Spectrum

i saw the ropers cover this live once, seems like it sounded better than that.

Spectrum back in the states

Apr 23 2009
Kung Fu Necktie Philadelphia

Apr 24 2009
Sonar Baltimore

Apr 26 2009
The Mercury Lounge New York

Apr 28 2009
Middle East Upstairs Boston

Apr 30 2009
The Andy Warhol Museum Pittsburgh

May 1 2009
The Dark Room Chicago

May 2 2009
Neumos Seattle

May 4 2009
Doug Fir Lounge Portland

May 6 2009
Coopers Nevada City

May 7 2009
Great American Music Hall San Francisco

May 8 2009
The Echo Los Angeles

May 11 2009
The Casbah San Diego

Did anyone go to the SF show at Great American last night? I have a partial setlist:

Mary
Transparent Radiation
Set Me Free
How You Satisfy Me
Che (so good!)
When Tomorrow Hits

They played a few more songs including the "War Sucks" cover and (I'm pretty sure) "Revolution", plus two encores, but to be honest I got kinda caught up in the drone and the visuals towards the end and lost track. It was my first time (finally) seeing Spectrum live and was surprised by how good they were. The sound was perfect and the band was really tight. The visuals would have been fantastic if maybe taken a little more seriously: some great 8-bit-style computer effects, a running cat silhouette, a flying owl, and lots of swirls...

Sounds like a pretty typical setlist. I remember seeing "Transparent Radiation," "How You Satisfy Me," "When Tomorrow Hits" and "Revolution" all three times I've seen Spectrum over the past two years or so. That's not to complain as you're right, they put on a great show. Very easy to zone out and lose track of time and drift away...

Did he play "Suicide" too? One of my favorite live moments.

saw him in williamsburg, very similar setlist to his opening slot for MBV last summer.

is the war sucks ep any good?

I ordered it a few weeks ago, hasn't arrived yet.

MGMT made an appearance at the Echo show joining in on "Suicide" and a cover of Devo's "Mongoloid" (!)

Spectrum playing live on WFMU right now.
http://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/31616

Wow. I'm really surprised by the War Sucks EP. It's such a heavy, sleazy psychedelic rocker! I didn't know he still wanted to do stuff like this, at least not on record, but this EP kicks ass.

It's the new live band that he's got. They really kick it.

I'll say! It's a shame he's not on European mainland some more (he's gigging mostly in US and UK, right?), would love to see him perform this stuff. I saw him once in his Forever Alien period, but that was something entirely different.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoJFpkQDgvs

this never fails me. shivers. (thanks so much for 'recurring' gerard, feels ages ago!)

I suppose this was inevitable

http://matrixsynth.blogspot.com/2008/05/sonic-boom-and-his-ems-synthi-aks.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/matrixsynth/sets/72157604842778288/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3083/2458954891_e36aed1ef5.jpg

*drugs sold separately

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

omg want!

especially the toy putney - i think i want a toy putney more than life itself

New tour, single and album on the way... (NME link so the MGMT link is played up)

Spectrum, the band helmed by MGMT collaborator Pete 'Sonic Boom' Kember', have announced details of a UK and European tour for March and April.

Kember worked with MGMT on their forthcoming album 'Congratulations' after meeting Andrew Van Wyngarden and Ben Goldwasser in London last year. Both were big fans of Kember's previous band, legendary '80s drone-rockers Spacemen 3.

Spectrum, who release new single 'Words May Shatter' in April and a new album later in the year, will kick off the gig run at the Moho Live in Manchester on March 14.

Spectrum will play:

Manchester, Moho Live (March 14)
Sheffield, Harley (15)
Brighton, Freebutt (16)
London, Sonic Cathedral @ The Luminaire (17)
Utrecht, DB's Studio (19)
Diksmuide, 4AD Muzikeclub (20)
Rouen, Emporium Galorium (23)
Lyon, Le Sonic's (25)
Paris, Le Point Ephemere (26)
Lausanne, Theatre 2.21 (27)
Frankfurt, Nachtleben (29)
Koln, Sonic Ballroom (30)
Brussels, VK Club (31)
Turin, Spazio 211 (April 2)
Marseille, L'Embobineuse (3)

MGMT collaborator... so it's come to this.

It's the NME.

Utrecht, yay!

Diksmuide, 4AD Muzikeclub

...hold on.

Spectrum, the band helmed by MGMT collaborator Pete 'Sonic Boom' Kember'

Is this what the world is coming to...?

Buried under the lead in http://www.sonic-boom.info/news.php is this...

re-issues of the 1st 3 Sonic Boom/Spectrum discs....... starting with 'Sonic Boom Spectrum' on Space Age Records in March.

goddam, I get my hopes up for that new album every time this thread gets bumped..

New year, new tour

04/14 – Baltimore, MD – Sonar
04/15 – Philadelphia, PA – North Star Bar
04/16 – New York, NY – Le Poisson Rouge
04/17 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
04/19 – Boston, MA – The Church
04/20 – Chicago, IL – The Bottom Lounge
04/21 – Seattle, WA – Chop Suey
04/23 – San Francisco, CA – The Hemlock
04/24 – Oakland, CA – The New Parish
04/25 – San Jose, CA – The Blank Club
04/27 – San Diego, CA – Soda Bar
04/28 – Los Angeles, CA – The Troubadour
04/29 – Dallas, TX – Sons of Herman Hall
04/30 – Austin, TX – Austin Psych Fest

Posted as it's apparently a news story now: Do musicians ever deserve to be jeered off stage? Sonic Boom was treated to a hail of boos at Koko on Tuesday. His crime? Not being familiar to the young crowd

pearls before swine etc

Quite.

during the encore they joined each other on stage to perform the Spacemen 3 songs Hey Man and Amen.

um...

Hush now, you'll spoil the effect.

Diggin this review of the show last week

It says quite a lot about the changes in my lifestyle that once upon a time I'd go all the way to Northampton to see Spectrum, but now I can't even get myself up to Hackney. (But then again, ugh, Hackney.) I am glad that Sonic and especially Will are having a 4th or 5th resurrection. They're people who get the credit, but not the worldly rewards for their huge ~influence~.

Long interview with Sonic on the making of Soul Kiss (Glide Divine). Well worth reading...
http://dockellisrecords.wordpress.com/2014/04/04/soul-kiss-glide-divine-spectrums-timeless-masterpiece/

that was great, thanks.

that was a cracking read.

just found my cd copy of 'highs, lows and heavenly blows' .. totally forgot how good this album is.

sounds fantastic on headphones.

Spectrum at the Black Cat, Washington DC. on the 1997 Forever Alien tour. full show!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-vNuNkyq6g

I wish I had bought that Soul Kiss (Glide Divine) gelatin-filled edition of the CD when I'd had the chance way back when

The gelatin in my copy pretty much evaporated after a while

I don't even have the case anymore - just the CD and it's pretty beaten up which is very unusual for my CDs. That album spent some time being the go to 'rock n' roll' element of the holy triumvirate. It saw some action, you could say.

I think there's still a bit left in mine xp

Well goddamn. Sonic revealed a bit of a new Spectrum song on his instagram. A new album/something on the way too.

Looking forward!

Got a link?

Searched for it this morning, not so easy!
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8g0MDhhEf4/?igshid=1emf5njxknb9p

New album!
https://sonicboomspacemen3.bandcamp.com/album/all-things-being-equal-3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFsppY8r1_4

yup, exciting! I posted it here but *crickets*
The Comprehensive Spectrum, E.A.R. and Sonic Boom Discography POLL

Ohh, great news! Have to say I'm really curious about this. I like 'Just Imagine' on first listen, way more of a call-back to the 'Spectrum' days than I expected!

That hideous album cover though 😅

It's vintage Sonic Boom and I'm really glad he's back by the sound of this!

Sonic produced this album by London-to-Portugal band Camila Fuchs, and I'm starting to really like it.
https://camilafuchs.bandcamp.com/album/kids-talk-sun

New album with extra tracks from last year, remixes, etc.:
https://sonicboomspacemen3.bandcamp.com/album/almost-nothing-is-nearly-enough

Looking forward to a listen!

RIP Alf Hardy