In January 2008 Hakius left the group. Cisneros recruited drummer Emil Amos and in March of 2008 OM recorded a 7″ for Sub Pop records. The song “Gebel Barkal” is the first to feature Amos on drums. Cisneros and Amos are currently writing for the next Om full-length which is to be recorded in early 2009.
Wooden Shjips
(that’s not a typo) is a vital and refreshingly inspired quartet from San Francisco playing loud rock ‘n’ roll in a style heavily influenced by the experimentalism of psychedelia, classical minimalism and garage rock excess. Starting as an experiment in rhythmic primitivism and group improvisation, the current line-up brings a more structured rock approach to its performances, utilizing a traditional lineup of drums (Omar Ahsanuddin), bass (Dusty Jermier), organ (Nash Whalen), guitar (Erik “Ripley” Johnson) and vocals.
The Straight World is a shallow, boring, soul-sucking vortex. This is where most folks spend their quiet, desperate lives. Working to consume, consuming to achieve status. Distractions like celebrity watching and religion are supposed to provide entertainment and meaning. Here, life on the edge means driving a Ford. It’s nearly impossible for those of us who despise the Straight World to avoid it. Many of us spend 8 hours a day there just to survive. The Straight World doesn’t take kindly to aberrance. That’s why some of us would rather not reveal ourselves. We move like shadows through the Straight World, keeping our secrets. We don’t need smoke to make ourselves disappear.
Lightning Bolt
Lightning Bolt emerged from Providence, Rhode Island in 1995 as a three-piece art school project. Initially there was Brian Chippendale’s explosive, non-stop drumming, Brian Gibson’s Contortions-like bass lines, and Hisham Bharoocha’s vocals propelling them in a fury of volatile noise and orgiastic tribalism. The group helped found Fort Thunder, a music and art collective, and recorded a self-titled album which was issued through Load in 1999. By 2001’s Ride the Skies Bharoocha had departed (he eventually formed Black Dice.). This left the vocal duties to Chippendale, who jammed the microphone into his mouth as he drummed. Lightning Bolt did a series of tours with bands like The Locust, Arab on Radar, Orchid, and Melt Banana before returning in 2003 with the studio album Wonderful Rainbow. The album did very well in underground music circles, and set up the release of 2005’s Hypermagic Mountain.
For more information and news updates on these shows keep an eye on www.atpfestival.com
Ticketholders are advised that as Lightning Bolt will be playing on the floor of the venue and not on the stage, people wishing to see their performances – which will be the first on every night – should arrive early to be able to see them.