Jucifer, via their Facebook page
At some point in their lives, all aging rockers must sit around and talk about the loudest band they ever saw. Bands like Motörhead and Mogwai are among those at the top of my list. I would also have to include Slayer, who took away a good chunk of my hearing (during a show I’ll never forget, when the band added to their performance of “Raining Blood” with an actual wall of blood raining from the ceiling).
A band that is – perhaps – lesser known, but also belongs at the top of this list is Jucifer. Call it a gimmick – because maybe it is – but Jucifer’s most visual referent is an enormous wall of sound, literally a gargantuan stack of amplifiers, seemingly 100 miles high and as wide as a field, endlessly pummeling with dense riffage that challenges the senses. This is no joke. In fact, I’ve heard rumors around the industry and stories of Jucifer’s act being cut short because their show was too loud to continue – in fact, so loud that sound was barely even audible.
Even if their audio does reach levels of intensity that would cause Bill Brasky to shudder, it’s a perfect fit for the sludgy toned rock and roll that Jucifer produces. The two-piece rock ensemble of Gazelle Amber Valentine and Edgar Livingood (a married couple who spend a great deal of their lives touring, for those keeping track), invokes the brutally raw volume as though it were another instrument in the band. The band’s Twitter page isn’t shy about letting you know this, reading: “76 speakers + 6,500 watts can’t be wrong.”
For those of us who simply can’t get enough volume, especially those of us who are willing and anxious to sacrifice a bit of our hearing for a good time, Jucifer is one of the true wonders of the world. Rock fans living in the Northwest will have two opportunities to see them, September 3rd at El Corazon in Seattle, and September 7th at Dante’s in Portland.
Need help buying tickets? Cascade has you covered. Just follow this link to get yours now.
One last thing – don’t forget your earplugs.
