If you’ve been frequenting this site over the past couple of years, you may be familiar the Los Angeles, CA-based garage rock quartet of Death Valley Girls. And although they’re comprised of founding members Bonnie Bloomgarden (lead vocals) and Larry Schemel (guitar), along with Nicole Smith (bass) and Laura Kelsey (drums), the quartet have deliberately shrouded themselves in mystery to the point that very little is actually known about the members of the band, besides the fact that they’re incredibly photogenic and that their sound and aesthetic is deeply influenced by old-school B movies and biker movies; in fact, they’ve been known to arrive at gigs wearing all leather and parking their beaten up bikes in old-school biker club formations. Of course, over the years I’ve written about a number of the band’s singles including “Gettin’ Hard,” a single that sonically owes a debt to The Stooges, The Troggs, The Ramones and contemporary acts including Lantern, while “Summertime” had the band taking up shimmering reverb-filled garage psych rock.”I’m A Man, Too,” off the quartet’s recently released effort Glow In The Dark further cemented their reputation for crafting old-school leaning garage, psych rock with punk rock leanings; however in a bratty song that indirectly channeled Cyndi Lauper‘s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” The Go-Gos, The B52s, Nancy Sinatra and others after a night of vodka, gin and cigarettes.
“Disco,” the latest single off Glow In The Dark is a jangling and propulsive bit of psych rock, complete with droning organs that sounds as though it were indebted to The Jesus and Mary Chain but with a sneering, punk rock air — and a badass, in your face, self assuredness. Interestingly, the recently released music video was directed by Kansas Bowling, who recently directed BC Butcher, the latest release from proprietors of all things low budget gore and horror, Troma Films. As a result, the video is a proper send off to all things go-go but with a Satanic murderess, who kills people with records.
The band will be on an extensive tour throughout the fall and it includes a late September stop at Brooklyn’s Shea Stadium. Check out tour dates, below.
US TOUR DATES:
8/19 – San Francisco, CA – The Independent w/ The Coathangers
9/2 – San Francisco, CA – Milk Bar
9/8 – Eugene, OR – Luckey’s Club
9/9 – Seattle, WA – Black Lodge
9/10 – Vancouver, BC – The Cobalt
9/11 – Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios
9/12 – Tacoma, WA – The Valley Pub
9/13 – Spokane, WA – The Observatory
9/15 – Boise, ID – The Olympic Venue
9/16 – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court
9/18 – Denver, CO – Hi-Dive
9/19 – Lawrence, KS – Replay Lounge
9/22 – Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle
9/24 – Detroit, MI – Third Man Records
9/25 – Toronto, ON – The Bovine
9/26 – Montreal, QU – L’Escogriffe
9/27 – Boston, MA – O’Briens Pub
9/28 – Jersey City, NJ – Monty Hall
9/29 – Brooklyn, NY – Shea Stadium
9/30 – Philadelphia, PA – Kung Fu Necktie
10/1 – Washington,DC – Comet Ping Pong
10/3 – Nashville, TN – Third Man Records (after party at DRKMTTR)
10/4 – Atlanta, GA – 529
10/7 – New Orleans, LA – Siberia
10/8 – Austin, TX – Hot Burrito Fest
10/11 – El Paso, TX – Monarch
10/13 – Las Vegas, NV – The Griffin
10/14-16 – Joshua Tree, CA – Desert Daze Festival