As far as instrumental post-rock melodramatics, it doesn’t get much better than Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Godspeed has reunited in mid 2010, and have since toured sporadically and played a few scattered festival dates. This is their first long-form tour since reuniting, all tour schedules consisting of a few dates that span no more than a month.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor crawled slowly to pseudo-mainstream attention with a few underappreciated releases in the late 90’s. But it was Godspeed’s release of their 2002 album, Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven” that really gained them a cult following. The album, upon release, was rather overlooked, but it gathered them a formidable following in the years after, eventually culminating in a return from retirement.
There is currently no confirmation of any future Godspeed You! Black Emperor music, though fans and hints have surfaced that possibly show brief recording and possible plans for future music.
The group fit the post-rock brethren that consists of the Icelandic group Sigur Ros, the instrumental group Tortoise, and the American group Explosions in the Sky who have just recently released their latest album, Take Care, Take Care, Take Care to critical acclaim.
Post-rock is a wide genre, but its common attributes are mostly instrumental, long songs that often are considered movements, and orchestration and strong climaxes and build-ups. Godspeed’s music is primarily instrumental, and their most respected album consists of four songs all clocking in at 20 minutes+.
View the tour dates below, because you shouldn’t expect them to return anytime soon:
07/14 – Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival
09/23 – Asbury Park, NJ @ ATP’s I’ll Be Your Mirror
10/01 – Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre
10/02 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
10/03 – Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live
10/04 – Carrboro, NC @ Cats Cradle
10/05 – Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theatre
10/06 – Birmingham, AL @ Bottletree
10/07 – New Orleans, LA @ Tipitinas
10/09 – Austin, TX @ The Mohawk
10/10 – Austin, TX @ The Mohawk
10/11 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theatre
10/12 – Nashville, TN @ Cannery Ballroom
10/13 – Louisville, KY @ Headlines Music Hall
10/14 – Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre
