SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009
Their current CD, ‘Ten Thousand’ was released in 2008 to a torrent of critical acclaim and in an effort to spread that special kinda gospel ever wider the band have just announced a return trip to the UK and Ireland for their first European dates this year (see full tour itinerary below).
Yup. They’re a quartet. And they’re not from the mountains... The music, on the other hand, is not a joke. People often mention whiskey, brimstone, the Mississippi Delta and the Appalachian Mountains when they talk about their music. There are few bands who conjure the intensity of the original blues and folk music pioneers while uniting roots and rock audiences. The Agnostics are one of them.
Hollering, growling, and high, lonesome keening. Duelling slide guitars, tin can banjo, frenetic finger picking, sheet metal percussion, and pounding upright bass. That’s The Agnostics.
Critics drop adjectives like ‘punk’, and make comparisons with Tom Waits, and Captain Beefheart. The band maintain that the punk spirit was born in Delta and the mountains. Beefheart and Waits know that too.
Since 2001 The Agnostics have fostered a devoted following in their native Canada and garnered impressive reviews for their first two releases, ‘St. Hubert’ (2003) and ‘Fighting and Onions’ (2005). Word spread across the prairies and over the Atlantic. Mark Lamarr is a convert – they played rambunctious BBC Radio 2 sessions for him in 2007 and 2008 – and so is the roots legend, Seasick Steve. After gigs together at the Open House Festival in Belfast in 2006 and 2007 Steve proclaimed them “my new favourite band.”
‘Ten Thousand’ has been nominated for Blues Recording of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards, due in September 2009, while AMGC are currently writing their fourth album, planned for release in 2010.
Sat 19 Exeter Acoustica Festival @ Exeter Phoenix £12/£10, 7PM
Mon 21 Cork Crane Lane Theatre Free, Midnight
Tues 22 Dublin Crawdaddy €12/€15, 8pm
Weds 23 Galway Róisín Dubh €10/€12.50, 9pm
Thurs 24 Belfast Open House Festival @ The Spring & Airbrake £14, 7.30pm
Fri 25 Newcastle The Cluny £8, 8pm
Sat 26 Leeds Brudenell Social Club £8, 7.30pm
Sun 27 Stockton-On-Tees The Georgian Theatre £9, 8pm
Tues 29 London The Luminaire £7/£9, 7.30pm
OCTOBER
Thurs 1 Brighton The Engine Room £7, 7.30pm
Fri 2 Canterbury The Farmhouse £8, 8pm
Sat 3 Coventry Taylor John’s House £7, 8pm
Sun 4 Leicester The Musician £10, 8pm
Yup. They’re a quartet. And they’re not from the mountains... The music, on the other hand, is not a joke. People often mention whiskey, brimstone, the Mississippi Delta and the Appalachian Mountains when they talk about their music. There are few bands who conjure the intensity of the original blues and folk music pioneers while uniting roots and rock audiences. The Agnostics are one of them.
Hollering, growling, and high, lonesome keening. Duelling slide guitars, tin can banjo, frenetic finger picking, sheet metal percussion, and pounding upright bass. That’s The Agnostics.
Critics drop adjectives like ‘punk’, and make comparisons with Tom Waits, and Captain Beefheart. The band maintain that the punk spirit was born in Delta and the mountains. Beefheart and Waits know that too.
Since 2001 The Agnostics have fostered a devoted following in their native Canada and garnered impressive reviews for their first two releases, ‘St. Hubert’ (2003) and ‘Fighting and Onions’ (2005). Word spread across the prairies and over the Atlantic. Mark Lamarr is a convert – they played rambunctious BBC Radio 2 sessions for him in 2007 and 2008 – and so is the roots legend, Seasick Steve. After gigs together at the Open House Festival in Belfast in 2006 and 2007 Steve proclaimed them “my new favourite band.”
‘Ten Thousand’ has been nominated for Blues Recording of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards, due in September 2009, while AMGC are currently writing their fourth album, planned for release in 2010.
UK & IRELAND TOUR • SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009
SEPTEMBERSat 19 Exeter Acoustica Festival @ Exeter Phoenix £12/£10, 7PM
Mon 21 Cork Crane Lane Theatre Free, Midnight
Tues 22 Dublin Crawdaddy €12/€15, 8pm
Weds 23 Galway Róisín Dubh €10/€12.50, 9pm
Thurs 24 Belfast Open House Festival @ The Spring & Airbrake £14, 7.30pm
Fri 25 Newcastle The Cluny £8, 8pm
Sat 26 Leeds Brudenell Social Club £8, 7.30pm
Sun 27 Stockton-On-Tees The Georgian Theatre £9, 8pm
Tues 29 London The Luminaire £7/£9, 7.30pm
OCTOBER
Thurs 1 Brighton The Engine Room £7, 7.30pm
Fri 2 Canterbury The Farmhouse £8, 8pm
Sat 3 Coventry Taylor John’s House £7, 8pm
Sun 4 Leicester The Musician £10, 8pm
