destruction-unit-7

Destruction Unit previewed their new record with 2 NYC shows in 24 hours (pics from Union Pool w/ Cheena & Beech Creeps)

photos by Amanda Hatfield, words by Andrew Sacher

Destruction Unit at Union Pool – 6/27/15
Destruction Unit
Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit brought their tour to Brooklyn this weekend, giving us two shows in 24 hours. First they played Palisades on Friday night (6/26) and then got up on Saturday (6/27) for a free afternoon show at Union Pool. The band recently announced a new album (Negative Feedback Resistor, due 9/18 via Sacred Bones), and they used these shows to show off those songs. Considering Destruction Unit are at their best in a live setting, it’s pretty great that they’re doing a lot of the touring for this record before it’s out, allowing us to be introduced to the new songs by the force of their live show rather than through computer speakers.

The new songs have everything that made Destruction Unit great in the past, but judging by these two shows, they might be even better. There’s more fast parts, the heavy parts are heavier, and the psychedelia is mesmerizing as ever. Caught between a headbang-worthy rhythm section and a sensory overload-inducing wall of sound, they simultaneously had part of the crowd at Palisades moshing and another part too tripped out to flail their limbs. And as always, the band were as wild as performers as they are as musicians. Guitarists Jes Aurelius and Nick Nappa constantly shift from wielding their guitars in the air to thrashing away at them. And frontman Ryan Rousseau corners himself at the side of the stage but still gets maniacal, like when he caused a towering PA speaker to fall at Union Pool and played on without flinching as four audience members struggled to fix it.

The Union Pool show, part of the venue’s Summer Thunder series, happened under the roof-covered patio due to rain. This caused the crowd to surround itself around the large bush in the center of the patio. The pictures in this post are from that show, including openers Cheena and Beech Creeps.

More below…

Beach Creeps

Beach Creeps

Beach Creeps

Beach Creeps

Beach Creeps

Beach Creeps

Beach Creeps

Beach Creeps

Beach Creeps

Beach Creeps

Beach Creeps

Beach Creeps

Beach Creeps

Beach Creeps

Cheena

Cheena

Cheena

Cheena

Cheena

Cheena

Cheena

Cheena

Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit

Destruction Unit