The one and only The Joy Formidable will be playing a super intimate can’t miss set at The Turf Club on Friday, November 2nd. Hailing from the UK, this chance to see such an influential band in such a small club is definitely something you won’t want to miss out on. The group just recently released their fourth full length album AAARTH but are sure to play some old favorites also.
AAARTH makes a statement unlike its predecessors. Drawing inspiration from a worldwide climate of political and social uncertainty the band transplanted themselves in Utah’s vivid natural landscape immersed in a collage of colors and light, the ever fluid and expansive Southwestern sky mirroring our rapidly-changing world. The deep burnt-orange rocks and canyons became touchstones as the band formed the sonic landscapes of AAARTH. From soaring choruses to percussive pulsating guitars, The Joy Formidable paint an 11 song musical tapestry deftly balancing a sound as grounded as their ancient surroundings and as elusive and mind-bending as a gloaming desert sky.
AAARTH first came to life on the road penning lyrics and recording selected parts in hotel rooms around the world. They self-produced and mixed most of the album in their mobile recording studio. This critically adored trio is comprised of Ritzy Bryan (lead vocals, guitars), Rhydian Dafydd (bass, backing vocals) and Matt Thomas (drums, percussion). Formed in North Wales 10 years ago, each album they’ve released has been a joyful adventure and reflection of their fearless creative discovery and self evolution. The Joy Formidable has always refused to be fenced in or fit in. That restless and boundless artistic journey continues on their fourth album, an arresting and unapologetic tour de force that finds a band at its apex with no sign of getting comfortable.
Tancred will be kicking the night off. “I’m a loser sometimes / I will lose my mind sometimes,” Jess Abbott sings on “Clipping,” the shimmering, tambourine-inflected centerpiece of Tancred’s new album, Nightstand. After the themes of self-empowerment and self-possession Abbott explored on 2016’s Out of the Garden, these lines can at first seem like a bit of a worrisome relapse. And in a way, they do speak to an unexpected revelation Abbott experienced following her transformation into a more confident person.
“After I became comfortable in this new skin, in truly being myself, I was immediately hit with loneliness,” she reveals. “I realized that human connection is really important to me.” And so Abbott began a new journey of personal exploration, one that involved connecting with other people just as much as connecting with herself. “I was reading a lot of books, learning a lot of new hobbies, meeting so many new people — just taking in as much information as possible to try and figure out what it really meant to me to be alive,” she recalls.
This show has been sold out for some time but keep an eye on First Avenue’s social media pages as sometimes they release a handful of tickets on the day of the show!
Remaining Tour Dates:
10/19 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room
10/23 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
10/26 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
10/27 – Vancouver, BC @ Fox Cabaret
10/28 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos
10/31 – Denver, CO @ Globe Hall
11/01 – Kansas City, MO @ recordBar
11/02 – St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club
11/03 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
11/04 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
11/06 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
11/07 – Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Acts
11/09 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
11/10 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat
