For the First Time in Ten Years, James Chance and the Contortions Will Flip Faces in NYC, Also Plan New Album

Hot on the heels of Teenage Jesus and the Jerks’ June reunion concert, the hardest working man in No Wave, James Chance and his indispensable Contortions, will take the stage for the first time in a decade at New York’s City’s P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center this Saturday (August 30). Chance’s longtime collaborator Robert Aaron as well three original contortionists round out the band’s latest incarnation, but Chance has dedicated the evening’s performance to the Contortions’ original guitarist, the late Jerry Agony.

With 2008 marking the 30th anniversary of the legendary Brian Eno-curated No New York compilation, No Wave has managed to once again subvert its way back into the unpopular consciousness. Along with these two recent reunions, this year Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore and journalist Byron Coley published a memoir about the genre titled No Wave: Post-Punk. Underground. New York 1976-1980. Also in ’08, the entire recorded catalog of No New York alumnus Mars was finally released in a clean, non-water damaged format, via the 31-minute long Mars LP.

In addition to such confrontational classics as “Contort Yourself” and “I Can’t Stand Myself,” The Contortions will perform new songs from a forthcoming album. At the moment, there are no further details about the new record nor has the group announced any plans for a tour, but if this 2008 No Wave renaissance keeps cooking, in a few months James Chance and his impeccable coif might just stroll into your town! Keep your fingers crossed, America!

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