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the Famines

The Famines have gone through some changes and have now completely (indefinitely) transformed into Pentagon Black. In the future, consult the website pentagon.black for all Famines-related information. Oh, and you can buy the band's releases there, too.

the Famines are Pentagon Black

It’s 2020 and clearly things have changed, and one of those changes is how this band is no longer this band. Drew and Raymond are now (indefinitely) stopping performing and recording music as the Famines and are putting their energies into the DIY-paper-electricity-art-print-music-compilation-Canadiana-etc. thing also known as Pentagon Black. That thing even has a website now:

http://pentagon.black

If you have time today to check out what we’re doing there, excellent. If you’ve ever wanted a PB release, order one through that site today and know it’s funding our 2020 release schedule full of compilations, infopamphlets, a long-form interview series, etc. And once again, thank you very much for supporting us as the Famines. Double thank you for every bit of support you give us as Pentagon Black.

Just announced today: the Pentagon Black Pop Montreal show. Quality bands in late September? Yes. Check it out, check it in, hit the appropriate buttons.

facebook.com

FPOP FEST

We had a board meeting a few months ago and the agenda was just big red letters expressing “we haven’t seen Guelph since 2015.” So we faxed some forms to Bonnie Trash, their people talked to our people (and the other people), consensus was achieved, and FPOP FEST was confirmed. This is how art is made. See you on the 8th of September, Guelph, and note there are a few other new show details in the “shows” section.

We know it’ll cut down on merch table confusion by exactly 0%, but at least it looks marvellous. Buy some things at our next shows, will you?

gridcitymagazine.com

The Famines release ‘Pentagon Black No. 4’ at Flourish Festival

Montreal duo bring new compilation, art exhibition and live performance to Fredericton audiences as part of Flourish Festival 2018.

the famines

This is Pentagon Black Compilation No. 4, and it’s out right now. Surprise. We’re calling it a “phone comp.” 19 musical acts between Vancouver and Halifax recorded original unreleased tracks live via phone (no multi tracking allowed), then made them... — This is Pentagon Black Compilation No. 4, and it’s out right now. Surprise. We’re calling it a “phone comp.” 19 musical acts between Vancouver and Halifax recorded original unreleased tracks live via phone (no multi tracking allowed), then made them downloadable via code on the back of 500 art postcards by illustrator Lisa Czech (lisaczechofficial.com). Get the 6x6” postcard, use the download code on its back to get the music. “Low fi and spirited" and “short and sweet” are its epithets. Who’s on it? Not the Famines, but who needs us when you’ve got:
Steph Yates (Guelph), BBQT (Montreal), Don’t Bother (Toronto), Usse (Saint John), the Orange Kyte (Vancouver), Oromocto Diamond (Quebec), No Pussyfooting (Peterborough), Bonnie Trash (Guelph), Fashionism (Vancouver), Property// (Montreal), Smokey & the Feeelings (Edmonton), Kiddo (Mississauga), Bonnie Doon (Ottawa), Special Costello (Halifax), Outtacontroller (Halifax), Back Teeth (Hamilton), Klarka Weinwurm (Sackville), Spationauts (Regina), and Skin Tone (Montreal).
Copies are free to all attending the Pentagon Black show at Flourish Festival (see flourish-fest.com) on the 21st of April in Fredericton where there will also be a ten-piece Pentagon Black art exhibit. Other ways to get it: spending $2 plus postage at thefamines.bandcamp.com/merch (where you can also see the full track listing) or cajoling/bribing any of the other bands on the comp to give/send you one. Enjoy while you can.

electriccitymagazine.ca

5 Questions: Raymond Biesinger of the Famines | Electric City Magazine

Montreal’s the Famines have made a career out of disruption. Lead singer and guitarist Raymond Biesinger has described their music as “damaged 60s garage songs”—wry, cynical, and noisy, with sharp and insightful lyrics that challenge the modern world. It’s earned a cult following for the band, a duo of Biesinger and drummer Drew Demers (a …

Hot off the presses…

famines

punknews.org

Best of 2017 - Adam White's Picks

Punknews.org

Fact: this “Coolest Project of 2017” designation from Punknews.org refers directly to what we’re doing with our Pentagon Black thing. We knew we were doing something different, but we weren’t aware of it being that cool. Not bad at all.

revrock.blogspot.ca

The Famines Interview & Show # 683

The Famines formed in 2008 in Edmonton, Alberta as a two-piece band featuring singer/guitarist Raymond Biesinger and drummer Garrett ...

When “Too Cool & Other Songs” first came out in 2015, we skipped all the usual steps to releasing an album and put it out on paper and electricity. That was by intention, but that meant we also skipped sending it to any and all media, which makes it even more warming that CJAM Windsor’s David Konstantino put such thought into covering the record this week in support of our Windsor show (which was straight-up increds). Thank you so. Click the above link to read and hear….

Just sayin’.

Between 2008 and 2011 the Famines released a string of 7” singles and sold them all out tout suite. Then a label called Mammoth Cave put them all in an LP, and then that sold out tout suite too. Now? Pentagon Black thought it a great time to reissue... — Between 2008 and 2011 the Famines released a string of 7” singles and sold them all out tout suite. Then a label called Mammoth Cave put them all in an LP, and then that sold out tout suite too. Now? Pentagon Black thought it a great time to reissue “the Complete Collected Singles 2008-2011” as a paper album. It’s a 20x30” double-sided newsprint poster with an eleven-song download code on the back. Sonically it’s the entire and immaculate Garrett-on-the-drums era in one noisy capsule. Visually it’s the original album art expanded and exactly reproduced. Have $10 plus a couple dollars for shipping? Take a walk to the “merch” section of thefamines.bandcamp.com and you know what to do from there.

noisey.vice.com

This Indie Label Is Cutting Vinyl Costs By Releasing Albums on Paper

A great recap on the Pentagon Black experiment by Luke Ottenhof via Noisey. Next release: this November. What’s it going to be?

This is Pentagon Black Compilation No. 3, and it’s out today. We’re calling it a “phone comp.” What does that mean? 16 diverse bands between Edmonton and Saint John recorded original unreleased tracks live via phone (no multi tracking allowed), then... — This is Pentagon Black Compilation No. 3, and it’s out today. We’re calling it a “phone comp.” What does that mean? 16 diverse bands between Edmonton and Saint John recorded original unreleased tracks live via phone (no multi tracking allowed), then made them downloadable via code on the back of 500 art postcards by illustration hero Lisa Czech (lisaczechofficial.com). It measures 6x6”. Get the postcard, use the download code on its back to get the music. “Low fi and spirited" and “short and sweet” are its epithets. Who else is on it?
Couleur Dessin (Montreal), Motherhood (Fredericton), Lonely Parade (Peterborough), Usse (Saint John), Century Palm (Toronto), Nüshu (Montreal), LAPS (Montreal), Deathsticks (Ottawa), Oromocto Diamond (Québec), garbageface (Peterborough), Smokey & Cole Kush (Edmonton), Beef Boys (Peterborough), Microdot (Winnipeg), Protruders (Toronto), and PRIORS (Montreal).
Copies are free to all attending the Pentagon Black Ottawa Explosion show (see ottawaexplosion.com) on the 16th of June. Other ways to get it: spending $2 plus postage at thefamines.bandcamp.com (where you can also hear our track, “Talk to Your Friends”) or cajoling/bribing any of the other bands on the comp to give/send you one. Treat your ears to some stripped sounds, and enjoy.

What is Pentagon Black? It’s the label-ish thing that’s putting out PRIORS’ s/t debut LP in paper album format today. That’s a 20x30" double-sided newsprint poster with 10 songs worth of download codes on the back. Art by Sweet Dave, drums by Famines... — What is Pentagon Black? It’s the label-ish thing that’s putting out PRIORS’ s/t debut LP in paper album format today. That’s a 20x30" double-sided newsprint poster with 10 songs worth of download codes on the back. Art by Sweet Dave, drums by Famines Drew, music like being about to lose a knife fight while wearing your favourite denim jacket–the one with the sweet Wire back patch. Oh, and there’s a tape version, too. Catch both in the flesh at L'Esco in Montreal tonight, or get the print version mailed to you for $10 plush shipping via the merch section of https://priorsmtl.bandcamp.com/.

facebook.com

Sweet Dave & the Shallow Graves Priors Motherhood Famines + more

OTTAWA EXPLOSION WEEKEND 2017! Avant-Garde 135 ½ Besserer St Doors at 6:30 pm / 19+ $10 or free w/ OXW pass Pentagon Black presents... Pentagon...

As if you didn’t have enough excuses to drop everything and head to Ottawa mid-June. Sweet Dave (Hamilton), PRIORS (Drew’s other group), Motherhood (Fredericton), us (the Famines), Deathsticks (Peterborough) and Warp Lines (locals). All either firmly within or arms-length related to the Pentagon Black thing, which in turn is firmly within the Ottawa Explosion Festival thing. More details in the event.