Omar Rodriguez Lopez

The word “supergroup” can be a tricky term. It’s one of those words that has a habit of raising expectations, and that’s not always a good thing. Bosnian Rainbows are certainly an act who fit firmly into the supergroup category, made up of former The Mars Volta members Omar Rodríguez-López and Deantoni Parks, plus Le Butcherettes vocalist Teri Gender Bender, and Nicci Kasper on keys.

Considering this musical prog-punk pedigree, it’s no wonder how hard it is to get close to the stage of London’s 100 Club for the band’s headline set. This intimate venue has built its reputation on being the place where numerous punk legends, such as Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Adicts, have cut their teeth.

This proves to be a fitting lineage for tonight’s show. The low ceiling and tightly packed crowd give proceedings a sweaty house party feel. And as Bosnian Rainbows take the stage, cheers are hushed into near silence and the band launches straight into the sinister synths of ‘Eli’, the opening track from their forthcoming self-titled album.

The fact that the band have been constantly on tour since their inception in 2012 shines through as the four-piece instantly come together like a tightly honed machine. Rodríguez-López’s virtuoso guitar work fits seamlessly with the pounding beats and rhythmic synths of Parks and Kasper.

It’s clear, however, that the stage belongs to leading lady Teri Gender Bender. Having a name reminiscent of ’70s punk icons like Poly Styrene is no accident. Her stage presence is drenched in gloriously exhibitionist spirit as she dominates the stage like a cross between Alice Glass and Patti Smith.

As the pulsing intro to ‘I Cry For You’ starts, she stands, head bowed with her arms visibly shaking. It’s as though she’s channeling the sound with her body and directing it out through the speakers like a disheveled voodoo priestess.

At one point during the song she begins lurching forward, before hitting herself square on the head with the microphone and launching herself off the stage and onto the crowd.

The intensity between the four-piece mounts as they break into ‘Torn Maps’, standing close and shooting knowing glances at each other. Then the full force of the track bursts forth and Gender Bender runs across the stage to meet the dumbfounded front row, before hurtling back to to join the rest of the band for an extended version of ‘Turtle Neck’.

The closing track, ‘Mother, Father, Set Us Free’, which also serves as the closing track to their album, proves to be a well-chosen end point. Its dark pulses of fuzzy synths build insidiously under Gender Bender’s visceral delivery. She breaks into an anthemic crescendo that sees her climb on top of the huge guitar amp at the back of the stage, standing aloft, gesturing wildly and smiling manically at the crowd. A point at which nobody is entirely sure what she’s going to do next.

This ominous air of suspense is fitting to the intense tone of the night. Bosnian Rainbows deliver pure, unadulterated energy and inject enough adrenaline to keep the crowd going for days. “Supergroup” may be a tricky term, but tonight, this band earns it. 

Words: James Appleyard

See all Photos by: Andrew Novell

Bosnian Rainbows have just announced more US shows and some more European & South American festival plays in support of their upcoming debut album release on June 25, 2013 on Sargent House and in Europe on Clouds-Hill on June 28th.  The album is now available for Pre-Order on Vinyl, CD and digitally on Itunes in the US and in Europe HERE.



SEE ALL BOSNIAN RAINBOWS SHOW DETAILS HERE

BOSNIAN RAINBOWS  2013
May 25, 2013 - El Paso, TX @  Neon Desert Music Festival
May 28, 2013 - Dallas, TX @ Trees w/ Zorch
May 29, 2013 - Austin, TX @ Red 7 w/ Zorch
May 30, 2013 - Houston, TX  @ HOB - Bronze Peacock w/ Zorch
June 21, 2013 - Schiphorst, DE @ Avantgarde Festival
June 24, 2013 - San Diego, CA @ Casbah
June 25, 2013 - Los Angeles, CA @ First Unitarian Church
June 26, 2013 - Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
June 27, 2013 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
July 01, 2013 - Bogota, Columbia @ Rock Al Parque Festival
July 10, 2013 - Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
July 12, 2013 - Washington DC @ U Street Music Hall
July 13, 2013 - Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts
July 14, 2013 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
July 16, 2013 - Hamden, CT @ The Spaceland Ballroom
July 18, 2013 - Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
July 19, 2013 - Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell’s
July 20, 2013 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Altar Bar
July 21, 2013 - Columbus, OH @ The Basement
July 23, 2013 - Cincinnati, OH @ Taft Theatre
July 24, 2013 - Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge
Aug 02, 2013 - Cork, Ireland @ Indiependent Festival
Aug 16, 2013 - Groningen, Holland @ Noorderzon Festival
Aug 17, 2013 - Hasselt, Belgium @ Pukkelpop Festival
Aug 31, 2013 - Copenhagen, DE @ Vega w/ Tomahawk
Sept 01, 2013 - Oslo, Norway @Rockefeller Music Hall w/ Tomahawk
Sept 02,2013 - Stockholm, Sweden @ Debaser Media w/ Tomahawk
Sept 04, 2013 - Helsinki, Finland @ Circus w/ Tomahawk
Sept 06, 2013 - Berlin, Germany @ Berlin Festival 
Oct 26, 2013  - Asheville, NC @ Mountain Oasis Festival

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez is a restless creative force, with endless musical projects as guitarist and producer, his own label and an accelerating sideline as an experimental filmmaker. In the past, he’s walked away from popular bands just to follow his muse into some unexpected directions, but says a brief reunion tour last year with At the Drive-In mattered more to him than many of us will ever know.

The raging, hard-rock quintet grew up together in El Paso, Texas, recorded for Beastie Boys’ Grand Royal label, traveled the world and had a frenzied radio hit with “One Armed Scissor” before breaking up in 2001. Their reunion tour was short, but the band is active in other ways. This week came the wide release of reissues of ATDI’s 1996 album debut, Acrobatic Tenement, and the career-defining (and final release) Relationship of Command on their brand new label, Twenty-First Chapter.

At the Drive-In – which also includes singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala, guitarist Jim Ward, bassist Paul Hinojos and drummer Tony Hajjar – have scattered to other projects, leaving the future unknown. The Mars Volta, the post-ATDI post-punk/prog act led by Rodriguez-Lopez and Bixler-Zavala, is officially broken up, too, but the guitarist is already deep into Bosnian Rainbows, his band with singer Teri Gender Bender of Le Butcherettes. Next week, Bosnian Rainbows begin a European tour with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (plus a few dates in Texas and California) and release a self-titled debut album on June 25th.

Rodriguez-Lopez spoke with Rolling Stone about his new band, making music and movies and his eternal attachment to At the Drive-In.

A year ago, you were in the middle of a short reunion tour with At the Drive-In, starting with Coachella. How was that for you?
It’s the best thing that could have happened at that moment. For me personally, it was the most trying time in my life, the hardest obstacle to overcome in my life. In terms of being around loving people I grew up with, I couldn’t have asked for a better situation.

What were you going through?
A week before having to get onstage, my mother passed away. I barely even talk about it now, a year later. At the time, just to get onstage was a chore. So I was around these guys, practicing in my friend’s garage. It couldn’t have been a better group of people to be with.

Is there something special about playing with guys you grew up with?
The level of trust and the feeling that a group of people truly know you can never be replaced. We spent seven years in that band. We grew up together, so it’s that feeling that these people truly love you. Right at the end of the band, we played our last show in L.A. at the Palace, and Wayne Kramer [of the MC5] said, “Man, you love these guys. You’ll go on to do many things in your life, but cherish these moments because it’s never like this again.” That sums it all up for me.

Read More

Bosnian Rainbows continue their non stop touring and will head back out  starting on May 6th in Berlin with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs playing some club dates of their own before returning to the United States for Neon Desert Festival in El Paso on May 25th to kick off their Texas shows with Zorch. Newly announced album release shows are in June on the West Coast. Then in August they head back to Europe for  more Festivals and shows with Tomahawk. We will be announcing many more shows soon, so stay tuned. Bosnian Rainbows self titled debut album comes out on June 25, 2013 on Sargent House and in Europe on June 28, 2013 on Clouds Hill.


SEE ALL BOSNIAN RAINBOWS SHOW DETAILS HERE

BOSNIAN RAINBOWS  2013
May 06, 2013 - Berlin, Germany @ Columbiahalle w/ Yeah Yeah Yeahs
May 07, 2013 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso
May 08, 2013 - Paris, France @ Olympia w/ Yeah Yeah Yeahs
May 09, 2013 - Brussels, Belguim @ Magasin 4
May 10, 2013 - Rotterdam, Netherlands @ Rotown
May 12, 2013 - London, UK @ 100 Club
May 14, 2013 - Hamburg, Germany @ Knust
May 25, 2013 - El Paso, TX @  Neon Desert Music Festival
May 28, 2013 - Dallas, TX @ Trees w/ Zorch
May 29, 2013 - Austin, TX @ Red 7 w/ Zorch
May 30, 2013 - Houston, TX  @ HOB - Bronze Peacock w/ Zorch
June 24, 2013 - San Diego, CA @ Casbah
June 25, 2013 - Los Angeles, CA @ First Unitarian Church
June 26, 2013 - Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
June 27, 2013 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
Aug 02, 2013 - Cork, Ireland @ Indiependent Festival
Aug 16, 2013 - Groningen, Holland @ Noorderzon Festival
Aug 17, 2013 - Hasselt, Belgium @ Pukkelpop Festival
Aug 31, 2013 - Copenhagen, DE @ Vega w/ Tomahawk
Sept 01, 2013 - Oslo, Norway @Rockefeller Music Hall w/ Tomahawk
Sept 02,2013 - Stockholm, Sweden @ Debaser Media w/ Tomahawk
Sept 04, 2013 - Helsinki, Finland @ Circus w/ Tomahawk
Sept 06, 2013 - Berlin, Germany @ Berlin Festival 

Rock it Out! Blog recently caught up with Bosnian Rainbows, the new band led by Omar Rodríguez-López and Teri Gender Bender of Le Butcherettes, prior to their show at the Bottom Lounge in Chicago. We spoke about the state of The Mars Volta, the formation of Bosnian Rainbows, and how Teri feels connected to outer space when performing.

Los Chidos, the latest film by Omar Rodriguez Lopez debuted in the narrative competition at SXSW 2012 will now make its Los Angeles debut with a special limited engagement of a week long of screenings at the Downtown Independent located at 251 S. Main Street - Los Angeles, CA. Opening night is March 29th and will also have a Q&A with Omar Rodriguez Lopez and drinks after that evenings screening. Make sure to get your tickets reserved. Additional screening times for each play are below.

LOS CHIDOS at Downtown Independent

Friday, March 29th: 8pm screening
*Q&A with Omar Rodiguez Lopez at 9:40pm, drinks 10:15-11pm*
Saturday, March 30th: 4pm
Sunday, March 31st: 5:30pm
Monday, April 1st: 9pm
Tuesday, April 2nd: 7pm
Wednesday, April 3rd: 9pm
Thursday, April 4th: 1pm

RESERVE YOUR TICKETS NOW

Bosnian Rainbows head to Mexico next weekend to play at the Vive Latino Festival in Mexico City on March 15th then off to Guadalajara to play with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs on March 16th. The band has also just been announced to play in El Paso, TX on May 25th at this years Neon Desert Music Festival.  (photo above by Dustin Rabin)

SEE ALL SHOW DETAILS HERE

Check out some live video of Bosnian Rainbows in Chicago below

Read More

(Source: Billboard)

MEXICO (AP) — El guitarrista Omar Rodríguez-López fue el más sorprendido cuando supo que el vocalista Cedric Bixler-Zavala, con quien 12 años antes formó la popular agrupación de rock The Mars Volta, anunció su salida del proyecto a través de su cuenta de Twitter.

Ante el asombro de los seguidores de la banda, Bixler-Zavala publicó hace unos días una serie de mensajes donde acusó a Rodríguez-López de ser uno de los principales responsables de la ruptura, tras haber dedicado su tiempo y energías a su nuevo proyecto, Bosnian Rainbows.

“Así como nuestros seguidores, yo tampoco he logrado entender muy bien los mensajes de Cedric, pero por lo que él escribió, The Mars Volta no existe más. Él dijo que ya no era un integrante del proyecto, y como su amigo y compañero, respeto su decisión”, dijo el guitarrista puertorriqueño a The Associated Press en una entrevista exclusiva vía telefónica desde la ciudad estadounidense de Atlanta.

Con un tono sentido, el vocalista mexico-estadounidense agradeció en Twitter el apoyo y cariño a los seguidores del grupo formado en El Paso, Texas. “Gracias a todos los fans de The Mars Volta, ustedes merecían más… Traté de seguir con toda mi fuerza pero no puedo sentarme aquí y seguir fingiendo. Ya no soy más un integrante de The Mars Volta. Les agradezco que hayan comprado nuestros discos y que hayan venido a nuestros conciertos”, escribió Bixler-Zavala en la red social de microblogueo el 23 de enero pasado, mismo día en que Bosnian Rainbows estrenó el sencillo “Torn Maps”.

Read More

The Mars Volta have split and At the Drive-In’s reunion came and went, but Omar Rodríguez-López has been hard at work with his new group, Bosnian Rainbows. Their new song “Turtle Neck” shimmers with wavy, lush guitars and unhurried percussion before shifting to sprawling textures and morphing tempos. It cuts loose in the second half, turning into a spacey post-hardcore assault of jagged chords and gut-punching drums.

“Turtle Neck” is on Bosnian Rainbows forthcoming debut album, out this spring. They’ll hit the road for two weeks starting February 15th in Atlanta and continuing through February 28th in Minneapolis, before playing the Mexico City’s Vive Latino on March 15th.
SEE ALL TOUR DATES HERE

click above to hear “Turtleneck” at Rolling Stone

This savage satire written, directed and produced by Omar Rodriguez Lopez topped my list of most excellent American Latino films that popped up in 2012. Los Chidos cracked people’s faces when it premiered in competition at SXSW last year, as you can tell by the savvy mainstream and hard core cult film critic quotes in the trailer.  Having seen the film thrice, I can appreciate this sneaky and clever approach in contextualizing the film’s mad provocation. Thanks to Adam Thomson (editor/producer) for giving me a first look.  Enjoy.  More screening play dates to be announced soon and a unique distro plan is likely.  Follow @ORLProductions if you are not already trying to keep up with Omar’s progressive and nonstop music and film creating endeavors.

Bosnian Rainbows will be heading East to play some shows in February 2013. Joining them on all shows as support will be Marriages.


BOSNIAN RAINBOWS US / CANADA SHOWS 2013
Feb 15, 2013 - Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
Feb 16, 2013 - Asheville, NC @ Asheville Music Hall
Feb 17, 2013 - Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar
Feb 18, 2013 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
Feb 19, 2013 - New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom
Feb 20, 2013 - Allston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
Feb 22, 2013 - Montréal, QC @ Cabaret du Mile-end
Feb 23, 2013 - Toronto, ON @ The Mod Club (Early Show)
Feb 24, 2013 - Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew’s Hall
Feb 25, 2013 - Cleveland Heights, OH @ Grog Shop
Feb 26, 2013 - Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge
Feb 27, 2013 - Madison, WI @ Majestic Theater
Feb 28, 2013 - Minneapolis, MI @ Fine Line Music Cafe

Mar 15, 2013 - Mexico City, Mexico @ Vive Latino Festival

SEE ALL SHOW DETAILS HERE

What the critics have been saying about Bosnian Rainbows Live
Here was a band welcomed as new heroes. It was amazing to be part of - so all-inclusive and intimate. It felt like many in the audience had just discovered their new favorite band.” - Stuff (New Zealand - Live Review)

“Omar, clearly a man who constantly requires brand new blood to sustain him, he hasn’t been this energized since The Mars Volta early days, and with an album due to drop in 2013 this just might be the most exciting project yet” - Rock A Rolla - Live Review London, UK

Read More

At The Drive-In and The Mars Volta guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez has unveiled the first track from his new band Bosnian Rainbows. The track is titled ‘Torn Maps’ and you can hear it below


Rodriguez-Lopez, who announced in late 2012 that he and At The Drive-In frontman Cedric Bixler had placed The Mars Volta on hiatus, is joined in the new outfit by drummer Deantoni Parks, keyboardist Nicci Kasper and singer Teri Gender-Bender, who is also a member of noise experimentalists Le Butcherettes.


Speaking to NME about his new band, the axeman revealed that the band’s debut album was recorded in Germany in late 2012 and will be released later this year. He said: “We recorded the record over in Europe, we did a tour across Europe and we recorded the album in Hamburg, Germany. It’s been done for a while and we’ve decided to put it out this year. We’re really happy with it.”

Rodriguez-Lopez has previously collaborated with Gender-Bender on his 2012 solo album ‘Octopus Kool Aid’ and has also recorded extensively with Kasper. Speaking about this, he said: “I’ve collaborated with all three of these artists before. I worked with Teri from Le Butcherettes on a solo record of mine, maybe a year or two ago. I also worked with her on the second Butcherettes record, I realized just how wonderful a musician she is.”


He continued: “I invited Deantoni Parks into The Mars Volta as our drummer, as a hired musician. But, as I got to know him, I realised ‘Wow, this guy is a brilliant composer’. He works as hard as me and he’s got thousands of songs in his catalogue. We must have made six records together over the years. It’s the same thing with Nicci Kasper, we all love writing music. It’s really something else.”

The guitarist also spoke about the different approach he has taken when it comes to writing material with his new band, compared to his days in The Mars Volta, adding: “It’s the classic thing, you stick with one way of doing things for so long that you start to crave a different way of working.”
He continued: “I did eight years in At The Drive-In being in a collective, so after that I wanted something where I was in charge and no one asked me any questions. After 11 years then in The Mars Volta of doing that, I found myself feeling very lonely and I felt like I abandoned my friendships, so I’ve decided to focus on this band.”

Rodriguez-Lopez also spoke about Bixler and revealed that the singer is currently working on his debut solo album, which will mainly consist of acoustic. Asked if he was missing working with Bixler, who he has worked with for almost 20 years, the guitarist said: “It’s been very strange being without Cedric. It’s one of those bittersweet moments, it’s great for both of us because he’s making this great solo record, which is more of an acoustic thing. I’m really excited to hear another side of him and to work on music without me. He’s composing all the music, playing all the instruments, literally doing everything himself, rather than just singing over the top of my songs.”

Bosnian Rainbow’s as yet untitled debut album is due for release later this year. The band are set to tour extensively in support of the record.

SEE ALL TOUR DATES HERE

Omar Rodriguez Lopez’s film The Sentimental Engine Slayer on DVD is now available to order. We also have a special bundle deal that includes a choice of shirt and the limited edition poster. ORDER yours now HERE

(Source: rlp.hellomerch.com)

http://omarrodriguezlopez.bandcamp.com/