Are you still living in the 80s? Well May 19th and 20th will be your days to thrive as Mr. Bungle will be taking you back to the 80s thrash metal scene with back to back shows at the legendary First Avenue! Otto Von Schirach will be opening up both nights.
Mr. Bungle
Not unlike most ‘80s thrash metal bands, Mr. Bungle was formed in an impoverished lumber & fishing town by a trio of curious, volatile teenagers. Trey Spruance, Mike Patton, and Trevor Dunn beget the amorphous “band” in 1985 up in Humboldt County, CA, sifting through a variety of members until around 1989 when they settled on a lineup that managed to get signed to Warner Bros. Records. No one really knows how this happened and it remains a complete mystery that even the algorithms of the internet can’t decode. Up until 2000 they released three albums, toured a good portion of the Western hemisphere and avoided any sort of critical acclaim. Some argue that the band subsequently broke up but there is also no proof of this. What is true is that they took 20 years off from performing under said moniker while they pursued various other musics that, in contrast, paid the rent.
Though Bungle regularly amended and modified their orchestrations — incorporating such exotic instruments as the saxophone, synthesizer, or even timpani (!!!) — they maintained footing in the mosh pit of their youth and continued to reference metal in one way or another. Even in their last tours of the millennium they played songs from their very first demo, the self-produced, amateurish gem, The Raging Wrath of The Easter Bunny (1986).
The pull of returning to full-on metal was too strong to avoid and the idea arose to re-record that primal demo giving the music the much needed presentation and precision it deserved. Spruance, Patton & Dunn decided to go to the source, The Big Four of course, and hand-pick the two guys who could help them realize this body of work with the utmost brutality. Without hesitation, Scott Ian and Dave Lombardo (you may know their names from Anthrax & Slayer, respectively) were invited to get of off their poolside recliners and start speed-picking and double-bassing with these small town fan boys. They accepted and dove full force into the music like a skate punk dives into a wall of slam dancers. In 2020 the recording of The Raging Wrath of The Easter Bunny Demo was completed in about 10 days following a series of pre-COVID, sold out shows.
Because this was a musical homecoming of 35 years, the relearning and re-recording felt brand new and was able to be enjoyed objectively, not to mention reinvigorated by the likes of the masters Ian and Lombardo. Mr. Bungle maintained the rawness and severity of the original demo without too much embellishment preferring to let the music speak for itself in all of its teenage-angst glory. In addition to what was on the original cassette-only release, three original songs from the same era were realized for the first time. With this new album, the first for the band in 20 years, Mr. Bungle has self-appointed themselves as the final puzzle piece in the pentagonal Big Five.
Otto Von Schirach
Bermuda Triangle-born Otto Von Schirach is a one-of-a-kind human/alien, His magical presence & energy make you overwhelmingly happy. This Miami Native puts out many different types of epic Electronic music and always has new life and sounds to share, hence he is always touring around the earth. His Shows are more of a sonic ear cleanse, aura cleanse, and will magnify your pineal gland! You will be extremely happy after his live performance.
Otto Von Schirach (half Cuban / half German) was born in 1978 in the swamp-infested refugee world of Little Havana Miami. As a child, his grandmother practiced Santeria and White Magic, which opened his eyes to the strange and bizarre. Otto grew up listening to Miami Bass, Gore Grind, Gangsta Rap and Afro Cuban Noise. In 1995 Otto bought his first drum machine from a crack-head just 2 blocks from his mom’s house. Right away he recognized his passion for grimy diamond-soaked kick drums through distorted fuzz muck. The rest is history.
Releases on Monkeytown, Ipecac, Schematic, Triangle Earth, Beta Bodega, Imputor, Basshead
Supported by Modeselektor, Mike Patton, Cevin Key Skinny Puppy, Jubilee, Dave Nada, Venetian Snares, Atari Teenage Riot, Silverio, Cardo Pusher, Yheti, Aphex Twin, Boys Noize, Levitation Jones, Major Lazer, Blowfly, Doormouse, Oscar G, Dj Laz, Danny Daze, Galactic Effect, Phoenecia, Telekenetic Walrus, Prefuse 73, Bangface, Dour Festival
May 19th is sold out but tickets are still available for May 20th HERE!
