Detroit’s Protomartyr play succinct, rough and tumble garage rock meant to accompany a long night in a dive bar.
The band’s new record Under Color Of Official Right recalls the urgency of Wire, and currently belongs on a playlist with Cloud Nothings and Parquet Courts. The new record does what a punk record should by combining personal with political, clever with jokey, nihilistic with joyful, all while compelling you to vandalize your boss’s car.
If you haven’t already, listen to “Scum, Rise!” right now, and blow off the rest of the day. Whatever you’ve got going on can wait. Protomartyr make their first trip to Fayetteville on Sunday at The Lightbulb Club.
Who: Protomartyr / Llinda
When: 9 p.m. Sunday, June 1, 2014
Where: Lightbulb Club, 19 N. Block Ave.
More: $5 / Facebook event
I got in touch with singer Joe Casey on a break from tour, and here’s what he said:
Give us a brief band history.
We started in 2010. We’re in the middle of our first big U.S. tour. Our first record is called No Passion All Technique. Our second record Under Color Of Official Right just came out.
You guys are from Detroit – How has Detroit’s history, economics, and politics affected your music?
We have some Detroit-specific references in a few of the songs but we have references to books, movies and other places in there as well.
What have you been reading and watching lately? How has it seeped into the songs?
We see a lot of movies on the road. Recently Brick Mansions left a huge impression on us. We haven’t had time to write new songs affected by it yet, but the next album should be full of direct inspiration .
Do you guys work outside jobs to keep the band afloat and on the road?
We work jobs back at home and we’re lucky that they’re letting us take time off to go on the road.
What’s tour like for the band? Any horror stories?
Last night we were driving real late and got excited when we got to eat gas station Subway. So life on the road is weird.
Any guilty pleasures or band secrets you’d like to share for the first time?
According to Bank of America we are in violation of the Patriot Act. We’re still sorting it out, but that’s the reason they gave for suspending our account.
Have you been to Arkansas before? What can we expect at the Fayetteville show?
We’ve never played in Arkansas before, but you can expect 40 minutes of a fat guy yelling at you backed by a pretty good band.
