Review & photos by Andrew Bansal
May 9th 2014, The Redwood Bar, Los Angeles CA: Portland/San Francisco-based trio Prizehog have been spreading their brand of ‘celestial space sludge’ for the past eight years. They released their third full-length album ‘Re-Unvent The Whool’ via Portland’s underground record label Eolian Empire in March, and embarked on a five-week US headline tour with a hometown show on May 2nd. Traveling the treacherous road DIY style and making their way through the West Coast, they arrived in downtown Los Angeles for an intimate gig at the Redwood Bar last night.
They shared the stage with four local bands, and because of the long lineup, their set time was shorter than what they’ve been usually doing on this tour which was a pity, but nonetheless, the 25-minute set they did play was a great taste of their musicianship. They started out with the tune ‘Whoady’ off of the latest album and through guitarist Rion and drummer Zakk’s combined onslaught along with Veronica’s keyboard segments laden with spacey passages and vocal samples, Prizehog presented a blend of crushing sludge and psychedelic jams that was powerful enough to hold the audience in a trance. The sludge/doom genre is usually associated with a very dark, serious vibe, but Prizehog bring forth a variant of the style as the keyboard parts give the music an uplifting touch that lends a degree of mysticism and humor to it, as is clear from the manner in which their short set unfolded here.
Prizehog’s performance not only shed positive light on the strength of their latest compositions, but also showcased the sheer musical creativity of the city they dwell in, where the abundance of bands in this genre might give a casual outsider the impression that they all sound the same, but upon taking a closer look and listen, it’s evident that each one of them is doing something to stand out on their own, and for that reason, it’s important for these bands to continue touring, no matter how much effort it takes to carry out the task in old-school DIY fashion. Albeit for a very short duration, I’m grateful to have been able to witness the talents of Prizehog, and wish for their swift return, hopefully for a longer set. If you’re truly into heavy music of any and all kinds, give Prizehog a listen.
Watch the music video for ‘Whoady’:
Prizehog links:
Prizehog.net
facebook.com/Prizehog
Remaining Tour Dates:
5/10/2014 The Tin Can – San Diego, CA w/ Ghetto Blaster
5/11/2014 C St – Flagstaff, AZ w/ New Gods
5/12/2014 Sister Bar – Albuquerque, NM w/ Fando
5/13/2014 Three Links – Dallas, TX w/ Bludded Head, Spacebeach
5/14/2014 Vinos – Little Rock, AR
5/15/2014 Springwater – Nashville, TN w/ Tijuana Goat Ride
5/16/2014 TBA – Birmingham, AL
5/17/2014 The Highlander – Atlanta, GA
5/18/2014 The Foxfield – Columbia, SC w/ Burnt Books
5/19/2014 TBA – Richmond, VA
5/20/2014 Gold Bar – Baltimore, MD w/ Vaz, Multicult
5/21/2014 Kung Fu Necktie – Philadelphia, PA w/ Vaz
5/22/2014 Cake Shop – Manhattan, NY w/ Insect Ark, Columboid
5/23/2014 Saint Vitus Bar – Brooklyn, NY w/ Vaz, Mossenek, Collapsible Baton
5/24/2014 AS220 – Providence, RI w/ Vaz, Tinsel Teeth
5/25/2014 O’Brien’s – Boston, MA w/ Vaz
5/26/2014 The Lair – Buffalo, NY w/ Fox 45, Tainted, Jerry Grind
5/27/2014 TBA – Pittsburgh, PA/Cleveland, OH
5/28/2014 Beat Kitchen – Chicago, IL w/ arbogast
5/29/2014 Quarters – Milwaukee, WI w/ Soup Moat
5/30/2014 The Hexagon Bar – Minneapolis, MN w/ The Funeral and the Twilight
5/31/2014 Trumpet Blossom – Iowa City, IA w/ Acoustic Guillotine
6/01/2014 TBA – Omaha, NE
6/02/2014 Bar Bar – Denver, CO w/ Echo Beds
6/03/2014 The Parlor Bar – Laramie, WY w/ Unpaid Butlers
6/04/2014 Burts Tiki Lounge – Salt Lake City, UT w/ Cornered By Zombies, The Great Sabatini
6/05/2014 Filling Station – Bozeman, MT w/ Acheron Thodol
6/06/2014 Zootown Arts Community Center – Missoula, MT
6/07/2014 The Big Dipper – Spokane, WA w/ Hooves
6/08/2014 Black Lodge – Seattle, WA w/ Don Peyote, Same Sex Dictator