The power trio Ex Hex will be coming to the Turf Club on Friday, April 12. The band is touring to promote the release of their new album “It’s Real”, which was released on March 22.
When Ex Hex exploded onto the scene with their unfettered brand of rock and riffage, the power trio for our generation had finally arrived. Made up of Mary Timony (guitar, vocals), Betsy Wright (bass, vocals), and Laura Harris (drums), the group’s 2014 debut “Rips” was a gleaming collection of tightly wound gems that scored Best New Music honors from Pitchfork, the top spot on Magnet Magazine’s Best of 2014 list, and No. 11 in that year’s Pazz & Jop critics poll. Near-constant touring throughout 2015 and 2016 established the band as a force to be reckoned with – an audacious three-piece distilling rock music to its essence with formidable skills and a reputation for frenzied and unabashedly fun live shows.
On “It’s Real”, the group’s second album, Ex Hex’s commitment to larger-than-life riffs and unforgettable hooks remains intact, but the garage-y, post-punk approach that defined Rips has grown in scale and ambition. What started as a reaction to the blown-out aesthetic of Rips would test the sonic limits of the power trio and lead the band on a quest for a more immersive and three-dimensional sound. Vocal harmonies are layered ten tracks deep, solos shimmer and modulate atop heaving power chords, and the codas linger and stretch toward new frontiers of sound. On first listen, you might think you’ve unearthed a long-lost LP carved from the space where crunch-minded art rock and glitter-covered hard rock converge, an event horizon at the intersection of towering choruses and swaggering guitars.
Ex Hex were already one of America’s best guitar bands—but on “It’s Real”, their musical savvy has thrillingly combined with anything-goes curiosity, studio experimentation, and a dedication to refinement, resulting in an album that’s ready to be played at maximum volume.
Appearing with Ex Hex is Moaning. Moaning is an abrasive, post punk trio comprised of Sean Solomon, Pascal Stevenson, and Andrew MacKelvie. They began nearly a decade ago after the three met in L.A.’s DIY music scene. Doors open at 7:30, the show starts at 8:30.
Tickets are available HERE.
Tour Dates:
Tuesday 02 April 2019 Richmond Music Hall, Richmond, VA
Wednesday 03 April 2019 Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA
Thursday 04 April 2019 with Moaning The Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
Friday 05 April 2019 The Press Room, Portsmouth, NH
Saturday 06 April 2019 L’Escogriffe Bar Spectacle (L’Esco), Montreal, QC, Canada
Sunday 07 April 2019 Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, ON, Canada
Monday 08 April 2019 The Loving Touch, Ferndale, MI
Wednesday 10 April 2019 Thalia Hall, Chicago, IL
Thursday 11 April 2019 High Noon Saloon, Madison, WI
Friday 12 April 2019 Turf Club, St. Paul, MN
Saturday 13 April 2019 Reverb Lounge, Omaha, NE
Monday 15 April 2019 Bluebird Theater, Denver, CO
Wednesday 17 April 2019 Neurolux, Boise, ID
Thursday 18 April 2019 Aladdin Theater, Portland, OR
Friday 19 April 2019 Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Saturday 20 April 2019 The Crocodile, Seattle, WA
Tuesday 23 April 2019 Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA
Wednesday 24 April 2019 Strummer’s, Fresno, CA
Thursday 25 April 2019 Teragram Ballroom, Los Angeles, CA
Friday 26 April 2019 La Santa, Tustin, CA
Saturday 27 April 2019 The Rebel Lounge, Phoenix, AZ
Sunday 28 April 2019 Club Congress, Tucson, AZ
Tuesday 30 April 2019 Barracuda, Austin, TX
Wednesday 01 May 2019 Curtain Club, Dallas, TX
Friday 03 May 2019 Exit/In, Nashville, TN
Saturday 04 May 2019 Grey Eagle, Asheville, NC
Sunday 05 May 2019 with Japanese Breakfast Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro, NC
Thursday 09 May 2019 The Hall, Elsewhere, Brooklyn, NY
Friday 10 May 2019 9:30 Club, Washington, DC
