So, in the past month we have traversed the length and breadth of the country (and plan to do much the same in the next month), Stephen, our very talented and greatly missed drummer has broken his collar bone in a gnarly skateboarding accident and we've almost wrapped up all that needs to be done for our next release. Good action in a month!
First up, we must apologize to James Loveday from The Distortion Project. Sorry we couldn't make the date on the 14th with Angry Chair, we were greatly looking forward to this gig but due to the unforeseen circumstance of a skateboarding fail! We couldn't perform this night. Thankfully we did have the ability to recover and we got a friend from our hometown of Keady, Mr. Stephen Crozier, to step in on rhythm guitar duties as I was relegated to the drums for the foreseeable future. Having to cancel only one gig in desperate times was certainly not as bad as having to call off our whole schedule.
The following weekend we had the grace of visiting The Walled City once again with our brothers and sisters of Acari and LibidoSwitch. On this night we also fell in with yet another great Northern Irish act that we've never seen before, Dying Breed. These lads really blew us away and I hope we get a chance to play with them again soon.
The next night we were very happy to be making our way to Fibbers in the city of Dublin to play with our muckers from Gacys Threads and By Any Means. This was a seriously pumping affair on this night as the place was buzzin' and so were we. The Gacys and BAM lads hooked off as early as possible due to a lack home comforts over the previous week and a half while on tour. Who could blame you lads!? Fair play!
A week later we were blessed to get the chance to play again in the wonderful Phoenix Music Venue in Kildare with a great band from the Dublin area, Dead Label! before they headed out on a tour of Japan. If anyone out there likes a dose of some seriously aggressive heavy metal laden with pounding beats and chopping, biting guitars then these are your guys.
As well as getting to play an awesome gig with other two other great bands we were very happy that our good friend Sandra Butler put us up for the night, therefore giving us the chance to hang out and get our drink on! Cheers Sandra. Here's a wee snap of our handsome merch stall on the night. Unfortunately the shot got wrecked by a couple of hairy bastards. ;)
Last weekend was our first without a gig in about ten weeks so we decided to make a move on tracking some vocals for the much awaited second EP. As Stephen may be out for another month we've decided to go ahead and release one of the songs from the EP in single format with a B-side, an acoustic version of our first single 'Back To The Bog'.
The single alone will be available for free download or you can pick up a hard copy of the tune which will include artwork and B-sides for the small fee. Release date to be set.
Onwards for Astralnaut however as we are glad to be apart of a new event night in Dublin. The Mother Fuzzers Ball, ran by a delightful Italian fellow called Matt Casciani.
Matt plays for an equally delightful band called Electric Taurus. He's taken it upon himself to host a night praising all things FUZZ, STONER, DOOM, SLUDGE and GROOVE.
He has also received sponsorship for his event from Molten Magazine, Fuzzed Out Radio and the organizations Stoner Rock Dublin / Desert Rock Ireland and also the Some Neck Guitar Company based in the fair city. Good on ye Matt.
The following week were are very happy to be opening proceedings at Shizznigh Promotions brand new night in the Stiff Kitten, playing alongside the hardcore fiends Lantern For A Gale and Lurgan rockers PsychoJet. So get on down to this for a nights drunken malarkey.
If you're in Limerick, the night after this we will be rattling a few bones in the Blind Pig. Come on down for i hear it'll be a wild stoney session!
Here's hoping we're back on form by the time you hear from us again,
Pearse