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The Bastard Suns

Get to livin' before you're dead because you soon will find if you're not pushing straight ahead, you're being left behind.

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Hometown	Alpharetta, GA
Genres	Punk/Ska/Psychobilly, Reggae
Band Members	Clay - Vox; Wes - Guitar; Levon - Bass; JT - Drums
Achievements	» more
Upcoming Shows	None

Contact Information:	Manager Wayne Ross wayne@thebastardsuns.com 404-395-5261 Booking Zack Johnson zack@unionartistsgroup.com 619-795-8775
# Years Experience Performing Live:	6
# Live Perfomances Past Six-months:	80
Market Draw:	Home Market: 351-400
Opener Experience:	Pennywise; Strung Out ; Slightly Stoopid; Rehab; The Street Dogs; Whole Wheat Bread; 311; Authority Zero; Snoop Dogg; The Supervillains; Matisyahu; Chicago Afro Beat Project; The Draft; The Briggs ; Against Me!; Hot Water Music; Jimmies Chicken Shack; Lifetime; Bad Fish; State of Man; Tim Barry; The Aggrolites
Similar Artists:	The Dropkick Murphys, Sublime & Rancid, all huddled together on the hood of a speeding locomotive.
Performing Rights Society:	BMI
Discography:	A Band for All Seasons Vol.4: Summer EP—2011; A Band for All Seasons Vol.3: Spring EP—2011; A Band for All Seasons Vol.1:Fall EP—2010; A Band for All Seasons Vol.2:Winter EP—2010; Here Come The Suns LP—2009; Dropping Expectations LP—2007; Blood, Sweat & Beers LP—2006

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About the Artist

The Bastard Suns are a four-piece sonic assault vehicle. In just under 9 years, this Atlanta band has managed to release two full-length albums and five EPs, punctuated by 2009’s ultra-popular full-length Here Come the Suns, and most recently, 2011’s A...

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Music

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Achievements

Punk Artists, Win A Year’s Supply of Free Strings & Accessories From Ernie Ball!

Punk Winner, September 2011

February 2008 Punk

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Press Coverage

"Here Come The Suns" Album Review by January 2010 - Atomic Neverland
From the dirty south (Atlanta, GA) comes the Bastard Suns with their 2nd full length release, Here Come the Suns. The geography is worth highlighting again because the hybrid punk sound that roils from this record isn’t what one usually expects from the south: punk rock injected with irish-folk, ska & dub reggae. It’s definitely an approach to music one would expect of a Boston area punk job. Although put forth as a second full-length, the album contains three stellar repeats—“Irish Drinking Song,” “RIP,” & “Away Away Away.” The band reportedly felt unsatisfied with the original production of these tunes. The old versions weren’t that bad, but these new releases are polished and sound thicker and are better timed than the originals, so in turn, the listener just isn’t getting some repeat album fillers with a sonic facelift. What really rings out on this album is how the band organically blends the three disparate modes of music . In other words, the songs aren’t just punk anthems with folk, ska & reggae sprinkled over it to make the band standout in the crowd. “We’d Go For Broke,” one of the tightest tracks on the album, exemplifies this relationship completely. The punk style itself is dynamic, ranging from a traditional gallop-style punk with backup vocalists accenting the singer to a smooth technical sound that is between skate-punk & metal. While that forms the baseline, the song has abrupt shifts to ska & reggae and then huge chorus explosions that escalate into an almost Pantera-like drum frenzy. On top of this, the singer doesn’t remain neutral either, becoming an important instrument himself. The singer can range from an Irish flare to a row of articulate rocksteady. While some songs favor a folk feel—“Never Say Die,” “Oh, Celina,” “Pirates of the Whiskey Sea,” & “Irish Drinking Song”—and others have ska-reggae as the prominent mode—“Hold Fast,” “SBMT,” & “Who the Fuck”—the fusing & explosive transitions are a salient quality of the album as a whole. In the end, this effect makes the album unpredictable & surprising, especially on the first few listens. The album also contains two covers that are done well, going beyond a jazzed up version of the original that many bands deliver. One of them is a ska-rendition of “Walk of Life” and the other is a hidden cover of Queen’s “Fat Bottomed Girls.” What really rings clear when listening to the Suns is a band that works hard at a collaborative effort. No instrument player is forgettable or bound to one specific method. All of them bring several styles to each song and each are able to carve out space here & there to demonstrate their musicmanship.

Live Show Review - 99X.com by Martin's Blog on 99X.com
This was the third time in just a few weeks that I got to see the Bastard Suns from Atlanta and I must say that they have become one of my favorite live bands. After playing the SoCo Music Experience, opening up for Against Me!, one week later opening up for Pennywise and Strung Out, now they were having their first headlining show at the Masquerade. So it was a quite busy month for the band. They brought their label mates and friends from No Fuego along, with whom they recorded the Split-CD “Dropping Expectations” for Unable Records. I missed the first band again but got in right on time to see the second band. I don’t remember their name, but that doesn’t bother me at all, because they sucked! They are friends of the Bastard Suns, but play horribly boring 90’s alternative rock. It was actually painful. Sorry guys, but there would have been many other punk bands to fill in that slot that would have been excited to play the Masquerade and fit much better. After that No Fuego from Baton Rouge, LA saved the evening! They do a mix of punk rock a la Hot Water Music mixed with Bagpipes and a bit of Dropkick Murphys in there. They played a few songs from their Split with the Suns and also from their full length they put out by themselves. It was a good show and you definitely need to check them out! Then it was the Bastard Suns and they have apparently become a pretty popular band in Atlanta, since there were about 100 to 150 people there to see them, which is not bad at all for a local band. They played a solid show, doing their usual reggae and ska influenced drinking punk rock and the crowd loved it. I think we will hear lots more of this band in the future, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they become a big band someday. But in my opinion the Bastard Suns are not a headlining band, yet. They were much more fun when they only got 30 minutes and played song after song, without trying stupid stuff like a drum solo and so on. But even that couldn’t ruin their good and powerful performance. If you want to check them out, I’d advice you to buy the Split CD, cause you get the best of both bands and that’s a very good deal. It really is a very good CD So check both of them out and check at the Masquerade’s myspace page in a few days for pictures: www.myspace.com/thebastardsuns

Bright future for Bastard Suns by John House, Cincinnati Music Examiner
I have certainly said in previous posts that one of my favorite parts of covering a music festival like MidPoint, is that there are bands that you have never heard of that makes a splash and a bunch of fans along the way. The Bastard Suns is one of those bands. As I read the previous reviews of the band, who hails from Atlanta, I am surprised that I have not heard more about them. They are some where between ska, punk, and hard rock and they play with a fierce sense of urgency. In this genre, many bands take themselves too seriously but these guys keep a sense of humor through their whole show. The Bastard Suns took the stage at Fountain Square, Saturday, September 25, at 7 p.m.. From the first note the 5 piece band were kicking ass and taking names. Their set included original music as well as covers of everything from George Jones to the Allman Brothers. The most amazing thing about this band is I have never seen a band this hard rocking, with controversial lyrics, that got the kind of crowd response that this band did. Black people, townies, white people, punkers, old people, jocks, young people, nerds, everyone seemed to like them. Smiles, dancing and nodding your head was all that I saw on the square during their set. The Band has two full length releases and some other EPs. They have done some extensive touring but this was their first show in Cincinnati. Considering Rocklistreviews.com, says the Bastard Suns is the “Best live show you’ll see anywhere,” I am guessing you will be hearing a lot more about these guys.

"Here Come The Suns" album review by Scanner Zine July - 2011
BASTARD SUNS, THE - Here Come The Suns {Something Done Right} Just where the hell did this slab of pristine Punk Rock anthems come from? Atlanta, Georgia’s BASTARD SUNS have created a varied listen here, mixing Punk, Ska, acoustic drinking songs and a bit of Rock - but each genre is expertly played, fitted together seamlessly and laden with attitude. Most prevalent is a BOUNCING SOULS/ YOUTH BRIGADE feel, which is clear on opener ‘Never Say Die’. Elsewhere, ‘We’d Go For Broke’ takes GOOD RIDDANCE style melodic HC and throws in some slick Ska breakdowns, ‘SBMT’ rips Ram Jam’s ‘Black Betty’ and rocks while ‘R.I.P’ revels in a melancholic blues-laden swagger. Even the version of Dire Straits’ ‘Walk Of Life’ morphs into a marriage of thrashtastic Punk and skankalicious Ska! Real highlight is vocalist Clayton Hiers who, with songs titled ‘Irish Drinking Song’ and ‘Pirates Of The Whiskey Sea’, I imagined would have a faux MacGowan slur but this dude can really sing with clarity and balls. Excellent hidden Queen cover too. Production is clear and loud, resulting in an album the laboured likes of FLOGGING MOLLY can but dream of. (07.07.11)

Kings of the OurStage Punk Channel. by Ourstage.com Punk On The Rocks Blog
With nine Top 10 Channel Achievements since 2007 and a #1 Channel Prize, Atlanta’s The Bastard Suns are the kings of the OurStage Punk Channel. Their winning song, “My Pint,” is a great representation of the band’s sound, which they describe as “reggae-infused punk often mixed with Irish drinking music.” By any measure, the Bastard Suns are a successful band: three independent full length albums—the latest of which they put out on their own record label (Something Done Right)— opening slots for Pennywise, Hot Water Music and Against Me!, features in Atlanta magazines and radio, 10,000 + MySpace friends (plus their own dedicated street team) and regular tour dates throughout the Southeastern United States. But the Bastard Suns want to be known as more than a great local band: they want to be known as a great band, period. After so many years together as a band, they knew that it was time for a bold move— their first coast-to-coast tour. Kicking off September 25th, The Bastard Suns will spend three weeks crossing the southern US in support of their January 2009 release Here Come The Suns. Will their gamble pay off? Only time will tell. But if their performance at last year’s SOCO Music Fest in Atlanta is any indication of their ability to win over a crowd, it’s safe to say that The Bastard Suns have a bright future ahead of them.

Album Review - Here Come The Suns by Album review by Lights Go Out - UK Fanzine
A real mix of punk rock with an Irish feel to it. Fans of bands like Dropkick Murphys, Neck, and Flogging Molly will probably get boners over this album. It's well written and the recording/mix are excellent. It showcases this lot to be a very impressive and well organized band. I can imagine that they e...njoy a nice Guinness and put on a very raucous booze-fueled live show. Add in a ska based cover of Dire Straits 'Walk of Life' which even had me, someone who hates Ska, singing and moving along, that's bloody impressive work. A true and fine mix of punk, rock, ska and all getting plastered in an Irish pub. Definitely recommended!"- Mr. T

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Stage Specs

Technical Requirements

SOUND REQUIREMENTS:

Full Range Main System, with subwoofers, capable of covering the entire audience with audio levels of 110dBA C weighted across entire area and free of any distortion, hums, pops and RFI. If artist is performing as a support artist, then a sound pressure of not less than 105dBA at Front of House mix position. The system must include a minimum of three (3) monitors, & a professional console of not less than sixteen (16) channels.

TECHNICAL ADVANCE:

Wayne Ross

404-395-5261

wayne@thebastardsuns.com