San Francisco metal band Deafheaven (see also Soundboard) started in 2010 as a low-key collaboration between vocalist George Clarke and guitarist Kerry McCoy, who wrote the songs for their demo using a nylon-string guitar and recorded with borrowed gear. In the three years since, they’ve developed a robust and original sound that melds black metal, postrock, emo, and ambient; Deafheaven’s recent second album, Sunbather (Deathwish Inc.), is beautiful, harsh, and huge. It also sounds like the work of a far more experienced band—perhaps Deafheaven seems to have emerged fully formed because Clarke and McCoy previously played together in grindcore outfit Rise of Caligula and have been close friends for a decade.
Brandon is the fucking man. This is something that I meant to bring up, because we get a considerable amount of shit—and I’m sure you guys get the same amount—for being a metal band on Pitchfork. I think people look at our bands and think, “Aw yeah, those guys are doing great,” and yeah, we’re doing great technically, but I’m not paying my fuckin’ electric bill here. Pitchfork has always done so much for us; how can I hate on it. I think it’s pretty rad to be next to, like, Kendrick Lamar or whatever. Or like Drake.
Yeah, that’s come up a few times!
I was going to ask you—how was that tour? I know in San Francisco you did the Fillmore. That’s fucking crazy.
That was another one that blew my mind. We played there on like a Tuesday on the way home from the Kowloon Walled City tour. It was a great show. It wasn’t like 5,000 people or anything, but 100 people on a Tuesday? You have to make sure you buy beer before you go to Salt Lake City, though, because all the booze there has less alcohol.
I thought the same thing. Ireland was different. We did have a few dates in Ireland, and the beer was definitely flowing then.
Sat 7/6, 9 PM, Subterranean, $12, 17+
