The Press Release:
The Contortionist have announced The Reimagined Tour today, which will feature two dynamic sets, one with a full production, and a second, intimate second set. The whole show will feature over two hours of new, old, and reimagined music spanning the band’s entire catalog. INTERVALS will be supporting.
“The Rediscovered concept was born from a desire to escape and redefine the rules of a show,” says keyboardist Eric Guenther. “We want to include our fans in an experience reflective of The Contortionist’s wide range of dynamics, not only on the scale of heaviness or intensity but in tone and texture.”
“Our goal is to invite the listener closer and show ourselves in a fresh new way for our fans who have evolved with us and embraced our sonic exploration over the years. This is an opportunity to ‘pull out all the stops’ and integrate the crowd into the changing aura of the room as we dig deep, reimagine, and give ever-echoing life to our music.”
A Limited number of artist & VIP pre-sale tickets will be available here (password: reimagined) starting at 10 AM tomorrow, Wednesday, August 22, 2018, running until 10 PM local time on Thursday, August 23. VIP packages will include an opportunity to listen to select music from the band’s forthcoming EP. A meet and greet and exclusive merchandise will also be part of the VIP experience. More details on the new EP project will be made available in the coming weeks. General tickets will be on sale will be Friday, August 24, 2018.
Photo: Gobinder Jhitta | Download
Clairvoyant, released last year via Entertainment One / Good Fight Music, served as the highly anticipated follow up to Language, the genre-defying LP that continues to garner critical acclaim. Clairvoyant, which reunited the band with producer Jamie King, took the best elements of The Contortionist’s past and reshapes them as the band follows their individual creative muses toward the future.
After being slated as “One of the most anticipated albums of 2017” according to Metal Injection, Clairvoyant was well received in its own right. The LP debuted at #6 on the Hard Music, #8 Indie, #16 Rock and #31 Current Top 200 Billboard Charts.
The Contortionist saw critics calling the record “gripping adventure,” as Metal Hammer did. Alternative Press said Clairvoyant was “best described as magical” and “a record you can truly get lost in.” MetalSucks even declared it a “Perfect Album.” The Contortionist ultimately proves to have as much in common with the psychedelic experimentation of later Opeth or Tool and even the textured melodicism of Sigur Ros as they do technical heavy music, but they’ve never sacrificed urgent impact. Critics and fans admire their intelligent approach to the crushing riffs of tech-metal, which becomes more vibrant with elements of ambitious post-rock and jazzy / fusion-infused virtuosity. Even when angular riffs, odd time signatures, and devastating breakdowns give way to hypnotic, ethereal, and trancelike musical meditations, The Contortionist are never lacking in total power.
In whatever The Contortionist endeavors to do, there will always be a great amount of thought, attention to detail, and a shared love of musicality. They have committed to never surrender to the path of least resistance, always challenging themselves and their audience. This is art for art’s sake. The Contortionist ease through the doors of perception with grace where possible and smash through the boundaries with absolute force when necessary.
The Contortionist Is: Joey Baca, Robby Baca, Cameron Maynard, Michael Lessard, Jordan Eberhardt, Eric Guenther
The Tour Dates:
11/2 – St. Louis, MO @ Fubar
11/3 – Lawrence, KS @ Grenada Theater
11/4 – Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall
11/6 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall
11/8 – Portland, OR @ Bossanova Ballroom
11/9 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
11/10 – Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre
11/12 – San Francisco, CA @ Slim’s
11/13 – Los Angeles, CA @ Space 1720
11/16 – San Antonio, TX @ Alamo City Music Hall
11/17 – Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey Bar N’ Grill
11/18 – Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
11/20 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
11/21 – Greensboro, NC @ Blind Tiger
11/23 – Baltimore, MD @ Soundstage
11/24 – Philadelphia, PA @ Foundry at the Fillmore
11/25 – Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
11/27 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Rex Theater
11/28 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
11/29 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Theatre
11/30 – Lansing, MI @ The Loft
12/2 – Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge
*** end of transmission ***
PiercingMetal Thoughts: Though I’ve said it before, I must stick to it and admit that despite my interest in catching the band in action, I’ve not yet managed to do this for one reason of the other. Let’s face it, one truly cannot be everywhere and in a city like my Media Metropolis of NYC, one’s dance card can fill up really quickly. Let’s see if I can end that oversight with their Brooklyn appearance. What do you readers think about this band and the touring news? Does it excite you? Do you want to fill those who are in the same boat as I and in the unaware about what we’ve been missing down in the comments? Of course you do.