I suppose when your band’s name starts with the letter Z, you tend to be pushed toward the end of the line. It’s almost like society and technology have succumbed to a first-grade mentality. Seriously, just check out your iTunes artist queue; if there are any bands starting with Z, they’re way down at the bottom. I guarantee it! Although iTunes does give you the option to reverse the order in which your artists appear, you don’t do it, do you. It’s as if those Z bands deserve to appear last on the totem pole as a mere consequence of their moniker. It just wouldn’t seem fair the other way around.
Then came Brooklyn trio Zs, who said “fuck all that, our band name isn’t going to start with the letter Z, it IS the letter Z, pluralized.” Therefore, the band have taken that letter and rocketed it to the very top of the alphabetical hierarchy. This fact speaks something about the unique music that Zs create, one that will in fact be thrust upon the European masses with the coexisting fury and calm that is their sound.
Starting July 25, Zs will embark on a two-week scramble through Europe, exposing the ins and outs of their latest full-length, New Slaves (TMT Review), which came out May 11 via The Social Registry. The album turned out to be so magnificent that the entire TMT staff felt it necessary to open all the office windows and shout “Eureka!” in harmonic unison. It was a sight to see and a sound to hear. The band’s goal with this tour is to dispel the nagging notion that they are “just a letter.” Good luck to them.
07.25.10 - Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic - Velbloud
07.26.10 - Vienna, Austria - Rhiz
07.27.10 - Tolmin, Slovenia - Sajeta Festival
07.28.10 - Faenza, Italy - Clandestino
07.29.10 - Geneva, Switzerland - L’Usine
07.30.10 - Lyon, France - Grrrnd Zero
08.01.10 - London, UK - Whitechapel Gallery
08.02.10 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club
08.03.10 - Bristol, UK - Start The Bus
08.04.10 - Gent, Belgium - Cafe Video
08.05.10 - Berlin, Germany - Schokoladen
08.07.10 - Katowice, Poland - Off Festival
08.08.10 - Kosice, Slovakia - Tabacka
08.09.10 - Brno, Czech Republic - Brno House of Arts
• Zs: http://www.zzzsss.com
• The Social Registry: http://www.thesocialregistry.com
