This news comes at a particularly weird time – our 19-year-old intern has been combing through old Violent Femmes records as of late, with the familiar snare taps and nasal vocals floating ever so softly out of her ear buds.
This news comes at a particularly weird time – our 19-year-old intern has been combing through old Violent Femmes records as of late, with the familiar snare taps and nasal vocals floating ever so softly out of her ear buds.
So it was with great pleasure today that I got to lean back and inform her that her recent obsession will be making a stop here in RVA at the National on June 15th.
Here’s some additional details about the band via BigHassel:
Violent Femmes formed in 1981 as an acoustic punk band playing on the streets of Milwaukee. Their main influences at that time were Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps and The Velvet Underground. Their goal was to rock harder than any other acoustic act on the planet.
They were rejected for an audition by a local nightclub and set up outside a Pretenders gig. Chrissie Hynde asked them to open that night’s show. This gave the early Femmes a publicity boost, which led to them being invited to play in NYC supporting Richard Hell. A rave review in the New York Times led eventually to a record deal, which in turn spawned worldwide touring.
The Femmes became a mainstay of festivals, clubs, and theaters in over 20 countries worldwide in the ensuing three decades.
Violent Femmes are currently touring in commemoration of the thirtieth anniversary of the release of their first album. The band also has plans to release a four-track-EP, Happy New Year, on April 18th, exclusively on 180 gram champagne clear vinyl, for Record Store Day.
It will be the Femmes’ first new collection of songs in 15 years. It was recorded this past New Year’s Eve in Hobart, Tasmania, after the legendary band performed a sold out concert at the world famous Sydney Opera House.
Check out the first single from the release, “Memory,” below:
Violent Femmes – Memory from Record Store Day on Vimeo.
Tickets go on sale this Friday at 10 AM, you can scoop ’em here.
