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Influential Emo Band American Football Play Brooklyn Bowl London
Posted On Monday, August 24th
[caption id="attachment_4453" align="alignnone" width="605"]
(Photo: Shervin Lainez)[/caption]
Mike Kinsella (vocals, bass, and guitar), Steve Lamos (drums and trumpet), and Steve Holmes (guitar) were just three university kids enjoying the summer when they formed the emo/math-rock band American Football outside of Chicago in 1997. A self-titled EP (stream it below) arrived in 1998, with an acclaimed eponymous full-length (stream it below), filled with uncommon time signatures and jazz-influenced chords, released the following year. But then that was pretty much it, with each member going off to do his own thing afterward. And that’s where this story would end if the influential American Football (below, performing “Summer Ends” live in New York City) hadn’t reunited — with the addition of Mike’s cousin Nate Kinsella — last year to celebrate the 15th anniversary of their LP, which was rereleased with bonus tracks and demo recordings. According to Paste magazine, “The album serves as what indie rock should be about, synthesizing the musical world around us, not dividing and separating,” and per the A.V. Club: “American Football proved that a brief existence doesn’t preclude a band from casting a long shadow.” That shadow arrives in the UK this week when American Football arrive for three appearances, including one on Thursday at Brooklyn Bowl London.
(Photo: Shervin Lainez)[/caption]
Mike Kinsella (vocals, bass, and guitar), Steve Lamos (drums and trumpet), and Steve Holmes (guitar) were just three university kids enjoying the summer when they formed the emo/math-rock band American Football outside of Chicago in 1997. A self-titled EP (stream it below) arrived in 1998, with an acclaimed eponymous full-length (stream it below), filled with uncommon time signatures and jazz-influenced chords, released the following year. But then that was pretty much it, with each member going off to do his own thing afterward. And that’s where this story would end if the influential American Football (below, performing “Summer Ends” live in New York City) hadn’t reunited — with the addition of Mike’s cousin Nate Kinsella — last year to celebrate the 15th anniversary of their LP, which was rereleased with bonus tracks and demo recordings. According to Paste magazine, “The album serves as what indie rock should be about, synthesizing the musical world around us, not dividing and separating,” and per the A.V. Club: “American Football proved that a brief existence doesn’t preclude a band from casting a long shadow.” That shadow arrives in the UK this week when American Football arrive for three appearances, including one on Thursday at Brooklyn Bowl London.