Warlocks Cast a Spell, Knock Down Some Brew
Catherine Lewis reports:
The Warlocks, an eight-piece outfit from Los Angeles, have released their first
full-length album, Rise and Fall, on Bomp! Records (domestically) and
Evangeline Records (in Europe). The Warlocks, named for early incarnations of
the Velvet Underground and the Grateful Dead, were formed in 1998 by Bobby
Hecksher. You might remember Hecksher from such bands as Charles Brown Superstar,
Magic Pacer, or from his guitar work on Beck's 1994 Stereopathetic Soul Manure.
The Warlocks' lineup currently includes two drummers, four guitars, bass, drums,
and vocals, with influences ranging from the Velvet Underground to Spacemen 3 to
Suicide. Last year's six-track debut EP included such Velvets-inspired dronage
as "Song for Nico" and the fifteen-minute plus "Jam of the Zombies." The new
material supposedly strays from the Velvet Underground influence (real timely,
guys... that sound isn't popular at all right now) with a tighter agenda and a
gentler, more textured sound more akin to Slowdive.
The band, which spent part of last year touring with the Black Rebel Motorcycle
Club, is currently on the road through this month and March. Tour dates:
02-25 Rochester, NY - Bug Jar
02-26 London, ON, Canada - Call the Office
02-27 Toronto, ON, Canada - Tequila Lounge
02-28 Buffalo, NY - Mohawk Place
03-01 New Brunswick, NJ - Court Tavern
03-02 New York, NY - Mercury Lounge
03-03 Boston, MA - TT the Bear's
03-04 Brooklyn, NY - Luxx
03-06 New York, NY - Brownie's
03-07 Philadelphia, PA - Khyber
03-08 Charlotte, NC - Casbah
03-09 Memphis, TN - Hi-Tone
03-10 New Orleans, LA - El Matador
03-12 Houston, TX - TBA
03-13 Austin, TX - Hard Rock Cafe
03-14 Austin, TX - Emo's (afternoon show for SXSW)
03-15 Dallas, TX - Spiderbaby
03-20 San Francisco, CA - Covered Wagon
03-21 Eugene, OR - Samurai Duck
03-22 Portland, OR - Satyricon
03-23 Seattle, WA - Graceland
03-24 Missoula, MT - Jay's
03-25 Denver, CO - 15th St. Tavern
03-26 Pueblo, CO - Pixie Inn
03-27 Albuquerque, NM - Launchpad
03-28 Mesa, AZ - Hollywood Alley
03-29 Las Vegas, NV - TBA
03-30 Pomona, CA - Glass House (with Radar Bros.)
03-31 San Diego, CA - Casbah
.: Warlocks: http://www.bomp.com/Warlocks.html
.: Originally published: 25 February 2002
.: Items mentioned above on Amazon.com:
Rise and Fall (The Warlocks, 2001);
Stereopathic Soulmanure (Beck, 1994; r 2000).
