Psychedelic doom band Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats headlines Regency
Celebrated British psychedelic doomsayers Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats return to the Bay Area for the first time in nearly three years when they headline the Regency Ballroom Friday.
Over the course of a 16-year career, the group has risen from a fledgling bedroom studio project to become one of the more celebrated modern metal exports from the U.K. playing today. Founded by principle songwriter Kevin "K.R." Starrs, the shadowy group from Cambridge initially garnered notice in 2009 with a few catchy, fuzz-drench songs, posted on the band's MySpace page.
Entreaties from fans for an album led to an an extremely limited-edition CD-R entitled simply Volume 1 that showcased tuneful proto-metal dirges that matched memorable Beatles-esque vocal melodies to pulverizing riffs. A second self-released album – 2011's sonic homage to classic Hammer Films horror Blood Lust – further refined Starrs' songwriting and scored Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats a deal with Rise Above Records.
For its ambitious 2013 follow-up effort Mind Control, Starr drew inspiration from '60s exploitation flicks and the murderous machinations of hippy cult leader Charles Manson to craft a diabolically listenable concept album. The band made its stateside debut when it played the Maryland Death Fest the following year, later returning to the U.S. for a fall tour that marked the first time most metal fans in the U.S. got a chance to see the group.
The band continued with the concept-album route on its next recording, 2015's The Night Creeper, which told the tale of a serial killer styled after Jack the Ripper. Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats hit a new high with their most recent collection, 2018's more sophisticated Wasteland. Tracked at the same Los Angeles studio where the Beach Boys recorded Pet Sounds, the album expanded the band's instrumental palette with extensive use of keyboards and a much more dynamic range of moods.
While it took time for Starr and company to release their latest effort, last year's sprawling Nell' Ora Blu stands as the group's most ambitious yet as well as its greatest departure from the tuneful psychedelic doom template the band created. The double album pays homage to the lurid Italian giallo films of the '60s and '70s that ranged from violent serial killer crime thrillers to occult horror flicks. The recording not only mines a similar vibe as the classic giallo soundtracks of Ennio Morricone and regular Dario Argento collaborators Goblin, but actually incorporates a storyline with voice actors and dialog to create a uniquely cinematic concept-album experience.
With an augmented band line-up including horn players and additional keyboards and a synchronized widescreen projection backdrop matching the music to Starr's imagined film opus, the live full-album performance of Nell' Ora Blu has been receiving rave reviews since the touring production made its debut in Paris last month. The celebrated tour makes its Bay Area stop at the Regency Ballroom Friday night with Jonathan Hultén opening the show. The former lead guitarist of Swedish death-metal mavericks Tribulation has been exploring a more subdued brand of dark atmospheric folk since leaving that band, but his brand new album Eyes of the Living ventures into a far more progressive-rock direction.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Amal Clooney Drips in Pearls at Tony Awards 2025 With White Tamara Ralph Gown, George Clooney Keeps it Classic in Tuxedo
Amal Clooney's pearl-dripping dress commanded attention on Sunday's Tony Awards 2025 red carpet. To accompany her husband, George Clooney, she wore a white strapless gown completely covered in beading that created a textured, shimmering effect from top to bottom. Amal's dress came from Tamara Ralph's spring 2025 couture collection, which featured florals, romantic-inspired looks and pastels, as described by WWD's Rhonda Richford in January. More from WWD Cynthia Erivo Holds Court in Schiaparelli Gown and 3D Floral Nail Art at Tony Awards 2025 Cole Escola Pays Tribute to Bernadette Peters in Custom Wiederhoeft Dress at Tony Awards 2025 The Best Beauty Moments at The Fragrance Foundation Awards 2025: Laverne Cox, Vera Wang, Carolyn Murphy and More Amal paired the gown with Roger Vivier shoes and styled her hair in loose, wavy curls. Amal is known for curating her own outfits for public appearances. The British lawyer and human rights activist has a penchant for classic silhouettes and has worn looks by Dior, Versace, Alexander McQueen, Oscar de la Renta, Chanel and Stella McCartney, among others. When it comes to beauty, she often works with celebrity hairstylist Dimitris Giannetos, who is responsible for many of her recent looks. George Clooney complemented his wife in a traditional black tuxedo with a bow tie and black dress shoes. The actor received a nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play for 'Good Night, and Good Luck.' The play marked Clooney's Broadway debut and was highly praised by critics. The 78th Annual Tony Awards, Broadway's most prestigious honors, took place on Sunday at New York City's iconic Radio City Music Hall. Hosted by Tony and Emmy Award winner Cynthia Erivo, the ceremony recognized outstanding achievements in Broadway productions from the 2024–25 season. View Gallery Launch Gallery: Tony Awards 2025 Red Carpet Arrivals, Live Updates Best of WWD Mia Threapleton's Red Carpet Style Through the Years [PHOTOS] Princess Charlene of Monaco's Grand Prix Style Through the Years: Louis Vuitton, Akris and More, Photos Princess Charlene's Monaco Grand Prix Style Evolution at Full Speed: Shades of Blue in Louis Vuitton, Playful Patterning in Akris and More
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Festival brings 'big names in intimate spaces'
In 2022, comedians Charlotte Evans and Will Adamsdale began what was then Exeter's only regular new material comedy gig. Held in a tiny cafe, they said often the only noise in crowd was from a loud refrigerated meat counter. Three years later, Locally Sourced comedy has evolved into a four-day festival with more than 60 acts performing across 15 venues. Ms Evans said: "We never set out to make a festival, we just wanted a regular night to perform comedy. "It makes me so proud to see acts who started in front of the meat counter selling out their solo shows." Tim Key, Bridget Christie and Mark Watson were some of the big names performing alongside strong local acts at the festival which began on Thursday. JoJo Maberly performed her first-ever stand-up gig in Exeter three years ago and returned to the festival with her musical-comedy show Angst & Angstability. "It's so great to see the comedy world come alive in Exeter," she said. The success of the festival was depended on by comedians who said they were becoming increasingly priced out of the well-trodden routes to success. The cost of attending the Edinburgh Fringe, which served as a cheap breakthrough for so many top British comedians, has soared in recent years. In 2024 comics spoke out against "soaring costs" and "pure greed" which had prevented them from performing or making money at the festival. Comedian Greg Winfield, from Barnstaple, decided to go on a solo tour with his show Whatever You Say, attending the Exeter Comedy Festival but not Edinburgh. The comic of eight years said: "I think the old school way of doing comedy, of either moving to London or being on a relentless Edinburgh churn, is probably less important these days. "[Exeter Comedy Festival] the finest comedy festival in the South West - I challenge others to raise themselves to this level." All 15 venues at the Exeter Comedy Festival were independent businesses. They ranged from a cocktail bar, a vegan cafe to a barber shop, which was converted into a performance space. Alongside their shows, a number of comedians submitted pieces of art for a festival exhibition. Curated by Karen Lockhart, it features pieces by Spencer Jones, Emma Hughes, Olaf Falafel and others. Ms Lockhart said: "I wanted to give an outlet for all these comedians who also have something else going on." Festival organiser Georgia Thomas predicted the festival would continue to grow but it would stay true to having "big names in intimate spaces". "We wanted to create a festival similar to the shows you can see in Edinburgh and London without having to travel so far," she said. "Having big names in intimate spaces helps reduce the hierarchy which is good for them, good for local acts and good for us. "We'll keep the intimate vibe but grow the festival to benefit comedians, audiences and local businesses." Exeter Comedy Festival
USA Today
11 hours ago
- USA Today
Prince William sounds alarm on oceans: 'Diminishing before our eyes'
Prince William sounds alarm on oceans: 'Diminishing before our eyes' Prince William on Sunday called on world leaders and businesses to take urgent action to protect the planet's oceans, saying it was a challenge "like none we have faced before." Speaking ahead of the U.N. Ocean Conference, which begins in France on Monday, William said rising sea temperatures, plastic pollution and overfishing were putting pressure on fragile ecosystems and the people who depend on them. "What once seemed an abundant resource is diminishing before our eyes," William, heir to the British throne, told the Blue Economy and Finance Forum in Monaco. "Put simply: the ocean is under enormous threat, but it can revive itself. But, only if together, we act now," he told the meeting of investors and policymakers. Princess Charlotte is 10! She looks just like Prince William in new birthday photo taken by Princess Kate This week's U.N. conference aims to get more countries to ratify a treaty on protecting ocean biodiversity, which currently lacks sufficient signatories to come into force. William addressed Sunday's gathering in his role as founder of the Earthshot Prize, launched by the prince in 2020 with the aim of making huge strides to tackle environmental problems within a decade. On Saturday, William's office released a video of him talking to David Attenborough, one of the world's best-known nature broadcasters, about his latest documentary "Ocean," which examines the plight of the seas. "The thing which I am appalled by, when I first saw the shots that were taken for this film, are what we have done to the deep ocean floor," Attenborough told him. "If you did anything remotely like it on land, everybody would be up in arms."
