poptone - Austin Town Hall

Show Review: Poptone @ The Mohawk (12/7)

December 11, 2017 brian.gray Leave a comment

Bauhaus was a genre defining band. BUT, it was Love and Rockets, Bauhaus minus one Peter Murphy, that I really fanned out about. And then, Tone On Tail, Love and Rockets minus one David J., that created and whole new thing to one-up friends. The curious case where a group minus a member could improve or be a complete thing unto itself was on full display last Thursday night at The Mohawk when Poptone, Daniel Ash and Kevin Haskins with Haskins’s daughter Diva Dompe, brought songs to life that I never thought I would get to see live. The fuzzed out basslines, the distant nearly monotone vocal, the ringing twelve-string or echoed out saxophone – this was as important a show to me as Belle and Sebastian would be to Nathan.

Click through for the rest of my thoughts and so many pics of not just Poptone, but the opener Geneva Jacuzzi and her girl in the bubble performance. …and holy crap it was cold.

Shows

Show Preview: Poptone @ Mohawk Tonight

December 7, 2017 brian.gray Leave a comment

Let this sink in:
“Singer-guitarist Daniel Ash and drummer Kevin Haskins, who spent large swaths of the 80s and 90s performing in the seminal acts Bauhaus, Tones on Tail and Love and Rockets have reunited to form a new band called Poptone with Haskins daughter Diva from BlackBlack.”

Look, I never had the stars align to let me see Love and Rockets, let alone Tones on Tail. Of the half band revival tours going, this may be the best. I peaked at the setlist from previous shows and it makes me so happy, covers the bands covered back then, the best of Ash led songs from Love and Rockets and a Tones on Tail best-of.

If you weren’t affected by the Bauhaus, Love and Rockets or Tones on Tail, pretty sure one of the bands you love was.

Tickets here.

Shows