For Immediate release
FULL FORCE :
the new rock complexity
“This festival presents an exciting new generation of musicians who are expanding preconceived concepts of form and content in the rock idiom. Inspired by a wide variety of influences and using elements of advanced composition, improvisation, noise, rhythms and harmony, these groups bring a stimulating new energy to the musical firmament. Full Force hopes to shed new light on this exciting community of young musical explorers dedicated to complex, compositional rock.” - John Zorn
Tonic ( www.tonicnyc.com ) is pleased to announce - FULL FORCE : the new rock complexity festival from July 13 - 15 (Thursday - Saturday). The festival is curated by John Zorn. Each night will feature 3 groups performing at 8, 9 and 10:30pm. Tickets are $5 per group or $10 for the entire evening. For samples and descriptions of all these groups, please go to
http://groups.myspace.com/newrockcomplexity
On Saturday, July 15 at 7pm, there will also be a round table discussion with John Zorn and members of the new rock complexity movement. They will discuss the implications of the new movement, where it is going, and how it may influence the rock music and academic music worlds.
Tonic is located at 107 Norfolk Street between Delancey and Rivington Streets in Manhattan's Lower East Side. Take the F train to Delancey Street or the J/M/Z trains to Essex Street. For more information, please visit tonic's website at www.tonicnyc.com or call 212-358-7501.
Schedule
Thursday, July 13 - Jerseyband (8pm) - Captial M (9pm) - Rashanim (10:30pm)
Friday, July 14 - Newspeak (8pm) - Stay Fucked (9pm) - Time of Orchids (10:30pm)
Saturday, July 15 - 7pm round table with John Zorn.
Bill Brovold/Larval (8pm) - Electric Kompany (9pm) - Kayo Dot (10:30pm)
for samples and descriptions of all these groups, please go to
http://groups.myspace.com/newrockcomplexity
Descriptions and websites of each group performing on FULL FORCE
Rashanim is a trio of guitar, bass and drums/percussion combining the power of rock with the spontaneity of improvisation, deep Middle Eastern grooves, and mystical Jewish melodies. The 'Jewish power trio' is led by Jon Madof on guitar and includes Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz (Pharaoh's Daughter) on bass and Mathias Kunzli (Lauryn Hill) on drums and percussion. The band gets its name from the noisemakers used during the raucous Jewish holiday of Purim. Rashanim's latest CD is 'Masada Rock' (Tzadik Records).
Founded in 2004 by composer Ian Moss, CAPITAL M is an innovative electric chamber ensemble that seeks real and total integration between modern classical music and vernacular styles such as rock and jazz. Boasting an all-star lineup of improvising musicians, Capital M performs intricate compositions with all the blistering energy and sonic chaos of a heavy metal band. Such versatility enables Capital M to engage a wide variety of musical material without a second thought, whether it's concept pieces by the likes of Frederic Rzewski, collective free improvisations, or music written especially for the group by outside composers.
For Jerseyband , a screaming hardcore metal vocalist and a jazz trumpeter are one in the same. The band's unassuming trumpeter, Brent Madsen intermittently pulls the horn from his lips just long enough to let out his version of an ape on a rampage. One moment, Madsen screams, "Move my carrot!" and the next, your head is spinning because Jerseyband has already exchanged the gates of hell for a jaunt in Peewee's Playhouse. Backed by drums, electric guitar, and guitar synth, Jerseyband's horns (three saxophones and a trumpet) cut through meaty arrangements that shock their audiences into submission. Enthusiasts have compared their sound to Mr. Bungle, Zappa, and Meshuggah but one thing is clear; this band is best categorized under their own genre of horn driven metal called Lungcore.
Newspeak , founded in 2004 by composer/drummer David T. Little, derives its sound from the energy and performance practice of rock music and contemporary notated music. It features some of the finest musicians from new york city. They perform original works and composers works for mixed amplified ensemble.
Guitarist Joe Petrucelli and drummer Hank Shteamer formed Stay Fucked in 2002. Since then, they have collaborated with a series of bass players to write brief, intricate compositions that incorporate elements of prog, punk, metal and jazz. Now including bassist Andres Marino, the band performs frequently in NYC and surrounding areas; Stay Fucked has shared bills with artists such as Octis, the Fucking Champs, Coptic Light, Aloke, Behold... the Arctopus, Time of Orchids and Child Abuse. As of spring '06, a Midwest tour is being booked for the summer and a new split EP with Archaeopteryx is in the works.
www.myspace.com/stayfucked
Time of Orchids has existed since 1999, combining coarse, divergent instrumentation, manic howls and claustrophobic prog absurdity with lush, all-embracing "pop" naivety. Awkward, menacing, cybernetic, heartbreaking; SARCAST WHILE, the current album (featuring Julee Cruise on guest vocals), is out now on Tzadik Records. The have toured extensively with bands like Behold... The Arctopus, Kayo Dot and Genghis Tron. A new album and European tour are scheduled for late 2006.
www.timeoforchids.com
Larval is an avant/progressive rock ensemble led by composer Bill Brovold. Defined by driving guitars, saxes, multiple strings (violin, bass, cello, harp) and percussion, Larval's sound is intense, relentless and savagely hypnotic. The music brings to mind a blending of aspects of Glenn Branca, Godspeed, You Black Emperor!, King Crimson and more, but all put together in a completely "Larval" fashion. Brovold formed the Detroit-based Larval in 1996, selecting that city's best musicians to help realize his musical visions.
http://cuneiformrecords.com/bandshtml/larval.html
Founded by guitarist Kevin Gallagher in 2006, Electric Kompany is an ensemble dedicated to arranging, composing, and commissioning contemporary music for rock quartet - the modern instrument ensemble of our times. At this time in music history, composers are freely combining avant garde and popular music aesthetics. This new form of composition is daring, exciting, even shocking. However, most composers are writing this new music for old instruments. There still is a tremendous lack of modern music written for modern instruments - in our case - the electric guitar, keyboards, drum set, and electric bass. This seems to be the next logical step in music evolution and is the main reason for the formation of the rock quartet, Electric Kompany.
Kayo Dot have their roots in the European doom and black metal of the 1990s, and have taken that influence and developed it into a very neoteric form of compositional dark psychedelia. The 7-piece ensemble harnesses the sinfully untapped potential of this aesthetic in ways you always wished some band would, and delivers an intense live performance featuring brass, woodwinds, strings, drums, guitars, electronics, industrial garbage, vocals, and more.