Cults / LIVE + Ticket Giveaway / 06.15.2011
Cults / Guards / Writer / Brillobox / 06.15.2011 / Doors 9:00 / $8
Words by Brendan
Don’t let that gloomy photo above fool you; Cults are making some of the brightest-sounding pop music out there today. Just listen to “Go Outside” and tell me you didn’t play it again right away. Do it! The catchiness of that song landed the band a conract with Columbia Records back in November, which was big news in the indie music world. They released their debut, self-titled LP just last week and it’s chock full of 60s pop sounds, hooky melodies and vocal harmonies. It’s endlessly listenable and you’re bound to love it. Lucky for us, Cults are playing at the Brillobox this upcoming Wednesday and, lucky for you, we have an extra special giveaway contest, thanks to the folks at Columbia. Read on for more info about the upcoming show and how to enter to win 2 free tickets plus a limited edition “Abducted” 7″ single! Huzzah!
Cults / Abducted
Cults / Go Outside
Guards / Resolution Of One
Writer / Miss Mermaid
I’m not sure how much I can stress the fact that Cults‘ songs are super catchy modern versions of 60s pop songs, with an incredible eye for melody and instrumentation. You probably noticed that already, but it’s worth repeating. That said, though, their lyrics can skew towards the sad and emotional side of things: “It tore me apart ’cause I really loved him / He took my heart away and left me to bleed out, bleed out” Madeleine Follin belts out on “Abducted” from underneath a wash of guitar and synths, then Brian Oblivion sings back, “I knew right then that I would be taking her heart / I knew right then that I’d never love her”, so calmly and plaintively you can hear the regret oozing off his words, and it’s all the more compelling knowing the two band members are a couple. “Never Heal Myself” features a lover looking to change for the sake of holding onto love, and “Most Wanted” expresses those common feelings of wanting something despite knowing it’s bad for you, but it does so amid a plinky, bouncy melody that you can’t help but bop along to. And that seems to be the theme of Cults: no matter how introspective or even depressing their lyrical content is, the mood is overwhelmingly positive, as if the band is working out some emotional troubles in song format, and keeping a happy tone and tempo will help the process. Whatever works for them, I say, because these songs are amazing and endlessly listenable. And it’s awesome to see them played live, too. The Brillobox attic floor will be bouncing and swinging underneath some dancing feet, I’m sure of it.
Tags: MTV Shows
(Music video for “Go Outside” directed by Patrick Hoelck for MTV’s Supervideo series, and a direct reference to Brigitte Bardot’s role in Jean-Luc Godard’s film, Le Mepris. Neato! Sorry for the ad…)
Also playing at this concert are Guards and Writer. Could you imagine a lineup of 3 bands with any less Google-able names? Jeez. Anyway, Guards have a similar 60s pop sensibility about them, with lots of guitar and keyboard melodies and earnest vocals. They’re touring with Cults around the U.S. this summer, and the singer just so happens to be the brother of Cults‘ female singer, whaddyaknow. Writer are from San Diego and play a strain of lo-fi rock/pop that should fit in really well with this show—plenty of jangly guitars with a bit of scuzz, reverby vocals, pounding drums, the whole shebang. Sounds like an awesome lineup, which makes for an awesome show. You know you wanna go.
So, leave a note on our Facebook wall, @ us on Twitter (with the hashtag #CultsPgh to make it easier to find), or send me an email to enter the contest! Just say “I wanna join the Cults cult!” or “Oh My God, Cults, You Know What I Mean?!” or the like. It really doesn’t matter, as long as you say “Cults”. You have until Monday, June 13, at NOON to enter, so get to it! We’ll pick a winner at random then and let you know that afternoon who the lucky guy/gal is! (Read this document here for official rules and relevant legalese.)
Buy tickets for this show: Online for $8 / Call 412.621.4900 / Brillobox website
Cults on the web: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Bandcamp / Insound
Guards on the web: Bandcamp / Twitter / Insound
Writer on the web: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Bandcamp
Filed under: Live Music, Ticket Giveaway
would love to win tickets for a nice evening of music
Watching Cults was such a treat for me. I saw them at a bar here in San Diego and it was such an intimate experience. As a huge fan, it was amazing to be so close… I felt like I was in their living room (not that I think their living room would look like a bar…) but just because it was such a small venue and they performed so emotionally! Can’t wait to see them on their fall tour with Foster the People.. so stoked!