Bof-pic2

Banjo or Freakout added to our pre-SXSW party, playing SXSW, MtyMx, other NYC shows & more - 2010 dates, MP3

by Bill Pearis

DOWNLOAD: Banjo or Freakout – Left it Alone (MP3)

Banjo or Freakout

In addition to Casiokids, Let’s Wrestle and The Wave Pictures, we’ve added a fourth band to our Pre-SXSW party at Knitting Factory on March 15: Banjo of Freakout. I’m excited to have them on an already great bill. Tickets are only $8 and on sale now.

Italian native, now London resident Alessio Natalizia has been recording under the BoF name for over three years. You could make comparisons to the current crop of chillwavers, but I think Banjo or Freakout are more direct descendents of Spacemen 3, crafting layered Sunday Morning dreampop that glides on the breeze. You can check out his most recent single, “Left it Alone,” at the top of this post. And if you want to hear more, check out blogs from both Banjo or Freakout and their UK label, Half Machine. Lots more to download there, including some interesting cover versions.

This won’t be Natalizia’s first time in New York, as he spent three weeks of early 2010 recording his debut album at Rare Book Room Studio in Greenpoint.  And Banjo or Freakout, who’re currently touring with The Soft Pack in the UK, will play a few shows in NYC in addition to ours before heading to SXSW and Todd P’s MtyMx festival, including a March 11 stop at Market Hotel with Miho Hatori, and then March 13 at Pianos with Casiokids again, and Italy’s A Classic Education (who played one of our CMJ day parties last year).

All tour dates and the lovely videos for “Left it Alone” and “Upside Down” are below.

Banjo or Freakout – Left it Alone

Banjo or Freakout – Upside Down

Banjo or Freakout – 2010 Tour Dates
Feb 24 Cabaret Voltaire w/ The Soft Pack Edinburgh
Feb 25 Rocket w/ The Soft Pack Leeds
Feb 26 Bodega w/ The Soft Pack Nottingham
Feb 27 Academy 3 w/ The Soft Pack Birmingham
Mar 11 Market Hotel w/ Dam Funk, Miho Hatori New York
Mar 13 Pianos w/ A Classic Education, Casio Kids New York
Mar 15 Knitting Factory (BrooklynVegan presents) w/ Wave Pictures, Casiokids and Let’s Wrestle New York
Mar 17 SXSW – PRS official showcase Austin
Mar 17 SXSW – Weekly Tape Deck party Austin
Mar 17 SXSM – Monstrosity Party Austin
Mar 18 SXSW – Spaceland party Austin
Mar 19 SXSW – My Old Kentucky party Austin
Mar 20 SXSW – Austin
Mar 21 Todd P MtyMx Fest Monterrey!!