Foreign Born Live with VHS or BETA
Dec 1 2007 @Slim’s w/ VHS OR BETA San Francisco
Dec 2 2007 @El Rey w/ VHS OR BETA Los Angeles
Dec 3 2007 @Casbah w/ VHS OR BETA San Diego
Dec 4 2007 @Plush w/ VHS OR BETA Tuscon, Arizona
NEW DATES!!
Feb 17 2008 @Great American Music Hall w/ St. Vincent San Francisco, California
Feb 18 2008 @Doug Fir Lounge w/ St. Vincent Portland
Feb 19 2008 @Neumo’s w/ St. Vincent Seattle, Washington
Feb 23 2008 @Schuba’s w/ St. Vincent Chicago, Illinois
Feb 24 2008 @Ohio State U Wexner Ctr. w/ St. Vincent Columbus
Feb 25 2008 @Andy Warhol Museum w/ St. Vincent Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Feb 26 2008 @The Rock & Roll Hotel w/ St. Vincent DC, Washington DC
Feb 29 2008 @Bowery Ballroom w/ St. Vincent NYC
Mar 1 2008 @Middle East w/ St. Vincent Cambridge, Massachusetts
Photo by: Jen Maler
2007 has proven to be quite an impressive one for this Californian Quartet Foreign Born, now also commonly known to douse people in Psychedelic shoegazed guitar heaven on occasions. Those who have been watching, have witnessed them evolve from a mere “local band with a catchy sound” to a fine specimen of a nationally known and respected force, beyond buzz worthy and about to go onto mightier things in 2008.
“On The Wing Now reveals the band’s fell for anthemic 80’s rock shaded by complex arrangements and cathartic moments that make the likes of... Arcade Fire so appealing.” – LA Times Kevin Bronson
It all started with a humble signing to Los Angeles based trendsetting Indie label Dim Mak, when they caught the ear of Steve Aoki. They signed this summer and soon released their already made (self paid) debut album “On The Wing Now” at the end of Summer ’07. Amongst all the day glow indie electro madness of this very same year, expectations were rather modest but the Foreign Born camp was soon pleasantly surprised, as critical acclaim soon began to pour onto print and on the web as more began to hear the album.
"On The Wing Now" Out Now (Dim Mak)
“(On The Wing Now)… is a jangly, ‘60s-via-2007 mash-up that recalls Brian Jonestown Massacre… Laced with dreamy synth and shimmering echoes, from the anthemic refrain of opener “Union Hall to the droning Jesus & Mary Chain pulse of the epic “The Nights Tall.” - NYLON
“Top ten of the year? …this is definitely a contender.” – The Tripwire.
“Top ten of the year? …this is definitely a contender.” – The Tripwire.
“Earnestness this effective is difficult, but the bands clear eyed victory rock carries them.” - Spin
Matt, Ariel, Lewis, Garrett and the extended Foreign Born family were still somewhat hesitant to aspirie to becoming the number one uber hip band of the moment. Instead, their goal was to gain credible momentum over a longer period of time.
“This record is amazing.” - SLAP
Affirming their true staying power by showing critics and music lovers that their music, songwriting and live performances have the realistic potential to grow into a band of stadium stature, on a par with the likes of Arcade Fire, Snow Patrol dare we say, U2.
Over time, the objective would be to gather quality exposure through the press and with tours as opposed to a less thought out quantity driven hot air, buzzed banter band of the moment.
“Epic Californians” - Sentimentalist
Featured on Fuel TV this fall, then on the hit NBC series Chuck (
) with a cameo appearance on the first episode, their next stop would be to swoon the CMJ contingency off their feet and blow critics away with an array of showcases and another “cameo” for front man Matt who played bongos during Young Folks for his good friends (and big fans of Foreign Born) Peter and Bjorn.
“If someday Los Angeles' Foreign Born conquer Earth and devote their time aiding third-world countries, I'm betting On the Wing Now enjoys a similar treatment. Full of vast, powerful tunes that take an earnest aim at the human condition, the band's full-length debut builds on the potential of their previous two EPs while tapping a more varied array of musical influences..” – Pitchfork
Holy Splinter and “Union Hall hint at the band’s ability to write massive songs with an added visceral punch... the band might as well keep reaching for the stars since their “failures” still make for an engaging album, and hopefully this baby U2 someday grows into an anthemic monolith of its own.” - Pitchfork
After a whirlwind east coast visit they returned to their home of Los Angeles only to be invited by LA’s #1 radio show Feel My Heat on Indie 103, they joined Danny Masterson and Brent Bolthouse for an hour of live performance and banter then shortly thereafter they were featured in the LA Times as Band of the Year this fall, then again in Spins Buzzcatcher this November.
“Percussion-loaded pop ballads, hypnotic bridges and danceable rock edges… new millennium Echo and the Bunnymen pop before sliding into a Raconteurs-style jam.” – Spin.
Foreign Born are Garrett Ray, Lewis Pesacov, Matt Popieluch, Ariel Rechtshaid
