BURGER-A-GOGO Festival of 2018: The Movement, the Sounds, and the Rebel Girls
We welcome back with open arms another BURGER-A-GOGO TOUR! Burger-a-gogo was created by Burger Records to spotlight strong female based artists. Previous Burger-a-gogo lineups have included: Cat Power, Best Coast, Dum Dum Girls, Shannon & the Clams, Colleen Green, LA Witch, Bleached, and The Julie Ruin. Throughout history music has been the reaction to culture and political events. Music is not only important but powerful and has always been an outlet of people responding to their environment.
The Riot Grrrl feminist punk movement was a repercussion to a male-dominated world, media, and over-sexualization of women and unrealistic beauty standards in the early 1990s. Much like the Riot grrrl movement, Burger-a-gogo represents to many in this new fourth wave feminism of 2018, the fight against these times of sexual-assault, sexism, and rape culture.
You can be sure that when men can run a whole country despite having more than 10 sexual allegations, there will be some pissed women and gentlemen with something to say about it. It’s important to notice these inspirational women in this festival and in your everyday life, for the incredible people who do amazing things and not just for their physical attributes. Everyone performing these two days of Burger-a-gogo play an important role in history, as musicians they are the metaphorical chauffeurs of the people who dream of a better future.
THE COATHANGERS
The Coathangers are made up of three multi-instrumental cherry bombs, Minne, Crook Kid, and Rusty Coathanger. The group has a contagious classic garage rock magnetism, similar to The Ramones, but with ovaries. They originally formed with no intent of taking music too seriously in 2006, but are now an important pack of musicians leading the way for other sassy, rebellious women. The Coathangers are from Atlanta, Georgia and began their music careers by touring with fellow Atlantans, The Black Lips. They’ve also hit the road with artists such as Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Ty Segall, and The Birth Defects. The Coathangers recently announced they’ll be touring the east coast with progressive rock icons, Minus The Bear.
With songs titled, “Shut up” and “Love Em and Leave Em”, their pushy dominating spirit is refreshing and addicting. Throughout the years and albums, they’ve always kept true to their sound while simultaneously evolving into a more renowned version of themselves. What makes The Coathangers different compared to other garage bands, is they never cared about the trends, fame, attention, or the materialistic properties that come with a successful music career- all they simply care about is their music. Having been apart of the very first Burger-a-gogo tour in 2014, it honestly wouldn’t be Burger-a-gogo without these ladies. See them NIGHT 1!
DEATH VALLEY GIRLS
If you love 70’s and 80’s glam metal, cheesy horror movies, intrigued by the strange and the wicked, or you’re a witch, you will totally worship the music of Death Valley Girls. Patty Schemel of Hole, her brother Larry on guitar, Bonnie Bloomgarden, and bassist Rachel Orosco all formed the group in 2013. Laura Kelsey of The Flytraps (who are also performing Burger-a-gogo night 1) replaced Schemel on drums not long after they released their first album ‘Street Venom” in 2014. Contrary to the name, Death Valley Girls are not from Death Valley, California but are from Los Angeles (“the valley”). Vocally, Bonnie Bloomgarden is on fire. Bloomgarden’s voice is beastly, bratty and on the verge of straight up theatrical. Instrumentally, there is a perfect amount of fuzz and evil. These howling guitars and shrieking solos could summon some neighborhood black cats and maybe even a demon or two. Rock-n-roll is far from dead and very much alive in Death Valley Girls. Fall under their spell on NIGHT 1!
THE FLYTRAPS
Loud, nasty, sassy, and can probably pound a beer faster than your man, The Flytraps are exactly what the world needs right now. With lyrics like, “the female of the species is more deadly than the man” off the track “Female of the Species” (Burger x Volcom Studios Cyber Singles), they emanate female strength and are not afraid to be aggressive. They’ve been screaming and creating garage rock faster, harder, and louder since 2012. They don’t follow trends, they refuse to be anyone but themselves, and they don’t care about achieving any standards but their own. We can learn a lot from these screaming females like going against the status quo, living loud, and being yourself (especially if you’re a wild woman). These ferocious garage-punk babes from Orange County will be up in your face and exploding your eardrums on NIGHT 1 of Burger-a-gogo!
FEELS
Feels is this incredible garage band from Los Angeles. Laura Geronimo, Shannon Lay, Michael Rudes, and Amy Allen will be the minds responsible for the all the fuzz and dirty riffs you’ll be hearing on NIGHT 1 of BURGER-A-GOGO! Laena Geronimo, the lead vocal/guitarist of feels is destined to be the future of rock n roll due to the fact that her father is Alan Myers, the original drummer of DEVO. Her father could be partly responsible for her musical genius that ignites this band. Another LA musical mastermind of Feels is the orange-haired punk Shannon Lay. Lay has been touring solo after finishing her folksy/woodsy masterpiece of an album, “Living Water”. Feels last LP was released in 2016 and produced by the one and only, Ty Segall and their next album ”Sophomore” is set to release in spring of this year. Feels is especially well-known for their boisterous live shows, and that’s somewhat of a warning but mostly something you should be stoked about because it’s not everyday you experience rock and roll delivered by organically talented musicians who know how to fully engage and excite a crowd. Punk, garage, post-rock’n’roll, psychedelic grunge, whatever you want to label Feels as, you can’t deny they kick ass and they’ll probably kick yours at this festival!
DENGUE FEVER
Dengue Fever is the wild card of Burger-a-gogo, you definitely haven’t heard anything like them. Contrary to the actual disease, this Dengue Fever will not induce vomiting, muscle pains, or a gross rash; instead, they may promote dancing! Their musical structure is groovy and mysterious, it’s jazzy on top of psychedelic. Los Angeles brothers, Ethan and Zac Holtzman got really into Cambodian psychedelic music and formed the group in 2001 to originally cover well-known Cambodian artists. Eventually, the two brothers got together with popular Cambodian singer Chhom Nimol, and the gang has been creating their own take on Cambodian and international psychedelic music since. Travel through music and experience this otherworldly group on NIGHT 2!
WINTER
Samira Winter was devoted to music the moment she picked up her first guitar at the age of 12 years old. This indie American-Brazilian singer/songwriter will be performing NIGHT 2 of this year’s Burger-a-gogo fest. Growing up on her father’s punk records and getting into shoegaze in college, her influences are bold yet dreamy just like the music she creates. Her songwriting triggers the imagination along with the entrancing soundscapes and humming of hypnotic synthesizers. Check out her set and get enchanted!
SUMMER TWINS
No strangers to this festival of honeys, Summer Twins have always been an important ingredient to this festival since the very beginning. Founded in 2008 by Chelsea and Justine, two sisters from Riverside, California. Their dreamy surf-pop sounds are heavily influenced by the melodies of retro pop artists of the 1950’s and 60’s. Chelsea plays guitar as Justine drums and the two both harmonize and compliment each other’s voices beautifully over the tunes of not caring about what people think, relationships, and crushes. Catchy jingles and feminine vocals over sweepy guitars are just a few of the reasons why you’ll be swooning for them on NIGHT 2 of Burger-a-gogo!
PATSY’S RATS
Patsy’s Rats was formed by Portland couple, Patsy Gelb and Christian Blunda. Patsy is the former bass player of the garage-rock group, Scavenger Cunt. From time to time, Gelb additionally takes part in her father’s band, Giant Sand. Her mother, whom is also a bass player participated in Giant Sand and was momentarily a member of The Go Go’s, she also co-wrote “Mad About You” with Belinda Carlisle. Christian Blunda was former member of Mean Jeans, which is this hilariously silly party-punk band that uses tons of catchy alliteration and sings about getting stoned (“Stoned 2 the Bone”), drinking while crying (“Tears in My Beers”), and jumping on pogos with friends (“Let’s Pogo B4 U Gogo”). Together they create this ridiculously rad fast-paced, American power-pop band, Patsy’s Rats. See them perform on NIGHT 2 of the festival!
BURGER-A-GO-GO TOUR NIGHT 1
The Coathangers, Death Valley Girls, The Flytraps, Feels
Visual projections & environs provided at every stop by Mad Alchemy Light Show & Burger!
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2.19.18 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent
www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1582472
2.21.18 - Eugene, OR - HiFi Music Hall
www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1602671
2.22.18 - Vancouver, BC - The Rickshaw Theatre
bplive.electrostub.com/event.cfm?id=189930
2.23.18 - Portland, OR - Dante's
www.ticketweb.com/event/burger-a-go-go-w-dantes-tickets/7837975?pl=dante
2.24.18 - Seattle, WA - The Crocodile
www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1600328
2.26.18 - Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst Atrium
www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1602377
2.27.18 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up
bellyupsolanabeach.frontgatetickets.com/event/z0nvhb0tb2cl9fc8
3.1.18 - Las Vegas, NV - Beauty Bar
www.ticketbat.com/event/burger-a-go-go-night-one
3.2.18 - Los Angeles, CA - 1720
www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1602831
3.3.18 - Long Beach, CA - Alex's Bar
BURGER-A-GO-GO TOUR NIGHT 2
Dengue Fever, Winter, Summer Twins, Patsy's Rats
Visual projections & environs provided at every stop by Mad Alchemy Light Show & Burger!
__________________________________________________________________________
2.20.18 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent
www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1582482
2.22.18 - Eugene, OR - HiFi Music Hall
www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1602693
2.23.18 - Vancouver, BC - The Rickshaw Theatre
bplive.electrostub.com/event.cfm?id=189929
2.24.18 - Portland, OR - Dante's
www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=7837995
2.25.18 - Seattle, WA - The Crocodile
www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1600329/
2.27.18 - Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst Atrium
www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/160238
2.28.18 - San Diego, CA - Music Box
musicboxsd.frontgatetickets.com/event/sfgikjp213x8cgxp
3.2.18 - Las Vegas, NV - Beauty Bar
www.ticketbat.com/event/burger-a-go-go_-night-two
3.3.18 - Los Angeles, CA - 1720
www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1602829/
3.4.18 - Long Beach, CA - Alex's Bar
BURGER-A-GOGO Spotify Playlist
Coverage by Sade De La Espriella
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