No introduction this time around--let's just head right on into the dank new music this week in Richmond.
photo by Nina Starfish
Bermuda Triangles will be everywhere this month. From this month's album release of Transmissions (on the internetz and coming out soon on cassette) to the Summer Solstice (lack of) Power Jam this weekend, this music is out there. The dudes answered some burning questions over this past weekend:
Is this a different lineup from your last album?
Jason Hodges: Yesssss.
Bill Porter: Tony Lynch replaced Jared Young on the full kit.
Who recorded Transmissions?
Tony Lynch: Transmissions was recorded by JK in his old colonial Chimbo basement recording studio in October of 2011. His set-up only continues to get better as he provides friends with the opportunity to be a part of his always solid sound experiments.
Are you planning on touring in support of Transmissions?
Jason: Touring will probably happen after we record our next LP, which is pretty much written after we work out our next jam for the Solstice thingy...
Are you looking forward to the Summer Solstice Power Jam (6/16)? How will you adapt your setup to the setting?
Jason: Practicing for this may have inspired our next approach to songwriting...
Tony: It's gonna be real. I have loved the idea ever since I've been hearing about these solstice celebrations. We might get shut down quick because of how many drums and other noisemaking things we're bringing.
Sean Cassidy: Yes. I'm trying out my bells and playing sax at the same time. We'll bring the racket without the power of electricity.
Bill: Yes. We will have to do without our toys, no big deal. Love the challenge.
What has been one of your favorite shows of 2012, and what made it stand out?
Sean: January 7th at Strange Matter with Sweet Tooth and Flesh Molt was a great show. Flesh Molt played a harsh ten minute set ripping tapes and blasting distortion. Sweet Tooth came through a No Wave time tunnel in New York. They were noisy, creative, and really good people.
Bill: Feb 28 at the Nile with our friends Champagne Of Rats and Gilmore Guys. I hadn't played music in that building in a while. It was a blast.
Jason: I think I was partial to our set opening for Japanther at Strange Matter because I felt like we were really tight that night....and I saw my friend Kyle smile.
Tony: The Nile shows we've gotten to do have been great. Really thankful for that space to be making cool shit happen again. I've only been playing with BTs about a year now and I've been pretty stoked on every show. With each one, I feel that I have gotten a little closer to perfecting some of the more complex/fun stuff we create together.
What have you been listening this week?
Jason: E.G. Daily's song "Mind Over Matter," from the Summer School soundtrack, Liars B-Sides, new Black Dice album, Raffaella Carra, and a mix of The Fall that my friend Chris made me years ago on cassette.
Tony: Luther Ingram, Bobby "Blue" Bland, and Lee Moses are some of my favorite soul brothers lately. Shoutouts to Pissheads and Devil's Hand too though--new RVA ragers!! People should definitely be listening to records, but I want to see more of those heads out at shows more often! Fill the 929 walls full!
Sean: In my car I've been listening to Wire, Joy Division, Current 93, and Crass.
Bill: Monorchid, The Future (Human League), Jethro Tull, Uriah Heep, Throbbing Gristle radio on LastFM, Terence McKenna lectures.
What is your preferred way to get weird?
Tony: Get weird through every fucking channel. Every television channel, every artistic channel, every rhythm, every last fucking sound.
Sean: Meeting and playing with other unclassifiable folk.
Bill: Playing shows...on weeeeed. Sorry mom.
Jason: Drunk and stoned, wearing a wig and sunglasses, dancing with weird friends at 5 am in my living room to cranked iTunes whilst smoking cigarettes seems to be the preferred formula these days....
Do you still use MySpace?
Jason: Nope, because trying to load that bloody site makes my shitty computer freeze up, hence the lack of updates. (And this is better: freemusicarchive.org/music/Bermuda_Triangles)
Sean: Myspace profile is still there but it's kind of stuck in 2011 with all the other spacejunk. Facebook and Bandcamp are more up to date.
Tony: ...I do actually enjoy the response that my photography work has received through Tumblr connections. (ahem, tonylynch.info)
If you could have a mascot for your band, who or what would you use?
Jason: King Mob.
Sean: That realistic robot goat from Drag Me To Hell was cute.
Bill: Cthulu or Howard the dolphin from The Illuminatus! Trilogy.
Tony: I would use any of the hilarious images people have conjured in attempts to describe our music. It's always some shit about like a "dark, Tropical storm beach party with tribal drums" I kind of imagine a punk version of that Brew Thru dude, maybe with a marching drum strapped on or something?? Or Freddy Krueger in his shades from Dream Master, surfing on a keyboard in a waterspout tornado.
Check out Bermuda Triangles 6/16 @ The Summer Solstice Power Jam on Belle Isle; 6/22 @ Strange Matter with Bootblacks (NYC), Hot Guts (Philly), and Lost Tribe; and at RVA Noise Fest @ Strange Matter 6/30-7/1.
Curtis Broadie is a master bassist here in Richmond. Here he is answering a few questions near the canal and dropping some RVA bassist names. This dude is killer on a 6-string. Check him out playing with Da Grese every Tuesday @ The Nile (open mic night), and every Thursday at The Martini Kitchen and Bubble Bar.
photo by Buddy Pace/American Image Studios
String'd Beings is a new old-time duo of two ladies, Summer Gentry Case (cajon, bass, guitar, and clawhammer banjo [THE BEST kind of banjo]) and Becky Taylor (banjos, guitar, bass). They recently (6/7) played their first show @ Bottom's Up and shot this video of "House Down the Block." Notice that Summer plays the cajon, a box-like percussion instrument from Peru. Sounds of RVA recently featured Boxwave, a funk duo who also utilizes the cajon.
photo by Melissa Brugh
The New Belgians are at it again. They just played Café Diem (6/1), and here is some footage of that night.
There is a new jazz fusion band called Kooker, involving drum veteran Raphael Katchinoff (PBR, Milkstains, etc.). This seems to be a live improvisation band that has the roots of songs written but gives itself a little leeway when it comes to a live performance. The duo also involves keyboardist Tommy Booker (also of PBR). The band name is one of those Hollywood tabloid concoctions in which you fuse together the last names like they're dating. They've recently released a three-song EP recorded live at Cary St. Cafe. The first song goes into a Medeski, Martin and Wood tune, which really hits home with jam fans.
By Sarah Moore Lindsey (soundsofrva.tumblr.com)