“This song is ‘No Hibernation.’ It’sabout the Borg Ward, in a way, and not giving up,” Ebben says into themicrophone to the crowd as the band started the sonic fuzz crunch again. Theaudience swayed and rocked back and forth on their feet.
The band was playing with eight otherbands that night as part of the Borg Ward’s three-day “It’s About to Be Cold asFuck Fest,” organized by Riddle.
Ebben describes Dear Astronaut’s sound as“no-wave stoner metal.”
Riddle, reflecting, says the band’s soundis “probably like sitting in a swamp, potentially getting stoned by yourselfand thinking about the world. Then there are these random moments of happinessthat come out of nowhere. But basically sitting in a swamp. It’s dark butthere’s a lot of power in the songs.”
Dear Astronaut started as Ebben’s soloproject in 2003, adding Knaebe and Emmerich on rhythm in 2005. The triorecorded an album, Escape from RainbowMountain, which is recorded but not released.
Last year they added Riddle as a secondguitarist, helping balance the band’s low-end sound.
“He was able to bring a shrill, piercing,high-end sound,” Ebben says. “It complements us really well and it feels reallynatural. At band practice we talk about the ‘brain beam,’ just being able toplay together and all being on the same page.”
The band has developed a long-termrelationship with the Borg Ward, their practice space and most frequentlyplayed venue.
Ebben is a Borg Ward Collective memberand the band began practicing in the Borg Ward basement a year and a half ago.Since then they’ve played more shows at the Borg Ward than any other band.
“So I guess we’re kind of like the houseband in a way,” Ebben says.
“It’s nice not having to lug equipment upmore than a flight of stairs,” he adds, laughing.
The band has found an appreciativeaudience at the Borg Ward.
“We never really went over well with thebasement scene. That scene is very much about having fun, fun music. It’sreally kind of dunderheaded, and energetic,” Ebben says.
“The Borg Ward is more of a refuge forweirdoes,” he continues. “There’s a lot of different shows here, but we definitelymake a point of noise shows and stuff that’s a little more out therestuff thatdoesn’t fit in the basement or bar scene, so I guess it’s natural this placewould end up being our home.”
“It’s a place for bands that don’t havehomes,” Riddle says.
“Yeah, Borg Ward is like the Island of Misfit Toys,” Ebben agrees.
DearAstronaut plays Nov. 14 at the Borg Ward with Microwaves, The Conformists andIfIHadAHiFi.
