Celebrated art-punk trailblazers Throwing Muses have announced three new shows (performances in Boston, San Diego and Pasadena, California), their first live dates since their 2014 American tour. The first is August 23 at Boston’s City Winery, followed by August 20 at San Diego’s Soda Bar and August 31 at the Pasadena Daydream Festival.
Fred Abong, formerly also of Throwing Muses during the ‘Real Ramona’ period will open the Boston and San Diego shows in support of his new ‘Pulsing’ EP. His music is alternately described as “ragged Replacements” and “Elliott Smith with balls”.
These Throwing Muses dates follow Kristin Hersh’s current tour as an electric trio, together with Fred Abong and Rob Ahlers, drummer in Hersh’s other band 50FOOTWAVE. For the remainder of June, Hersh is touring the U.S. East Coast in support of her album ‘Possible Dust Clouds‘, with Fred Abong also playing an opening solo set.
Comprised of Kristin Hersh, David Narcizo and Bernard George, Throwing Muses is a groundbreaking band who tossed out every rule in the book and effortlessly changed the face of alternative music. The Muses first gained traction in the early ’80s, playing with similar artists, such as The Pixies and Dinosaur Jr.
Throwing Muses’ most recent release is 2013’s double CD LP ‘Purgatory/Paradise‘, an epic 32-song CD / book combination with photographs and essays by Kristin—also an acclaimed author—and artwork by David Narcizo. Played as a series of movements dovetailing into a powerful statement, this artful piece outdoes everything in this band’s long, illustrious career, proving that the Muses has only peaks, no valleys, unbelievably continuing to outdo themselves with every record.
Signed to 4AD and Sire/Warner Brothers as teenagers, Hersh quickly realized she was not interested in playing the corporate industry game and traded her first solo record (the highly acclaimed ‘Hips and Makers’, featuring Your Ghost) for her band’s freedom. Released from contractual obligations, Hersh and her bands—including 50FOOTWAVE, who pioneered the ‘pay what you want’ model—are now entirely listener-supported.
Hersh describes her band as “Three shy friends from a little island, freaking the f*** out. We play because we’re addicted to the noise and because we love each other. We’ve never stopped playing. Thirty years on a bus together only encouraged us to play more and no one has told us to shut up yet.” The Boston show is an all-ages event. Tickets go on sale to the public as of June 24 at 3pm EST and are now available to City Winery members and Strange Angels. A Meet & Greet Soundcheck Party with the band , limited to 40 persons, starts at 5pm.
On August 30, the San Diego show at Soda Bar starts at 9:30, doors open at 8:30 pm. The next day, Throwing Muses appear at the Pasadena Daydream Festival, curated by The Cure’s Robert Smith. Of nine handpicked groups slated to perform, Kristin Hersh is among just four artists from last year’s Smith-curated Meltdown Festival invited back to perform at this year’s event (the others being Mogwai, The Joy Formidable and The Twilight Sad).
Ticket info and sales links for Throwing Muses and Kristin Hersh shows can be found at kristinhersh.com/appearances.
Throwing Muses / Kristin Hersh tour dates
June 19 Northampton, MA – The Iron Horse
June 20 Somerville, MA – Once Ballroom
June 21 Hamden, CT – Space Ballroom
June 22 New York, NY – Mercury Lounge
June 23 Washington, DC – Union Stage
June 24 Philadelphia, PA – Boot & Saddle
June 25 Harrisonburg VA – Golden Pony
June 26 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle
June 27 Atlanta, GA – Terminal West
June 28 Athens, GA – 40 Watt Club
June 30 Charlotte, NC – Neighborhood Theatre
Aug 23 Boston, MA – City Winery (as Throwing Muses)
Aug 30 San Diego, CA – Soda Bar (as Throwing Muses)
Aug 31 Pasadena, CA – Pasadena Daydream Festival (as Throwing Muses)
