Have you ever wished that your daily existential crisis about the state of the world was accompanied by a steady bassline and driving beat? Lo-Fi Art Punks BODEGA are the band for today’s anxieties and anger in the face of technology’s grip on us all, having to hustle in a minimum wage job serving food that costs more than you make in an hour to pay rent, or just forgetting the name of that guy you’ve met too many times to ask for his name again.
Consisting of guitarist/vocalist Ben Hozie, vocalist/sampler Nikki Belfiglio, bassist Heather Elle, lead guitarist Madison Vandam, and a new addition in standing percussionist Tai Lee, BODEGA follow a long proud tradition of New York bands playing guitar heavy tracks while not feeling beholden to their CBGB’s forebearers. The quintet forms their own mold by combining hip hop and riot grrrl influences with krautrock beats to their snarky, satirical lyrics that have you laughing and singing along before you realize the truth hidden behind those layers of irony.
After releasing last years excellent Austin Brown (of Parquet Courts) produced Endless Scroll, BODEGA has been on a sprawling tour that’s culminated in this months raw and pulsating live album release Witness Scroll that features plenty of their studio album highlights along with a new track, “No Vanguard Revival”, and a track from the bands precursor BODEGA BAY.
This Thursday, February 28th, you can see BODEGA play those tracks, along with a few, as of yet unreleased, songs at Kantine am Berghain supported by Berlin’s own Brabrabra and Beijing’s Gong Gong Gong for what’s sure to be a jittery blast that you won’t want to miss.
by Kevin Sampaio
