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January 16th, 2009
01:06 pm - Avenpitch CD release write up on Star Tribune today!
startribune.com
Avenpitch thrice over
I had one immediate reaction listening to "Cast Off," the latest CD by local dance-rock mainstays Avenpitch: Somebody has been listening to a lot of LCD Soundsystem. To be fair, though, comparing Avenpitch leader and local electropunk ringleader Todd Millenacker to James Murphy & Co. also would have been apt with their two previous albums. Millenacker's upbeat, punchy songs avoid the dour, goth-ish rut that too many other digi-rock bands fall into, and he incorporates punk and metal influences bravely, albeit sometimes clumsily. Avenpitch's CD party is Saturday at Club Underground (9 p.m., $5).
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January 14th, 2009
06:23 pm - Avenpitch interview with HowWasTheShow.com
HowWasTheShow.com
Todd Millenacker is the singer and principal songwriter for the electronic rock band Avenpitch. In this interview, Millenacker talks about his early influences, getting video game placement, and the band’s CD release party at Club Underground on Saturday, January 17th.
HowWasTheShow: When did you first start playing music? Who were your early influences?
Todd Millenacker: I remember when I was 8 or 9, sitting in my parents’ living room and making a robotic hand out of Legos that strummed my mom’s classical guitar. I’d pound on Lego boxes while singing into a tape recorder. I don’t remember too many of the tracks, but I clearly remember that my masterpiece was called “Greta in the Garbage Can”. If you can imagine what a robotic Lego hand strumming an open guitar, random pounding on Lego boxes and a third grader chanting, “Her name was Greta, Greta, Greta -- Greta in the garbage can…” over and over, you have a pretty good idea of one of my first musical creations!
I started playing guitar back in fifth grade because of Motley Crue and Guns N Roses. I remember watching MTV and seeing the video for “Sweet Child O’ Mine” where Slash plugged his guitar in at the beginning and thinking it was the coolest thing ever! As for early influences, I think it’s pretty safe to say that if they’re a part of a VH1 Reality Show now, I probably liked them then -- Motley Crue, Poison, Guns N Roses, Skid Row, etc. Like practically everyone, I got into the whole 90’s alternative thing, like Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains, and my interests just sort of went on from there to The Cure, David Bowie, Depeche Mode, New Order, etc.
( read the rest here )
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January 12th, 2009
05:36 pm - Sweet Summer time on Cities 97!
Playlist from January 11th, 2009
Monday 01-12-2009 3:17pm CT
Artist | Album | Song
Avenpitch | Sweet Summertime | Cast Off
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05:30 pm - Cast Off review on darktwincities.com
link
There's a moment in most every song on Avenpitch's third full-length, Cast Off, that will make you smile. While his voice and delivery may leave much to be desired there comes a time in each track where Todd Millenacker convinces you that it actually does fit in well with the music. It's certainly distinctive if not particularly tuneful. You may consider switching CDs in the first thirty seconds of every piece but I would entreat you to hang on for just a little longer because when the explosion comes it's like one of those strawberry candies with the gooey, sugary center that bursts in your mouth once the shell has dissolved - it's an over-the-top surprise that adds to the experience of an enjoyable confection.
( read the rest here )
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January 9th, 2009
10:01 am - "Pregnant Pause" featured on pluginmusic.com
Avenpitch's third LP "Cast Off" (Dance School Records) takes everything that was catchy and danceable about New Order, Happy Mondays, and Pop Will Eat Itself; then chops it up, speeds it up and cranks it up into howling, yet tuneful, 3-minute blasts of digital distortion.
Those who haven't heard Avenpitch before will likely be jolted by the raw energy of their sound, while returning fans will appreciate refined songwriting skills and the musical cyborg interplay evident throughout the album.
Take a list to the opening track off "Cast Off," "Pregnant Pause," which sets the parameters with ringleader Todd Millenacker's shouted melodies set against relentless beats and layered guitar noise.
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09:28 am - Avenpitch "Cast Off"
01. Pregnant Pause
02. Maybe I Was Wrong
03. Desperado
04. Sweet Summertime
05. Reactor
06. Disappear
07. Don’t Come Crying to Me
08. Blink
09. Two Minutes Hate
10. Shadows of Giants
available on iTunes now!
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January 8th, 2009
December 17th, 2008
10:11 am - How I Could Just Kill A Man
So I got home from band practice last night, unloaded my gear and came back out to clean the slush off my tires. For some reason I'm the only one parked on my block last night. Then suddenly I see a car pull over right next to me. You'd think maybe they want directions or something, but they got a lil too close and that triggered my senses. So a guy jumps out of the passenger door and pretended like he was getting a gun from out of his pocket. I backed up quick but tripped on the snow bank, the motherfucker punches me in the face while I was on the ground. Then he says "Gimme your money!". I just kept shouting "I don't have any money, leave me alone!". This was like -5 outside, my gloves were on the ground. I kept pacing back and forth trying to get away from him, and he finally took off. So what's the lesson here my friends? Anyone pulls over right next to you when it's that cold out, they are not asking for directions, they are going to jack you, so you best jack them first!!! No I was not going to give him my hard earned American dollars, he's going to have to get a job and work for it like the rest of us. It may seem foolish but it's not the money it's the principle. I was gonna wait till the morning to go to the police station, but I said fuck it, I'm not gonna live in fear and went and filed a report for the patrols. All you punk ass muggers out there, trust me, there won't be a second time, it will be your last mistake!
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November 26th, 2008
May 28th, 2008
11:44 am - anyone going to the Breeders show this Fri?
The Cure - Chicago, May 17th, 2008
Plainsong - it was awesome to finally see the guitar version of this, epic opening
Prayers For Rain - anthing off of Distegration kicks ass, but i would have foregone this one and went with Fascination Street
alt.end - a gem off the self titled
A Night Like This - another classic from Head On The Door
The Walk - reworked synth line with guitars
The End of the World
Lovesong - need i say more?
Pictures of You - classic
Lullaby - Robert had a cold and completely skipped the first chorus, dont think anyone cared
The Perfect Boy - a new one
From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea - Wish! all the lights went green
Hot Hot Hot
Sleep When I'm Dead
Push
Friday I'm in Love - really awesome images on the big screens off of Wish
Inbetween Days - can you believe Korn covered this
Just Like Heaven - gotta love the girls dancing to this, the whole arena sang along
Primary - finally a song that got me to start listening to Seventeen Seconds
Never Enough
The Only One
Wrong Number
One Hundred Years - the only song off of Pornography
Disintegration - classic bass line from Simon,it could have went on past 30 minutes
1st encore:
If Only Tonight We Could Sleep - never dug before, but it's like a fav track now of mine off of Kiss Me X 3
The Kiss
2nd encore:
Lovecats
Freakshow
Close To Me
Why Can't I Be You? - i seriously couldnt recognize this song without the horns
3rd encore:
Boys Don't Cry - another one that got the whole place riled up
Jumping Someone Else's Train
Grinding Halt
10:15 Saturday Night
Killing An Arab - is this really the last song?? yeap
- they played 3 hours! who even does that anymore
- first time taking the Megabus, definitely worth the 50 bucks round trip but don't think i can endure another 8 hour bus ride for any other band, unless it's Depeche Mode
- they played half of Disintegration
- they played nothing off of Bloodflowers :(
- while waiting for the bus in Mpls, there were two girls with Flaming Lips tshirts. just as i guessed they were going to the show too. started chatting up with one of the girls and she gave me an extra floor ticket for free!
- i've walked the entire downtown Chicago for 4 hours killing time before the show, it was great but i love Minneapolis better!
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January 11th, 2008
09:22 am - TCEP4 plug on Star Tribune today
'Electropunk' rocks on
Even as the dance-punk heat wave that emerged nationally a few years ago with acts like the Faint and Rapture appears to have cooled, there's no shortage of these bands locally. For the fourth straight year, 10 to 15 of them have banded together to put out a "TC Electropunk" CD. As always, this year's compilation features a bunch of bands not on the previous discs, including Zibra Zibra, Audio Victim, Milkbar and Gigi Ranchero. Returnees include Avenpitch -- which more or less spearheads the CDs -- plus Mach FoX, Unicorn Basement and Thosquanta. About half of the aforementioned are performing at a release party Saturday (9 p.m., Club Underground, $5). If none of these bands rings a bell, there's a good mini-documentary posted at TCelectropunk.com.
Star Tribune
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January 8th, 2008
December 17th, 2007
09:37 am - new Avenpitch video
Here it is, our new song on the Twin Cities Electropunk Volume 4 comp, Desperado. I had a blast filming this, my donkey's name was Disoto, needless to say we formed a bond by the end of the shoot. It was filmed out in Lofty Spur Ranch by Prior Lake and Lee's Liquor Lounge. It's sorta an homage to Depeche Mode's Personal Jesus with some Foo Fighters campiness (maybe?) Thanks to Riley Gerszewski for doing the video. Enjoy the video and Merry Christmas!
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November 19th, 2007
09:25 am - Twin Cities Electropunk Volume 4
So my buddy Riley uncovered all the footage we got from last year's TC Electropunk show and put together a trailer for the upcoming Twin Cities Electropunk Volume 4 show at Club Underground on 1/12/08. If you are in any of the bands playing this show, please help get this trailer out and spread the word! Much love.
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October 6th, 2007
11:39 am - Download Fest 07
I'm 8 hours away from seeing The Cure! My life will be complete, oh wait, not till I see Depeche Mode live. It's gonna be a long awesome day here in Mountain View. Just checked out the schedule for the day. Tons of bands I wanna see here.
3:45pm-4:30pm She Wants Revenge
4:30pm-5:15pm The Black Angels
5:15pm-6:15pm Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
5:45pm-6:45pm Metric
6:45pm-7:45pm AFI
7:15pm-8:15pm Kings of Leon
8:15pm-10.45pm The Cure
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August 31st, 2007
09:06 am - Hello Milwaukee
Come out and have a drink with me tomorrow.
Current Music: Alice In Chains - No Excuses
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July 26th, 2007
09:10 am - AVENPITCH on TwinCitiesRadio.net tonite!!!
Hey All,
Just a quick note to remind ya we'll be performing live on Twin Cites Radio's "The Live Sessions" tonight @ 9PM. It'll be about an hour long performance/interview. Should be fun! Tune in @ http://www.twincitiesradio.net
Also, we just added some YouTube videos of us performing "Nothing" and "Jack the Idiot Dance" @ Club Underground to our website. If you've got 7 minutes to kill, go check'em out @ http://www.avenpitch.com
Current Music: Depeche Mode - Walking In My Shoes
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July 10th, 2007
09:40 am - Droogies!!
Is anybody interested in checking out ANY of these shows with me?
( MEGADETH: Complete U.S. Itinerary )
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December 29th, 2006
11:11 am - more TCEP3 Showcase press
Taken from Star Tribune
Still a fledgling genre, the local electropunk clique -- think: rock bands with
electric gadgets but not a lot of sissy house beats -- is at least a tight-knit
and supportive scene. A dozen of its acts are performing on one night to
promote "Twin Cities Electropunk, Vol. 3." The vibrant new 14-track compilation CD
includes Avenpitch, Tim Rally Gold, Mach FoX, Uber Cool Kung Fu, Hondo and Eddie
Entropy. (9 p.m. Sat., Club Underground. $5, includes free CD.) (C.R.)
Taken from PULSE of the Twin Cities
The Twin Cities are home to a growing number of bands that identify themselves
with what is known as the "electropunk movement." Bands with Casio keyboards,
drum machines and fancy-pants laptop editing equipment have come together to
create the third in a series of yearly compilations dedicated to their underground
musical cause. "It's simply what happens when you take a generation of bored
teens and twentysomethings--raised on hardcore punk, British techno, Nintendo and
Doritos--and place cheap digital recording technology within their grasp,"
their website reads, and the music is similar to what you might imagine from
experimental musicians. Not every track on TC Electropunk Volume 3 is golden, but
there are plenty of bands worth checking out. Tim Rally Gold's "Break-up at the
Waffle House" is poppy and well-produced, like a less depressing Postal Service,
while bands like Mach FoX and Thosquanta use their electronics to create a
darker, more industrial feel. Many of the bands on the compilation will come
together for Saturday's CD release show at the all-too appropriately named Club
Underground, known for its New York punk club ambiance and penchant for providing a
stage to great non-conventional bands who fly under the radar of the rest of
the local scene. With Thosquanta, MSRP, Avenpitch, OBCT, Evarial, Mach FoX,
OneNeoEon, Unicorn Basement, Tim Rally Gold, Hondo, Eddie Entropy. 9 p.m. $5. 21+.
355 Monroe St. NE, Mpls. 612-627-9123. ANDREA MYERS
Taken from The Onion - A.V. Club (Twin Cities):
For three years, the best way to keep up with the burgeoning local techno scene
has been the Twin Cities Electropunk series, shepherded by Todd Millenacker of
the group Avenpitch. The new third installment of the disc showcases 14 local
synth-pop and hard-edged electronica groups, who collectively come across as a
hyperactive cross between Devo and Spinal Tap. Slashing goth-metal riffs are
embraced as much as the burbling buzz and bleep of electronica; the bombast is
sometimes ironic and sometimes not. It's what might have played during the Matrix
movies if the Wachowski brothers didn't take themselves too seriously. As an
example, Unicorn Basement's "Necrophile" has its tongue firmly lodged in
zombified check, with groan-inducing lines like, "You look so good in the corner, I'm
glad I'm the coroner." See, even Goths know how to crack a joke. All three of
the Twin Cities Electropunk compilations are downloadable at tcelectropunk.com;
they've also pressed 1,000 physical copies of the disc, to be handed out for
free at this show. The electronica genre doesn't always place much emphasis on
playing live, but the majority of the groups on Volume 3 will play Spring Street,
including Thosquanta, MSRP, Avenpitch, OBCT, Mach FoX, Evarial, Unicorn
Basement, Tim Rally Gold, Hondo and Eddie Entropy.
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December 26th, 2006
10:10 pm - Twin Cities Electropunk Showcase Vol. 3
Taken from City Pages
The third free compilation of local rock electro in as many years, Twin Cities Electropunk Showcase Vol. 3 introduces six new names (MSRP, Hondo, Evarial, Eddie Entropy, Unicom Basement, OneNeoEon) to an otherwise familiar assortment (Avenpitch, Uber Cool Kung Fu, Mach FoX, OBCT, Thosquanta, Time Rally Gold), with all of the above performing tonight on two stages in Club Underground. While Evarial and Eddie Entropy offer the pure synth-pop you'd expect, MSRP nudge things into double-kick-drum metal, while Hondo's punk throb is electronic in beat only, and OBCT are industrial rap-rock. You're bound to love or hate something here. CD is free at the door, and can be downloaded for free at www.tcelectropunk.com. 21+. $5. 9:00 p.m. —Peter S. Scholtes
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