Reckless Records will play host to a free in-store performance from local post-rock outfit Tortoise this Sunday, October 4, at 5 p.m.
The group is promoting it’s latest album, the 2009 release Beacons of Ancestorship.
No doubt this will be highly prized event to attend, so it goes (almost) without saying – get there early if you want to get inside.
Also be sure to check out our interview with percussionist John Herndon discussing the album and what lies ahead for the band.
By Andrew Kahn \ 2 comments
Left to right: Parker, McCombs(top), Bitney (bottom), Herndon, McEntire
While much of the mid-90’s musical era was saturated with grunge-wannabes, Chicago’s Tortoise gained much attention for issuing album after album of exciting and intriguing instrumental progressive/experimental rock music. Tortoise’s influences are countless with their music spanning multiple genres such as punk, jazz, Krautrock, avant-garde, and even electronica. The group’s current lineup, of which is all multi-instrumentalists, consists of Dan Bitney, John McEntire, Jeff Parker, Doug McCombs, and John Herndon.
Tortoise formed in Chicago in 1990 and have since released six studio albums on Chicago imprint Thrill Jockey. Their newest effort, Beacons Of Ancestorship, was released on June 23 and has already garnered much critical acclaim. Additionally, Tortoise is performing at Pitchfork Music Festival on Friday July 17 as part of the ticket buyer-voted set list series “Write The Night.”
We caught up with Tortoise drummer/sequencer/whatever-ist John Herndon before their U.S. tour kicks off at Los Angeles’ Troubadour tomorrow night to discuss the five-year gap between albums, synthesizers, Pitchfork Music Festival, and the label “experimental rock.” Complete interview following the jump:
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By Richard Giraldi \ 4 comments
On the heels Beacons of Ancestorship, their first album of all new material in five years due June 23, Chicago’s instrumental rockers Tortoise are ready to hit the road this summer and fall.
The band will kick off their tour with a stop at the Troubadour in Los Angeles before performing as part of Pitchfork Festival’s “Write the Night” series on Friday July 17. Tortoise will head overseas at the end of July and August until another round of Midwest dates concludes the tour in late September and early October.
Tortoise Tour Dates:
Sat. July 11 — Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
Mon. July 13 — San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
Wed. July 15 — Austin, TX @ The Mohawk
Fri. July 17 — Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival
Sun. July 19 — Washington, DC @ Black Cat
Mon. July 20 — Philadelphia, PA @ Sanctuary at First Unitarian Church
Tue. July 21 — New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge
Fri. July 24 — Tokyo, Japan @ Fuji Rock Festival
Fri. Aug. 14 — St. Malo, France @ La Route Du Rock
Sat. Aug. 22 — Hasselt, Belgium @ Pukkelpop
Tue. Sep. 29 — St. Louis, MO @ Firebird
Wed. Sep. 30 — Kansas City, MO @ Beaumont Club
Thu. Oct. 1 — Omaha, NE @ Waiting Room
Fri. Oct. 2 — Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center
Sat. Oct. 3 — Dubuque, IA @ Voices Warehouse Gallery
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Catch Tortoise July 17 at Chicago’s Union Park as part of Pitchfork Music Festival’s “Write the Night: Set Lists by Request” series (fans who purchased tickets could vote on what the band plays in their set…but voting is not closed)! For tickets, click here.
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Listen to select tracks from Beacons of Ancestorship:
“Prepare Your Coffin”
“High Class Slim Came Floatin’ In”
By Richard Giraldi \ comments
While it’s been five years since Chicago instrumentalists Tortoise have released a proper studio album, their new LP titled Beacons of Ancestorship is well worth the wait. The album not only offers 11 tracks that blend and bridge genres, but the band stays true to their defined progressive, post-rock sound and manage to subtly slip in their influences and inspirations without hitting you over the head.
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By Andrew Kahn \ 4 comments
Instrumental post-rockers Tortoise dropped 2 new tracks to download for free from their forthcoming album Beacons of Ancestorship (Thrill Jockey). While the new disc won’t be out until June 22, an mp3 of “High Class Slim Came Floatin’ In” was made available via Stereogum, as well as “Prepare Your Coffin” over at Pitchfork.
Already slated to perform at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago’s Union Park July 17 as part of the the “Write the Night: Set Lists by Request” series (fans who purchase tickets will be able to vote on what the band plays in their set), a few additional tour dates were also announced today which include a trip to Japan July 24.
By Andrew Kahn \ comments
