As expected, Shudder to Think is extending its recent reunion with its first U.S. tour since 2008. The group will play nine shows this fall, beginning Sept. 19 at Riot Fest in Chicago, and will wind its way back to Los Angeles for a Nov. 11 finale. Tickets go on sale Friday (Aug. 22).
Beloved for its influential, unique blend of post-hardcore, alternative rock and glam, Shudder to Think returned to the stage in March with two performances for friends and family at Los Angeles’ tiny Permanent Records. A clip of “X French T-Shirt” from those shows can be seen below. The group’s current lineup includes frontman Craig Wedren, guitarist Nathan Larson, drummer Adam Wade, guitarist Clint Walsh and bassist Jherek Bischoff.
After emerging on legendary D.C. indie label Dischord Records with classics such as Funeral at the Movies and Get Your Goat, Shudder to Think signed to Epic and in 1994 released one of the strangest major-label debut albums of all time, Pony Express Record. Following an uneven response to its 1997 follow-up, 50,000 B.C., the band split up. But as Wedren told SPIN earlier this year, new music is also in the works to complement the live shows.
“We’re trying to do this in a very organic way that works for everybody’s individual lives and collective health,” he said. “We’re going to keep working on new music together in a room and each in our separate corners. We have shared ProTools sessions where we record demos together, but then everybody can tweak ideas on their own. It’s a more multi-dimensional, accordion-esque creative process rather than just being in a room, working on the song, playing the songs live and recording the songs. The intention is to hopefully have a record done within a year from now — next summer or fall or something like that. If it winds up being a series of EPs or singles, it doesn’t really matter. We just want to make new Shudder to Think music together, and we’re documenting it all.”
Here are Shudder to Think’s tour dates:
Sep 19: Chicago, IL – Riot FestSep 19: Chicago, IL – Cobra LoungeOct 23: Boston, MA – SoniaOct 24: Washington, DC – Black CatOct 25: New York, NY – Mercury LoungeNov 7: Portland, OR – Star TheaterNov 8: Seattle, WA – BarbozaNov 10: San Francisco, CA – Brick & Mortar Music HallNov 11: Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room Highland Park
