Viagra Boys made their U.S. live debut @ Elsewhere Zone One (pics)
Sweden's Viagra Boys stopped in Brooklyn on their way to SXSW on Tuesday night to play their first-ever U.S. show. Veterans of Stockholm's punk scene, "boys" they are not but the band put on quite the entertaining show. Maybe it was the bigger emphasis on keyboards and syn-drum sounds at this show, or maybe it was because Elsewhere was playing Freedom of Choice before the show, but Viagra Boys come off much closer to Devo live which, to me, is more interesting than what you get on last year's very good Street Worms. They played a lot of that record, including tongue-in-cheek single "Sports" (whose irony seemed lost on a few dudes standing near me) and sax-fueled album standout "Just Like You." Tattoo-covered frontman Sebastian Murphy (who moved to Sweden from California) came out in a suit but was soon shirtless and sweaty, bringing an unironic level of sleaziness to to the packed, tiny Elsewhere Zone One. Great set.
Keeping the whole night very devolutionized was Future Punx, whose mutant take on new wave fit right in. Pictures from the show are in the gallery above.
You've got a bunch of chances to see Viagra Boys at SXSW, then they'll return to NYC to play Rough Trade on April 5 (tickets) as part of their tour with Montreal's Pottery (who play the free BrooklynVegan/Margin Walker/M for Montreal day party on Thursday). All tour dates are listed below.
VIAGRA BOYS - 2019 TOUR DATES
THU 14 MARCH - SXSW 2019 AUSTIN, TX, US
SAT 16 MARCH - THE VOLSTEAD LOUNGE AUSTIN, TX, US
SAT 16 MARCH - BURGERMANIA 2019 AUSTIN, TX, US
WED 20 MARCH - THE ECHO LOS ANGELES, CA, US
THU 21 MARCH - THE INDEPENDEN TSAN FRANCISCO, CA, US
SAT 23 MARCH - MISSISSIPPI STUDIOS PORTLAND, OR, US
SAT 23 MARCH - MISSISSIPPI STUDIOS PORTLAND, OR, US
SUN 24 MARCH - BARBOZA SEATTLE, WA, US
MON 25 MARCH - FOX CABARETV ANCOUVER, BC, CANADA
WED 27 MARCH - 7TH STREET ENTRY MINNEAPOLIS, MN, US
THU 28 MARCH - THE EMPTY BOTTLE CHICAGO, IL, US
FRI 29 MARCH - EL CLUB DETROIT, MI, US
FRI 29 MARCH - EL CLUB DETROIT, MI, US
SAT 30 MARCH - HARD LUCK BAR TORONTO, ON, CANADA
SUN 31 MARCH - BAR LE RITZ PDB MONTREAL, QC, CANADA
TUE 2 APRIL - GREAT SCOTT ALLSTON, MA, US
WED 3 APRIL - JOHNNY BRENDA'S PHILADELPHIA, PA, US
FRI 5 APRIL - ROUGH TRADE NYC BROOKLYN, NY, US
SAT 6 APRIL - DC9 NIGHTCLUB WASHINGTON, DC, US
FRI 12 APRIL - BROKEN DREAMS AUDITORIUM BORLÄNGE, SWEDEN
FRI 19 APRIL - NÖJESFABRIKEN KARLSTAD, SWEDEN
FRI 26 APRIL - ÅRE SESSIONS 2019 ÅRE, SWEDEN
SAT 27 APRIL - SUBUMEÅ, SWEDEN
SAT 11 MAY - BOILEROOMGUILDFORD, UK
SUN 12 MAY - GOLD SOUNDS FESTIVAL 2019 LEEDS, UK
TUE 14 MAY - RECORD JUNKEESHEFFIELD, UK
WED 15 MAY - THE CLUNY 2NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, UK
THU 16 MAY - THE HUG AND PINTGLASGOW, UK
FRI 17 MAY - MCHUGHS (BASEMENT BAR)BELFAST, UK
SAT 18 MAY - THE GRAND SOCIALDUBLIN, IRELAND
SUN 19 MAY - RÓISÍN DUBHGALWAY, IRELAND
TUE 21 MAY - CLWB IFOR BACHCARDIFF, UK
WED 22 MAY - SHIPPING FORECASTLIVERPOOL, UK
THU 23 MAY - STUDIO 9294LONDON, UK
FRI 24 MAY – SUN 26 MAY - DOT TO DOT FESTIVAL 2019 MANCHESTER, UK
SAT 25 MAY - DOT TO DOT FESTIVALBRISTOL, UK
SAT 25 MAY - DOT TO DOT FESTIVAL 2019 BRISTOL, UK
SAT 25 MAY - ALL POINTS EAST 2019 LONDON, UK
SUN 26 MAY - NOTTINGHAM - VARIOUS VENUESNOTTINGHAM, UK
SUN 26 MAY - DOT TO DOT FESTIVAL 2019 NOTTINGHAM, UK
SAT 1 JUNE - BEST KEPT SECRET FESTIVAL 2019 HILVARENBEEK, NETHERLANDS
SAT 8 JUNE - NOS PRIMAVERA SOUND 2019 PORTO, PORTUGAL
WED 10 JULY – SUN 14 JULY - DOUR FESTIVAL 2019 DOUR, BELGIUM
THU 11 JULY – SAT 13 JULY - POHODA FESTIVAL 2019 TRENCIN, SLOVAKIA
FRI 12 JULY - POHODA FESTIVAL 2019 TRENCIN, SLOVAKIA
SAT 13 JULY - BILBAO BBK LIVE 2019 BILBAO, SPAIN
SUN 21 JULY - ELECTRIC CASTLE FESTIVAL 2019 CLUJ-NAPOCA, ROMANIA
THU 8 AUGUST – SAT 10 AUGUST - WAY OUT WEST FESTIVAL 2019 GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN
SUN 1 SEPTEMBER - END OF THE ROAD FESTIVAL 2019 SALISBURY, UK
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photos by P Squared