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WEDNESDAY: Des Ark And Pygmy Lush At Strange Matter!
Posted by: Necci – Mar 08, 2011
Des Ark and Pygmy Lush are two bands with much in common. Beginning in the DC area DIY hardcore scene around the middle of the last decade, both bands moved from the post-hardcore sound that initially made their name into much more eclectic styles. Both groups incorporated a great deal of acoustic instrumentation into their sound, while still retaining the ability to turn up the amps and pound out loud rock n' roll. And now, on the heels of brand new albums from both of them, they are touring together. It's that tour that will bring them to Strange Matter tomorrow night, for what promises to be one of the least predictable and most interesting shows of the year so far.
WHAT: Des Ark/Pygmy Lush 2011 Tour Hits Richmond!
WHO: Des Ark, Pygmy Lush, Antlers, and Little Gold
WHERE: Strange Matter (929 W. Grace St.)
WHEN: Wednesday, March 9, 10 PM
ADMISSION: $6
More about the bands after the jump:
Des Ark, who have been around in one form or another since 2003, are really just a vehicle for the music of Aimee Argote. At various points in Des Ark's existence, they have been a quiet, yet still frighteningly intense, acoustic solo act, a two-guitars/no-bass electric power trio, and several things inbetween. The fact that Aimee's compatriots in rock seem to suffer a truly brutal rate of attrition may explain why it's been four years since the last proper Des Ark release, 2007's Battle Of The Beards--itself just a split EP with Ben Davis. Thankfully, the drought has ended with brand new full length Don't Rock The Boat, Sink The Fucker--which will officially be released on May 3rd by Lovitt Records. Word is, though, that the band have early-release copies with them on tour, which only gives you another reason to come out and catch their set. If recent video from their Philadelphia performance is any indication, we can probably expect their set to include all extremes of the Des Ark sound, from loud and gorgeously melodic post-hardcore to acoustic ensemble tunes featuring banjo and ukelele. What you should really expect is total radness--you won't be let down.
Pygmy Lush is the current project from brothers Mike and Chris Taylor, and drummer Johnny Ward, all of whom previously played together in Pg. 99. When Pygmy Lush started, they reflected less of the chaotic hardcore sensibility of Pg. 99 and more of the trashy rock n' roll sound the Taylor brothers had used in post-Pg. 99 project Mannequin. However, they soon began alternating this style with an acoustic version of their band that sounded quite a bit different, incorporating the sort of dissonant minor-key melodies that Chris Taylor and Johnny Ward had used to great effect in their other post-Pg. 99 project, Malady. By the time of their 2009 split LP with Turboslut, the noisy stuff was still part of what they were doing, but had definitely taken a back seat to the acoustic sounds--which had a lot more to offer in terms of originality anyway. Their new LP, Old Friends, also scheduled for a May 3 release date on Lovitt, seems from the one song that's been made available ("Yellow Hall"--check it out on Soundcloud here) to combine louder, more electrically-based sounds with an acoustic foundation that continues to explore dark, off-kilter moods. It's quite devastating, both in a studio and a live environment--evidence of the latter is again provided by footage from their recent Philly show (thanks to CB Houck for filming these videos, and making both of them available). I'm not certain that Pygmy Lush will have copies of their new LP in advance of their release date as well, but we can hope, right?
Of the remaining bands, Antlers have been an entirely too well-kept secret around Richmond for the past several years, featuring members of some great past Virginia hardcore and post-hardcore bands, some of which you have probably heard of (Mass Movement Of The Moth, Olive Tree), and some of which you may not yet be hip to (Bogus Machine, Smallteeth). But it's never too late to pick up on what they're doing, especially now that what Antlers are doing has changed so much from the sound they displayed on their 2008 self-titled LP on Rorschach Records. The complex, mostly instrumental post-hardcore of that LP has been so heavily augmented by ambient, psychedelic sounds and suddenly far more plentiful vocals that you may not be able to locate it--but their original sound is still the foundation for what Antlers are doing, even as they continue to construct a skyscraper of sound overtop of it. Come check out what they've got in store for Richmond over the coming year, which will hopefully feature plenty more live dates from this incredible local group. (Are you guys reading this? Make it happen!) And get to the show on time, because you're not going to want to miss openers Little Gold either. Featuring Christian Deroeck of Meneguar, Pat Broderick of Majority Rule, and Brian Markham of Ancient Sky (and also, for you Richmond indie-rock heads with long memories, You Are The Drum), this Brooklyn trio should have quite a bit to offer if their pedigree is any indication.
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