Photo of Protomartyr by Trevor Naud, courtesy of Pitch Perfect PR
Protomartyr w/ Vinny Moonshine | 8:00 PM | 359 Lemp Avenue | All ages | $20-23
Detroit post-punk band Protomartyr will play Off Broadway this Saturday, marking their third appearance overall at the South City venue. The band is currently touring in support of their sixth studio album, Formal Growth in the Desert, released in June through Domino Records.
Formed in 2008, Protomartyr consists of vocalist Joe Casey, guitarist Greg Ahee, drummer Alex Leonard, and bassist Scott Davidson. The group has developed a passionate following over the years, distinguishing themselves from the plethora of post-punk revival bands through their cryptic, existential lyrics and the tightness of their instrumentals. The group is legendary for the “anti-charisma” of their live performances, with Casey’s “reject Arthur Miller protagonist” persona taking center stage as he slams cheap beer and rails against the humiliations of modern society, clad in his ever-present blazer.
Formal Growth is another excellent addition to an incredibly consistent discography,finding the group expanding the sonic template established on previous records like The Agent Intellect (2015)and Relatives in Descent (2017), the latter of which is often considered the band’s high watermark. Formal Growth’s title refers to a period of significant turmoil in Casey’s life, as he coped with the death of his mother, the sale of his family home, and the band’s near break-up during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I was trying to find a way forward after some pretty heavy things, without lyrically resorting to, ‘Oh my god, my life sucks,’” Casey said of the album’s lyrical inspiration. “I was trying to see what was beyond the trouble.”
Guitarist Greg Ahee handled production duties for Formal Growth, which was fittingly recorded in the Sonoran Desert at Sonic Ranch Studios, located in Tornillo, TX. Keeping with the album’s “desert” theme, Ahee cites celebrated film composer Ennio Morricone, known for his scores for classic Westerns like The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly and Once Upon a Time in the West, as a primary inspiration for the album. This inspiration can be seen in the addition of pedal steel guitar on songs like “Polacrilex Kid” as well as the moody, Gothic atmosphere of the album.
“I remember watching The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly and being fascinated by how much Morricone’s score dictated the mood,” said Ahee in an interview with Brooklyn Vegan. “I started walking around listening to that score. I remember being at a dog park and hearing ‘The Strong’ and nearly being moved to tears watching a golden retriever take a shit. I think that’s when I decided I wanted to write again [after the band’s hiatus].”
Protomartyr will be joined by indie pop artist Vinny Moonshine, a fellow Detroiter, for their St. Louis date. Moonshine will be opening for them on select dates throughout the North American leg of the tour, which kicked off in Toronto on June 13th and will conclude with a July 13th performance at Thalia Hall in Chicago. Following this run of North America shows, Protomartyr will embark on a months-long tour of Europe in August, October, and November. The setlist for their current tour includes the bulk of the new album, as well as signature songs from throughout their discography, like “Pontiac ’87,” “The Chuckler,” and “Processed by the Boys.” | David Von Nordheim
06.13.23: Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
06.14.23: Montreal, QC @ Fairmount
06.15.23: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
06.16.23: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
06.17.23: Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
06.20.23: Washington, DC @ Black Cat
06.21.23: Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
06.22.23: Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
06.23.23: Nashville, TN @ Blue Room
06.24.23: St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
06.26.23: Oklahoma City, OK @ 89th Street
06.28.23: Tucson, AZ @ 191 Toole
06.29.23: Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room
07.01.23: San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel
07.02.23: Santa Cruz, CA @ Moe’s Alley
07.05.23: Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
07.06.23: Vancouver, BC @ Cobalt
07.07.23: Seattle, WA @ Crocodile
07.08.23: Spokane, WA @ Lucky You
07.11.23: St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club
07.12.23: Madison, WI @ High Noon
07.13.23: Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
08.06.23: Frankfurt, DE @ Zoom
08.07.23: Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
08.09.23: Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2
08.10.23: Nottingham, UK @ Rescue Rooms
08.11.23: Cardiff, UK @ Clwb lfor Bach
08.12.23: Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
08.14.23: Eindhoven, NL @ Effenaar
08.15.23: Hannover, DE @ Indiego Glocksee
08.17.23: Copenhagen, DK @ Loppen
08.18.23: Bodo, NO @ Parkenfestivalen
08.19.23: Trondheim, NE @ Pstereo
10.19.23: Galway, IE @ Roisin Dubh
10.20.23: Limerick, IE @ Dolan’s Warehouse
10.21.23: Dublin, IE @ The Button Factory
10.23.23: Manchester, UK @ YES (The Pink Room)
10.24.23: Bristol, UK @ The Trinity Centre
10.25.23: Birmingham, UK @ Hare & Hounds
10.26.23: London, UK @ Electric Ballroom
10.28.23: Rouen, FR @ Le 16
10.29.23: Antwerp, BE @ Trix Club
10.30.23: Groningen, DE @ Vera
10.31.23: Hamburg, DE @ Banhof Pauli
11.01.23: Leipzig, DE @ UT Connewitz
11.02.23: Berlin, DE @ Hole44
11.04.23: Athens, GR @ Gagarin 205
11.06.23: Munich, DE @ Strom
11.07.23: Zurich, CH @ Bogen F
11.09.23: Paris, FR @ La Station
11.10.23: Lyon, FR @ Marché Gare
11.11.23: Annecy, FR @ Le Brise Glace
11.13.23: Bologna, IT @ Locomotiv Club
11.14.23: Torino, IT @ Spazio 211
11.15.23: Marseille, FR @ Le Makeda
11.16.23: Montpellier, FR @ Le Rockstore
