Since guitarist/composer/multi-instrumentalist/man about town Matt Gagin moved from the United States to Australia, fans of may have been wondering what’s in store for the instrumental rock band. No need to fear! Immovable Objects will be here again. The band announced US tour dates, officially making them an international touring act. Way cool.
“It was a long time coming,” says Matt Gagin, the man behind Immovable Objects, when asked about his recent move to Perth, Australia. “I was just ready to leave and some of the things that were and are happening in the U.S. were weighing on me and I think I needed a break. My wife wanted to be near her family who live in Sydney and Perth, it wasn’t a really hard decision but it took a little time for the Australian government to decide to let me reside in their country.” While waiting for the green light for migration Gagin and Immovable Objects created their most recent recording, I’ll Know to Believe in Sparrows, where the band explores the nuance of the album as a complete piece and the ideas of instrumental music as an emotive and visual experience. For his first return to the U.S. this October, Gagin plans to perform the latest Immovable Objects’ record in its entirety with a video accompaniment. “I feel like the music expresses itself with or without a projected narrative but I think without lyrics or a true front man to engage the audience, and believe me I ‘m no front man, their can be a lack of connection for some people. Others, however, enjoy it more because there is no voice.”
Immovable Objects return to the U.S. October 22nd through 27th for a brief southwest tour. They play San Diego October 26th with Sleep Lady and Gypsy Blood at Bar Eleven. For more tour information, check out their official website.
There are three things you should know about this show. 1) This was my first time using my 35mm camera, so sue me if the images are unsatisfactory. 2) Immovable Objects is more amazing than most. 3) I would have gotten in for free if it weren’t for those meddling kids!…or the meddling bartender.
Ah Bar Eleven. Well aren’t you too cool for school? And too cool for free covers, but I’ll let it pass because your cover is nothing in comparison to how much fun your dark, alluring venue is. Bar Eleven is awesome because you walk in and instantly feel home — and not in an Alcoholics Anonymous sort of way. More importantly, Immovable Objects was playing a show with two highly attractive instrumental geniuses, pretty much making this the instrumental rock show of San Diego. If you weren’t there, you probably missed all the good stuff that San Diego has to offer in this genre. And with all three of these bands heading into the studio soon, you’ll have to scrounge up some of the demigods of instrumental rock in these parts, if you want a good show in the next couple of months. Good luck with that, let me know how it goes.
If you were of the lucky chosen crowd, you were there to appreciate the near perfect acoustics of Bar
This guy is either enjoying the show, or eyeing the girl with her boobs hanging out across the bar. Or...both.
Eleven. It was loud, but in that amazingly awesome way. It was right on the edge of the perfect supersonic sound barrier. That alone was impressive. If you’re impressed with the sound check, you have to know the show itself will be amazing.
As one can expect from Immovable Objects, guitarist Matt Gagin and his crew of instrumental geniuses belted out dynamic after dynamic, taking you on a rollercoaster ride that few bands can offer in modern music, all under the backdrop of thought-provoking, silently beautiful movie that painted across the band, sometimes seeming to pull each band member into the frames of the film.
As mentioned earlier, I almost got into the show for free. I occasionally play with Immovable Objects on the harmonium, so maybe I can attempt to be snooty and say I’m with the band. Eck, that was horrible just reading that. All jokes aside, I almost got into Bar Eleven for free because their doorman was probably a certified crack head who wasn’t even at the door when me and my friend showed up. We walked right in, and if it wasn’t for that meddling bartender, we would have gotten away with it too! But he was mixing us drinks, so I forgive him. Plus, supporting your local bands is always a great deal. Did you know that every
Please don't sue me, NBC.
year, local bands have to kill thousands of drummers because their band shelters are overrun with them, and that for every person who pays to attend a local show, you could save a drummer? The more you know.
It’s also apparently a proven fact that bartenders in dive bars know EVERY PERSON who walks in that door. “Hey, you weren’t here twenty minutes ago.” totally works in a venue that probably holds around…60. But once again, I’m not bitter because the drinks were good, the music was amazing, and the venue itself looks like the kind of place that is legendary and yet no one knows it. Did you have
Bar Eleven has been hip since before hipsters existed. I'm pretty sure the original Mona Lisa threw up on these very floors. Legendary.
any idea where you were standing? Do you have any idea who’s walked these beer-stained floors? Kids these days.
When the second in line band, Kata, began to take the stage, my music geek heart filled up with joy to see not one, but two cellists setting up right in the front of the stage. Two cellists, a keyboardist, bass, drummer, and a handful of guitars. I think all of the numerous members of Kata comprised half of the bar, but maybe more musicians meant they sounded even more amazing? I would have waited to see, but I’m pretty sure they were trying to break the Guinness Book of World Records’ “longest time it takes to get set up for a gig.” But with so many instrumentalists, I don’t really blame them for taking their time.
The best part? Looking like the ultimate hipster with my 35mm Nikon that I bought off some failing former photography major a week ago. I really don’t recommend looking like a hipster to anyone. But for a person who hasn’t touched film since she before she hit puberty, I think I did fairly well.
mmovable Objects created their most recent recording, I’ll Know to Believe in Sparrows, where the band explores the nuance of the album as a complete piece and the ideas of instrumental music as an emotive and visual experience. For his first return to the U.S. this October, Gagin plans to perform the latest Immovable Objects’ record in its entirety with a video accompaniment. “I feel like the music expresses itself with or without a projected narrative but I think without lyrics or a true front man to engage the audience, and believe me I ‘m no front man, their can be a lack of connection for some people. Others, however, enjoy it more because there is no voice.”
The Indie 