It’s been nearly a week since the Coachella lineup was unveiled, and there’s little elaboration on one of this year’s surprises: the unlikely reunion of the Violent Femmes for the two-weekend California festival this April, something once thought impossible because of the bad blood engendered over a Wendy’s TV commercial.
While the band itself appears to have made no public pronouncements or detailed any further reunion plans, drummer Victor DeLorenzo did provide a statement to the Journal Sentinel newspaper in the Femmes’ hometown of Milwaukee:
“The band is looking forward to seeing many new and old faces in the crowd and hopes people will still enjoy our Wisconsin-grown version of folk/punk music! Not quite sure what might happen beyond those two performances at the moment, but it will be a monstrous thing of beauty to see and hear us together once again in California!”
Whether the Femmes, who split more than five years ago, play shows beyond the April 13 and 20 slots at Coachella remains to be seen. But apparently bassist Brian Ritchie has overcome his anger toward frontman Gordon Gano, after having sued the singer over his decision to license the band’s masturbation-themed hit “Blister in the Sun” for use in a 30-second Wendy’s TV spot.
Of late, Ritchie, who lives in Tasmania, has been playing bass with The Break, an instrumental surf-rock combo featuring members of Midnight Oil, and also helped the Dresden Dolls perform the Femmes’ classic debut at a festival last year. As for Gano, he surfaced in Denver last fall for a couple shows with a tribute band called Dirty Femmes.
Violent Femmes tour dates:
April 13: Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Indio, CA
April 20: Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Indio, CA
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Video: Ceremony covers Violent Femmes’ ‘Kiss Off’ for The A.V. Club
- Video: Dresden Dolls, Mick Harvey, Brian Ritchie perform Violent Femmes’ debut
- Brian Ritchie enlists The Dresden Dolls, Mick Harvey to perform Violent Femmes’ debut
- Midnight Oil, Violent Femmes members form instrumental surf-rock band The Break
Come to Austin!!!! This Wisconsin native would LOVE to see one of my own!!!
I envy the folk going to these shows…I remember driving to the Cat’s Cradle and seeing them perform! Mind you, they started the show outside and then marched in and onto the stage…a great night in the ol’ memory bank!
I just did an encyclopedia entry on these guys and now they reform? Damn it!
That was the academic in me speaking. As for the arrested adolescent in me, I’m glad they’re sharing a stage again. Maybe we’ll get an album out of them? One can only hope.
I interviewed their long-time sax player, Pete Balestrieri, about life with the band just last week. Good timing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSXuEzvGH7M
“… a monstorous thing of beauty to see and hear us…”
Are they letting Peter Hook do their press?!? How very self important that statement is.