Dark, eclectic, buzzworthy, and embodying the punk and garage rock spirit on eras past, breakout Los Angeles group Death Valley Girls have released some of the best, most unadulterated rock records in recent years, honing a wild and thrilling live show along the way. The group are set to headline Nashville’s own Mercy Lounge on Aug. 9 (possibly their first Music City show ever- or at least the first we can find record of), along with Detroit glam psych rock up and comers Moonwalks and local punk fixture Spodee Boy, making for one killer, rock fueled lineup from top to bottom. We urge you to snag tickets right here while they last, but we’re excited to announce that we’re also giving away a pair of tickets to one lucky fan! If you’d like to take your chances, read on for more about the show, and enter for a chance to win below.
DEATH VALLEY GIRLS
Now anchored by singer and multi-instrumentalist Bonnie Bloomgarden and guitarist Larry Schemel, with a rotating band of other players, LA’s Death Valley Girls first came together in 2013, with Schemel’s sister, former Hole drummer Patty Schemel, among their founding ranks. Finding common influence in the retro, ’70s convergence of hard rock and punk, as well as psych pop and garage rock, the buzzworthy group also bonded over a passion for all things goth, spooky, macabre, and occult, infusing their raucous songs with dark and driving lyrics and cosmic themes (and regularly spending time together in haunted spaces around LA and on the road). Often compared to acts like the Cramps, Bikini Kill, MC5, Black Sabbath, and the Stooges, the band were met with immediate acclaim for their 2014 debut LP, the ferocious Street Venom, which they’ve followed up with two excellent subsequent efforts, 2016’s Glow in the Dark, and last year’s Darkness Rains. Attracting a cult following, critical praise, and some big-name fans like the one and only Iggy Pop (who paid homage to Andy Warhol while starring in their video for “Disaster (Is What We’re After),” below), over just a few short years Death Valley Girls have become one of the best, most exciting, and most important acts for channeling pure, unadulterated, punk spirited rock, and their wild and frenetic live show is one you seriously don’t want to miss!
MOONWALKS
Formed a few years ago in Detroit, while still fresh out of high school, glam psych rock trio Moonwalks adopted a more heavy, distorted, guitar-centric sound in their early days, cultivating an initial following in the DIY scene with an eponymous debut EP, before releasing their first full-length, Lunar Phases, in 2015. Cutting their teeth playing DIY spaces and dives, the band soon managed to book their own nationwide tours, even venturing to Europe and making festival appearances while, along the way, honing a more spaced out, minimalist, ambient sound, showcased on last year’s sophomore LP In Light (The Scales in the Frame). Distinct from Death Valley Girls, but complimentary in their broad sonic ambition, Moonwalks are and up and coming act who should absolutely be on your radar, and an inspired addition to this lineup.
SPODEE BOY
A DIY, underground affair, Spodee Boy is the lo-fi garage punk alias of local artist Connor Cummins, also known for local projects Chainshot and Soft Option. A fixture of the Nashville underground and a frequent pick for supporting great DIY shows as well as buzzy touring acts, Spodee Boy should provide an interesting opening set and bring plenty more unpredictable punk spirit to this bill; don’t be late!
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ENTER TO WIN TICKETS
Enter to win tickets by filling out the form below. Must be 18+ to attend. If you experience any trouble with the contest widget, or have any questions, feel free to email us at [email protected].
Winner will be announced Thursday, Aug. 8 at 5 p.m. CDT, and will receive one pair of tickets. Good luck!
[contesthopper contest=”97562″]
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Death Valley Girls, Moonwalks, and Spodee Boy will perform Friday, Aug. 9 at Mercy Lounge. The show is 18+, begins at 8 p.m. (doors at 7 p.m.), and tickets are available to purchase for $10.
