Philadelphia noise rockers Bleeding Rainbow have had an eventful year after releasing their debut album, Yeah Right, in January. They combine elements of classic noise rock like Sonic Youth and The Jesus Lizard with an ear for pop melodies and vocal harmonies. The resulting sound is thrilling, energetic, and catchy. And that’s on the record. Hearing Bleeding Rainbow rip through a live set is an entirely different experience. They seem to play every show like its their last, combining technical precision with an unhinged ferocity.
Bleeding Rainbow, who last played The Frequency in 2012 opening for A Place to Bury Strangers, will return as a headlining act this Saturday. Jonk Music was fortunate enough to speak with founding member and singer/guitarist Rob Garcia in advance of the show.
Since I last spoke with you guys at The Frequency in November, quite a bit has happened in the world of Bleeding Rainbow. You have released your debut LP, Yeah Right, and you’re scheduled to embark on a month-long U.S. tour this fall. What has been the coolest part of Bleeding Rainbow’s 2013 thus far?
“A little while after our album came out we found out through Twitter that Krist Novoselic liked our band! Then soon after that Dave Grohl even gave us a shout out on Marc Maron’s podcast. We were totally blown away and humbled that two of our heroes liked our music. While we were at SXSW, Krist even came to one of our shows and we got to meet him. It was awesome to say the least.”
This year, as opposed to 2012, it seems like you guys have been headlining almost every show you’ve played. What advantages or disadvantages do you encounter in a headliner role?
“We really enjoy being able to headline shows. One of the main reasons is that you usually get to choose which bands you go on tour with. We just finished a tour with a band called Fat Creeps. We loved their music and it was great to hang out with them every night. Another advantage is that we most always get a soundcheck!”
Last time we talked you guys mentioned that, while you obviously love playing shows, touring can be tough from time to time. What’s the most difficult aspect of touring? What do you do to keep yourselves entertained in the downtime between shows?
“So much of touring involves hurrying up to get somewhere and then waiting. This can definitely be a little frustrating at times, but you just have to learn how to relax and go with the flow. The most difficult aspect of touring is dealing with the total lack of control and how fixed to a schedule you really are. Depending on your mood, this can be a really good thing at times, though, too. It’s like going on a month-long ride with ups and downs.”
You’ve described your live show as a “huge adrenaline rush” for the band. What should the spectators on the other side of the stage expect when Bleeding Rainbow graces The Frequency on Saturday?
“We recently got a new drummer join our band. She slayyyyyys and has really breathed new life into a lot of our songs. Our live shows are definitely more ferocious now more than ever!”
Yeah Right came out just earlier this year, but you mentioned last year that it was completed quite a while before its release. Have you had time to work on new material in the interim?
“We actually finished recording a new album this past June. We’ll be playing a bunch of new stuff on this tour also. With this new album we really focused on making the songs more direct and more to the point. I feel like in the past year we’ve also just become more comfortable in our roles within the band. It’s all sounding much more cohesive and powerful.”