
Boris announces Amplifier Worship Service Tour across North America, performing all songs from their first album. Featuring two drummers and Starcrawler as support, tickets on sale April 26th.
This fall, Boris will trek across North America performing all of the songs off of their beloved first album, Amplifier Worship. Featuring two drummers and an extended backline, this will be a Boris tour not to miss. Starcrawler will support all shows and tickets go on sale Friday, April 26th at 10am local timeā a complete list of tour dates can be found below.
Boris has been in constant pursuit of their own ideal āheavyā since their formation in 1992. From the outset they became like a chimera, evolving at a rapid pace, establishing a unique style with extreme down tuning and mega volume. Their broad sense of āHeavy Rockā swelled grotesquely, as it engulfed powerviolence, ambient and drone, with a trance component of krautrock and so on.
From Tokyo to the world, Boris spread out from the underground community to have their name become more widely known. Five years after their formation, Boris went deep into the beyond of heavy music to make their first album, one that can be said to be a palace constructed in unexplored realms. However, the album by no means serves as a peaceful "end" or resting place/"gravestone" for those compositions. Rather, it was a map to the ābeyondā that Boris drew up at the time, a blueprint pointing to the future. 25 years after the release of Amplifier Worship, that guidance has been revealed: a full length tour for performing all of the songs on the album in a double-drum-format Drone Set.
As a pioneering effort in Drone Metal, a palace under the name of Amplifier Worship was constructed and revealed as both a point of departure as well as a destination. Amplified oscillations and volume, going from anguish to pleasure and back, being in fear as well as in awe at what can be called heavyā we venture into this palace of worship together.
For this tour Boris are taking along Starcrawler, a band that "...intensifies the prayer of rock 'n' roll. This only takes us further into the beyond, embarking on this worship service. Welcome to the ceremony!" comments Boris.
Look for more exciting news from Boris to arrive very soon.
For more information, please visit borisheavyrocks.com.
Boris, Amplifier Worship Service Tour Dates:
September 25 San Diego, CA @ Music Box
September 26 Los Angeles, CA @ Belasco
September 27 Pomona, CA @ Glass House
September 28 Fresno, CA @ Strummer's
September 29 San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
October 1 Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall
October 2 Seattle, WA @ Showbox
October 4 Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Hall
October 6 Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
October 8 Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room
October 9 Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line
October 10 Milwaukee, WI @ Vivarium
October 11 Chicago, IL @ Ramova Theatre
October 12 Indianapolis, IN @ The Vogue
October 13 St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall
October 15 Grand Rapids, MI @ Elevation
October 16 Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew's Hall
October 17 Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
October 18 Pittsburgh, PA @ Tunderbird Music Hall
October 19 Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
October 21 Boston, MA @ Paradise
October 22 Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom
October 23 New York, NY @ Racket
October 24 Baltimore, MD @ Soundstage
October 25 Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle
October 26 Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
October 27 Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
October 29 Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
October 30 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live Midtown
November 2 Tucson, AZ @ 191 Toole
November 3 Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
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Framus Hootenanny Re-Issue Guitars: John Lennonās Favorite Reimagined | PG Plays
Join PG contributor Tom Butwin as he explores all-new versions of the Framus Hootenanny 12-string and 6-string acousticsāmade famous by John Lennon and now available with modern upgrades. From vintage-inspired tone to unique features, these guitars are built to spark creativity.
Positive Grid's Spark NEO offers guitarists a wireless guitar rig built into premium headphones, with AI-powered tone customization, exceptional sound quality, and versatile connectivity.
Positive Grid announces Spark NEO, a groundbreaking wireless guitar rig built directly into premium over-ear headphones. Designed to deliver a seamless, personal guitar experience, Spark NEO combines Positive Gridās award-winning guitar amp technology with true wireless connectivity and AI-powered guitar tone customization.
Spark NEO offers a seamless solution for guitarists seeking exceptional sound quality, advanced tone-shaping tools, and the freedom to play anywhere. Built with custom-designed 40mm drivers and an ultra-lightweight bio-fiber diaphragm, Spark NEO ensures rich, balanced sound for every style of music. The included wireless transmitter instantly pairs any guitar with the headphones for plug-and-play convenience, while Spark NEOās built-in 1/4" input can also support traditional guitar cables, for added versatility.
With four onboard, customizable guitar presets, Spark NEO enables private playing anywhere, free from space limitations or noise constraints. For even more variety, connecting to the free Spark app unlocks additional presets, amps & effects, and advanced tone controls. Spark NEO also doubles as premium BluetoothĀ® headphones, offering exceptional clarity for music, podcasts, and more.
Key Features:
- Optimized for Guitarists: Spark NEO integrates Positive Gridās renowned tone engine, delivering precise sound tailored to electric, acoustic, and bass guitars.
- True Wireless Freedom: A proprietary 2.4GHz system provides reliable, ultra-low latency connectivity between Spark NEO and the userās guitar, for a smooth and stable playing experience.
- AI-Powered Guitar Tone Customization: Create and refine tones effortlessly with AI-driven tools that adapt to every playing style.
- Exceptional Sound Quality: Precision-engineered drivers deliver clarity and balance for both guitar playing and music listening.
- Portable Design: Spark NEOās compact, foldable build and rechargeable battery with up to six hours of play time make it easy to take anywhere.
Built for Guitarists
Spark NEO bridges the gap between traditional guitar setups and modern technology. Unlike using generic headphones with a guitar amp, Spark NEOās integrated design ensures every elementāfrom app to driversādelivers unparalleled performance.
Noise Isolating Design
Spark NEOās ultra-soft, durable ear cups ensure a comfortable fit. With advanced damping materials, tuned venting, and precise port adjustments, Spark NEO provides passive noise isolation, letting every musical detail shine without external interference. Jam with backing tracks or favorite songs without disturbing a soul.
Enhanced Creativity with Spark App
The Spark App expands Spark NEOās capabilities with access to 33 amps and 43 effects, plus over 100,000 tones on Positive Grid's online ToneCloud. Auto Chords helps players learn and jam along with any song by displaying its chords in real time as the song plays, while customizable presets offer endless creative possibilities. Play with backing tracks or along with favorite songs. Whether practicing, playing, or experimenting, Spark NEO delivers unmatched flexibility for guitar players at every level.
Availability and Pricing
Spark NEO is priced at USD $199, including the headphones, wireless transmitter, and full access to the Spark App. It will be available soon on Positive Gridās website, Amazon, and select retailers.
For more info, please visit positivegrid.com.
This Japan-made Guyatone brings back memories of hitchinā rides around the U.S.
This oddball vintage Guyatone has a streak of Jack Kerouacās adventurous, thumbing spirit.
The other day, I saw something I hadnāt noticed in quite some time. Driving home from work, I saw an interesting-looking fellow hitchhiking. When I was a kid, āhitchersā seemed much more common, but, then again, the world didnāt seem as dangerous as today. Heck, I can remember hitching to my uncleās cabin in Bradford, Pennsylvaniaāhome of Zippo lightersāand riding almost 200 miles while I sat in a spare tire in the open bed of a pickup truck! Yes, safety wasnāt a big concern for kids back in the day.
So, as Iām prone to do, I started digging around hitchhiking culture and stories. Surprisingly, there are organized groups that embrace the hitching life, but the practice remains on the fringe in the U.S. Back in the 1950s, writer Jack Kerouac wrote the novel On the Road, which celebrated hitchhiking and exposed readers to the thrill of maverick travel. Heck, even Mike Dugan (the guitarist in all my videos) hitched his way to California in the 1960s. But seeing that fellow on the side of the road also sparked another image in my brain: Yep, it always comes back to guitars.
Let me present to you a guitar thatās ready to go hitching: the Guyatone LG-180T, hailing from 1966. The āthumbs-upā headstock and the big āthumbā on the upper bout always made me think of thumbing a ride, and I bought and sold this guitar so long ago that I had forgotten about it, until I saw that hitchhiking dude. Guyatone was an interesting Japanese company because they were primarily an electronics company, and most of their guitars had their wooden parts produced by other factories. In the case of the LG-180T, the bodies were made by Yamaha in Hamamatsu, Japan. At that time, Yamaha was arguably making the finest Japanese guitars, and the wood on this Guyatone model is outstanding. We donāt often see Guyatone-branded guitars here in the U.S., but a lot of players recognize the early ā60s label Kentāa brand name used by an American importer for Guyatone guitars.
With a bit of imagination, the LG-180Tās āthumbs upā headstock seems to be looking for a roadside ride.
Kent guitars were extremely popular from the early ā60s until around 1966. The U.S. importer B&J fed the American need for electric guitars with several nice Kent models, but when the Guyatone contract ended, so did most of the Kent guitars. After that, Guyatone primarily sold guitars in Japan, so this example is a rare model in the U.S.
āUnless you are a master at guitar setups, this would be a difficult player.ā
This headstock is either the ugliest or the coolest of the Guyatone designs. I canāt decide which. I will say, no other Japanese guitar company ever put out anything like this. You have to give the Guyatone designers a thumbs up for trying to stand out in the crowd! Guyatone decided to forgo an adjustable truss rod in this model, opting instead for a light alloy non-adjustable core to reinforce the neck. Speaking of the neck, this instrument features the most odd-feeling neck. Itās very thin but has a deep shoulder (if that makes any sense). Totally strange!
Another strange feature is the bridge, which offers very little adjustment because of the three large saddles, which sort of rock back and forth with the tremolo. Itās a shame because these pickups sound great! Theyāre very crisp and have plenty of zing, but unless you are a master at guitar set-ups, this would be a difficult player.
This could be why the LG-180T only appeared in the 1966 and 1967 catalogs. After that, it disappeared along with all the other Yamaha-made Guyatone electrics. By 1969, Guyatone had gone bankrupt for the first time, and thus ended guitar production for a few decades. At least we were blessed with some wacky guitar designs we can marvel at while remembering the days when you could play in the back end of an explosive 1973 AMC Gremlin while your mom raced around town. Two thumbs up for surviving our childhoods! PG