Thrashitorium Presents: Iron Reagan, Left Cross and Skemata

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Yob with Bell Witch at Kings, June 25, 8:30pm

Epic, crushing, and heavy beyond words, YOB has achieved legendary status in recent years due to their unmatched aesthetic and incredible body of work. Formed in 1996 in Eugene, Oregon under the leadership of doom metal mastermind Mike Scheidt on guitars and vocals, the group initially released a three song demo tape in 2000 that garnered them international attention. Drawing comparisons to groups like Neurosis, Sleep and Electric Wizard, YOB succeeded in developing modern sounding doom metal that hearkened back to the classics.

In 2002, YOB released their debut album Elaborations of Carbon followed by Catharsis in 2003, a three song record that clocked in at a colossal 50 minutes. The buzz about YOB was beginning to grow and the trio began to tour more extensively. Remaining quite prolific during this period, YOB continued to release an album each year with The Illusion of Motion coming in 2004 followed by The Unreal Never Lived in 2005. Despite all the momentum, YOB disbanded in 2006.

In 2008 the band returned from hiatus and has remained strong ever since with Travis Foster on drums and Aaron Rieseberg on bass. Reinvigorated and reinspired, YOB released The Great Cessation in 2009. It was doom with a psychedelic twist, a sound that Pitchfork referred to as ?cosmic doom.? At this point in their career, the band found increased exposure in the media, with The New York Times going so far as to call them ?one of the best bands in North America? after a performance at Scion Rock Festival.

For 2011?s Atma , YOB took a more organic approach to recording, opting to track everything at once. In Scheidt?s own words, he wanted the record to sound ?grizzly, with hair on it.? Three year later, the group released Clearing the Path to Ascend , a record that upheld their legacy as a top notch doom metal act and was hailed by Rolling Stone as the #1 metal album of the year.

Now in 2018, the band has announced their newest album ?Our Raw Heart? to be released on Relapse Records. As for how Our Raw Heart will be received? Mike Scheidt (guitar/vocals) is wise enough to know that it?s out of his hands. ?I think every era of Yob fan will find something on there to dig?it?s just a matter of whether they can go on the whole trip or not,? he ventures. ?And that?s none of my business. The music has a life of its own. It goes out there into the world and it?s gonna be received however it?s received.?

UFOMAMMUT's status as one of the most potent, powerful and artistic contemporary doom artists in existence continues to captivate the masses, and the band?s worldwide grasp grows wider with each release. Ufomammut?s live show is supported by the internationally acclaimed video and graphic art of Malleus, a rock artists? collective of which Poia and Urlo form a part, who conjure the entirety of Ufomammut?s visual impact.

with WHITE HILLS and MAKE

On February 2nd, Don Giovanni Records released the self-titled debut record by Washington, D.C. / Carrboro, NC super-ghouls, Bat Fangs.

Formed in 2016 by guitarist/singer Betsy Wright (Ex Hex) and drummer Laura King (Flesh Wounds, Speed Stick), the duo specialize in prescription-strength shred and churn meant to stiffen the upper lip and crack the third-eye. Slick and sick visions channeled from the midnight mirror world. Acid-soaked hard-rock to thrill the living and raise dead.

The band began just as Wright?s other gig, Ex Hex, settled down for an extended breather. After two years touring as a bassist, she was eager to reconnect with the electric guitar and to push her pop-songwriting into freakier territory. She sent a few demos to King, who signed on to play drums. Together, they pushed the music into a deeper, more overtly psychedelic space.

Recorded earlier this year, Bat Fangs? debut includes nine tracks engineered by Mike Montgomery at Candyland Studio in Dayton, Kentucky and mixed by Matt Boynton (Gang Gang Dance, Kurt Vile). Rooted in the pop-metal of time beyond memory, the tunes are spiritually corrupted, but also boldly anthemic. Thunder and feedback meant to demolish the airwaves and unfold the collective cranium.

REBELUTION AFTER PARTY AT THE POUR HOUSE WITH SIGNAL FIRE + SONS OF PARADISE!

SIGNAL FIRE:
"Wilmington, North Carolina's Signal Fire has taken a giant step forward with the release of a brilliant album, Lift Up. True to its title, this LP offers 13 well-crafted songs to soothe souls with serenity, encouragement, and hope. Marked by top-notch production from grammy winning producer Llamar "Riff Raff" Brown Lift Up boosts great songwriting, beautiful singing, and tight instrumentation." -Dave Shiffman, Rootfire Intl.

As an independent release, their second album Lift Up debuted at #1 on the iTunes reggae charts, and #8 on the Billboard reggae charts. Through years of grass roots approach, Signal Fire has built a loyal following with their uplifting music and message.

http://www.signalfireband.com
https://www.facebook.com/signalfireroots/?ref=br_rs
https://www.instagram.com/signalfireroots/
https://soundcloud.com/signalfireroots
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2NCODG65gLyb8FiC6hdKBd
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKW63HB7I50

*THE BLASTERS: *American Music since 1979.
From early days growing up in the southeast Los Angeles suburb of Downey, California under the tutelage of T-Bone Walker and Big Joe Turner to their emergence as central figures in the eclectic LA punk/rock scene of the early '80s to their current status as internationally-renowned influences in their own right, the Blasters have spent their lives exploring and expressing the deep and diverse musical legacy that is best described by the title of their first album: *American Music*.

A performance by today's Blasters??vocalist-guitarist Phil Alvin, drummer Bill Bateman, bassist John Bazz, and guitarist Keith Wyatt??reflects influences that range from George Jones and Carl Perkins to Howlin' Wolf, James Brown and Bo Diddley. The band's 1980 debut album *American Music* (Rollin' Rock) was a powerful collection of fresh, distinctive performances that shattered the artificial boundaries between blues, rockabilly, country, R&B and rock & roll. The next three albums for Slash/Warner Bros. (*The Blasters, Non-Fiction, *and* Hard Line*) increasingly featured the unique songwriting voice of original guitarist Dave Alvin as the band's lineup expanded to include pianist Gene Taylor plus saxophonists Steve Berlin and New Orleans legend Lee Allen ("the man who put a saxophone in rock & roll"). As the Blasters' fame grew, they began to draw accolades from artists as diverse as Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton and Queen, and in turn the band encouraged and supported still up-and-coming LA musical peers such as Dwight Yoakum and Los Lobos

In 1986, Dave Alvin left the band to pursue a solo career, and over the next decade a series of renowned guitarists including Billy Zoom, Michael "Hollywood Fats" Mann, Greg "Smokey" Hormel, and James Intveld filled the position. Phil Alvin simultaneously expanded his own musical efforts with the release of two acclaimed solo albums, *Unsung Stories* (Slash/Warner) in 1986 and *County Fair 2000* (Hightone) in 1994.

Check Out The Blasters' Webpage
Watch The Blasters On Youtube
Follow The Blasters On Facebook
Check Out The Blasters On iTunes


*CLOWNVIS PRESLEY: *The King of Clowns.
The LA Weekly calls Clownvis Presley "Better than the real Elvis". A bold statement indeed, but when it comes to quick wit, incredibly catchy songs, and genuine showmanship, its safe to say Clownvis has earned the title "The King of Clowns". From the sideshow at Coney Island to the hottest comedy events in Los Angeles and everything in between, Clownvis is consistently brining his unique blend of comedy, song, and magic to stages across America.

Check Out Clownvis Presley's Webpage
Follow Clownvis Presley On Facebook
Watch Clownvis Presley On Youtube
Follow Clownvis Presley On Instagram
Follow Clownvis Presley On Twitter

ANDY MCKEE:

Andy McKee is among the world?s finest acoustic guitarists. His youthful energy and attention to song structure and melodic content elevates him above the rest. He entertains both the eye and the ear as he magically transforms the steel string guitar into a full orchestra via his use of altered tunings, tapping, partial capos, percussive hits and a signature two-handed technique.

McKee?s crossover success has helped him to achieve millions upon millions of YouTube viewers, underscoring his emergence as one of today?s most unique and influential artists. He has been featured as a cover story in both Acoustic Guitar Magazine in the U.S. and Acoustic Magazine in the UK, and is also the figurehead of the unique Guitar Masters tours. McKee?s tour dates have taken him through Europe, Asia, Australia and North America, including tours with legendary acts including Prince and Dream Theater.

Live performances of Andy?s have become a point of fascination with his loyal followers. So, in late 2015, Andy decided it was time to release a live album. Featuring tracks from his entire catalog, Live Book was recorded live in December 2015 at The Melting Point in Athens, GA, the Red Clay Music Foundry in Duluth, GA, and Workplay in Birmingham, AL. McKee went through the recordings from all three shows and selected the finest takes of each set. Reflecting on the song choices, he looks to provide current fans the chance to relive their favorite shows, and hopes that he can showcase the energy he creates for those who haven?t been able to attend a show and new fans alike.

?I?ve always wanted to do a live album; for quite a few years I?ve felt it?s something that has been missing from my collection of releases,? says McKee. ?This album will feature some of my YouTube hits like ?Drifting? and ?Rylynn?, some songs from my 2014 EP Mythmaker, and a cover of a Michael Hedges song called ?Because It?s There? played on harp guitar that I haven?t released yet.?

McKee is the first artist to be signed CGP Sounds, the record label founded by fellow guitarist Tommy Emmanuel.

?I?m honored to be a part of his label. I heard Tommy 15 years ago at a festival in Kansas and was blown away by his playing and performing, and I still am,? Mckee stated. ?To be the first person on his label is surreal, and I?m excited and proud to be a part of it.?

Live Book is set to be released digitally in Europe on February 12 and worldwide (digitally and physically) on April 22. The album, McKee?s first live record, will be released through CGP Sounds. In support of the new album, McKee will embark on ?The Next Chapter Tour? throughout Europe in February and March, and the United States in April and May.

For more information on Andy McKee please visit :
www.andymckee.com
https://www.facebook.com/andymckeemusic/
https://twitter.com/therealmckee
https://www.instagram.com/therealmckee/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ddn4MGaS3N4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsD6uEZsIsU

ANDREW KASAB:
Andrew Kasab is an American fingerstyle guitarist, harp guitarist and singer-songwriter. He is known for combining traditional and contemporary techniques, energetic performances, arrangements of modern works for the guitar and harp guitar and occasionally plays harmonica and ukulele.

He has been performing for over 30 years at music halls, events, festivals, restaurants and other venues, self released 11 albums of solo material, and plays multiple styles including folk, blues, country, bluegrass, jazz, American fingerstyle, American primitive and contemporary acoustic styles.

"Raleigh's Andrew Kasab plays a curious instrument: the harp guitar. His twelve-string acoustic apparatus looks like something snatched from a Heironymous Bosch painting, but in Kasab's hands, it delivers the most delightful sounds. On 2015's "Fish," Kasab tackles a surprisingly wide range of styles over twenty-four tracks, from the opening, American Primitive-inspired "Ire" to the snappy, aptly titled "D St Funk." Kasab's music is gentle enough that it works well as a background complement?.but do give yourself the favor of giving him your rapt attention instead"
- Allison Hussey, Indyweek (Jan 04, 2018)

http://andrewkasab.com
https://www.reverbnation.com/andrewkasab
https://www.facebook.com/andrewkasab/
https://twitter.com/andrewkasab
https://www.instagram.com/andrewkasab/
https://www.youtube.com/user/AndrewKasab
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1aODwvWFaZbfcpUmSWhots

PRESALE BEGINS WEDNESDAY, JAN. 31. Used code LostFriends2018 to purchase your tickets before they go on sale to general public.

Tickets go on sale to the General Public on FRIDAY, FEB. 2 at 10 AM.


MIDDLE KIDS:
One listen to Lost Friends, Middle Kids? forthcoming debut on Domino, and it?s clear that the rising Australian trio is aligned with each member?s own vision. Its 12 songs veer from brittle blasts of indie rock to elegiac piano ballads to pop anthems destined to ignite stadium singalongs.

Already armed with a sleeper hit (?Edge of Town?), and with Lost Friends expected in the spring, the band ? including singer-guitarist-songwriter Hannah Joy, bassist Tim Fitz, and drummer Harry Day -- is poised to break out well beyond its native Sydney in 2018.

Lost Friends brims with radio catnip, from the driving wall of sound that kicks ?On My Knees? into overdrive to ?Mistake? and its infectious chorus that could have been lifted straight out of a long-lost Fleetwood Mac album.

As the band?s lyricist, Joy is unflinching in her ruminations, which often reflect not only the world?s turbulent state of affairs, but also the optimism and joy that keep us afloat.

?That?s so much a thread throughout this album: Even though things are tough, it?s worth believing in something good and in the idea that we can heal. And in some ways, I wanted the music to be beautiful and a respite from what?s going on.?

Lost Friends is indeed beautiful, and yet it?s also a strange brew of skittering tempos, melodies that suddenly shift from major to minor chords, and rhythmic interludes that set the band apart from its peers.

When Joy and Fitz met through mutual friends in 2014, she was taken by how ?bizarre? and heartfelt Fitz?s own songs were. And the admiration was mutual.

?Hannah?s the only person I know who regularly makes people cry just by singing,? Fitz says. ?Her songs will sometimes sound like how the world feels.?

They ended up writing and recording most of Lost Friends in Joy and Fitz?s home, just as they did with their self-titled EP, which Domino released in early 2017 to widespread acclaim and led to tours with Ryan Adams and Cold War Kids.

Despite their circuitous paths to the band, Joy, Fitz, and Day share at least one common trait: They know how to craft classic riffs that tangle up in your brain like taffy and choruses that linger long after the song has faded. And they?ve bonded over a greater sense of what their music should accomplish.

?We are obsessive about music, but we don?t see music as the end point. We see it as an amazing force of connection,? Joy says. ?We?re really committed to each other as people first, and then the music comes out of that place.?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj8kWGx9xVU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUC7OFUbn6A
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6AawJaQO4i99Be2A3w7BTW
https://www.facebook.com/middlekidsmusic/
https://www.instagram.com/middlekidsmusic/
https://twitter.com/middlekidsmusic

?Rollicking, playful, good-time blues and intimate, reflective balladry...her songs ring with emotional depth? ?Rolling Stone"

A welcome ray of sunshine...Ball is a killer pianist, a great singer and songwriter. Potent blues, sweet zydeco, soulful, fast and furious Texas boogie...heartfelt, powerful and righteous" ?Billboard

?Fifty years have passed in a flash,? says Texas-born, Louisiana-raised pianist, songwriter and vocalist Marcia Ball of her long and storied career. Ball, the 2018 Texas State Musician Of The Year, has won worldwide fame and countless fans for her ability to ignite a full-scale roadhouse rhythm and blues party every time she takes the stage. Her rollicking Texas boogies, swampy New Orleans ballads and groove-laden Gulf Coast blues havemade her a one-of-a-kind favorite with music lovers all over the world. With each new release, her reputation as a profoundly soulful singer, a boundlessly talented pianist and a courageous, inventive songwriter continues to grow. Her love of the road hasled to years of soul-satisfying performances at festivals, concert halls and clubs. The New York Timessays, ?Marcia Ball plays two-fisted New Orleans barrelhouse piano and sings in a husky, knowing voice about all the trouble men and women can get into on the way to a good time.? The Houston Chroniclesays simply, ?She?s as perfect as an artist can be.?

With her new album, Shine Bright, Ball set out to, in her words, ?Make the best Marcia Ball record I could make.? In doing so, she has put together the most musically substantial, hopeful and uplifting set of songs of her five-decade career. Produced by Steve Berlin (Los Lobos) and recorded in Texas and Louisiana, Shine Bright contains twelve songs (including nine originals), ranging from the title track?srousing appeal for public and private acts of courage to the upbeat call to action of Pots And Pans, a song inspired by renowned Texas political writer and humorist Molly Ivins. From the humorous advice of Life Of The Partyto the poignantly optimistic World Full Of Love, the intensity of Ball?s conviction never wavers while, simultaneously, the fun never stops. Shine Brightis exactly the album Ball set out to make. ?It is a ridiculously hopeful, cheerful record,? she says, in light of some of the album?smore serious subject matter. The secret, according to Ball ?is to set the political songs to a good dance beat.?

Born in Orange, Texas in 1949 to a family whose female members all played piano, Ball grew up in the small town of Vinton, Louisiana, right across the border from Texas. She began taking piano lessons at age five, playing old Tin Pan Alley and popular music tunes from her grandmother?s collection. But it wasn?t until she was 13 that Marcia discovered the power of soul music. One day in New Orleans in 1962, she sat amazed as Irma Thomas delivered the most spirited and moving performance the young teenager had ever seen. A few years later she attended Louisiana State University, where she played some of her very first gigs with a blues-based rock band called Gum.

In 1970, Ball set out for San Francisco. Her car broke down in Austin, and while waiting for repairs she fell in love with the city and decided to stay. It wasn?t long before she was performing in local clubs with a progressive country band called Freda And The Firedogs, while beginning to sharpen her songwriting skills. It was around this time that she delved deeply into the music of the great New Orleans piano players, especially Professor Longhair. ?Once I found out about Professor Longhair,? recalls Ball, ?I knew I had found my direction.?

When Freda And The Firedogs broke up in 1974, Ball launched her solo career, playing clubs around Austin, Houston and Louisiana. She signed with Capitol Records in 1978, debuting with the country-rock album Circuit Queen. Creating and honing her own sound, she released six critically acclaimed titles on the Rounder label during the 1980s and 1990s. In 1990, Ball?collaborating with Angela Strehli and Lou Ann Barton?recorded the hugely successful DreamsCome Trueon the Antone?s label. At the end of 1997,
Marcia finished work on a similar ?three divas of the blues? project for Rounder, this time in the distinguished company of Tracy Nelson and her longtime inspiration, Irma Thomas. The CD, Sing It!, was released in 1998 and was nominated for a Grammy Award.

Marcia Ball has appeared many times on national television over the years, including the PBS special In Performance At The White Housealong with B.B. King and Della Reese, Austin City Limitsand HBO?s Treme. She performed in Piano Blues, the film directed by Clint Eastwood included in Martin Scorsese?s The Bluesseries which aired on PBS television nationwide in 2003. Marcia also appeared on The Late Show With David Lettermanwith The New Orleans Social Club, where she not only reached millions of people, but also helped to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina. In 2012, she had a role in the independent film Angels Singstarring Harry Connick, Jr., Lyle Lovett and Willie Nelson. In 2017 she performed on NPR?s A Jazz Piano Christmas, live from The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Ball joined Alligator in 2001 with the release of the critically acclaimed Presumed Innocent. The CD won the 2002 Blues Music Award for Blues Album Of The Year. Her follow-up, So Many Rivers, was nominated for a Grammy Award, and won the 2004 Blues Music Award for Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year as well as the coveted Contemporary Blues Female Artist Of The Year award. Her next release, Live! Down The Road, released in 2005, also garnered a Grammy nomination, as did 2008?s Peace, Love & BBQ(the album debuted at #1 on the BillboardBlues Chart). 2010?s Grammy-nominated Roadside Attractionsand 2014?s The Tattooed Lady And The Alligator Mansuccessfully grew her fan base even further. Altogether she holds ten Blues Music Awards, ten Living BluesAwards, and five Grammy Award nominations. She has been inducted into both the Gulf Coast Music Hall Of Fame and the Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame. The Texas State legislature named her the official 2018 Texas State Musician. As her hometown Austin Chroniclesays, ?What?s not to like about Marcia Ball??

Since joining Alligator, Ball has blossomed as a songwriter. Each album has been filled with fresh, original songs, never more so than on Shine Bright. Ball easily draws her listeners deep into her music with instantly memorable melodies and imaginative imagery. Her songs paint vibrant musical pictures richly detailed with recognizable characters, regional flavors, universal themes and colorful scenes, both real and imagined. Living Bluesdeclares, ?Her originals sound like timeless classics and southern soul masterpieces that no one else can imitate.?

Now, with Shine Bright,Ball?s new, aggressively hopeful songs are energized by SteveBerlin?s inventive and exciting production, creating electrifying music that is daring, inspired, poignant and timely. The Boston Globecalls Ball ?a compelling storyteller? who plays ?an irresistible, celebratory blend of rollicking, two-fisted New Orleans piano, Louisiana swamp rock and smoldering Texas blues.?

Of course, Ball will bring the party on the road, playing her new songs and old favorites for fans around the globe. ?I still love the feel of the wheels rolling,? she says, ?and the energy in a room full of people ready to go wherever it is we take them.? With both her new album and her legendary live performances, Marcia Ball will shine a light into the darkness, making the world a brighter place one song at a time.