Sled Island & CITR present: Lydia Lunch RETROVIRUS + Stucco + guests

 Lydia Lunch RETROVIRUS

Lydia Lunch may well have invented no wave when she erupted upon the downtown New York scene of the late ‘70s and fronted the revolutionary Teenage Jesus and the Jerks. Considered to be one of the defining movements of music’s last half-century, no wave has been explored in the Brian Eno-curated New York No Wave compilation, countless articles, a book and by just about every discordant musician to exist since. For a great primer on Lunch herself, check out the 2019 doc Lydia Lunch: The War is Never Over.

Throughout her career, Lunch has defied convention in many ways outside of music. Her singular voice has lent itself to film, poetry, spoken word, books, comics, podcasting and even self-empowerment. Her collaborators include Sonic Youth, Einstürzende Neubauten, Nels Cline, Hubert Selby Jr. and innumerable others.

Hostile, vulgar and unfiltered, Lunch’s iconic swagger is something everyone wants but few could handle; partly why she never entered the mainstream system. Her company Widowspeak Productions handles all her recording and publishing, including the career-hopping live album Retrovirus (2013) — also the name of her current performance vehicle.

Made up of Lunch and “all-star cast of sonic brutarians” Weasel Walter, Kevin Shea and Tim Dahl, Lydia Lunch RETROVIRUS will tackle Lunch’s works from 1977 to present via selections from previous bands like Teenage Jesus and the Jerks and 8 Eyed Spy, or classic albums Queen of Siam and Shotgun Wedding, wading into territories of no wave, hard rock, psychedelia, “illustrated word” and “jazz noir” in the process. 

This blueprint aside, the work of Lydia Lunch is predictable to no one. You will be frightened, perplexed and engrossed by what you see. If you’re open enough, you will also be tremendously inspired.

Stucco

On the cusp of the pandemic, Stucco was formed as a recording project to keep its members busy while the world was put on hold. Featuring members of DRI HIEV and Slut Prophet, Stucco makes propulsive post-punk that uses rhythm and repetition to reel you in.

Shearing Pinx

Shearing Pinx has been making irrepressibly weird no wave since 2005. The group’s songs can take many forms, from two-minute bursts of punk to extended, eerie passages of ambience. What binds the work together is boundary-pushing experimentalism and unapologetic discordance.

Parisian Orgy

Originally the solo project of Gwen Morgan (Uncanny Valley), Parisian Orgy has blossomed into a four-piece, outré synth-pop/punk band. Regular live performers in Calgary, the group’s buzzing synths and snarling surrealism must be seen to be believed. After releasing debut album Come Pretty Pump Sleep in 2019, Parisian Orgy was one of the artist’s featured on Sled Island’s Lemonade Stand compilation.

About Sled Island

The Sled Island Music & Arts Festival is a five-day, multi-venue festival taking place June 22 - 26, 2022. The full festival lineup and schedule is now available on SledIsland.com. 

Everyone has the right to feel safe and included at Sled Island. All festival attendees agree to abide by Sled Island's safer spaces and inclusion policy, which can be found here.

Sled Island acknowledges Calgary as the traditional territory of the Blackfoot and the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta, which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Ĩyãħé Nakoda First Nations, including the Chiniki, Bearspaw and Wesley First Nations. Calgary is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III.