FROM: KRISTINE ASHTON-MAGNUSON/LIBBY HENRY/SHAZILA MOHAMMED
TIGER ARMY
ARE OFF TO A STRONG START AS NEW ALBUM
‘III: GHOST TIGERS RISE’ IMPACTS THE BILLBOARD AND CMJ CHARTS AND EARNS CRITICAL ACCLAIM;
JULY 10 & 11 CD RELEASE SHOWS AT LOS ANGELES’ HOUSE OF BLUES SELL OUT THREE WEEKS IN ADVANCE;
BAND’S IN-STORE SIGNING DRAWS OVER 700 RABID FANS AT O.C.’S VIRGIN MEGASTORE;
BAND SHOOT VIDEO FOR FIRST SINGLE ‘ROSE IN THE DEVIL’S GARDEN,’
“…poised to be the next great punk band…made two incredible albums for Hellcat Records, both of which lent credibility to the phrase ‘American Psychobilly’…songs like the near-ballad ‘Rose Of The Devil’s Garden’ and even the upbeat stomper ‘Atomic’ seem destined to be classics…When you dig beneath the skillfully slapping bass and ‘50s guitar twang, the new disc even boasts a bit of ‘80s new wave that’s reminiscent of the Smiths or the Cure.”
–Ryan Downey, Alternative Press (June 2004)
Los Angeles-based psychobilly rockers TIGER ARMY are garnering critical acclaim for their newly-released album III: GHOST TIGERS RISE (Hellcat/Epitaph). The disc–an adrenalized meld of 50’s rockabilly, with punk and gothic overtones–debuted at #146 on Billboard’s Top 200, selling over 9,000 copies in its first week. Other strong Billboard debuts include #2 on the magazine’s Alternative New Artist Album and #5 on the New Artist Albums chart. Over 700 rabid fans waited in line to have items signed by TIGER ARMY at their in-store appearance on June 30 at the Virgin Megastore in Orange County, CA where the band signed copies of III: GHOST TIGERS RISE (released the previous day) and other memorabilia items for over three and a half hours.
III: GHOST TIGERS RISE is now tearing up the CMJ charts, moving up to #31 from #40 this week on the Top 200 chart and up to #49 from #60 on the Core Chart. In retail news, the album has debuted in the #2 spot on the LINCS chart(Southern California record-stores).
TIGER ARMY–NICK 13 (vocals, guitar) GEOFF KRESGE (stand-up bass, vocals) FRED HELL (drums)–are set to celebrate their CD release with two sold-out headlining gigs at the House Of Blues-Sunset Strip on July 10 and 11. These 1,100 capacity (per night) shows sold-out three weeks in advance.
In other news, TIGER ARMY shot a video last week at the Alexandria Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. The video for their darkly emotive first single “Rose In The Devil’s Garden” features atmospheric footage of the band and fire-eating model Masuimi Max. Directed by Vince Haycock (HIM), the video is set for release in mid-July just before the band joins the Vans Warped Tour for the East Coast stretch from July 20-August 19. This trek follows the band’s consistently sold-out headlining dates.
Here are a few critical soundbites for III: GHOST TIGERS RISE:
“If you’re unfamiliar with the sub genre of psychobilly, it’s punk rock fused with 50’s style rockabilly. One of the bands at the forefront of this style is Tiger Army, who more specifically sounds like AFI fused with the Brian Setzer Orchestra. Tiger Army is back with their third album, III: GHOST TIGERS RISE, which delivers more of their unique sound, involving tremolo drenched guitars and click and pop upright bass.”
–Jared Thompson, OUTBURN, July-October 2004
“The fathers of American Psychobilly have returned from the dead with their new full-length GHOST TIGERS RISE. Although the album is more well-suited to quiet contemplation than moshing, it still retains Tiger Army’s distinct psychobilly sound, just with a little less psycho and more ‘billy. This is not saying they have lost one bit of intensity; things have just slowed down a notch. Nick 13’s voice is as captivating as ever and will have you savoring every note that passes his blessed evil vocal chords…Ladies and Gentlemen, prepare to swoon, because GHOST TIGERS RISE is packed with emotion that truly penetrates you and leaves you satisfied.”
–Owen Ray, ZERO, July 2004
“After months of impatient drooling, Tiger Army’s eager following finally has something to tear into with the band’s third release; and as expected the tiger came through like a clawed, striped hurricane. Still shunning heavy studio gloss, the band holds its own with little more than the bare essentials, growing instead musically and lyrically. The trademark punk streak is broken, albeit gracefully, by bouts of curious guitar work and dark love-song poetics. Nick 13’s lead vocals shine, and the opening lift created by the first two tracks goes straight to the cortex.”
— Peter Kimmich, SYNTHESIS, July 2004
Catch TIGER ARMY on the following tour dates:
DATE CITY VENUE
Headlining CD release shows
Sat 7/10 Los Angeles, CA House of Blues Sunset
Sun 7/11 Los Angeles, CA House of Blues Sunset
Vans Warped Tour ’04
Tue 7/20 Milwaukee, WI Marcus Amphitheatre
Wed 7/21 St. Louis, MO UMB Bank Pavilion
Thur 7/22 Indianapolis, IN Verizon Amphitheatre Lot
Fri 7/23 Cleveland, OH Tower City Amphitheatre Lot
Sat 7/24 Chicago, IL Tweeter Center
Sun 7/25 Minneapolis, MN Metrodome Lot
Mon 7/26 Kansas City, KS Verizon Amphitheatre Lot
Tue 7/27 Louisville, KY Belvedere Entertainment Pav. (Warped Jr.)
Wed 7/28 Atlanta, GA Hi Fi Buys Amphitheatre Lot
Thur 7/29 Orlando, FL Central Florida Fairgrounds
Fri 7/30 Tampa, FL Vinoy Park
Sat 7/31 Miami, FL Pompano Beach Lot
Sun 8/1 Jacksonville, FL Jacksonville Fairgrounds
Mon 8/2 Charlotte, NC Verizon Amphitheatre Lot
Tue 8/3 Virginia Beach, VA Verizon Wireless Lot
Wed 8/4 Washington, DC Nissan Pavilion Lot
Thur 8/5 Pittsburgh, PA Post Gazette Pavilion
Fri 8/6 Philadelphia, PA Tweeter Center at the Waterfront
Sat 8/7 New York, NY Randall’s Island
Sun 8/8 Englishtown, NJ Englishtown Raceway
Tue 8/10 Hershey, PA Hersheypark Pavilion
Thur 8/12 Quebec City, PQ Colisee Pepsi Parking Lot
Fri 8/13 Montreal, QB Parc Jean Drapeau
Sat 8/14 Toronto, ON Molson Park
Sun 8/15 Detroit, MI Pontiac Silverdome
Mon 8/16 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center Lot
Tue 8/17 Columbus, OH Germain Amphitheatre
Wed 8/18 Buffalo, NY Darien Lakes PAC
Thu 8/19 Boston, MA Gillette Stadium Parking Lot
Please let us know if you’d like to interview the band, review the CD or need cover art. For more information, log onto: www.tigerarmy.com or www.hell-cat.com.
Contact MSO: 818-380-0400
Kristine Ashton-Magnuson (national press, LA and NY shows)
ext. 233 kashton@msopr.com
Libby Henry (national press, LA and NY shows)
ext. 224 lhenry@msopr.com
Shazila Mohammed (tour press)
ext. 231 shazila@msopr.com
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