Over the course of their 15-year career, Minus the Bear have carved out their own unique musical world. This isn’t to say they’re impervious to outside influence. They’ve borrowed components from a wide swath of genres—the brainy clangor of New York’s proto-punk scene, the cerebral buzz of IDM, the poptimist evaluation of hip-hop and R&B, and the grandiose visions of prog rock—but always managed to defy classification.
Having just released their 6th album “Voids” in March, the band is currently on a North American tour that will bring them to the Fine Line on Tuesday 4/4 supported by Beach Slang and Bayonne. Tickets are still available HERE.
Throughout the first decade of their existence, every new album offered a new musical approach, as seen in the idiosyncratic fretboard gymnastics of Highly Refined Pirates, the glitchy loops of Menos el Oso, or the modernized Fripp-inspired wizardry of Planet of Ice. By the time the band entered our current decade, their knack for reinvention yielded to an emphasis on refinement. Albums like OMNI and Infinity Overhead searched for a middle ground where their myriad of stylistic approaches could all work within the context of a single record.
On “Voids”, Minus the Bear started with a blank slate, and inadvertently found themselves applying the same starting-from-scratch strategies that fueled their initial creative process. “There was a lot of change and uncertainty,” says guitarist David Knudson. “I think the general vibe of emptiness, replacement, lacking, and longing to fill in the gaps was very present in everyones’ minds.” Change was everywhere. Keyboardist/vocalist Alex Rose took on a more prominent role in composition and handled lead vocal duties on songs like “Call the Cops,” “Tame Beasts,” and “Robotic Heart,” drummer Kiefer Matthias joined the fold, producer Sam Bell lent a fresh set of ears in the studio, and the band returned to their original label home at Suicide Squeeze Records.
Tour Dates:
Mar 28 Webster Hall New York, NY
Mar 29 Music Hall of Williamsburg Brooklyn, NY
Mar 30 Town Ballroom Buffalo, NY
Mar 31 The Opera House Toronto, Canada
Apr 01 Mr. Smalls Millvale, PA
Apr 02 St. Andrews Hall Detroit, MI
Apr 04 Fine Line Minneapolis, MN
Apr 05 Slowdown Omaha, NE
Apr 06 HOUSE OF BLUES Chicago, IL
Apr 07 Delmar Hall Saint Louis, MO
Apr 08 Fest San Antonio, TX
Apr 10 Crescent Ballroom Phoenix, AZ
Apr 12 Belasco Theater Los Angeles, CA
Apr 13 Great American Music Hall San Francisco, CA
Apr 14 Wonder Ballroom Portland, OR
Apr 15 Showbox Seattle, WA
