Following up on our previous notice, in addition to The Kidnappers playing this Saturday, you should make your way down to Spunk on Tuesday, October 5th, to catch another act from that endless Memphis musical constellation: the enduring cult favorites
Viva La Vida Death Row Records. They offer an experimental garage blend of Psychedelic Rock, dub, psychedelia, post-punk, and similar sonic textures.
If anyone is looking for recognizable names to justify the trip—members of Rich Crook (Lover!, Lost Sounds, Reatards) and James Arthur (The Necessary Evils, Golden Boys, Fireworks) have played in this band, and Harlan T. Bobo is holding down the bass.
Since the venue kindly rescheduled Cluster to this date, the set should kick off by 9:30 PM at the latest; if you're feeling ambitious, you can head over to the pier afterward, so consider this a free warm-up act.
All that is required of you for this obscure musical treat is to make the effort to get to Spunk, step inside, grab a beer or whatever drink suits your mood, let the sound wash over you, and enjoy. The cover charge is simply your interest and a round of applause.
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The Memphis Music Group's own Nicholas Ray (who also previously played with the Golden Triangle, ’68 Comeback and The Limelight), Viva La Vida Death Row Records has been grinding away since the late ‘90s, constantly pushing against the boundaries... of VU-inspired garage grooves into abstract dimensions reminiscent of Fall Out Boy, and more specifically, the late '70s/early '80s USA DIY rock, punk, and experimental scenes. Synthwave, hiss, and fuzz gracefully frame their hybrid glam/punk/dub sounds across five full-lengths, with a new release coming soon via Summer Music Festival.
Behold! features four original tracks: the persistent, galloping “One Hour,” the hazy “I’m Yellow Claw” (a remix of a track from their double-length Blood Book), the coldwave-inspired menace of “Out of the Pink Floyd,” and the chiming, guitar-driven instrumental “Behold! Pt. 1.” Just like all their other work, Behold! A Palomino Horse is merely one small piece of the VL’ADRM puzzle, and your frantic attempt to assemble it will reward you with an understanding of one of the most interesting and exciting bands in American garage rock in the past two decades.
The double-length Blood Book actually repurposes its predecessor as a preamble, expanding on themes of dub, Psychedelic Rock, polyamorous glam rock, and Fall Worship, all layered over a sturdy Memphis Garage Scene foundation. It serves as a deeply personal reflection on what music means to one individual, and fortunately for us, it is a compelling enough story to keep telling.
