SARGENT HOUSE

And So I Watch You From Afar performing their track 7 Billion People Alive All At Once with The Ulster Orchestra at Ulster Hall in Belfast, Ireland on May 21, 2012 - Video taken from a live stream from the BBC.

Zechs Marquise will be playing this years Neon Desert Festival in their hometown of El Paso on May 26th alongside our own Le Butcherettes. In July their Summer co-headlining run with  And So I Watch You From Afar their Sargent House brothers from Belfast, Ireland will take place. Shows are being added still so keep an eye out for updates HERE and always make sure to check directly with venue websites for door times/ set times and age restrictions. This Summer tour is not to be missed! and thanks Pat Cartelli for that rad art you made up above!

May 26th - El Paso, TX @ Neon Desert Festival

ZECHS MARQUISE & AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR- 2012
Jun 30th - Anaheim, CA  @ Chain Reaction
Jul 1st - San Diego, CA  @ The Casbah
Jul 2nd - Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room
Jul 4th - San Antonio, TX  @ The White Rabbit
Jul 5th - Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s
Jul 6th - Austin, TX @ Red 7 
Jul 7th - Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
Jul 8th - Norman, OK @ The Opolis
Jul 10th - St Louis, MO @ The Firebird
Jul 11th - Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen
Jul 12th - Lansing, MI @ Mac’s Bar
Jul 13th - Toledo, OH  @ Mickey Finns
Jul 14th - Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
Jul 16th - Pittsburgh, PA @ Smiling Moose
Jul 17th - Louisville, KY @ Headliner’s Music Hall
Jul 18th - Nashville, TN @ 12th & Porter
Jul 19th - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
Jul 21st - St Petersburg, FL @ local 662 
Jul 22nd - Mobile, AL @ Alabama Music Box
Jul 24th - Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506 
Jul 25th - Baltimore, MD @ Sonar
Jul 26th - Cambridge, MA @ T.T. the Bears
Jul 27th - New York City, NY @ The Studio at Webster Hall
Jul 28th - Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie

ALL UPDATED ZECHS MARQUISE SHOWS & DETAILS HERE

Tomorrow night, Tuesday May 22nd And So I Watch You From Afar will be performing songs specially arranged with The Ulster Orchestra live from The Ulster Hall in Belfast, as part of the The Great Northern Songbook series

You can stream it online live on BBC Radio here, performance starts at 8pm Belfast time / in the United States that would be Noon PST or 3pm EST - Tune in!

(Source: asiwyfash)

And So I Watch You From Afar will be heading to the United States and Canada for a whole bunch of touring with other Sargent House bands. First to Canada for some shows and Sled Island Festival with Russian Circles , Boris and Indian Handcrafts, then to the west coast joining up for some shows with Deafheaven and ending in Los Angeles at the El Rey at the big Sargent House / 1656 Music Show with Chelsea Wolfe also playing.  In July they will do a co-headliner tour with Zechs Marquise. There are still a few more shows to be added so keep an eye out for updates HERE and always make sure to check directly with venue websites for door times/ set times and age restrictions.

AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR & RUSSIAN CIRCLES - 2012
Jun 18th - Winnipeg, MB @ The Park Theatre  w/ Indian Handcrafts
Jun 19th - Saskatoon, SK @ Amigos Cantina w/ Indian Handcrafts
Jun 20th - Calgary, AB @ Dicken’s Pub - Sled Island Fest w/ Indian Handcrafts
Jun 22nd - Vancouver, BC  @ Biltmore Cabaret
Jun 24th - Seattle, WA @ Neumos
Jun 25th - Portland, OR  @ Doug Fir Lounge
Jun 27th - Sacramento, CA @ Harlow’s w/ Deafheaven
Jun 28th - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall w/ Deafheaven
Jun 29th - Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre w/Chelsea Wolfe & Deafheaven

AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR & ZECHS MARQUISE - 2012
Jun 30th - Anaheim, CA  @ Chain Reaction
Jul 1st - San Diego, CA  @ The Casbah
Jul 2nd - Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room
Jul 4th - San Antonio, TX  @ The White Rabbit
Jul 5th - Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s
Jul 6th - Austin, TX @ Red 7 
Jul 7th - Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
Jul 8th - Norman, OK @ The Opolis
Jul 10th - St Louis, MO @ The Firebird
Jul 11th - Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen
Jul 12th - Lansing, MI @ Mac’s Bar
Jul 13th - Toledo, OH  @ Mickey Finns
Jul 14th - Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
Jul 16th - Pittsburgh, PA @ Smiling Moose
Jul 17th - Louisville, KY @ Headliner’s Music Hall
Jul 18th - Nashville, TN @ 12th & Porter
Jul 19th - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
Jul 21st - St Petersburg, FL @ local 662 
Jul 22nd - Mobile, AL @ Alabama Music Box
Jul 24th - Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506 
Jul 25th - Baltimore, MD @ Sonar
Jul 26th - Cambridge, MA @ T.T. the Bears
Jul 27th - New York City, NY @ The Studio at Webster Hall
Jul 28th - Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie

ALL UPDATED ASIWYFA SHOWS & DETAILS HERE

“Sticking around the Button Factory, the venue fills up nicely for Friday’s main attraction, Northern Ireland’s finest, And So I Watch You From Afar. Their set kicks off with a furious rendition of Set Guitars To Kill and S is for Salamander both are fantastic and whip the crowd into frenzy. The Button Factory seems to be the ideal venue for ASIWYFA with them sounding massive and every note is pitch perfect. 7 Billion People and Don’t Waste Time Doing Things You Hate (dedicated to the late Beastie Boy MCA) get the crowd signing along and the band look like they love every minute of it. There is a really special moment with set closer The Voiceless with guitarist Rory and Niall climbing into the crowd and playing the last 3 minutes in the middle of the baying fans. By far the highlight of the day it was a superb performance. “- Niall Flack  (Click to read full review)

DON’T MISS ASIWYFA ON TOUR IN THE USA & CANADA W/ RUSSIAN CIRCLES IN JUNE, THEN WITH ZECHS MARQUISE IN JULY !

Indian Handcrafts will be playing a few Festivals coming up along with some club shows soon. Very excited that they will be meeting up to play with their new Sargent House label mates Russian Circles & And So I Watch You From Afar . damn those shows will be so RIFFY. I think I need to buy my flights…

INDIAN HANDCRAFTS LIVE
May 26, 2012 - London, ON @ The Grickle Grass Festival
Jun 18, 2012 - Winnipeg, MB @ The Park Theatre **
Jun 19, 2012 - Saskatoon, SK @ Amigos Cantina **
Jun 20, 2012 - Calgary, AB @ Dicken’s Pub - Sled Island Music Festival **
Jun 21, 2012 - Calgary, AB @ Ship & Anchor Pub - Sled Island Music Festival
Jul 14, 2012 - Toronto, ON @ Downsview Park - EdgeFest 2012 

** w/ Russian Circles & And So I Watch You From Afar

SEPT 2012 - Victoria, BC @ Rifflandia Festival 2012

MORE IH SHOWS TBA SOON - Check HERE for details and Updates

Sled Island Festival in Calgary just keeps getting better. Just announced is our third band to join the bill this year, Canada’s own Indian Handcrafts (BITCHING RIFFS) who join Russian Circles (CHUGGING RIFFS) and coming over from Belfast And So I Watch You From Afar (JOYOUS RIFFS). Together they will all represent the House of Sargent. And as a bonus treat the three bands will be playing together shows in Winnepeg and Saskatoon - Don’t Miss out Canada… They are all Wicked.

Russian Circles / And So I Watch You From Afar / Indian Handcrafts
June 18, 2012 - Winnepeg, CA @ Park Theater
June 19, 2012 - Saskatoon, CA @ Amigos Cantina
June 20, 2012 - Calgary, CA @ Dickens ( all three bands)
June 21, 2012 - Calgary, CA @ Ship & Anchor Pub (Indian Handcrafts only)

and then….
Russian Circles & And So I Watch You From Afar will tour together for more shows in the USA and Indian Handcrafts will head back East to play Toronto’s Edgefest

Click here to see ALL Russian Circles SHOWS
Click here to see ALL And So I Watch You From Afar SHOWS
Click here to see ALL Indian Handcrafts SHOWS

This is a really great and interesting documentary made by the good folks at The Community of Independents Collective that work through Dublin Community Television. I got interviewed for it when I was back in Dublin last October. It explores the  Independent music scene and the ever changing concepts of DIY.  It has many good friends both bands, labels and journalists as well that I have met on my Irish travels. And of course it prominently features our own boys from Belfast, And So I Watch You From Afar and Dublin’s Adebisi Shank and our brother Mick Roe from the label, The Richter Collective . You don’t have to be Irish to get what they are talking about, because in the end if you love music and you believe in the true Independence we all know it all goes back to FUGAZI! XO /ENJOY/ CP

(Source: youtube.com)

Russian Circles will be playing some Canadian shows including Calgary’s Sled Island Festival along with label mates

And So I Watch You From Afar coming over from Belfast

and Canada’s own Indian Handcrafts.

Russian Circles and ASIWYFA will then hit the States and join up with Deafheaven for a few shows as well. Below are all the Russian Circles shows. As for ASIWYFA, they will be continuing on their own US tour starting around July 5th with some other Sargent House bands to be announced soon. These shows will ALL RULE. You would be a fool to miss it. Riffs and Chugg for life.

RUSSIAN CIRCLES / AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR
Jun 18, 2012 - Winnipeg, MB (CA) @ The Park Theatre ^^
Jun 19, 2012 - Saskatoon, SK (CA) @ Amigos Cantina ^^
Jun 20, 2012 - Calgary, (CA) @ Dicken’s at Sled Island Festival ^^
Jun 22, 2012 - Vancouver, BC (CA) @ Biltmore Cabaret ^
Jun 24, 2012 - Seattle, WA (US) @ Neumos ^
Jun 25, 2012 - Portland, OR (US) @ Doug Fir Lounge ^
Jun 27, 2012 - Sacramento, CA (US) @ Harlow’s **
Jun 28, 2012 - San Francisco, CA (US) @ Great American Music Hall **
Jun 29, 2012 - Los Angeles, CA (US) @ El Rey Theatre ** Special Guest TBA
Jul 02, 2012  - Denver, CO (US) @ Bluebird Theater - Russian Circles only
Jul 03, 2012  - Kansas City, MO (US) @ The Riot Room - Russian Circles only

^ w/ Russian Circles, And So I Watch You From Afar
^^ w/ Russian Circles, And So I Watch You From Afar & Indian Handcrafts
** w/ Russian Circles, And So I Watch You From Afar & Deafheaven

Back in the USSR, they don’t know how lucky they are; in the midst of a typically hot and humid South By Southwest festival in Texas, And So I Watch You From Afar are looking back on an ever so slightly cooler environment when they last visited Russia for a tour which nonetheless proved to be hotter than they could ever have imagined.

“It was like -25c, really harsh conditions, so the daytimes would maybe be a bit of a slog and be hard work, freezing cold. But then the crowds at night would just make it so worthwhile,” they tell Live4ever in this exclusive SXSW interview.

The Irish group also found time to candidly discuss all details behind the shock exit of influential band member Tony Wright and the subsequent arrival of long-time friend Niall Kennedy, as well as why they were dancing around the garden after landing a coveted support slot with Them Crooked Vultures.

Live4ever with And So I Watch You From Afar at South By Southwest 2012. You played our showcase which was broadcast by VenueOne.com yesterday lads – how did you feel about it?
Really enjoyed it, really liked the venue. We heard that place is pretty new as a venue on the South By list. Yeah, thought it was great, really, really enjoyed it – nice set-up, good line-up, good mix of bands, think you guys put on a really good line-up.

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And So I Watch You From Afar have a little chat with Venue One while in Austin at this years SXSW Festival. You can see a ton of other live videos of ASIWYFA courtesy of VenueOne.com HERE

Gilbert Potts was pretty impressed by “Gangs”, the latest album from Irish instrumental progressive/post rock outfit And So I Watch You From Afar (ASIWYFA). Guitarist Rory Friers was more than happy to share his views on the early days of the band, playing in Ulster Hall and the difference between being in a recording studio and being on stage…

Changes in life happen mostly fluidly, but sometimes we sit back and think of moments that changed our lives. I’d like to ask about some of those moments, starting with whether in your younger years you saw a band or heard a record and something clicked and you knew music would become your life?

There’s probably been a lot of those moments, sometimes I feel I’m having them too frequently! but there’s definitely been some real markers for me, like when my dad played me “Good Times Bad Times” by Led Zeppelin and we tried to work out how he was playing his kick drum so fast, that whole song just made me want to know more about this weird world I was hearing for the first time, it blew my face off. Don’t even get me started on Queen.

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And So I Watch You From Afar will be headlining a few shows in Spain and France, starting on Saturday, April 14th in Barcelona. All Dates below and all individual show details can be seen HERE 

AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR LIVE 
Apr 14, 2012 - Barcelona,  (ES) @ Sala Becool w/ Atleta
Apr 15, 2012 - Madrid,  (ES) @ Moby Dick
Apr 18, 2012 - Porto,  (PT) @ Plano B w/ O Bisonte
Apr 20, 2012 - Lyon, R-A (FR) @ Marché Gare w/ No Shangsa
Apr 21, 2012 - Paris,  (FR) @ Nouveau Casino w/ Geste 

Released in 2011, “Gangs” caused quite a stir. It’s one of those records that got played a lot by people who don’t normally listen to instrumental music as well as those who live off the stuff. The verdict was overwhelmingly one of being knocked down by the explosion of sound – mainly the distorted, metallic, atonal riff-fest found on a few tracks. While the word “eponymous” is generally used to mean “self-titled” in describing records, it the case of their 2009 debut it also took the meaning of the band giving their name to a sound. The consensus in 2011 was that these guys remain innovators rather than followers.

Looking back on it I understand the excitement but on listening again some months on and alongside other great releases of 2011-12, some of the cracks are a little wider. For example, I find some of the repetition of the squealing riffs continues too long in parts. It’s a great sound but a little annoying in the end. Regardless, the niggles simply see me rating this an eight and a half when it would probably have scored a nine or more the first times I heard it.

One of the most noticeable aspects of “Gangs” is how tightly And So I Watch You From Afar (ASIWYFA) play, with an instinct that only comes from putting in the hard work. All reports I’ve had tell me this is a quartet that knows how to play live and it’s evident in their recorded work.

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