Alex Gehring with Ringo Deathstarr at Electric Owl, Vancouver, June 21 2011. Ashley Tanasiychuk photo
Review and photos–Ringo Deathstarr at Electric Owl, Vancouver, June 21 2011
– review by Shawn Conner/photos by Ashley Tanasiychuk
“Summertime”? asked Alex Gehring, Ringo Deathstarr‘s crochet-dress-wearing bassist. With a nod from guitarist Elliott Frazier, the Austin, TX trio launched into a hazy, guitar-drenched noise-pop song.
It’s not that Ringo Deathstarr, from their cheeky name to their feedback-and-melody dynamic, is doing anything different (think Lush and My Bloody Valentine or, for nearer antecedents, Eternal Summers, Best Coast, Vivian Girls) that a dozen other bands. But, opening (along with Follow That Bird) for Trail of Dead on the first day of summer last night in Vancouver, they sure did it well.
Ringo Deathstarr at Electric Owl, Vancouver, June 21 2011. Ashley Tanasiychuk photo
“Summertime”, which might have been the perfect second-last song before a big guitar freak-out, was actually more like a mid-set stopover. The band had lots more energy in them, and they – along with drummer Daniel Coburn – played a few more songs that let Gehring assume a flower-child stance while Frazier threw his hair around and jumped into the audience (knocking a girl’s beer out of her hand – a beer he quickly replaced with his own big red can of Tecate).
Mid-song, Frazier handed his guitar over for a frizzy-haired male audience member, to the delight of those gathered on the dancefloor. Someone yelled “Shredder!” after the guest guitarist was done creating some in-key noise, and that was it; Ringo Deathstarr had endeared themselves to another audience.
Ringo Deathstarr at Electric Owl, Vancouver, June 21 2011. Ashley Tanasiychuk photo
More Ringo Deathstarr photos:
Watch – Ringo Deathstarr, “Imagine Hearts” (video):
Ringo Deathstarr tour dates:
2011-06-23 Seattle, WA – Neumo’s
2011-06-25 Minneapolis, MN – Hexagon Bar
2011-06-26 Milwaukee, WI – Cactus Club
2011-06-27 Chigago , IL – Darkroom
2011-06-28 Windsor, ON – Phog Lounge
2011-06-29 Hamilton, ON – This Aint Hollywood
2011-06-30 Toronto, ON – Garrison
2011-07-01 Montreal, PQ – Casa Del Popolo
2011-07-02 Boston, MA – Great Scott
2011-07-03 Brooklyn, NY – Shea Stadium
2011-07-04 Baltimore, MD – Golden West Cafe
2011-07-05 Richmond, VA – Sprout
2011-07-06 Asheville, NC – Emerald Lounge
2011-07-07 Atlanta, GA – 529
2011-07-08 Tampa, FL – New World
2011-07-09 Orlando, FL – Backbooth
2011-07-11 Beaumont, TX – Victoria House
2011-07-16 Austin, TX – Austin Convention Center (roller derby)
