All posts tagged as: house of the rising sun
Flower Travellin’ Band
Flower Travellin’ Band - House of the Rising Sun (Cover) -
Friday night I had the pleasure of heading over to The Knitting Factory (or what’s left of it) and seeing Japan’s Flower Travellin’ Band play their very first US show. The killer opening set by Knyfe Hyts (Oneida, Ex-Models) lent the room a sort of dark, trippy tension that I rarely see anymore outside of metal shows. By the time FTB took the stage, I was ready to have my mind blown.
You see, FTB has been playing since the late ’60’s, and though they were set to open for The Rolling Stones during their 1973 tour, visa issues prevented them from entering the United Sates until now. Their particular brand of psychedelic rock is delightfully heavy and strange, emphasized by the fact that they have abandoned the electric guitar in favor of the hugely complex, wide-necked sitarla. Vocalist Akira “Joe” Yamanaka’s voice is jarring and alien, but somehow suits the band’s style quite well. I don’t often think of this sound as having thrived across the world in Japan, but FTB’s extensive discography says otherwise. I’ve included their cover of (the infamous) “House of the Rising Sun.” Take a listen!