Wand regenerates again with their most ambitious work yet: Vertigo, out July 26 on Drag City. Turning from their Plum/Laughing Matter-era quintet, Wand now emerges in quartet form (Evan Backer, Evan Burrows, Robbie Cody, Cory Hanson) with a noir-tinged record looming with tension, theatrical elevation, and lush orchestration. With today’s announcement, Wand has shared a new single/video for “Smile” that features crushing riffs and a mysterious edge-harkening Jim O’Rourke era Sonic Youth.
Vertigo is the sound of feet lost, regained, and lost again: a vision of Wand that is more automatic, associative, and direct than ever before. Determined to work backwards (or at least inside-out) this time, Wand tracked Vertigo in their own meticulously-built studio, cutting pieces from over 50 hours of live improvisations and writing from within their performances to reshape each track. Along the way, each member took on a new position in addition to the old one during the process — an intuitive, strangely ego-less approach that spun them into uncharted territory. To reach Vertigo, the four committed and recommitted, unafraid to eject in a constant positive forward momentum, until a record formed: a pulpy, atmospheric flight through the fog, where the songs slide cuts of genus and genii, captured beatscape and soundtrack, and found melody on anxious rock beats pulled into the ether and spurt back out again. Vertigo was recorded, produced and mixed entirely by the band, scored to cinematic effect with strings and winds arranged by Evan Backer: viola, cello, violin, contrabass, flute, trumpet, french horn, trombone, tuba, saxophone, and sensory percussion.
Wand 2024 North American Tour Dates
(new dates in bold)
5/30 – Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room
5/31 – Morro Bay, CA @ The Siren
6/1 – Santa Cruz, CA @ Moe’s Alley
6/2 – Reno, NV @ Holland Project
6/5 – Denver, CO @ The Marquis Theater
6/7 – Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheater*
6/8 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Rebel Lounge
7/10 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
7/11 – Lakewood, OH @ Mahall’s 20 Lanes
7/12 – Darien Lake, NY @ Darien Lake Amphitheater*
7/13 – Windsor, Ontario, Canada @ Meteor
7/15 – Toronto, Ontario, Canada @ Budweiser Stage*
7/16 – Montreal, Quebec, Canada @ Theater Fairmont
7/17 – Somerville, MA @ Crystal Ballroom
7/18 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
7/19 – Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts
7/20 – Washington D.C. @ Songbyrd
7/22 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
7/23 – Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
7/25 – Denton, TX @ Rubber Gloves
7/26 – Austin, TX @ Parish
7/29 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress
7/30 – San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
8/2 – Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy & Harriet’s
8/3 – Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
9/14 – San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel
9/15 – Redding, CA @ The Dip
9/18 – Seattle, WA @ Madame Lou’s
9/19 – Vancouver, BC @ The Pearl
9/20 – Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater
9/21 – Arcata, CA @ The Miniplex
9/23 – Sacramento, CA @ The Starlet Room
*w/ Red Hot Chili Peppers
